The Virtue Yachts range starts with a practical choice: an open, covered or enclosed helm in the core V33 family. The V33 Open, V33 Top and V33 Cabin suit different levels of exposure and time aboard, while the V45 Hard Top moves into a larger platform with more deck space, two cabins and a bathroom with a separate shower.
The range structure confirmed on 28 August 2026 gives buyers two decisions to make. First, how much protection do you want around the driving position? Then, is your priority a day on the water, an occasional overnight stay, or accommodation that makes longer trips a more natural part of the plan?
Three ways to use the V33
The Virtue Yachts V33 Open leaves the helm uncovered and the cockpit open. It suits a preference for being outside throughout the run and at anchor. In Australian sun, that openness is also a reason to consider shade carefully rather than treating the roof choice as styling alone.
The Virtue Yachts V33 Top places a composite laminate T-top over the helm without enclosing the social deck. The driver and companion have overhead shade while the aft seating and side decks stay open. Electric side terraces extend the cockpit towards the water at anchor; the bow sunbed, convertible aft seating and wet bar give the day distinct places to sit, eat or stretch out.
The Virtue Yachts V33 Cabin puts the helm within an enclosed wheelhouse. That protection is useful when the weather changes or a day runs longer than planned. A forward berth for two, heads and galley nook support an overnight stay, while the open cockpit and side terraces keep time outside central to the layout.
These are choices about how you spend time aboard, not a simple ladder from basic to better. An enclosed helm answers a different brief from an open one. The Petestep hull remains part of the V33 driving proposition; helm protection changes where you sit in relation to the weather, not whether conditions still need the skipper’s attention.
When more accommodation changes the brief
The Virtue Yachts V45 Hard Top is the larger option, not just another roof choice. Guido de Groot’s design brings the terrace-led deck into the 45-foot class, with distinct bow and aft sunbeds and more room on the social deck.
Below deck, two cabins give guests separate sleeping spaces. A bathroom with a separate shower makes staying aboard more practical when the trip extends beyond a single night. That is the meaningful step up: accommodation can become part of the boating routine without borrowing the social deck for sleeping arrangements.
The V45 Hard Top keeps an outboard-powered performance brief alongside that accommodation. Buyers considering it are choosing more deck and living space as well as a larger boat to manage. For the development background, the Virtue Yachts 45-foot flagship project records how the larger platform entered the range.
Start with the days you actually plan
If most outings finish back at the berth, the V33 decision can centre on exposure, shade and the balance between driving and relaxing outside. If changing weather and occasional nights aboard are part of the plan, the Cabin’s protected helm and forward berth deserve closer attention. When separate sleeping spaces and longer stays become regular requirements, the V45 Hard Top offers a different accommodation brief.
The useful starting point is not the largest model. It is the amount of protection and accommodation you will use. For more detail on the three helm arrangements, read Virtue Yachts V33 Open, Top and Cabin layouts; for the hull concept beneath the V33, read Petestep hull design in Virtue Yachts.
