There are center-consoles, and then there are center-consoles built to serve as superyacht tenders. That’s the goal of the Halo 470 from Ocean 1 Yachts: to impress the biggest of the big boys. The builder calls the Halo 470 a super console.

Ocean 1 Yachts, formed in 2016, is the brainchild of nearly 30-year Capt. Dean Maggio. He saw that discerning owners and charter guests expected a high level of comfort and safety on board their tenders. Maggio set out to create an improved platform, especially after a fellow captain relayed his displeasure with the current market offerings. “He was frustrated with what was out there,” Maggio says.

Maggio didn’t use just his own sailing knowledge and big-boat experience. He also collaborated with others, including another superyacht captain, to understand what vessel he could—and should—create. Not seeing a RIB design as the answer, Maggio stepped into the world of center-consoles that could serve as luxe tenders as well as stand-alone boats.

The Halo 470 is the result. It’s a boat that, first and foremost, has a great deal of flexibility. For instance, it can come with an open transom, which is great for fishing, kiteboarding, launching water toys or retrieving swimmers. It also can be ordered with a closed transom, making it better suited for ship-to-shore transports.

Styling is also notable, thanks to the high freeboard forward and the unbroken, graceful sheerline that flows aft. And this boat is very functional. Boarding is easy, courtesy of side gates and a large platform aft. There is plush seating from bow to stern.

Maggio says Ocean 1 is a semicustom builder that creates stable platforms while managing costs. He builds his boats in Sarasota, Florida, with resin-infused E-glass and Corecell foam hulls. Carbon-composite hull options are available.

The Halo 470 adds to these construction elements with a single-pane windshield and side corner windows made of polycarbonate, which is durable and lighter than fiberglass. The helm has three well-protected 16-inch Garmin multifunction displays. (Two 22-inch displays are an option.) Most every electrical function on the boat can be controlled by the touchscreens. There’s an overhead console for additional electronics and displays, keeping them within view without cluttering the dash.

Three pedestal-mounted, high-back helm seats with armrests and bolsters should keep the skipper and guests in comfortable control. A two-tiered footrest allows for people of all heights to find a good fit underway. Grab rails ring the boat, and the hardtop framing is beefy as well as powder-coated.

Guest seating at the open bow includes a U-shaped settee with a backrest coaming and a high-low table. Drop-in backrests convert these seats to forward-facing loungers.

Amidships, under the hardtop and protected from the sun, is a U-shaped settee with a removable center cushion for walk-through access. Sunshades that connect to carbon-fiber poles are available.

Aft is a center station with access to a livewell, cutting board and sink. Tackle drawers should keep the lures and tools in close reach, although anglers can fish from anywhere on board because there are full walk-around decks and doors to haul in the catch.

Nestled under the foredeck is a cabin accessible via a door next to the helm. For overnights, there’s a dinette table that drops to create a V-berth, along with a sink and a microwave. There is also an enclosed head.

Power on the Halo 470 that I got aboard was a trio of Yanmar inboard diesels staggered in the engine room, with the center engine lower than the outboard ones. This setup not only facilitates easier maintenance, but also lowers the center outdrive deeper in the water.

The ride is nothing short of exhilarating. Maggio showed off the boat’s maneuverability at speed and its ability to slice through waves and wakes. The hull design keeps the ride dry with minimal bow rise when hitting the sticks. A joystick controller and bow thruster allow this boat to go anywhere, especially in tight quarters.

Additional features and options include a generator, Seakeeper 2 or 5, air conditioning, dive-tank racks, an underbow anchor and windlass, a stainless-steel towing eye, teak decking, lighting choices and rod holders. Owners can also match the boat’s colors to their superyacht.

The Ocean 1 Yachts Halo 470 might have been designed by superyacht captains, but you don’t have to be one to enjoy the high-end fun.  

Pep in the Step

Powered by triple 370 hp Yanmar 8LV diesels, the Halo 470 produced 40 knots with the throttles on the pins, tracking true thanks to the 22-degree transom deadrise, 14-foot beam, and twin-stepped, advanced-composite hull construction. Power options include 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12 outboards, up to 2,400 total horsepower, which can reportedly produce speeds of about 60 knots.

Focus on Function

A cool feature aboard the Halo 470 is the installation of several multifunction displays by molding them into the midsection of the hardtop. This setup offers a quick glance at the fish finder or radar. 

Covering Up

The integrated hardtop not only protects guests from the elements, but it is also oversize to cover the helm and midship seating. Up top, there’s plenty of room for mounting carbon-fiber outriggers, a radar array, solar panels, cameras, antennas, light bars and pretty much anything else an owner might want.

Take the next step: ocean1yachts.com       

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If ever there were an aptly named yacht, it’s the Sunseeker Predator 75. At rest, it has the purposeful look of a raptor straight from Jurassic Park. A striking midnight-gray hull and rakish lines only add to this effect.

As the sound of turbos spooled up on the optional 1,900 hp MAN V-12s (1,550s are standard), I couldn’t wait to see what this yacht could do. Sunseeker’s captain grabbed a handful of throttles and shoved them to the pins. We shot out of the inlet at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as though we had launched from a slingshot. The Predator 75 with this engine package is capable of 40 knots in decent conditions, which we didn’t have; the Gulf Stream was delivering an endless chain of 3- and 4-footers, so the best we saw was 33 knots. But the yacht seemed as though it had seen prey on the horizon, and it shrugged off the square-edged seas with impunity.

Then I realized that Sunseekers are built on the edge of the English Channel, whose seas the Gulf Stream can’t touch for being just plain ugly. The yacht was leveraging its hull form’s 20-degree transom deadrise and fine entry to slice and dice our way through. The captain used the windshield wipers only once, after a particularly big hole in the ocean.

