Focus Forza 37

Focus Motor Yachts is a world-class boat manufacturer renowned for their Elan Power line of yachts. The Elan fleet was eventually discontinued when the Focus yard refused to choose quantity over quality. They needed something new. Something fresh. The overwhelmingly positive customer feedback on their previous endeavour led the Amsterdam-based to the conclusion that they ought to build a similar, though improved range of yachts; thus, the Focus Forza and Power line was born.

Pounding waves as a missionThe all new Focus Forza 37 is breathtakingly, targeting the family-oriented customer who desires a yacht capable of effortlessly cruising any and all waters. A vessel capable of thriving near the coastline as well as fully off-shore. It has been a long time since I last found a motor yacht of this quality!

This is the type of ship I could and would take out on rough seas, slamming her hull into waves three metres high while maintaining full speed. Thanks to her panoramic windscreen I’m protected against the elements. Where other boats would suffer from serious hull damage and cracks, due to the outstanding build quality of the Forza 37 you’d probably be the one who could no longer take the horrid abuse. Having been completely astounded by the quality of the hull, I went to the shipyard in Amsterdam to find out how their yachts are produced.

Stood in front of a brand-new Forza 37 I instantly understood how this eleven and a half metre long ship turned and cut through the waves like a seven metre speedboat. Looking at the bow of the Focus, one can clearly see a deep, sharp ‘V’ with spray rails, ensuring both grip at all angles and lift at lower speeds. While most other shipbuilders have let go of the so-called ‘Deep Vee’ at the aft of the ship, Focus decided not to for a very good reason: a deeper aft means a stiffer hull and a smoother sail.

Luckily, I was also able to view the deck separated from the hull in their production hall. The hull is comprised of two shells; the first consisting of a full fibreglass core, with a layer of top coat on the inner side of the hull and a layer of high-quality gelcoat of the perfect thickness. The solid glass core is already highly notable in itself, providing a level of rigidity unachievable with a foam or (even worse) balsa core many manufactures use nowadays to cut production costs. Though what really makes the hull special, is the presence of the second shell; an inner mould directly laminated to the outer hull. These two shells combined form the basis of the super rigid yacht you are wishing for.

Having now seen the build process, I can confidently say I’d choose the Focus Forza over a Pardo or Axopar. The revolutionary design is just stunning!

Performance With the twin 270 hp diesel engines at maximum rotational speed, my speed topped out at 36 knots. I found that she performed best at 30.4 kts, as fuel consumption is very low relative to the average speed. The Forza 37 will reach planing speed in approximately 4 seconds and she’ll hold plane down to 10.6 knots.

Handling She’s a fun boat to operate. She’s well-powered, overpowered even, which is beneficial for both fuel consumption and durability. Her handling is very direct, having sharp turning angles characteristic of smaller, stern-driven boats. Her sharp, modified V-hull really hooks into the water, making it possible to turn without sliding at all, as if she were attached to rails. I was able to perform a 180-degree turn at 28 knots in just six seconds and with a turn radius of about two boat lengths, which is a super tight turn by any boating standards. No other manufacturer even comes close in this respect. She feels like a fast ship. That’s probably because she is. When you get her up on plane – a solid plane, not just at minimum planing speed – start trimming the engines to push the bow back down and she'll pick up speed easily. 

Engines The beating heart, or rather hearts, of this vessel are the twin engines rated at either 270, 320, 370 or 600 horsepower a piece, with all options having the boat feel powerful, each latter one obviously even more so than the former. The engine bay also houses a powerful 4 kW generator and an optional gyro stabilizer. The engine room is either accessed from a hatch on the starboard side of the aft sunbed, or alternatively, with the touch of button, after which the deck lifts on an electrically actuated strut exposing the whole engine compartment and providing unlimited access. Well done Focus, bravo.

