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Tiara EX54 Yacht Review: Your New Elevated Experience

The queen in waiting, tiara ex54 yacht: a true yacht builder’s masterpiece, tiara’s ex54 is its second largest offering   and solidifies its place among   true yacht builders..

Choice of Three Layouts

Also read: tiara ex60 yacht review - luxury meets performance on the water.

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Boat Review: Tiara 3500

• By Dean Travis Clarke
• Updated: October 12, 2001

Tiara’s 3500 remains consistent with the company’s proven formula for successful express designs, but also takes some subtle steps into the future. You can tell something’s different as soon as you see its lines. More radius curves, along with a forward-slanted and more rounded transom, lends a European flavor. At the same time, the windscreen and radar arch seem to offer a lower profile than the 3500’s siblings.

The Tiara 3500 was designed with both cruisers and fishermen in mind; dropping the radar arch and adding the optional fish boxes, rod holders and outriggers turns this express into just about the most luxurious offshore fisherman you could hope for. And make no mistake, Tiara builds truly seaworthy hulls. I’ve spent many hours in the Northeast canyons fishing for tuna on a Tiara and never had a single complaint about handling, sea-kindliness or comfort.

Tiara also offers what is arguably the best-designed helm station on the market. Well-placed engine monitors complement the broad expanse of surface-mounting space for your navigation electronics – all in an unusual non-glare blue-gray finish.

The type of person who buys a Tiara to fish wants elegant luxury. Belowdecks, buttery leathers, rich fabrics, designer lighting, flawlessly finished fine woods and the finest equipment available all combine to make this a luxury vessel that will stand up to the harshest conditions with aplomb.

Anyone who must navigate the way to the bow will appreciate the inordinate amount of side walkway space, as well as the really aggressive nonskid that is a signature of all Tiara yachts. And whether working the cockpit or cruising to the fishing grounds, the hull-side exhausts help keep the ride quiet and exhaust-free. With both Cummins 370B diesel engines in gear, idle throttle of 590 rpm provides a speed of 4.7 knots – just a hair too fast for live-baiting. Single-engine running works ideally for this application, however. The most fuel-efficient speed appears to be just over 20 knots, burning 20.3 gph or 1.18 mpg. This gives a range of roughly 384 nautical miles. Top speed of 32 knots is reached at 3,127 rpm and uses 41 gph.

If you like to fish but also want total luxury in a quality cruising package, try on the Tiara for size.

• More: Boat Reviews , Sport Fishing Boats , Tiara Yachts

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Reviewed: Tiara 38 LS

• By Kevin Koenig
• Updated: August 5, 2019

Just before this year’s boat shows in Miami, I had the chance to run the Tiara Sport 38 LS, part of a new ­series of outboard-powered vessels from the Michigan boatbuilder. The weather was blustery with spattering rainstorms dimpling Biscayne Bay’s gray chop. It wasn’t great boating weather, but it was great conditions for boat testing.

My test vessel was special because it unveiled a new propulsion package representing a partnership between Volvo Penta and Seven Marine. The optional helm-to-prop system combined Volvo Penta’s Electronic Vessel Control (EVC) with Seven Marine’s beastly 527 hp 6.2-liter V-8 outboard ­motors. Seven Marine brings the horses while Volvo Penta offers DuoProp drives and an amalgam of its “Easy Boating” features, including a Glass Cockpit System, joystick control, dynamic positioning and Easy Connect remote connectivity. (Triple outboards from Yamaha and Mercury ranging from 300 to 400 hp apiece are also available.)

The combination of the DuoProp system with the muscular motors is designed to push the ­growing ­series of monster center-consoles ­coming to market with more efficiency at all speeds. The setup also reduces cavitation, further enhancing performance, according to the manufacturers.

The 38 LS handled the sloppy conditions in Florida well. A hardtop and single- pane windshield provided shelter from the elements, protecting the three bolster-style helm seats as well as the seating at the after end of the console.

I spent most of my wheel time running the 38 LS at her 30-knot cruise speed, where her range is 276 nautical miles. The boat sliced through the confused 2- and 3-footers while gripping tightly to the bay’s surface during S-turns and while turning hard over in about a boat length and change. When I pinned the throttles, the 38 LS shot up to a brisk 46-knot clip, just 2 knots shy of the 48 knots that Tiara Sport says it’s seen her do. It’s a speed that a center-console in today’s market needs to attain to stay competitive.