Also notable is that the Predator 75 is more than just quick and seaworthy. It is luxurious and well laid out for entertaining and cruising. Guests can step aboard the hydraulic swim platform, pass the transom garage that conceals a Williams SportJet 395, and ascend gentle stairs to each side. The cockpit fairly shouts entertaining, with a sun pad and a wraparound settee with a high-low table for alfresco dining. Opposite are an electric barbecue, fridge and ice maker, so nobody has to use the galley to prepare grilled delicacies or access cold beverages.

The door from the cockpit to the salon is a surprise: It slides easily to starboard and then, poof, the door and window above it slide down electrically, creating a huge dayboat nonstop from the helm to the transom. Need more fresh air? Open the six-panel sunroof for a salty breeze. The entire interior feels open, in this case with a silver-oak interior and whitewashed oak soles, making for a modern look with easy cleanup.

Another carbon-fiber high-low table is inside the salon, wrapped by a settee to create an entertainment area with a 55-inch pop-up TV opposite. Another settee wraps around next to the helm, allowing guests a view of the action as well as spectacular 360-degree views through the oversize windows lining the salon.

The skipper has a pair of stitched Italian leather, fully adjustable electric seats abaft a black dash with 16-inch Garmin monitors. A pantograph door gives quick access to the side deck. The Sunseeker Predator 75 that I got aboard had Side-Power bow and stern thrusters, and Side-Power stabilizer fins. Running beam-to-seas with the fins on, the Predator 75 was rock-solid. Even Aunt Edna wouldn’t be bothered by the motion.

A galley is at the base of the stairs from the salon, with a four-burner Miele cooktop, a Vitrifrigo home-size fridge and two freezer drawers. Nearby is a 33-bottle wine chiller. I admit that I’m not a fan of galley-down layouts, but in this case, Sunseeker left the galley open to the windshield above, creating an airy and bright atrium effect. An L-shaped dinette is just forward of the galley, in a spot that would serve nicely for morning coffee and croissants before heading out.

The Predator 75 that I got aboard had the three-stateroom layout, which is nice. Owners can trade away the dinette by the galley if they want to add a fourth guest stateroom. On this three-stateroom setup, the owner’s space spans the full 17-foot-8-inch beam and has hullside windows to create a voluminous feel. The berth is nearly king-size with full walk-around real estate. A lounge to port invites savoring a spy novel, while a bureau to starboard includes a tidy vanity with a hidden stool. The owners also have a walk-in closet, twin nightstands with drawers, and an en suite head with a stall shower.

Forward, the VIP stateroom has an island queen-plus berth, a private head with a shower, and a vanity with a stool. Between these two staterooms is a guest stateroom with twin berths that slide together into a double. This stateroom has direct access to the day head, also equipped with a stall shower.

A twin-berth crew cabin is accessed from the transom and has its own head and shower. This can also be a great place for teenagers who want to play music.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention the foredeck of the Predator 75, which begs for entertaining at anchor. It has a sun pad and alfresco dining around a U-shaped settee with a table that seats eight. Access to the bow is via wide side decks made even more secure with high coamings topped by sturdy, welded rails.

The Sunseeker Predator 75 is a yacht designed for maximum entertaining inside and out. And like a true predator, it has enough speed to run down anything on the horizon.

Tailored-Fit Tender

The Williams SportJet 395 and the Sunseeker Predator 75’s tender garage are designed to go together. This 12-foot-8-inch RIB can carry five passengers on 40-knot adventures. Powered by a 90 hp Rotax Ace engine, the tender has a towing post for water toys. The bow has automatic deflation and inflation to let it slide into the tender garage.

Big Iron

When introduced for the luxury yacht market, MAN’s V12-1900 was the most powerful high-speed four-stroke diesel in the world. Its compact size is thanks to a redesign of the injection and cooling systems from the company’s truck-bus series MAN V-12. The turbocharger has an air intercooler, and the engine is noted for quick throttle response and Environmental Protection Agency Tier 3 emissions quality.

Take the next step: sunseeker.com

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With every boat, there’s an origin story. In the case of the Aquila 47 Molokai power catamaran, it starts with MarineMax, which saw people renting boats for bareboat charters. MarineMax Vacations was born. After experimenting with several production yachts, the company decided to build its own: the Aquila line, designed for charter as well as for sale to owner-operators.

Sales are uncomplicated: Build a boat that buyers want at a price they can afford. Charter is another creature because a charter yacht has to be desirable and bulletproof. Bareboats have to be rugged, easily maintained and even easier to repair. Thus, the Aquila line became a success.

Now MarineMax spies a new niche: sport fishing. While previous iterations of the Aquila power catamaran have generally been comfy cruisers—and though the 28 Molokai dipped the builder’s toe into the sport-fish scene—the Aquila 47 Molokai has serious offshore angling written all over it. This boat can get to the fishing grounds at 60-plus knots, has amenities ranging from bait tanks to fish boxes, and is built with a nicely outfitted cabin for long weekends out chasing pelagics. At nearly 15 feet wide, this center-console cat has uncluttered 22-inch-wide walkways for chasing a fish all around. There’s also a 15-by-4-foot casting platform forward. The in-deck fish boxes are as long as 8 feet, and there are twin 42-gallon transom livewells.

On the day before I got on board, 15 anglers took the same 47 Molokai into the Gulf Stream to chase mahimahi and wahoo. They didn’t feel crowded because the 47 Molokai is CE-certified for as many as 20 passengers, with forward- and aft-facing seats. Under the carbon-fiber hardtop—which is braced for an optional Pipewelders tower—there’s seating for seven people in Stidd seats. Three are in front at the helm, and four are on a mezzanine level for kibitzing about the action.

