Navan T30 review: World first drive of Brunswick’s most versatile 30-footer

The Navan T30 is a 30ft centre console walkaround built on a shared platform with two other models in the Navan range, powered by Mercury outboards and designed for versatile day use, coastal cruising and light fishing. We were the first journalists in the world to drive it.

The 30ft walkaround has become the most crowded postcode in European powerboating, and the brands that own it built the segment from scratch – adapting the practicality of the RIB market with the style and purposefulness of the hard-sided powerboat.

Adding to this market, in January 2026 Brunswick turned up at boot Düsseldorf and pulled the covers off the T30. Four weeks later it was in Miami doing the same routine. This is Brunswick’s first ground-up centre-console walkaround in this size for the Navan brand, and it arrives with the parent company’s full vertical stack bolted on. Mercury on the transom, Simrad at the helm, Mastervolt in the lockers, and a patented hull underneath. The intent could not be clearer if it were stencilled on the gunwale.

The T30 is the third model to sit on Navan’s shared 30ft platform, joining the S30 sport bowrider and the C30 cabin cruiser. That matters commercially because it tells you Brunswick is treating this hull as a long-term programme rather than a one-off. It matters on the water too, because the platform’s underpinnings have already been signed off in two other configurations.

Navan was established by Brunswick in 2023 as a European-facing premium fibreglass brand, with boats built in Florida for both European and US markets.

The first thing you notice is that this hull feels properly balanced. The S30 and C30 both carry their weight in slightly different ways, and the T30 sits between them in a way that works. There is no nose-up tendency at planing speeds, no awkward transition through the mid-range, and the centre-console layout puts the helm in exactly the right place for the boat to feel composed rather than flighty or imbalanced.

More interesting is what has happened to the hull weight. The T30 feels noticeably lighter than its siblings on the same platform, and that shows. Paired with twin Mercury V6 225hp outboards, holeshot is clean, mid-range pickup is genuine, and the V6 package feels like the sweet spot for European coastal cruising rather than a compromise.

Vibration and ambient hull noise are noticeably reduced compared to the S30 and C30. Whether that is revised lay-up, additional sound deadening, or a change to how the hull liner is bonded, Brunswick is not saying. But it is a real, measurable improvement on the same platform. Conversation at cruise was noticeably easier, the boat is playful but feels safe and secure, and the overall impression is one of a more refined result than the price suggests. Small detail, but it makes a big difference.

The hull is Navan’s patented T-Step design, developed in-house at the Brunswick Boat Group Technology Center. It is a stepped planing form engineered for a flatter running attitude and a drier ride at cruise. Brunswick has not credited an external naval architect, which separates Navan from some of its rivals that trade heavily on their designer names. Based on our time on the helm, the design lives up to its brief.

The T30 reads as a serious centre-console walkaround rather than a styled-up day boat. Walk-through side decks are wide enough to actually use. Gunwales are high enough to feel genuinely secure with children on board. The foredeck converts cleanly between sun pad, dining and forward seating.

The cockpit is open and reconfigurable, with a preparation centre and angling station making the fishing configuration straightforward without committing the whole boat to it. Helm visibility is good in all directions, and the console feels structurally tight rather than cosmetically dressed.

One refinement worth noting is the midships bench seat. On the S30, the seat height can leave occupants feeling a little exposed at speed. On the T30, revisions to the design mean you sit slightly lower – a change that is particularly welcome for children riding in that position.

There is a below-deck cabin option that takes the T30 from day boat into pocket weekender territory. The compartment includes a head with electric toilet and sink, ventilation via port lights, and a convertible berth arrangement. It is accessed from aft, just to starboard of the helm.

It is not a full cruising cabin, but it supports practical use for overnight or a weekend away. Storage is well integrated throughout the boat, and the optional T-top provides meaningful shade coverage for a full day on the water. The standard 400-litre fuel tank and 80 litres of fresh water on board make short coastal passages comfortable without the logistical overhead of a smaller day boat.

Power is Mercury throughout, with options running up to 450hp. Our test boat ran the twin Mercury 225 V6 configuration, which we would argue is the most rounded choice for this hull. The lighter engine package suits the lighter boat, and the performance figures do not punish you for choosing it.

The helm gets a 12-inch Simrad NSX multifunction display as standard. That is unusual at this size and price, and it is a direct result of Brunswick owning the Navico Group, which includes Simrad. On comparable boats, equivalent electronics are typically an option that adds meaningful money to the on-the-water price. Mastervolt handles power management, and the integration between all three systems is genuinely seamless.

At low speed the T30 handles predictably. The high gunwales and wide deck layout mean movement around the boat is safe and practical, which matters on a boat used regularly with a family. Build quality on our test boat stood up to close inspection: gelcoat finish was clean, hatches shut with weight behind them, and nothing flexed that should not.

As already mentioned, Brunswick owns Mercury, Simrad and Mastervolt, which means the engines, chartplotter and power management are all fitted as standard from within the same corporate group. Owners are not hunting for upgrades at extra cost or piecing together systems from different manufacturers – it is all there from day one. We would want to see a production example after a full season of regular use before making a long-term quality judgement, but nothing on the test boat suggested corners had been cut to hit a price.

This is a flexible boat ideally suited to a family for day boat adventures and occasionally fishing and couples who want the option of a night on board without stepping up to a full cabin cruiser will find the T30 covers all of that without obvious compromise.

The established dealer network across Europe is also worth factoring in for buyers who want ready access to support. This is a boat for people who want a well-specified, versatile 30-footer that covers the most common use cases without fuss.

Compared with similar outboard-powered 30ft walkarounds, the T30 offers a more coherent standard specification – particularly on electronics and power management – than most at the same price. The Simrad glass and Mastervolt integration are genuine differentiators at this tier.

The T-Step hull is proprietary and has already been tested across two production models. Brunswick has not credited an external naval architect, working the engineering entirely in-house at the Brunswick Boat Group Technology Center.

The main trade-off is that the open layout provides limited protection in exposed offshore conditions, and the T30 is better suited to coastal and inshore use than serious passage-making. Buyers who spend time in open water or want full weather protection will need to weigh that up carefully.

Three things stand out. First, the acoustic refinement: measurably quieter on the same platform as the S30 and C30, and noticeably more pleasant to use at cruise. Second, the standard 12-inch Simrad NSX display: unusual at this price and practically useful from day one. Third, the platform itself: the T30 benefits from two other models having already put the same hull through development and into production.

The C38, Navan’s next model, is scheduled for its debut at Cannes in September 2026. This will, no doubt, add further weight to the platform’s long-term credibility.

The Navan T30 is a versatile, well-specified centre-console walkaround with a genuinely coherent standard equipment package, though its open layout means buyers who want weather protection or serious cruising accommodation will need to look at a different type of boat.

What we like

• Measurably quieter than the S30 and C30 on the same hull platform
• 12-inch Simrad NSX display as standard: unusual at this price
• Seamless Mercury, Simrad and Mastervolt integration out of the box
• Revised midships seat sits lower, noticeably more secure for passengers at speed
• High gunwales and wide side decks make the boat feel safe for family use
• T-Step hull delivers a flat, dry ride at cruise in real-world chop

What we don’t like

• Open layout offers limited protection in exposed offshore conditions
• Below-deck cabin is practical but limited – suitable for an overnight stop rather than extended cruising