When hull number 55,555 rolled out of International Marine's Melbourne facility, it represented far more than a routine production milestone. The vessel chosen to mark the occasion was a Caribbean 420 Express, the 55,555th boat to leave one of Australia's most storied yards. It made its world debut at the Sydney International Boat Show in August 2015, and has since settled in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, where Tauranga Boat Sales is offering it for $745,000 NZD. Low engine hours and outstanding condition make it well worth a closer look.
International Marine, recently acquired by the Australian luxury motor yacht group Maritimo, spent decades constructing Bertram motor yachts under licence. That heritage carries real weight. The deep-vee, rough-water bluewater DNA those famous Bertrams were built around runs through every Caribbean hull, and the Caribbean 420 Express is no exception. It shares the same proven offshore platform as the Caribbean 40 Flybridge Cruiser, arriving instead in a single-level sedan configuration that pairs a rugged underbody with a thoroughly contemporary interior layout.
The exterior carries a clean, timeless profile, with an all-white hull beneath a matching white superstructure. Out at the transom, 111 square feet of cockpit space is laid in real teak, serving equally well as an entertaining platform or a dedicated fishing station. A large 240-volt cockpit freezer and a starboard cockpit couch add comfort for guests, while lazarette storage beneath the cockpit floor keeps gear well clear of the deck. Keen anglers will find the fishing setup comprehensive: game poles, a centre rigger, and a live bait tank are all included. An extended teak-laid swim platform makes boarding straightforward, and a stainless steel arch, bait board, and underwater lighting round out an already well-considered transom arrangement.
The single-level sedan layout is one of the most sociable configurations available at this size. Helm and cockpit share the same deck, removing the separation that a flybridge arrangement inevitably introduces. An opening port rear bulkhead window connects the saloon directly to the cockpit, reinforcing that sense of flow. Inside, high-gloss polished teak joinery sets the tone alongside comfortable leather seating, and generous windows draw in natural light to keep the cabin feeling open and airy. The starboard couch features ceiling straps that allow it to convert into sleeping berths, offering both single and double bed configurations for additional guests. Forward, the galley is fitted with an Isotherm 12-volt fridge, an in-bench 240-volt freezer, a convection microwave oven, and a four-burner induction hob.
Wrap-around windows at the helm station deliver excellent all-round visibility, and the equipment list is thorough. Twin Raymarine Hybrid Touch displays, autopilot, radar, a Muir rode counter, trim tabs, a remote searchlight, and three windscreen wipers with freshwater squirters and a front screen shade are all fitted. A navigator's chair alongside the driving position keeps longer passages comfortable for two. Below decks, the accommodation divides between a forward master cabin with an island double bed behind a lockable door, and a separate guest cabin offering large bunk beds in an equally private lock-up arrangement. The head is clean and well-appointed, with a Vacuflush freshwater toilet system and a holding tank.
Open the engine hatch and the machinery space is immaculate. Twin Cummins QSC diesel engines, each rated at 500 horsepower, sit with just 775 hours recorded, a reassuringly modest figure for a vessel of this capability. The conventional shaft drive arrangement is dependable by nature, pushing the solid fibreglass hull to a cruising speed of better than 24 knots, with 30 knots available when conditions demand it. Supporting systems are equally well specified: a 9.5 KVA Onan generator, a dedicated house battery bank, and a bow thruster take the stress out of tight marina manoeuvres. A 95-litre-per-hour watermaker is installed and has never been used. Fuel capacity stands at 2,000 litres, with 650 litres of fresh water tankage alongside, giving the Caribbean 420 Express genuine range for extended coastal passages or serious offshore fishing campaigns.