The dash is user-friendly with twin (or triple) Garmin multifunction displays, CZone switching to control every system, neatly labeled overhead switches and buttons, custom Fusion audio and a Mercury joystick. Flipping up a panel reveals four ignition switches. Standard power on the 47 Molokai is twin 600 hp Mercury V-12 Verados, with quad 400 hp Mercury outboards optional and propelling the 47 Molokai to hit those eye-watering top speeds.

The 1,600 hp clamped to the transom is impressive, but so are other numbers associated with this slippery Peart Yacht Design hull. Running at 47 knots with the quad 400s, the 1,048 gallons of fuel provide a nonstop range of 600 miles with 10 percent reserves.

During my ride, we had a lumpy Gulf Stream with washing-machine chop. Even still, the 47 Molokai was soft-riding and comfortable, including in beam-to seas. Aquila raised the tunnel clearance above water, so there was no sneezing spray blown forward between the hulls, nor any slapping of waves at lower speeds. Quite simply, the power cat felt sidewalk-solid, even when we were at rest offshore.

The boat jumps onto plane quickly, and it was a giggle to use the knob on the steering wheel to spin doughnuts. Even better, at about 31 knots, the sound barely touched 78 decibels, which made for easy conversation.

Aquila built the hull using a lot of carbon fiber, and with resins that are 100 percent vinylester as well as infused for strength. Fore and aft watertight bulkheads add to the vessel’s monocoque strength. Muscular hinges on the three boarding doors (port, starboard and aft) make dive and dock access easy. Every hatch and locker has deep gutters to handle tropical downpours or overeager washdowns.

As a creature comfort, the 47 Molokai has a portable toilet in the cabin, which is outfitted to yacht-level finish with a queen-size berth, two skylights, windows, 6-foot-7-inch headroom, and an enclosed head with a shower. A pantograph door from the portside deck opens directly into the head, keeping the cabin pristine during fishing hours. With the standard lithium batteries, air conditioning will run for a solid eight hours.

I was also impressed by the carefully labeled, tidily loomed and accessible systems. From the baitwells (with a Hooker Pumps sea chest) to the fresh- and saltwater washdown plumbing, everything is easily reached for service. The two heavy-gauge aluminum fuel tanks have a transfer system to run off both or just one, and a charcoal fuel filter is standard.

The 47 Molokai that I got aboard also had the standard 20-plus rod holders and 10 spring-mounted cleats, plus an optional Release Marine leaning post, Gemlux outriggers, and Release Marine ladder-back seats in place of the standard Stidds.

This power cat is worth considering for owners who want a serious sport-fishing vessel, a way to entertain friends and family, or an enjoyable weekender. Beautifully designed and built, this boat is (don’t hate me) the cat’s pajamas.  

Peart Yacht Design

Headed by naval architect Chris Peart, this team is based in catamaran-rich South Africa. The company’s name is increasingly well known in North America. Power-cat design is a specialty, from initial concepts to engineering details.

CE-Certified

The CE designation stands for Conformité Européenne. It ensures compliance with European safety and performance standards. In this case, the 47 Molokai is certified for passengers in the categories of offshore, coastal and inland.

Take the next step: aquilaboats.com

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The Galeon Yachts 450 HTS is a yacht designed to enjoy the outdoors. This is even true inside the salon, where panoramic windows exceed 4 feet in height—and are joined by a single-pane windshield, double-folding aft doors, a sunroof, an opening portside window and a starboard helm door. Adding to the sense of openness is 7-foot-8-inch headroom.

Out on deck, the 450 HTC has space to bask in the sunshine forward with a sun pad that has adjustable backrests. There’s also a flip-up backrest, creating a bench seat for cocktail hour. A recessed locker handles the anchor windlass and tackle, keeping the deck clear of clutter. Walk-around side decks are 14 inches wide, allowing for more interior volume. High rails from midship to the bow add safety and include a rail that can open for side boarding.

There’s also sunning space on the aft deck’s L-shaped settee, near a dining table and with a reversible backrest on the side seat. This side seat converts to another sun pad. A sunshade is cleverly housed in the hardtop, with side extensions that make the shade look like part of the hardtop structure.

There’s easy access from here to the water by way of the hydraulic swim platform, which has an extending staircase. An electric Kenyon grill is in the transom station, along with a sink for cooking up the day’s fresh catch.

Or dine in the salon, out of the sun. There’s a U-shaped dinette to starboard with an adjustable wood table. A flat-screen TV rises from abaft the portside bench seat for movie nights with the family.

Just forward on the main deck is the galley, which has a two-burner Kenyon cooktop, Corian counters, an undercounter Isotherm fridge with a freezer, a Samsung microwave oven, and a divided sink with a cover. With this galley-up design, cruising couples can stay within proximity of each other while one preps a meal and the other steers. Multiple drawers, overhead cabinets and a pantry are all here to stow provisions.

The helm is to starboard. Twin 12-inch Raymarine Axiom multifunction displays are in the console, along with a 7-inch Volvo Penta electronic vessel control display. There is space for more electronics, such as the autopilot, Side-Power bow and stern thrusters, and an Optimus electronic power-steering controller. Backlit push-button switches are mounted in the dash.

This is a boat that should be easy for a couple or a solo skipper to run. A starboard door next to the helm allows the operator to get on deck and handle lines. For a spouse or crew, a doublewide upholstered seat is close by.