Notable Features

• Full fibreglass hull and superstructure;
• Inner hull fully laminated;
• Mercury Dual TDI 3.0-270s, Volvo Penta D4-320 or D6-400
• Joystick manoeuvring
• Submersible swim platform – capacity 600 kg;
• Large protecting tinted safety glass
• Custom built interior.

Swim platform The first thing you’re going to notice when you come on board this ship, hell, you’ll probably notice it before coming on board, is the immense, solid teak swim/stern platform. The  combined integral/add-on platform can be hydraulically raised and lowered. The projected length abaft the transom is huge for a ship of this size, improving safety as well as liveability. Moreover, this makes the platform ideal for storing any tender or jet ski. 

Cockpit Walking at level from the stern platform leads you into the large, open cockpit. You’ll immediately notice two major features: the first being an almost abnormal level of attention to detail and finish I like to call ‘The Focus Touch.’ The second thing is the strong spatial effect, mostly due to the unrestricted fore-and-aft movement and the wraparound hardtop screen, providing unrestricted vision anywhere in the cockpit. Directly aft is an extended sunbed both spacious and comfortable, an indispensable feature on any open sports cruiser. Take a couple more steps forward and you’ll be standing in front of a well-built wet bar which is nearly invisible in closed position. Lift the high-gloss kerrock counter to reveal a stainless steel sink and faucet, as well as an electric grill. The open-air galley also includes storage space, a compartment for litter and space for a wine-cooler. The aft side of the cockpit houses a six-man dining station with an adjustable wood-and-steel table. The sunpad area is stretches along the aft side, which, in conjunction with the non-rounded corners, provide the ultimate lounging experience. It's hard to talk about the cockpit without mentioning the helm. The console is raised compared to the rest of the cockpit, which is essential for good vision as well as being aesthetically pleasing. The vessel is operated from the centre of the three marine-grade, double stitched leather bucket seats, facilitating unimpaired movement for the observer. The solid teak sliding footrests are a very welcome addition, improving comfort while simultaneously being pleasing to the eye. The digital steering wheel is not only mesmerizingly beautiful, but adjustable as well to suit your preferences. The high-gloss, gel coated black dashboard is a dream come true for any captain, housing a bevy of state-of-the-art instruments. A raised panel below the compass contains all the digital engine gauges, as well as the alarm lights. Various waterproof switches are also present, as well as a 12 V USB socket. A rudder angle indicator and a Tridata (Depth / Speed / Trip) display are also standard equipment.

Foredeck The foredeck is easily accessible from either side of the ship. A broad, deep, single-level walkway, with stainless steel guard rails on the outer edge leads you along the side of the deck. You’ll pass a midship cleat, which facilitate tie-ups and the possibility to do a lock passage single handed. As the foredeck comes into view, you’re greeted by the large sun lounger, fully upholstered in the same material as the cockpit cushions. An escape hatch improve safety while simultaneously functioning as sources of natural light for the cabin below. The windlass is concealed under a hatch with a lift and lock latch.  There’s an all-chain rode.  A stainless windlass feeds chain through to a recessed anchor roller and then a polished stainless-steel anchor just ahead of that. There's also a remote control to maximise comfort when anchoring with this beauty.

For those who…The Focus Forza 37 is meant for the more demanding owner that values quality craftsmanship. It’s meant for someone who wants the full experience; who loves boating both as sport and lifestyle. Someone who loves and appreciates high attention to detail. Someone who really wants to fall in love with a boat. If that someone sounds familiar to you, this is the yacht you should own.

There’s currently no real competition for the Forza. This stunningly beautiful and extremely reliable vessel will bring you anywhere safely, even under the toughest of conditions. She’s an excellent combination of style, form and function. She’s the perfect candidate for any boat-lover that demands quality. She’s the yacht of your dreams and the yacht of nightmares for other boats. To those wanting to do some serious yacht-hunting with this vessel I can only say: ‘happy hunting!’

GrandYachts offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.