The 38 LS also has the requisite amenities expected on today’s large ­center-consoles. The U-shaped dining settee at the transom is a good place for alfresco meals, while lounge ­seating in the bow is an ideal spot to hang out with sundowners. A full head is inside the console, and there’s a full-size berth for ­overnights.

The Tiara Sport 38 LS could function equally well as a dayboat or as a ­mega-yacht tender. She has performance-boat speed, a sharp profile and good looks without being overly trendy. She is ­unlikely to go out of style anytime soon.

Take the next step: tiarasport.com

• More: Dayboat , On Board , Seven Marine , Tiara Yachts , Volvo Penta , Yacht Reviews , Yachts
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• Tiara 3600 Convertible

by David Pascoe

Brokers and dealers like to call used boats "pre owned," but we like the term "pre tested' much better. One of the really great advantages of buying a used boat is that it is, indeed, pre tested. By the time it is three years old, most boats have been used hard enough, and long enough, that any major problems will have manifested themselves by now. That's why you'll find these reviews to be so much more than just a review of any particular boat, for they will give you an insight into a wide range of boats.

This review is based on several 3600's we've looked at recently in the ten year old range, and all were heavily used in sport fishing and cruising, which gives us good insight into the products of S2 Yachts and how they hold up over the years. In a word, very well, for the Tiara 3600 is a high quality boat that stands the test of time. Good looking without a lot of eye candy, it has nice clean lines and the kind of styling that is nearly timeless, something a smart buyer looks for unless he doesn't mind getting caught up in style obsolescence, and the big loss in resale value that that entails.

Right from its first introduction, we've always been impressed with this boat, but we can also understand why it didn't sell as many copies as the builder surely had hoped. That great styling, like so many boats of yesteryear, means a smaller interior. For a 36 footer, the salon can only be described as cramped, making her a somewhat less than ideal cruising boat. The house is short and raked, with a large expanse of uncluttered fore deck. Many folks from other parts of the country do not consider that a convertible, or sport fisherman, could be used as a cruiser, but here in the Southland, we have a considerably different idea about that. Mainly because so many people like to go fishing AND cruising, so they look for both qualities.

Part of the problem is that the layout doesn't make the best use of space. The catwalks are really narrow, so you'd expect that the salon should be large, but the short house precludes that. Add to this the problem is that it is broken up with too much counter space. That's great for finding a place to set stuff down, but its not so good for moving around. Some folks just don't like constantly bumping into things, which is what you end up doing on this one.

That complaint aside, there's not much else to criticize. One boat had been used hard, and in recent years not well maintained. It hadn't been compounded and waxed in years, but when this was done shortly after the purchase, the gel coat came back beautifully and really took a shine. We also like the lack of feature stripe tape, decals and black painted trim and accents, which means that you don't get all the sun and heat expansion damage that is so prevalent on late model boats. No leaky windows, no damaged interior paneling, no cracked and faded plastics, no crummy die cast zinc alloy fittings falling apart, no wood, no teak or other cheap junk that can't be restored or replaced. Oh, yes, and no corroded aluminum trim either.

No stress cracks on the bottom, or around the rub rails or the corners of the cockpit or house sides. The decks are balsa cored, just like we think they should be. And yes, the core is doing just fine, adding to a more hushed ambiance inside. The rub rails are stainless on top of molded plastic which works very well.

How well is the hull built? In our view, about as well as all boats should be built. Its not heavy by any means. At 18,600 lbs. stripped, the weight is middlin, but the design parameters put the beef where its needed, and not where its not. There really isn't any place on this boat where you get the sense of flimsy glass. Unfortunately, the access to the internal hull is poor, so we really didn't get to see much of the detail work, but S2 has a good history of doin' it right.

The cockpit is adequate for anyone but a fishin' fool who's going to want to drop a full size tournament chair in there, at which point things cramp up a bit. The deck is good and solid with nicely designed gutters around the hatches that do a good job of keeping the water out, unless you blast it with a hose. It wisely had no bait and tackle center which would take up precious cockpit space. The bridge ladder is well out of the way, so there's no room behind it to squeeze in anything except an Igloo. And, surprisingly, there is even quite a bit of storage space in the lazarette, although you need to install your own decking back there, to keep stuff out of the bilge water, which Tiara did not do.