Belowdecks and amidships is the full-beam (13-foot-8-inch) master stateroom with a queen-size berth and a ceiling stepped in places, allowing for the main-deck configuration above. With port and starboard dressers and cabinets, along with closets, there’s plenty of stowage for extended cruises. Galeon also included panache by adding a backlit sculpted headboard, satin-finish wood, soft carpeting, a 32-inch TV and hullside windows. The en suite head has a basin sink, Corian countertop, electric toilet and separate shower stall.

The forepeak VIP is also stylish with a centerline berth and inlaid ceiling. In fact, it could be considered a second master stateroom. There’s an option for a third stateroom with twin bunks, which might be handy for cruising with children.

The 450 HTC’s engine room is accessed via a hatch in the cockpit sole. Cleanly finished and painted, it has room to get at the ancillary systems, such as the 12 kW Fischer Panda generator, 11-gallon water heater, battery banks, stainless-steel fuel and water tanks, and filters. It’s nice to see the engine dipsticks centrally located as well. Thanks to the straight-shaft, V-drive transmissions, the engines can be mounted a bit farther aft, creating more interior space.

Galeon allows the 450 HTC to be customized, but the standard features already include 316 stainless railings, opening portholes belowdecks, wood cabinetry, window treatments, direct and indirect lighting, and more. Basically, it’s a turnkey vessel. A chilled-water air-conditioning system produces 67,000 Btu of frigid air while operating at a low noise level. Owners can opt for upgraded interior furnishings, electronics, a Seakeeper 5 or other niceties.

A boat can’t be everything to everyone, but the Galeon 450 HTC has a solid pedigree that comes pretty darn close.  

Power Up

Twin 480 hp Volvo Penta D6 straight-shaft diesel engines get this 41,240-pound fiberglass hull up and going. I saw a wide-open-throttle speed of 27.7 knots. Slow cruising at 2,800 rpm brought a 17.8-knot speed with a range of 290 nautical miles. At 9.1 knots, range is 397 nm. 

Easy Rider

Running this express cruiser in a 2- to 3-foot chop was exhilarating yet comfortable. Responses to wheel input were immediate, bow rise during acceleration was minimal, and the low noise level made driving the 450 HTC a pleasure. With slight leans into hard-over turns, there was no feeling of loss of control. The Zipwake trim-control system keeps the ride level at all times. 

Side-Deck Magic

The cockpit’s usable space expands with port and starboard foldout “beach mode” terraces. These 84-by-24-inch platforms are sturdy and have safety railings. With a center cutout window, there’s visibility when the platforms are closed. 

Take the next step: galeonyachts.us

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The Absolute Yachts 52 Fly shares design cues with its recently launched sisterships, the 56 Fly and 60 Fly. These yachts are easily recognized by their snub bows, chopped transoms, sculpted hulls and topsides, and big hullside windows, which give away the location of their owner’s staterooms.

As with the flybridge, the 52 Fly’s cockpit terrace is left bare so owners can choose from a range of exclusive modular furniture by Absolute or from other sources. The vessel’s glass balustrade, which tops off the transom, and the fretted bulwarks aft make for even stronger visual connections to the sea and provide great views for seated guests.

The 52 Fly’s foredeck is also a welcome retreat, especially with the sunshade and side screens up. The space accommodates an island sun pad, as well as a low dinette with double sofas. The flybridge is similarly splendid, and the hardtop comes standard with solar panels that contribute 1.35 kW of peak power, enough to cover the yacht’s basic hotel loads (not air conditioning) without the generator or shore power.

With nearly 360-degree views, the salon consists of an aft galley to port with Corian worktops, and a view between them and the cabinets above. An amidships lounge has a dinette to port and a three-seat sofa to starboard. The vibe is cool and contemporary, with drop-down electric windows on each side. They help keep the temperature moderate when the air conditioning is off.

The two-seat lower helm is to starboard, with great ergonomics and unobstructed visibility. Garmin touchscreen displays provide all the essential information, and other controls are conveniently situated. A side-deck door allows a proper connection with the outside world. A second two-seat helm station up on the flybridge is to port. That means there’s always a fresh-air connection available for the skipper, no matter which side he needs to see when close-quarters maneuvering. An optional third docking station can be added in the cockpit, with joystick and thruster controls for stern-to docking.

Like the rest of Absolute’s portfolio, the oomph for the 52 Fly comes from a pair of Volvo Penta diesels and IPS pod drives. The 52 Fly’s 600 hp D8-IPS800s deliver a nominal top speed of 30 knots and a 25-knot fast cruise. I saw a top-end average speed of 30.5 knots on reciprocal runs with the trim assist on, the Seakeeper gyrostabilizer off, and the boat lightly loaded. Only four people were aboard, with no tender or stores, 26 percent fuel, and 44 percent fresh water in gentle swells.

Underway, handling is surprisingly responsive. Spin the wheel hard over when running flat out, and the yacht heels gently into a relatively tight turn without scrubbing off much more than 3 knots of speed. The turning circle is not much more than three boatlengths.

At my favored cruise-forever dawdle of 10 knots, the diesels burned just 14 gph. Given the tank capacity of 475 gallons, that means a range of 340 nautical miles. The yacht is least efficient at 13 to 15 knots, with fuel burn around 73 gph. Once over the hump, the cumulative burn tracks down gently from 2.5 gallons per nautical mile at 14 knots to 2.25 gallons per nautical mile at 30 knots, so you may as well rush. At a continuous fast cruise of 25 knots, range should be around 225 nm.

Noise is not an issue. I recorded just 64 decibels at the helm at 20 knots (65 decibels is the level of normal conversation). In the owner’s stateroom at the same speed, the tank buffer for the engine room meant just 72 decibels. It was 75 decibels in the double-berth stateroom aft.

