• Photos
• Specs

Specifications
LOA	49 ft., 6 in.
Beam	15 ft., 7 in.
Draft	3 ft., 9 in.
Displacement	44,500 lbs.
Fuel	506 gals.
Water	160 gals.
Engines	Triple Volvo Penta IPS 500, 370 hp
Base Price	$1,149,000
Standard Equipment
Triple Volvo Penta D6 IPS 500 engines (370 hp each), 15.5 kw generator, electric fly-by-wire steering, Lectrotab trim tabs, four-zone self-contained air-conditioning system, transom hand-shower, SHURrflo water system, water heater, four bilge pumps, boarding ladder at swim step, integrated sidedeck stairways, sliding transom lounge, wet bar w/sink and storage, bench-style power helm seat, IPS joystick control, tilt steering wheel, designer décor in salon, entertainment group — 32-in. LCD TV w/lift, stereo system, DVD/CD player, iPod dock, satellite radio system, solid countertops, liquor cabinet w/glass shelves and blue accent lighting, microwave/convection oven/grill, drawer-style refrigerator and freezer, sink, VacuFlush toilets, separate shower stalls, marble floors in heads and much more.
Optional Equipment
Triple Volvo Penta D6 IPS 600 (435 hp each), dual Cablemaster for shore power, larger generator, larger air-conditioning system, Raymarine autopilot w/wireless remote, SeaKey satellite boat security, Raymarine electronics package, upgraded wet bar w/grill, refrigerator and ice-maker, passerelle, underwater transom lighting, power-opening sunroof w/manual or electric shade, stereo upgrade, power high-low table in dinette, TV and stereo in staterooms, washer/dryer combo and more. See dealer for full list.
Builder
Marquis Yachts, Pulaski, Wis.; (920) 822-3214; marquisyachts.com
West Coast Dealer
SD Yacht Group, San Diego; (619) 230-8989; sdyachtgroup.com

Marquis 500 Sport Coupe

Posted: September 1, 2011  |  Boat Type: Motoryacht

Boat-show head turner takes performance seriously, too

By: Mike Werling

I don’t know if it was the stone gray metallic hull or the sleek European-influenced windows or the huge open sunroof or the dark woods and surfaces contrasting with the light-colored upholstery and trim, but the Marquis 500 Sport Coupe definitely caught my eye at the Newport Boat Show. It attracted a lot of people, in fact. They were intrigued by its European lines and its express interior openness, which is not a combination you expect.

That look and feel is not completely new to Marquis, however, as it has been working with Italian design firm Nuvolari & Lenard for some time. But while Italians design the boats, the rest of the process is all American, with all of the components and systems built and/or installed at Marquis’ Pulaski, Wis., facility.

What Marquis has done with the 500 SC is make it easy to look at and easy to use. The main deck — from the swim step, through the cockpit, through the salon, and up to the helm station and galley — is one flowing, continuous space when the aft doors are open. And even the doors are elegant looking. They are tinted glass framed in black. The starboard door is oversized and swings out into the cockpit; the port-side door folds in half and tucks against the bulkhead. With both doors open, the salon and cockpit become one large entertaining space. And the captain and chef aren’t excluded from the action, as the helm and galley are both up one step and open to the salon.

Eat, Sleep, Be Merry

In the salon, the dark Brazilian cherry sole sets an elegant tone. Accentuating it is Zembrano wood cabinets and trim (though lighter wood choices are available), black, white and gray molded fiberglass, and beige and chocolate upholstery. Two rectangular ceiling areas on the port and starboard sides immediately above the windows are set off with blue LED accent lighting and provide a pleasant nighttime ambiance — definite­ly more martini lounge than sports bar. But with a full entertainment system complete with a 32-inch LCD TV, DVD/CD player, satellite radio and an iPod dock, an owner can set whatever mood he finds appropriate.

There is a C-shaped settee with room for six around a wooden high-low table im­mediately to port. The settee and table can convert to a double berth during a particularly big weekend. Across from that are two designer chairs. Behind those chairs is the hideaway TV, and immediately fore of the chairs is the liquor cabinet, with glass doors and shelves and more blue accent lighting. 

