Grand Banks Eastbay 44 Cabin Cruiser Reviewed in 2025

A Classic, Beautifully Modern Small Motor Yacht

In the late 2010s, the Grand Banks brand underwent several changes. The brand merged with Australian Palm Beach Motor Yachts, and that company’s CEO took the reigns. An ocean racing champion, Mark Richards has applied his skills to reinvent the brand. Along with new leadership came a new, state-of-the-art production facility in Malaysia. Here, the boats could be built with exacting precision, using modern e-glass resins, robotic product development, and skilled craftsmanship.

The result is a new breed of Grand Banks Yachts that are lighter, faster, more economical, and more comfortable than nearly anything else you’ll find at your local marina. These boats are designed from the keel up for long-distance cruising to new locations.

The Eastbay 44 was the first of the new series released. Grand Banks acquired the Eastbay brand many years ago and has maintained its Downeast-style cabin cruiser. With the low-profile aesthetics of a Maine lobster boat, these boats have a large upper pilothouse salon with an open cockpit aft. Down below, you’ll find staterooms and heads. This fits neatly into a seaworthy deep-vee hull that cuts through chop comfortably and tracks remarkably well.

Layout Options

If one thing sets the Eastbay 44 apart from the competition, it has to be the amazing variety of functional layouts. Grand Banks has a long heritage of making long-distance liveaboard trawlers and cruisers. That lineage is clear when looking at the functional and comfortable layout options for the EB44.

Even though this is a small motor yacht, the EB44 cabin cruiser makes the space feel big. One key feature is the vessel’s wide 14-foot, 7-inch beam—wider than most other cabin cruisers we’ve looked at. Beam is one of those magic ingredients that can change the functionality of a yacht like this. Grand Banks does a great job using its beam for stable cruising and making a boat feel like home.

The next great feature is having a choice between galley-up or galley-down layouts. This simple option makes a world of difference in the boat. If you’re using this as a dayboat, cruising with friends or clients, you might not have much use for the galley. Keeping it below frees up space in the upper salon pilothouse, giving you more seating and room for entertaining.

But what if you want a cruising boat for the Great Loop or island hopping in The Bahamas? In that case, you’re unlikely ever to have more than two couples aboard for any length of time—and, more likely, it will probably be just one couple. Having the galley up means spending more time in the spacious, light-filled salon. The chef will be part of the conversation, and the whole boat will benefit from having the open windows and fresh air provided up top.

There are also several stateroom options on the EB44. The forward stateroom features a welcoming pedestal bed with a queen-sized mattress. Under the pilothouse, however, are two midship staterooms that can be configured in several ways. The smaller of the two is to starboard and features a single berth. It also has space for a washer/dryer and more cold storage. Obviously, this space is intended for storage or as a utility room, but the berth may come in handy when the grandkids visit.

The port stateroom can have two single or one double berth, which turns it into an impressive midship VIP cabin. The headroom in these midship cabins is a little low, but the space is functional and the layouts useful.

Moving the galley up gives you two full heads with separate showers, whereas the galley down replaces the head on the boat’s port side.

The overall layout of the pilothouse includes a U-shaped settee to port with a folding pedestal table. If you choose the galley down, a long, comfortable settee is mounted along the starboard side. Helm is to starboard and features a tall double seat built on storage cabinets. The helm station is low-profile yet functional, featuring two large Garmin touchscreen multifunction displays.

Step through the door to the cockpit, and you’ll find another great space for relaxing and entertaining. A small double bench mounted on the back of the pilothouse faces aft, and a larger one mounted on the transom faces forward. There are cabinets on the pilothouse with space for an outdoor fridge, icemaker, or grill. A removable table turns this into the perfect spot for snacks and sundowners.

The joinery and fit-and-finish are superb throughout. The 360-degree wrap-around views from the pilothouse are also noteworthy. The side and back windows are electrically opened, and there are two large overhead hatches for ventilation.

Mechanics and Performance

The Eastbay 44 was one of the first boats of a new era for Grand Banks. As a result, the boat is jam-packed with little things that the company wants you to notice. In short, it’s an advertisement for what the future of their brand will be.