Both heads that serve the three staterooms have windows and opening portholes. The owner’s en suite stateroom occupies the full beam forward, with big bow windows and plenty of space around a forward-facing queen berth. There’s also full-standing headroom here. Amidships is the VIP, also with a forward-facing queen and its hullside windows. The guest stateroom has twin berths that convert to a double. It’s good to see there’s enough space in the lobby beneath the companionway stairs for a washer-dryer.

There’s also lazarette space aft that includes a head-shower compartment, but it can alternatively be specified as a single-berth overspill stateroom or a crew cabin. (A teenager would love it.) As on some of the other newer Absolutes, it’s accessed discreetly from the hydraulic swim platform via a pantograph-style door in the transom and a half-hatch.

There’s a lot to like about the Absolute 52 Fly: solid performance, a high level of personalization, and a pugnacious build to cruise across blue water. Add its luxurious flourishes, and you get a family-friendly owner-operator yacht that should have broad appeal.

How It’s Made

Relatively complicated hull and superstructure shapes dictate a wet lay-up build rather than resin infusion. Interiors, including the bulkheads, are assembled outside the hull. They are built up from CNC-cut flat panels before being moved by crane and then bonded to the hull walls and stringer system. Then the superstructure is placed.

Where It’s Made

Absolute Yachts is based in Podenzano, Italy, between Genoa and Milan. Employing around 300 people on a 500,000-square-foot site, the company builds around 90 boats a year. The average length is about 60 feet. 

Wide Range

Absolute Yachts’ 14-model lineup ranges from 47 to 75 feet, with seven Navetta models, six Fly models and one Coupé yacht. Production is split about evenly between the Navettas and the planing models. The next new models are expected to be the Navetta 53 and Navetta 70, with debuts planned at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September.

Take the next step: absoluteyachts.com

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With several 38-foot walkaround boats on the water, Tim Winters and his team at Winter Custom Yachts in North Carolina have optimized the walkaround concept in order to take full advantage of its inherent versatility. Anglers are no longer confined to the limited space in the cockpit and have the freedom to fight fish 360 degrees. Even just taking the family on a shorthanded picnic cruise is safer and easier since everyone has full access to the bow without having to navigate a slippery deck. 

If there’s a drawback to the walkaround design, it’s a loss of interior volume, as the boat’s command deck and salon are compact to accommodate the walkaround alleys that span the perimeter of the hull. To make up for it, Winter upsized his latest version to 46 feet. The result is Hull No. 37, Thumper. This 46-footer was designed to be a fishing tender as part of a globetrotting mothership-and-game boat operation, and is a tough-as-nails workhorse designed to fish hard and well. 

The 46 is a yacht tender, and it has yacht-level finish to match the mothership. Descending from the air-conditioned command deck via a semi-spiral staircase, the galley and couch are immediately below, along with a day head. The full-beam en suite master is forward, with a guest stateroom with twin bunks aft. 

Power is a pair of 850 hp MAN i6 engines. At a 35-knot cruise, Thumper is riding comfortably while burning 60 gallons per hour; with 600 gallons of fuel, that’s a range of 350 nautical miles. At top hop, it hits 39.3 knots on initial sea trials while burning 80 gallons per hour. The performance illustrates the vessel;s efficient hull form and the CJR flow-aligned running gear and propellers. 

The program for this mothership-gameboat operation includes fishing adventures in far-flung destinations such as Magdalena Bay, Mexico and the distant seamounts off Costa Rica. 

Other notable features on the Winters 46 include a 25 kW Northern Lights generator and a Seakeeper 9 gyrostabilizer. The satin-finish interior showcases the builder’s woodworking talents, with the horizontal grain teak veneer selected to match the interior of the owner’s larger yacht. 

On the command deck, the peninsula helm stretches from port with multiple Garmin displays as well as joystick control, FLIR night vision and omnidirectional sonar. 

“Since our inception, I have strived to perfect every technique and component to optimize the unique fishing experience my clients want to achieve,” Winters says. “During the process, I work alongside my clients to make the build process enjoyable, so much that some have repeated the process several times. They recognize their boat is not only a fun venture, but it also affords an excellent investment. I never compromise on details and will always deliver the finest custom sportfishing boats that my clients are proud to own.” 

Winters considers Thumper to be the ultimate gameboat, thanks to the smooth transitions from bow to stern with no steps to impede an angler as well as the boat’s overall size and nimbleness.

Take the next step: wintercustomyachts.com

Quick Specifications

• LOA: 46’1”
• Maximum Beam: 14’2”
• Draft: 3’2”
• Displacement: 33,000 lb.
• Fuel Capacity: 600 gal.
• Water Capacity: 75 gal.

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The Merritt family has been building boats since 1955, and Roy Merritt has been hands-on at the yard ever since he was a boy. Under his leadership, Merritt’s Boat & Engine Works, located in the sleepy beachside community of Pompano Beach, Florida, has grown from a mom-and-pop boatyard to become one of the world’s legendary builders of custom sport-fishing vessels. Its latest build is Hull No. 110, an 88-foot skybridge—a first for Merritt’s—which is designed as a globe-traveling sportfisherman. Meet the new Reel Tight. 

Other builders have proven the concept and benefits of a skybridge design, which is a conventional flybridge layout atop an enclosed bridge. For long-distance travel, it’s hard to beat since the lower station is not only luxurious in layout, but is fully climate controlled and out of the elements. When it’s time to fish, the captain heads up the ladder to the open flybridge above. With its additional electronics plus 360-degree views, not to mention the elevation above the water, this is definitely advantageous for those who choose to spend their days chasing mammoth marlin and tuna. 