You'll find the bridge layout a nearly perfect meld of fishing function and a bit of party-time, for two pedestals fit well and the 3-man forward set is just fine on such a small bridge. The helm console has enough real-estate that you can sprinkle around a few tin soldiers up there (your electronic gizmos).

The bridge is well laid out with a good view of the cockpit.  A full tower fits very well.

The engine room? Well, here you pay the price for squeezing a pair of Cat 3208's in there along with the generator. But owners can count their blessings that the genny isn't under the cockpit deck. Getting at stuff down there is a tough proposition, even for routine maintenance, so you need to clear out the salon and pull the hatches.

With the 320 HP Cats she's a bit on the slow side but does fine with the 375's, okay with Crusader 350's and rather slow with the Merc 330's. But with the 320's, you'll get a heck of a lot of engine life from them. Handling? It has a reasonably deep entry, but the overall vee is quite shallow. As a true fishing machine, this is where it falls flat, for its not going to keep up even with a Hatteras when the going gets rough. The trade-off here is speed versus rough water performance. Its going to be bumpy in a short chop.

If what we see of the exterior is first rate, the interior falls a little short of that. Some of the materials just don't match the quality of the rest of the boat. The good news is that interior renovations are not expensive.

The price? These boats hold their value so the prices are up there. But, in our view, worth every penny. This boat is built to last, and last it does. No future tense here.

Verdict? In terms of overall engineering and quality, this is as good as your going to get in its class without going to a specialty boat. We shaved a half-star off for the interior and bottom, but that's about it. Comparing it with others in its class, such as the Hatteras 36C and the Bertram 37C, about all we can say is that all three are very different boats, each having different strong suits. The Tiara is a bit lower in price, the quality generally just a tad less, but in 1987 was not serious contender with the other two as a fishing platform.

Related article: Tiara Today

David Pascoe - Biography

David Pascoe is a second generation marine surveyor in his family who began his surveying career at age 16 as an apprentice in 1965 as the era of wooden boats was drawing to a close.

Certified by the National Association of Marine Surveyors in 1972, he has conducted over 5,000 pre purchase surveys in addition to having conducted hundreds of boating accident investigations, including fires, sinkings, hull failures and machinery failure analysis.

Over forty years of knowledge and experience are brought to bear in following books. David Pascoe is the author of:

• " Mid Size Power Boats " (2003)
• " Buyers’ Guide to Outboard Boats " (2002)
• " Surveying Fiberglass Power Boats " (2001, 2nd Edition - 2005)
• " Marine Investigations " (2004).

In addition to readers in the United States, boaters and boat industry professionals worldwide from nearly 80 countries have purchased David Pascoe's books, since introduction of his first book in 2001.

In 2012, David Pascoe has retired from marine surveying business at age 65.

On November 23rd, 2018, David Pascoe has passed away at age 71.

Biography - Long version

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Published by: D. H. Pascoe & Co., Inc. Articles, Images: Copyright © 1997 - 2018 David H. Pascoe All rights reserved. Articles, Images: Copyright © 2019-2022 Junko A. Pascoe All rights reserved. Web site design & developement: Copyright © 1997 - 2023 Junko A. Pascoe All rights reserved. Web site: Maintained by Junko A. Pascoe

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• Tiara’s Newest 56-Foot, 2400 HP Boat Is a Speed Demon in a Full-Feature Package

Tiara just joined a small club of builders that make center consoles over 55 feet. But this new boat distinguishes itself from competitors through luxurious details and smart design.

Michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories, kevin costner cruised on this luxe 75-footer last summer. now it’s debuting at cannes yacht fest..

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These larger models have become status symbols, partly for their impressive speeds, but also for the luxurious details—at least insofar as sportfish boat makers view luxury—across the boats. But many don’t quite understand the definition of luxury on a boat, at least not the same level that brands from Italy understand and implement it, which explains the significant increase in imports over the last ten years.

Tiara is one of the few US boat brands that gets luxury is more than expensive looking gadgets, but about the whole package.

