Nimbus 495 Flybridge Review (2024 Edition)

Nimbus had a few goals when designing the 495 Fly. They wanted to break into the explorer segment with a "voyager" boat that would make Nordic coupé designs relevant for a more international market. The aim was to appeal to boaters in the Med and the USA on top of the Nordics.

Secondly, Joacim Gustavasson, Nimbus' Chief Designer, wanted the 495 Fly to be seen as a “small yacht.” Building upon their earlier coupé models, Nimbus has taken on the challenge of designing and constructing their biggest yacht to date. It's a step up in size and ambition.

Finally, the design brief included making the 495 Fly a floating home that’s comfortable and safe for long periods. Nimbus focused on areas like the saloon and aft deck, integrating safety features, and putting in cosy spots as well as open spaces.

Almost Symmetrical

The asymmetric deck layout is very subtle if you're just looking down at the plans. The starboard side deck is raised up, allowing you to walk comfortably down its length; the port side on the other hand is flush to the main deck and noticeably thinner in person. Mooring gear is nicely hidden in the bulwarks, Ferretti-style, and the fuel fillers are covered on both sides.

The aft galley arrangement is designed to connect cooking spaces to the cockpit. You can open up this space to create a bar, making it one big living area when the weather is good. When it's bad, a window and door can close off the area, including a panel of glass that rises up to the ceiling - not something we've seen before in this sector.

The interior decor is consistent throughout, featuring dark wooden floors, light wood partitions, green sofas, and dark grey walls. If that's not your thing, Nimbus also offers a good level of customisation to reflect the personal style of each owner.

A staircase between the lower helm and forward seating leads down to a lower deck foyer connecting three cabins: the forward VIP cabin with a raised double bed and large side windows, a guest cabin with bunk beds (also usable as an office), and the master cabin.

The galley on the Nimbus 495 Fly is split across both sides of the interior main deck. On one side, you'll find the sink, induction hob/oven, and a large top-loading freezer. The opposite side houses an Isotherm fridge beneath the counter, and a dishwasher - great for a boat of this size, especially if you're cruising with two to four people. It’s all about practicality; for example, there are hooks all over for tea towels and clothing, both up here and below decks.

In the saloon, while the flybridge above does lower the ceiling a bit over the seating area, it’s not really a concern when you’re seated and everywhere else the headroom is good. The saloon table is very interesting; it opens up and can twist into various positions, creating an inviting dining space whatever your requirements. Ventilation is superb, thanks to a drop-down window, large side vents, and an enormous sunroof. To top it off, the TV here pops up and lowers behind a panel.

The sectional sofa is opposite the dining area and part of it can slide towards the table, and the other half has additional cooling storage underneath. Given that the under-counter fridge in the galley isn't enormous, this extra bit of cooling space is welcome.

Owner's Cabin

The owner's cabin on the Nimbus 495 Fly gives more space than you might expect. Positioned amidships, you enter via a little lobby area, leading you straight to the ensuite. The ensuite isn't enormous and the door gobbles up space when it's open, but it does have a separate shower cubicle instead of a wet room.

Once inside the cabin, the headroom is pretty good, though it does drop over the bed area. The bed itself is large and next to it is lots of storage and a seat that can be swapped out for an additional bed. Some owners appreciate having the additional sleeping space as it can sleep a couple of kids if you're boating with family.

The TV is mounted on the wall, and there’s an impressive storage unit on the opposite side, which is where you’ll likely get changed, given the headroom there. 

Guest Accommodation

The VIP cabin, located forward, is impressively spacious with excellent headroom. No issues with height restrictions here, making it incredibly comfortable. The cabin is bathed in natural light thanks to the large hull windows on either side and forward-facing hatches, allowing a breeze to flow through beautifully when at anchor.

There are subtle design details here. Both sides feature well-finished, hard-wearing material with lips to prevent items from sliding off and a tilted bed head designed to hide the air conditioning vents.

The twin is surprisingly spacious for a boat of this size. There are bunk beds, which are set quite low, offering a reasonable amount of space above the bunks. There's decent cupboard space, although no hanging space. 

The helm seat is fully adjustable, featuring armrests and a steering wheel with a joystick for the IPS system. It's very easy to get comfortable and the seated position almost feels automotive. With 480hp per side, the boat can reach a top speed of around 28 knots, potentially hitting 30 knots with a lighter spec. It’s designed to cruise comfortably at 22 to 24 knots, and the joystick simplifies slow-speed manoeuvres.

The steering wheel is surrounded by multifunctional buttons, and there's even a windscreen wiper stalk. That's right, a boat manufacturer has finally found a sensible way to control windscreen wipers. The helm also includes a large sunroof for excellent light and ventilation.

The thrusters and remote controls are conveniently placed right under your arm. The bolster seat can be adjusted, and the armrests can be raised, making it easy to stand and steer when needed. There's a helm door; you can easily get out, use the joystick, and keep an eye on both the bow and stern.

The seating area next to the helm is a fantastic spot for a co-pilot. The forward seating features storage compartments on powerful hinges, and there’s a dedicated map light for charting at night.