The enclosed bridge has Merritt styling and a classic teak interior with a full yacht-grade helm and electronics with an L-shaped lounge and granite-topped table. To port is a stone countertop with a wet bar, two refrigerator drawers and four storage drawers—all finished in Merritt’s satin-varnished teak. In essence, the enclosed bridge becomes the second story of this sport-fish yacht and a place where guests can enjoy the views while underway or the fishing crew can strategize without interrupting the conversations in the main salon one deck below. 

At the helm, all ­vessel control systems are within easy reach, including the MTU engine gauges and the ship’s system controls. There are four large screens to display the various navigation and fishing information with two 22-inch and two 19-inch Seatronx sunlight-viewable monitors. The screens display the chartplotter and radar as well as Furuno black-box cartography, Chirp sounder, multibeam wide-angle 3D sonar sounder, omnidirectional sonar and FLIR thermal camera. 

Heading down to the salon, the space is open and inviting with a U-shaped settee to port, another to starboard and a large television monitor in the aft corner, which can also display navigational or sonar inputs from the electronics. A dinette is to starboard across from the galley. There are six Sub-Zero refrigerator drawers for this boat, another nod to the owner’s plans for long-range travel and fishing in more than a few “off-the-beaten-path” destinations. 

Forward of the galley is the pantry/electrical-equipment control room to port and the stairway to access the ­staterooms and the crew quarters with a private captain’s quarters, two bunks and a shared head. The master stateroom is to port with a king berth and en suite head, and a guest stateroom with over-under bunks is forward of the owners’ space. A laundry closet with a washer and dryer, a guest stateroom, also with over-under bunks, and a shared head with the port guest stateroom is to starboard. The VIP with an en suite head has a queen island berth with stowage, two cedar-lined closets and overhead outboard stowage.

Outside, the 88 Skybridge has a mezzanine with an L-shaped lounge to port with a teak armrest on the end. A flip-up lid houses controls for the exterior air conditioning as well as the stereo and security system. A high-low table creates a social lounge with the flybridge overhang providing respite from the sun. There is the standard mix of refrigerated and freezer stowage in the mezzanine, plus engine room access on centerline. The teak cockpit has a Bluewater Chairs unlimited-class fighting chair with a rocket launcher; a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer is also in the deck just ahead of the chair’s pedestal. The lazarette provides access to all steering components, plus bilge and livewell pumps. An oversize tuna door is included to help boat the big ones. 

The engine room is home to a pair of 2,600 hp MTU V16 2000 engines and twin ­40-kilowatt Kohler generators to supply power for hotel loads while away from the dock. Cruising along at 1,850 rpm at a 71 percent load and making 30 knots, Reel Tight burns 150 gallons per hour. Bumping the rpm to 2,100 yields a fast cruise of 36 knots. At wide open, the Merritt 88 Skybridge has a top hop of 41.5 knots in fishing-ready condition—impressive considering its 153,000-pound displacement. That performance is due in large part to the extensive use of carbon fiber, Corecell and advanced epoxy in its construction, making this boat not only stronger but also lighter and faster than its predecessors. 

Merritt 88 Quick Specifications

• LOA: 88’
• Maximum Beam: 21’2”
• Draft: 5’6”
• Displacement: 153,000 lb.
• Fuel Capacity: 3,900 gal.
• Water Capacity: 500 gal.

Take the next step: merrittboat.com

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When a professional captain turns to building boats, first for themselves and then for others, it seems they always incorporate seemingly insignificant custom touches that make ownership easier. For example, frequently maintained systems are easier to access and systems, which might need to be replaced one day, are designed with future replacement in mind. There is a higher level of thought and execution, and to the experienced eye, it shows.

That was definitely the case when Capt. Jon Duffie built his first boat for himself and his family. The 64-foot Billfisher, splashed in spring 2021, immediately started turning heads—and cashing checks. In August of the same year, Duffie and his team landed a 1,135-pound blue marlin during The MidAtlantic tournament, setting a new Maryland state record and winning more than $1.1 million. It was just the third confirmed blue marlin weighing more than 1,000 pounds ever landed off the coast of Maryland. Duffie’s boats checked all the boxes for a top-shelf custom builder: fast, efficient, beautiful lines, easy to own and easy to maintain. One of his newest hulls is the 70-footer Dem Boys.  

While custom sport-fishers might all start to look similar to some folks, Duffie’s boats stand out thanks to its engine-vent design, which mimics the curvature of the forward brow and side glass. Several recent builds have also eschewed the standard tuna tower; while opinions vary widely in the sport-fishing community, many feel that the additional weight, maintenance and expense of a tower outstrips the benefits, especially in fisheries such as the East Coast where there’s little need for the added height. At any rate, Dem Boys doesn’t have a tower, nor does it need one to compliment its classic lines.  

Entering the salon from the cockpit, there is a gray U-shaped sofa on the port side, with a substantial cabinet and wine cooler to starboard. A generous L-shaped dinette is also to starboard. The galley is to port and equipped with four slide-out Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer drawers, a convection cooktop and all the amenities needed to keep a team of hungry fishermen happily fed for days. 

The Duffie 70 has a four-stateroom, three-head configuration with the master stateroom on the port side at the bottom of the steps. It has a king berth and abundant stowage, including multiple hanging lockers. 

Forward, just above a small step, is a dedicated tackle area with vertical storage for more than a dozen rods and reels. Beneath this step is entry to the fully finished forward bilge—complete with LED lighting—with access to all forward pumps, fittings and machinery. This area also doubles as a stowage for overflow provisions or tackle.

The forepeak VIP has a raised queen berth. A  stand-alone Garmin display is flush-mounted with the teak cabinetry, allowing the captain to keep an eye on systems and positioning during those overnight trips. Two additional guest bunk rooms are to starboard, with an additional shared head.