Its new 56 LS, standing for luxury sport, strikes a nice balance between the two words in its name, without going to extremes on either end. “We want to have the performance, but offer a true luxury experience,” Tom Slikkers, Tiara CEO told Robb Report , bristling a bit when his new boat is compared to competitors.  “We see luxury as not just being able to get from point a to point b in record time, but enjoying the whole day aboard. Our competitors aren’t necessarily thinking that way.”

The 56 LS also has some distinctive features from its smaller 48LS and 43LS siblings. “We realized it was time for the next generation,” says Andrew Bartlett, Tiara’s director of design. “We wanted to keep the DNA of our center console design, but provide more enclosure behind the helm station, so owners can seal it during bad weather.”

A disappearing bulkhead, a feature taken from its EX60 inboard model, proved a viable solution. “That let us keep the boat’s main characteristic of openness in good weather, but provides protection so owners don’t have to go below-decks in bad,” adds Bartlett.

The aft cockpit has a modular design that allows movement of the seating, inclusion of the dining table and connection to the outdoor galley for different social occasions. Both rear sides fold down to expand the cockpit size by about a third.

The cabin is a two-stateroom design, with two heads and a shower. The foredeck also has a settee and table, more in line with a cruiser than a center console. Fit and finish throughout promises to be as luxurious as Tiara’s other models.

The new 56 LS may not be able to claim the title for speed or size—Scout is building a new 67-foot center console for release later this year—but it could well be the most luxurious center console on the water when it debuts at the Miami International Boat Show next February.

Read More On:

• Large Center Consoles
• Mercury Marine
• Tiara Yachts

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2020 Tiara Sport 43 LS

• By Pete McDonald
• Updated: August 20, 2020

As testers for this magazine, we live by the quantifiable, taking performance numbers aboard every boat we review. But for me, the defining moment for the Tiara Sport 43 LS came not in the data, but in the looks we got idling through the inlet in Holland, Michigan. Several people walking along the jetty stopped and stared, and I watched as one person’s jaw dropped and he mouthed, “Wow.”

The flagship of the Tiara Sport lineup, the 43 LS is everything a large luxury dayboat should be. It’s equipped to entertain abovedecks for days while pulling off overnight duty with style and comfort. And like all Tiara Sports, the 43 LS is overbuilt to withstand rugged Great Lakes boating, so it’s got the offshore chops to reach distant outposts.

This large 11-ton center console with a deep-V hull that tapers to 21 degrees at the transom treats most lake and bay chop as a minor annoyance, and handles heavier seas outside the inlet with aplomb. Even with its stout construction, the triple Yamaha 425 XTO outboards help this boat can get up and go, reaching 30 mph in under 9 seconds en route to a 53 mph top-end speed. It handles nimbly for its size, and the Yamaha Helm Master joystick system that comes standard with the triple Yamaha 425 XTO package makes docking no sweat. Our test boat came equipped with the optional Seakeeper SK6 gyro, which neutralizes the rock and roll.

Interior and Accessories

The boat has so many interior highlights that it’s hard to list them all. One that stands out is the aft manually rotating U lounge with a teak table that can face aft or forward. Then there’s the galley that sits under the hardtop between the helm and the U lounge. It features rear-facing seating as well as an array of amenities—expect people to gather around it like they would an island bar in a kitchen. The bow cockpit is another great area to hang, with three forward-facing backrests and wraparound bow seating. Throw in the forward and midship berths, plus the well-appointed head, and you can say the “wow” the 43 LS got is well-deserved.

How We Tested

• Engines: Triple 425 hp Yamaha XTO V-8 outboards
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/16 3/4″ x 19″ 3-blade XTO stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 1.79:1 Fuel Load: 350 gal. Crew Weight: 660 lb.

High Points

• Summer galley behind the helm forms a gathering point for socialization, much like an island kitchen in a home.
• Bow seating is deep, safe and spacious.
• Phenomenal access to the ship’s systems in the cavernous mechanical space belowdecks.
• Mega-outboard installations do tend to eat up available swim-platform space.
• We like our cabin counters fiddled.

Toughest Competitor

The Fountain 43 NX ($856,900 with quad Mercury Racing 400s) is a lighter boat capable of faster speeds, but without some of the Tiara’s creature comforts in the cockpit.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

Tiara Yachts  – Holland, Michigan; 616-392-7163 ;  tiarayachts.com

• More: 40-50ft , boat tests , Boats , Center Consoles , outboards , Runabouts , September 2020 , Tiara Yachts

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