One key to that is the choice to use Volvo IPS pod drives. Coupled with Penta 5.5-liter, common-rail, six-cylinder diesel engines, the pod drives deliver amazing performance and maneuverability. All that while also being some of the most efficient and reliable engines on the market.

Starting from those IPS drives, Grand Banks designed all other features around them. While it takes its heritage from previous Eastbay designs, the hull is optimized for this twin powerplant. All interior spaces were designed after settling the engine location for optimum balance, and the results speak for themselves at sea.

Performance for a boat like this will be a little different. If you compare it to an express cruiser like the Tiara 43LE, you’ll be underwhelmed by the top-end speed and hole shot. But push the throttle, and she moves. At an economical cruise of 28 knots, this boat plows on like a freight train while sipping diesel. It’s not winning any races, but you’ll be happy to sit there and do it all day and night to get wherever you want to go. This is a boat you get aboard and spend a few weeks—or months, even—touring new ports and exploring islands. 

The boat’s stunningly easy docking performance is another advantage of the electronically-controlled diesels and IPS pod drives. The joystick control is simple to use and responsive. Best of all, it makes it possible to come at a slip from nearly any angle with precision and ease.

For one example, look at the materials used in the hull construction. Vinylester and epoxy resins are used throughout, whereas other manufacturers save these expensive products for only exterior or structural applications. The company describes the hull design as monocoque, with all bulkheads and cabinets tabbed into the hull and deck. The result is an exceedingly rigid structure that anyone will feel comfortable taking to sea.

Outfitting Options

Given their placement in the market, it’s no surprise the Grand Banks offers several choices to make the yacht your own. The website will let you choose from three hull color options (dark blue, horizon blue, or white) and separate colors for the boot and cove stripes. Then, of course, there’s the choice between interior layouts.

Other typical equipment includes an 11.2-kilowatt Mini Fischer Panda generator, Splendide washer-dryer combo, Garmin electronics, and a Seakeeper 5 gyroscopic stabilizer. Plus, there are designed spaces for extra refrigeration and an outdoor grill. In short, the builder seems to have thought of everything you’ll need to keep yourself comfortable on a long trip.

For all the ways to make this yacht your own, it would be nice to see more color choices and perhaps some more conventional engine options. Understanding that the boat’s performance and design are closely tied to these engines will satisfy the current owner, but what happens in 15 years when it’s time for a repower? But, most owners will never have to worry about this issue, and the superior handling of the boat as delivered surely makes up for it.

EB44 Quality and Price

As mentioned, quality is synonymous with the Grand Banks’ name and reputation. The company created the “finely built, 8-knot trawler” market in the 1960s. Unlike other brands that have come and gone since then, Grand Banks has stuck around. And the boats built from that era are still in demand after all these years.

To this day, Grand Banks prides themselves on their build quality. From the materials used in the hull layups to matching the grain of interior wood joinery, perfection is the name of the game at Grand Banks. The company’s three core values are customer centricity, pride in perfection, and the pioneer spirit.

The company also endeavors to make maintenance easy, providing well-thought-out engine and mechanical spaces. Controls are simple, and electric and piping conduits are color-coded.

In short, Grand Banks is interested in their yachts lasting a long time. The EB 44 is backed by Grand Banks’ two-year stem-to-stern warranty. A five-year warranty backs engines, running gear, and structural components.

Current and accurate pricing for the Eastbay is hard to come by. These are semi-custom boats that are tailored to each customer. Starting prices when the boat came out in 2019 were just under $1.1 million, so expect it to be slightly more today. Keep an eye out for EastBay 44 on the used boat market, but their value won’t depreciate too much.

Do We Recommend The EB44?

If your idea of the perfect small motor yacht is a perfect blend of comfortable living on the water, timeless aesthetics, and wonderful performance thanks to modern design, the Eastbay 44 is worth your consideration.

Most modern options, like the Jeanneau NC1095 or the Tiara 43LE, can’t match the look and feel of wrapping yourself in teak and leather. Those boats may be like BMWs or Mercedes on the water, but the Eastbay is the Rolls Royce. It’s big, heavy, dependable, and comfortable to be on.

Grand Banks is undeniably trying to make a point with their new line of yachts. Seemingly, no expense has been spared to produce some of the best boats on the water. This beautifully appointed yacht can take you anywhere.