Outside, the flybridge has a pair of Release Marine helm chairs just abaft a peninsula helm laid out to port. The helm console has three 24-inch Garmin multifunction displays, along with omnidirectional sonar. Seating abounds on the bridge, with additional stowage for dry goods beneath nearly every seat..

The teak cockpit has a Release Marine Trillion, unlimited-class fighting chair in the center, but perhaps even more noticeable is the absence of a traditional scupper system for drainage. Duffie uses a French drain system running along the full length of the transom to remove water quickly, an advantage when backing the boat down hard on a potential tournament winner. The air-conditioned mezzanine has comfortable seating atop a configuration of freezer and refrigerated stowage, while an ice box beneath the step is fed by a Dometic ice chipper, ensuring that the fresh catch stays that way.

A pair of 2,400 hp Caterpillar C32B engines and two 30 kW Phasor generators reside in the engine room, which is well lit with room to move outboard of each engine. Duffie uses a proprietary closed-loop freshwater cooling system, virtually eliminating fouling when compared to conventional seawater-cooled pumps and accessories.

Dem Boys is a strong performer, thanks to those Cat diesels. Turning 1,850 rpm,the boat cruises easily at 32 knots while the engines burn a touch over 160 gallons per hour. At 2,000 rpm, fast cruise is 36.5 knots, enough speed to make those long canyon runs considerably shorter. Fuel burn at this speed is less than 200 gph. At top hop, Dem Boys sped to 43.5 knots. 

For those with a need for speed as well as a desire for luxe touches, first-rate amenities and superb fishability, the Duffie Boatworks 70 checks the boxes. 

Take the next step: duffieboatworks.com

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Imagine that a well-respected production boatbuilder of midsize sport-fishing boats wants to create a next-level flagship? Now imagine a renowned custom-sportfish builder with a multi-year backlog that wants to produce something more rapidly? And what if both shipyards are located in North Carolina just a few hours from each other. That’s exactly how the Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition came to be. 

Albemarle Boats and Spencer Yachts have collaborated to design and build a semi-custom Carolina boat, with custom-sportfish design elements, styling and performance, but built in a production setting. This setup allows for faster build times, on the order of months rather than years. The plan has been several years in the making, but the result appears well worth the effort. 

As with the Spencer’s larger builds, the hull of the Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition has a vacuum-infused hull with a composite core, making it bluewater strong and with less weight than conventional cold-molding techniques. 

The salon in Hull No. 1 is an inviting space with a white headliner, gray seating and warm, walnut veneers. An L-shaped dinette for four or five guests is forward and to port, while on the starboard side is an L-shaped sofa with customizable stowage below as well as an ottoman containing additional stowage, handy for tackle or accessories. 

The step-down galley is also to starboard. Features here include a pair of Vitrifrigo refrigerator/freezer drawer units, a microwave and an array of cabinets. The aft bi-level countertop overlooks the salon, with two bar stools providing an intimate atmosphere and the dark-tinted windows highlighting the outside views found throughout the salon.

Belowdecks, the 53 has a three-stateroom, two-head layout. To port and starboard are bunk rooms; the port stateroom also provides over-bunk rod stowage. Just forward is a shared head. All the way forward, the en suite master stateroom has a queen berth with two overhead cabinets that can be customized for clothing, additional rods or gear.

The flybridge layout has an island helm console, allowing easy access around either side to the forward-facing lounge ahead of the console and outboard bench seating to either side. Just above the teak helm pod—a nod to the boat’s custom Carolina lineage—the electronics flat is designed to house a pair of 22-inch or three 16-inch multifunction displays. Caterpillar engine displays and a Garmin 9-inch repeater screen are overhead. A sliding hatch provides access to the Miya Epoch US-9 teaser reels.There are options for a custom Pipewelders half or full tower and a full acrylic enclosure and a pair of Release Marine helm chairs provide comfort and weather protection for the skipper.

The 160-square-foot cockpit is uncluttered and customizable for different styles of fishing, with an 80-gallon transom fish box and wide transom door with lift gate to facilitate boating trophy gamefish. L-shaped radiused doors that hide the shore power and washdown spigots are found under each gunwale. The mezzanine has engine room access and five fiberglass boxes, which can be set up as coolers, bait freezers, refrigerated drink boxes or an ice dump. The portside cabinet accommodates a sink or grill, plus additional tackle stowage. Other options here include teak decking and covering boards, a Release Marine fighting chair and rocket launchers.

Standard power is a pair of twin 1,1150 hp Caterpillar C18 diesels, with 1,600 hp MTU 10V1600 engines available. Mechanical highlights include a 21 kW Onan generator and an innovative pump room forward of the engine room bulkhead, which houses the sonar transducer and pump equipment, keeping the engine room uncluttered. Additional available mechanical options include a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer, a watermaker and an ice chipper.

With the optional MTU engines, performance on Hull No. 1 proved to be impressive. At 1,750 rpm and burning 80 gallons per hour, the 53 hit an easy cruising speed of 30 knots. Bumping things up a bit, 1,950 rpm yielded a fast cruise of 35 knots and a fuel consumption of 112 gph—with the standard fuel capacity of 1,100 gallons, that’s nearly 10 hours of running time at that speed. Winding up the engines to their maximum of 2,450 rpm, the boat hit 43 knots. 

And rather than waiting years for a truly custom boat, the Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition can be delivered in less than six months from start to finish.

