Pardo 38

The Pardo 38 is built for guests who want speed and open air rather than multiple decks and formal saloons. At 11.56 metres, the hull carries a wide sun pad forward, a sheltered helm station and a cockpit that opens straight onto the water, so the twelve guests aboard stay close to the sea rather than tucked below it. A single cabin gives a place to change or store bags for the day, not a base for sleeping aboard, which fits how this boat is used: fast, bright, and out on the water for a few hours rather than overnight.

From Puerto Banús, the Pardo 38 covers the run west toward Estepona in well under an hour, putting quieter water and the snorkelling grounds near Punta de la Chullera within easy reach for an afternoon out. Groups more often ask for a shorter loop instead: out past the Puerto Banús beaches, anchor in a sheltered stretch of Bahía de Marbella for an hour of swimming, then back to the marina as the light turns for early evening. Either way, the low freeboard and open cockpit keep the boat feeling like a shared deck rather than a formal yacht.

It suits couples marking an anniversary with a short sunset run, a family with older children who want to swim rather than sightsee, or a small corporate group after a relaxed lunch stop off the Marbella coast rather than a full day at sea. Because it is a day boat, fuel use stays modest compared with the coastal-cruising fleet, and a captain can talk through the west-coast run toward Estepona or a tighter loop off Puerto Banús before booking. In peak summer months, berths and slots fill early, so confirming dates a little ahead of the visit is worth doing.