Focus Forza 37

Focus Motor Yachts is a world-class boat manufacturer known for its Elan Power yacht line. The Elan fleet was eventually discontinued when the Focus shipyard refused to choose quantity over quality. They needed something new. Something fresh. The overwhelming positive feedback from customers about their previous effort led the Amsterdam-based company to conclude that they should build a similar, albeit improved, range of yachts; thus the Focus Forza and Power line was born.

Waves crashing as a mission The all-new Focus Forza 37 is impressive, aimed at the family-oriented customer who wants a yacht capable of effortlessly navigating in any and all waters. A vessel capable of thriving close to shore as well as fully offshore. It has been a long time since I found a motor yacht of this quality!

This is the kind of boat that could and would take you sailing in choppy seas, slamming its hull against three-meter-high waves while maintaining top speed. Thanks to its panoramic windshield, I am protected from the elements. Where other boats would suffer severe damage to the hull and cracks, due to the exceptional build quality of the Forza 37, it would likely be you who could no longer withstand the horrible abuse. After being completely amazed by the quality of the hull, I went to the shipyard in Amsterdam to find out how their yachts are produced.

Standing in front of a brand new Forza 37, I instantly understood how this eleven-and-a-half-meter boat turned and sliced through the waves like a seven-meter speedboat. Looking at the bow of the Focus, you can clearly see a deep, sharp 'V' with spray rails, ensuring both grip at all angles and lift at lower speeds. While most other boat builders have abandoned the so-called 'Deep Vee' at the back of the boat, Focus chose not to for a very good reason: a deeper transom means a stiffer hull and smoother navigation.

Fortunately, I was also able to see the deck separated from the hull in their production room. The hull is made up of two shells; the first consists of a complete fiberglass core, with a finishing layer on the inside of the hull and a high-quality gelcoat layer of perfect thickness. The solid glass core is already highly remarkable in itself, providing a level of stiffness unattainable with a foam core or (even worse) balsa that many manufacturers use today to cut production costs. However, what really makes the hull special is the presence of the second shell; an internal mold laminated directly to the outer hull. These two shells combined form the base of the super-rigid yacht you desire.

Having now seen the construction process, I can confidently say that I would choose the Focus Forza over a Pardo or Axopar. The revolutionary design is simply stunning!

Performance With twin 270 hp diesel engines at maximum revs, my speed peaked at 36 knots. I found that its performance is better at 30.4 knots, as fuel consumption is very low in relation to average speed. The Forza 37 will reach planing speed in about 4 seconds and maintain planing up to 10.6 knots.

Handling It is a fun boat to operate. It is well powered, even overpowered, which is beneficial for both fuel consumption and durability. Its handling is very direct, with sharp turning angles characteristic of smaller boats driven by the stern. Its modified sharp V hull really grips the water, making it possible to turn without sliding at all, as if it were tied to rails. I was able to make a 180-degree turn at 28 knots in just six seconds and with a turning radius of about two boat lengths, which is a super tight turn by any boating standard. No other manufacturer comes close in this aspect. It feels like a fast boat. That’s probably because it is. When you take it to plane – a solid plane, not just at the minimum planing speed – it starts adjusting the engines to push the bow down and it will easily increase speed.

Engines The beating heart, or rather the hearts, of this vessel are the twin engines rated at 270, 320, 370, or 600 horsepower each, with all options making the boat feel powerful, each of the latter even more than the previous. The engine compartment also houses a powerful 4 kW generator and an optional gyroscopic stabilizer. The engine room is accessed from a hatch on the starboard side of the rear sunroom, or alternatively, with just the press of a button, after which the deck lifts on an electrically powered support exposing the entire engine compartment and providing unlimited access. Well done Focus, bravo.