Kraken 50

The Kraken 50 is a heavy-displacement bluewater cruiser conceived by Kraken Yachts founder Dick Beaumont and drawn by New Zealand designer Kevin Dibley. She was developed around a single idea: a yacht strong and sea-kindly enough for a couple to take anywhere, with safety and an easy motion placed ahead of marina-friendly volume.

Introduced in 2023, she is a centre-cockpit cutter of just over 50 feet aimed squarely at long-distance, short-handed passage-making rather than coastal cruising or charter work.

The hull is a substantial hand-laid composite laminate of seventeen to twenty-two layers, built for impact resistance and long-term durability. Her defining feature is the patented 'Zero Keel' — a keel moulded integrally with the hull, with the lead ballast encapsulated rather than bolted on, eliminating keel bolts and the risk of losing the keel after a grounding.

The rudder is hung on and protected by a full skeg, continuing a theme of redundancy and protecting the vulnerable underwater appendages.

The cutter rig divides the sail area into smaller, more manageable sails, which suits a couple working the boat on a long passage. With around 1,445 sq ft of sail on a lightship displacement near 37,000 lb, the Kraken 50 is powerful but not skittish; reviewers describe a yacht that prioritises a stable, easy motion at sea over outright speed.

Below decks the Kraken 50 is offered in two- to three-cabin layouts (four to six berths), with a large galley, generous stowage and a king-size owner's cabin. Comfort systems such as diesel heating throughout, tropical air-conditioning and an induction hob and oven reflect the boat's intent as a genuine long-stay home aboard.