Halo 470 Reviewed
Triple 370 hp Yanmar diesels power this Halo 470. Quad 600 hp Mercury outboards are also available.
Marc Welch
There are center-consoles, and then there are center-consoles built to serve as superyacht tenders. That’s the goal of the Halo 470 from Ocean 1 Yachts: to impress the biggest of the big boys. The builder calls the Halo 470 a super console.
Ocean 1 Yachts, formed in 2016, is the brainchild of nearly 30-year Capt. Dean Maggio. He saw that discerning owners and charter guests expected a high level of comfort and safety on board their tenders. Maggio set out to create an improved platform, especially after a fellow captain relayed his displeasure with the current market offerings. “He was frustrated with what was out there,” Maggio says.
The foredeck has a high-low table and removable backrest.
Marc Welch
Maggio didn’t use just his own sailing knowledge and big-boat experience. He also collaborated with others, including another superyacht captain, to understand what vessel he could—and should—create. Not seeing a RIB design as the answer, Maggio stepped into the world of center-consoles that could serve as luxe tenders as well as stand-alone boats.
The Halo 470 is the result. It’s a boat that, first and foremost, has a great deal of flexibility. For instance, it can come with an open transom, which is great for fishing, kiteboarding, launching water toys or retrieving swimmers. It also can be ordered with a closed transom, making it better suited for ship-to-shore transports.
Styling is also notable, thanks to the high freeboard forward and the unbroken, graceful sheerline that flows aft. And this boat is very functional. Boarding is easy, courtesy of side gates and a large platform aft. There is plush seating from bow to stern.
Electronics are from Garmin.
Marc Welch
Maggio says Ocean 1 is a semicustom builder that creates stable platforms while managing costs. He builds his boats in Sarasota, Florida, with resin-infused E-glass and Corecell foam hulls. Carbon-composite hull options are available.
The Halo 470 adds to these construction elements with a single-pane windshield and side corner windows made of polycarbonate, which is durable and lighter than fiberglass. The helm has three well-protected 16-inch Garmin multifunction displays. (Two 22-inch displays are an option.) Most every electrical function on the boat can be controlled by the touchscreens. There’s an overhead console for additional electronics and displays, keeping them within view without cluttering the dash.
Three pedestal-mounted, high-back helm seats with armrests and bolsters should keep the skipper and guests in comfortable control. A two-tiered footrest allows for people of all heights to find a good fit underway. Grab rails ring the boat, and the hardtop framing is beefy as well as powder-coated.
This table converts to a berth.
Marc Welch
Guest seating at the open bow includes a U-shaped settee with a backrest coaming and a high-low table. Drop-in backrests convert these seats to forward-facing loungers.
Amidships, under the hardtop and protected from the sun, is a U-shaped settee with a removable center cushion for walk-through access. Sunshades that connect to carbon-fiber poles are available.
Aft is a center station with access to a livewell, cutting board and sink. Tackle drawers should keep the lures and tools in close reach, although anglers can fish from anywhere on board because there are full walk-around decks and doors to haul in the catch.
Nestled under the foredeck is a cabin accessible via a door next to the helm. For overnights, there’s a dinette table that drops to create a V-berth, along with a sink and a microwave. There is also an enclosed head.
The 470 has a twin-stepped hull form. Top speed is 40 knots.
Marc Welch
Power on the Halo 470 that I got aboard was a trio of Yanmar inboard diesels staggered in the engine room, with the center engine lower than the outboard ones. This setup not only facilitates easier maintenance, but also lowers the center outdrive deeper in the water.
The ride is nothing short of exhilarating. Maggio showed off the boat’s maneuverability at speed and its ability to slice through waves and wakes. The hull design keeps the ride dry with minimal bow rise when hitting the sticks. A joystick controller and bow thruster allow this boat to go anywhere, especially in tight quarters.
Additional features and options include a generator, Seakeeper 2 or 5, air conditioning, dive-tank racks, an underbow anchor and windlass, a stainless-steel towing eye, teak decking, lighting choices and rod holders. Owners can also match the boat’s colors to their superyacht.
The Ocean 1 Yachts Halo 470 might have been designed by superyacht captains, but you don’t have to be one to enjoy the high-end fun.
Pep in the StepPowered by triple 370 hp Yanmar 8LV diesels, the Halo 470 produced 40 knots with the throttles on the pins, tracking true thanks to the 22-degree transom deadrise, 14-foot beam, and twin-stepped, advanced-composite hull construction. Power options include 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12 outboards, up to 2,400 total horsepower, which can reportedly produce speeds of about 60 knots.
Focus on FunctionA cool feature aboard the Halo 470 is the installation of several multifunction displays by molding them into the midsection of the hardtop. This setup offers a quick glance at the fish finder or radar.
Covering UpThe integrated hardtop not only protects guests from the elements, but it is also oversize to cover the helm and midship seating. Up top, there’s plenty of room for mounting carbon-fiber outriggers, a radar array, solar panels, cameras, antennas, light bars and pretty much anything else an owner might want.
Take the next step: ocean1yachts.com
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