Black countertops and stain­less appliances in the galley add a touch of modern flair, but it doesn’t sacrifice function to achieve form. There is a two-drawer refrig­erator/freezer, a convection micro­wave, a two-burner stove, a sink and lots of storage.

All of this, from the helm to the salon, is under a huge power-opening sunroof that offers various options for light and open air. Closed with the manual or electric shade drawn across it, the roof provides cover and protection from the elements, but light still comes in through the side windows and the windshield. Open the shade, and the light pours in, but the cabin remains enclosed to be heated or cooled, depending on the day. Open the shade and the roof, and the cabin is suddenly an outdoor area, almost like a flybridge, full of natural light and fresh air.

Out on the cockpit, the transom lounge slides back electronically several inches to open up the space even more, and the hardtop overhangs the cockpit to provide shade and cover from rain. At night, the nine LED lights provide a warm glow for outdoor activities, whether that’s drinks or games or both while at anchor. Add the underwater lights, and the boat will be sure to attract attention. Put up a velvet rope and post a bouncer, and you might be able to charge a cover.

When it’s finally time to retire, the belowdecks accommodations will surprise a lot of people for a boat this size. Three staterooms can sleep six people easily. The master has a queen bed, two hanging lockers, reading lights, plenty of storage and headroom, and an en suite head. The port stateroom has a double bed, a nightstand, a vanity top and small dresser, and a hanging locker. The stateroom to starboard has a locker and a two-drawer dresser, twin beds and an optional TV. The entry to both guest staterooms has full headroom, but both rooms are sitting height only above the beds, and the rooms share the second head, which also serves as the day head.

Performance

Once we cleared the final buoy and could open things up a bit, we got to see what the boat could do. A measured run up the rpm scale yielded us 33 knots at 3450 rpm. The final electronics package hasn’t been installed yet — the choice left to whoever purchases the boat — so we couldn’t get a read on the fuel burn, but Marquis testing with the 500 series IPS drives showed a 63 gph total at top speed and 51 gph at cruise, which is at about 28 knots and 3100 rpm. We reached a very comfortable 27 knots at 3000 rpm and settled in at 19 knots at 2500 rpm. We were able to just stay on plane at 2000 rpm, which yielded around 13.5 knots. Marquis testing has shown that the Volvo Penta 600 series IPS yields about 5 more knots at the top end.

The triple IPS system made driving the boat a lot of fun, especially on a day without much swell. It was fast, agile, responsive and smooth as it climbed the speed spectrum. Bowrise was minimal on the 500 SC, as I’ve come to expect from boats with IPS drives, due to the shallow shaft angle. We pulled a hard-over turn at cruising speed, and the boat didn’t skip or slip at all. It felt like driving a ski boat. Even as I pulled the wheel hard in the opposite direction, the boat smoothly transitioned from port to starboard with a slight inward lean as it attacked the waves now coming from the front.

I went belowdecks while SD Yacht Group’s Steve Sillman kept the boat at cruising speed. As the pleasant swooshing of water past the hull provided the soundtrack, I was able to move between the staterooms without getting bounced into the ceiling or thrown from side to side. As I sat on the various beds, I decided that a person could spend a comfortable night below while under way, provided the seas don’t get too big.

 Maybe the biggest advantage of installing IPS drives on a boat this size, aside from fuel efficiency and per­formance, is the diminished docking anxiety. The joystick docking system makes standard slips seem huge and makes tight fits seem manageable. Even beginners will feel like they can dock the boat without too much trouble, and that opens up the potential field of buyers immensely.

For a boater who doesn’t mind losing the sunroof and the openness it brings to the main cabin, the 500 comes in a flybridge model, too: the 500 Sport Bridge. That addition gives you the option of two helm stations or just one helm on the bridge with the addition of a dinette on the main deck. What it doesn’t do is take away from the sleekness of the boat. The flybridge retains the boat’s swept-back lines while providing an outdoor driving and lounging space.

It’s easy to see this boat as a weekender for a family or two couples. A family could even make a run up or down the coast, given the interior accommodations and the boat’s 300-mile range at cruising speed. A couple can definitely handle the boat and dock it alone with the IPS. But with all of the room aboard and the obvious visual appeal of the boat, it may be a struggle to get any cruising time alone.