It's quite unusual for a yacht to have a screen away from the helm, but there's a Volvo Penta screen located by the passenger seat. With two large screens already at the helm, this secondary screen means the passenger can also control the music, view charts, and enjoy the same functionality as the helm screens.

Flybridge Helm

The Nimbus 495 Fly's upper helm station has twin helm seats with a good space between them, meaning you can get in or out of the helm seat without doing a shuffle.  

The helm itself is finished in dark materials to eliminate any glare, and there are two MFDs (Multi-Function Displays) that provide all the necessary information, mirroring the setup at the main helm. 

When the boat’s pushing along, the upper helm's position is fabulous, offering an unobstructed view and a commanding stance. The seat height is a touch low, however, so you'll need to sit up a bit.

The Nimbus 495 Fly’s bathing platform is a hydraulic mechanism capable of carrying a Williams Minijet 280. The chocks for the tender are set into the platform, and there's also a ladder that extends into the water as the platform lowers. Crafted from eco teak, it does get a bit warm underfoot but there are already plans to change the decking on future models. However, the clever design allows you to walk across the back of the boat even when the platform is down, ensuring ease of movement.

Storage options aft are excellent - really good for stashing ropes and other essentials. There is the option for a wet bar back here which is a brilliant idea for keeping cooking smoke away from the main cockpit.

Wind or Window?

A standout feature of the 495 Fly is its ability to fully enclose the cockpit of the boat. Controlled by the Garmin EmpirBus system, a panel of glass can be stopped anywhere along its travel for a nice ventilated area or brought down for complete closure. Curtain covers on both sides of the cockpit then close for a fully sheltered area and effectively extend the saloon area when the weather isn’t cooperative. It’s an innovative feature; you often see blinds but not a glass panel.

The cockpit has access on only one side, which allows the L-shaped seating to be pushed all the way over, maximising space. The table has a practical design, folding in half when not in use to save space.

Side Decks & Foredeck

For a vessel around 15m (50ft), you'd typically expect narrow sidedecks, but on the 495 Fly it feels more like a walk-around deck, particularly on the starboard side. Plus the 495 has a substantial beam of 4.6m (15ft). The tall, robust guardrails are very welcome, giving a safe space to hang fenders and move around the boat. You could imagine a couple managing this boat on their own because as well as the nice wide side decks, there is also a large helm door, right next to a side door in the gunwale. You can step off the boat straight from the helm in moments. The side deck also features water tanks and drains, concealed under stainless steel plates.

The port side deck is not as spacious as the starboard one, but it's still easy to navigate. There's a continuous rail running towards the back of the boat to help you along. 

Pop-up lights on both sides, along with ample storage underneath, make stashing ropes and covers a breeze. The foredeck has a table, sun pad seating area and a forward bow ladder – a trademark of Nordic design – providing easy step-on and off access to islands.

Despite featuring an enormous sunroof above the lower helm, the 495 has a good-sized flybridge. With coverage provided by a Bimini, it’s the only option available, using the old-school-looking radar arches as support, a rare sight these days. This setup allows the Bimini to collapse back onto the radar arch, making it easy to erect and put down when you need some shelter.

The flybridge includes a big table with a cool trick: lift the table top off, and there's a sink in the middle. Beneath the table, there’s a fridge so you don't have to go downstairs to grab a drink. Moving to the helm station, the sun pad doubles as a seating area for passengers while the boat is underway. Overall, it's a very welcoming spot onboard.

Access to the gyro stabiliser is via a pop-up deck in the galley area but when it comes to engine room access, the Nimbus 495 Fly has a practical solution. There’s a switch that allows the entire hatch to lift up, providing bigger access for more involved tasks. For day-to-day operation, a smaller in-set hatch in this split in the deck lets you pop down to the engine room via a small ladder.

Once inside, the engine room's headroom is a bit restricted but it is to be expected on a boat of this size. Everything is well-organised and tidy, with the generator positioned right aft and the IPS pods and Volvo Penta IPS 650 engines placed on either side, but be prepared to clamber around a bit. While the whole space feels a bit cramped, the ease of day-to-day checks makes it manageable for an owner operating the boat. Remember though, if extensive work is necessary, lifting the entire hatch solves the headroom issue immediately.

The base price for the 495 Fly with the twin 480hp IPS650s (the only engine option) is €1,244,200 ex VAT and that includes a good number of desirable options that would cost extra on other boats, such as Interceptor trim blades, three 12in MFDs, a proportional bow thruster, a lithium-ion battery bank, the sunroof, high comfort mattresses throughout, electric toilets and the retractable aft deck window.

Some cost options worth considering would be the gyro stabiliser (€57,205), the 10.8kw generator (€36,177), air-con (€48,985), the 2x16in glass cockpit MFD upgrade at the helm, radar (€5,793) and Volvo Penta's DPS and Assisted Docking system. The latter is worth it for the piece of mind when berthing as a couple or singlehanded. 

With these key extras and a few more in the mix, the boat we toured at Cannes came in at €1,580,000 ex VAT, which is pretty remarkable value for a boat of this size, built to this standard in Sweden.