Grand Large Yachting, the company that owns Allures, specialises in rugged, go-anywhere cruisers with a strongly practical streak, from the plywood RM yachts, to Garcia’s all-aluminium ultra-tough expedition yachts. So it’s no surprise that the new Allures 51.9 is hugely pragmatic with much to offer a family or shorthanded crew that want to head for the horizon and do some serious exploration.

The curved aluminium hull, crafted without hard chines, offers greater strength than GRP, while a composite deck and coachroof allow for moulding softer shapes, better insulation and plenty of opening hatches. Below decks, effort has been made to make this a more comfortable, luxurious boat than previously, with a large U-shaped galley on a lower level, aft of a large nav station with seating either side. This, and the large saloon table, which lowers down, are on a raised section of cabin sole, providing more stowage and better views, though this is not a deck saloon.

A large saloon table to port can be lowered into a lounging area or double berth

The 51.9 replaces the 52 from 2016 and the 51 from 2009 before that, and is very much an evolution of her predecessors. As with those boats, she has a lifting centreboard, internal ballast and twin rudders allowing her to dry out without support. The hull now has larger internal volume thanks to the beam being taken further aft, which allows for accommodation space which is longer overall than the 52. Options are for a two-cabin version with palatial aft and forward cabins, or a three-cabin version with two equal double cabins forward, or a larger double cabin and a smaller bunk cabin just aft of it.

On deck, the centre cockpit is six metres long with all lines led aft to just forward of the twin wheels, so it’s easy to sail shorthanded.

The forward end of the cockpit, under the cockpit arch is also protected by either a large sprayhood, or as fitted to hull number one, a large fixed doghouse with full standing headroom; the mid-boom mainsheet is fixed atop either of these structures.

There’s space for stowage of cruising kit and sails in large lockers below the quarterdeck and in the bow, and the boat comes as standard with an inner forestay, and a bowsprit for offwind sails.

Allures 51.9 specifications

LOA: 16.67m / 54ft 8in
Hull length: 15.57m / 51ft 1in
LWL: 15,57m / 51ft 1in
Beam: 4.82m / 15ft 10in
Draught (lifting): 1.34m / 4ft – 5in-2.92m / 9ft 7in
Sail area: 118.6m2 / 1,277 sq ft
Ballast: 5,900kg / 13,007 lb
Displacement: 18,400kg / 40,565 lb
Price: €978,420 ex VAT
Builder: www.allures.com

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