Take the next step: albemarleboats.com

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The Florida-based couple explained to me that they were winding down from their full-time work lives. They had plans to spend more time cruising, but not down South. They have a part-time home in the Pine Tree State, but would soon leave their Sunshine State residence behind for a full-time life in New England. The move would come with liveaboard and serious voyaging plans, and the Sabre Yachts 43 Salon Express we were aboard was on their shortlist because their current outboard-powered vessel lacks the layout and amenities for a true cruising campaign.

I was sitting at the salon’s L-shaped dinette to starboard, with a standard high-gloss cherry-wood high-low table and pillow-soft seating. The couple kicked back on the straight settee to port as they told me their story. Looking around this space, the why of their choice came into focus.

First, there’s the cozy like home factor we were experiencing. The 43’s salon has a warm, welcoming, standard teak-and-holly sole, enhanced by equally warm, welcoming, grain-matched, satin-finish cherry wood—also standard. This wood combination is found throughout the yacht’s interior. It’s easy to envision an early morning sitting at the dinette, feet up with hot coffee made at the open galley just a couple of steps down from the salon. Maybe watch the 32-inch flip-down TV as the vessel’s optional 480 hp Volvo Penta IPS10-650 diesels warm up for the day’s adventure. (The 380 hp IPS-500s are standard.)

The galley is to port and down, barely, and it is bright and airy. Three front windows are gently raked, creating an atrium effect over the L-shaped galley, which also benefits from the side windows amping up the natural-light quotient. The salon has curved glass wrapping around its after section, providing views of the cockpit corners, as opposed to a squared-off bulkhead that forces the skipper to move their head to catch the view aft. This curved glass is a clever bit of engineering and manufacturing, and not something I’ve seen on a yacht of this size.

The galley is also well-equipped for meal prep with a solid-surface countertop, stainless-steel undermount sink, Cuisinart convection/microwave oven, two-burner Kenyon induction cooktop, and Vitrifrigo two-drawer fridge and freezer. Induction cooktops use around 5 percent to 10 percent less energy than their electric counterparts, and they are generally safer because the surface only gets hot once pots or pans are placed on the burners. (Induction cooktops generate heat via an electromagnetic field.)

In addition to taking meals in the salon, owners can sit at a U-shaped dinette across from the galley that Sabre calls the hybrid lounge. The seating and table convert to a double berth with a 6-inch foam mattress for the kids or occasional guests.

Owners take their slumber in the master stateroom forward. This stateroom has an island berth with a 9-inch latex mattress, which generally means durability and supports the body better than memory foam, a positive attribute when the plan is extended voyages and being a seasonal—or longer—liveaboard. The owner’s stateroom also has a Samsung flat-screen TV, four drawers to port, and a cedar-lined locker to starboard to stow clothes and gear.

There is a single head on board the 43, and the master stateroom has direct access to it. There is additional guest access off the companionway. The head has a Tecma toilet and a separate stall shower with an acrylic door. There is a sink here, along with solid-surface countertops and a deck hatch above for fresh air ventilation.

The Sabre 43 Salon Express surely felt the part of ready-to-run cruiser as I looked around, but the question remained: Does this well-proportioned and nicely outfitted downeast design, with its timeless lines and modern powerplants, have the performance to match?

Running in calm water with seven people aboard and about two-thirds of the 432-gallon fuel tank full, the boat came on plane in rapid fashion. It soon hit an effortless 30-knot cruise speed at 3,300 rpm while the engines burned right around 37 gallons of fuel per hour. Considering a 10 percent reserve, there is about a 315-nautical-mile range at this speed. Push those single-lever throttles on the pins at 3,700 rpm, and this 43-footer makes about 35 knots while burning 49 gph, resulting in a range of about 278 nautical miles. That’s solid performance for a yacht with a 30,800-pound half-load displacement.

The efficiency is partly thanks to the IPS propulsion package, but it’s also because that package works in lockstep with the 43’s modified-V hull form, which has 15 degrees of transom deadrise and 21 degrees amidships. It creates an easy-to-plane and stable running surface.

Supporting this hull form is robust construction, with the yacht’s hull bottom and topsides built via resin-infused biaxial E-glass with Corecell foam for strength without added weight. The stringer system is also built with E-glass and a foam core for a strong backbone.

In addition to build strength, the 43 has a yacht-quality level of fit-and-finish at all points, from the joinerwork to the see-your-face-in-it hull paint. The designers also optimized onboard real estate in every way I could see.

As I write this, I don’t know if the couple I met ultimately ordered the Sabre 43 Salon Express. But as I was leaving the boat, I saw them sitting comfortably in the salon, taking in the layout and seeming to be in no hurry to disembark. That’s always a good sign.

Helm It Your Way

The Sabre 43 Salon Express has a proper helm setup in that there are standard—and quite comfortable—Stidd seats with fold-down footrests. Sightlines are unobstructed, even when the boat is coming onto plane. The single-lever throttles and joystick are positioned within arm’s reach, multifunction displays are in the line of sight, and there is side-deck access for line handling when cruising shorthanded.

Assisted Docking

This 43 Salon Express is equipped with Volvo Penta’s Assisted Docking system. It let our captain create a perimeter or lane for the yacht. Push the joystick forward, and the boat moves forward in the preset lane. Create a perimeter, and the boat moves within the circle. Not sure what to do? Let the joystick go, and the yacht holds position. The system worked smoothly and came in handy while waiting for bridges.

The Great Outdoors

Cruising is the primary mission of the Sabre 43 Salon Express, and part of the cruising experience is entertaining friends and family. The cockpit is well-suited for the task. Entrance is gained via a transom door off the swim platform to starboard. There is an L-shaped settee to port, set around a high-gloss wood table for alfresco meals. Flanking the sliding glass doors on centerline are two aft-facing seats for taking in the view underway.

Take the next step: sabreyachts.com

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