Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2017 i Yachting

GALACTICA SUPER NOVA, AT 229 feet 8 inches, is the largest superyacht to date from Heesen Yachts. Her features include everything from a touch-and-go helipad to a swim-jet infinity pool. Three of our editors loved what they saw when they got aboard. Patrick Sciacca, Editor-in-Chief I entered the engine room to see three hulking MTU diesels totaling just over 16,000 hp. Walking around them, I still had room to do jumping jacks. “What’s her top speed?” I asked. Her build captain smiled. “She can do 31 knots.” Grace Howard, Digital Editor I was aboard at nighttime, when she feels like a different yacht. From the guide lighting at the sole to the delicate lights on deck that mimic stars overhead, every bulb is purposefully placed. Kevin Koenig, Executive Editor Oh, that beach club.…

SPANISH builder Astondoa doesn’t buy into cookie-cutter yacht designs, and it never has since its founding 100 years ago. At the company’s centennial celebration in Santa Pola, Spain, it unveiled the 655 Coupe, a yacht smartly in line with the company’s design-forward philosophy. Blacked-out, deliberate-looking, angular swaths define the hullside windows while accentuating the inverted hull shape at the bow, akin to a seaplane’s bottom. There’s a moderate hull taper to the waterline at the bow, resulting in more usable interior space. The stern has a swim platform designed like the after end of a spaceship. 3 FEET Is the maximum draft on this cruising Coupe. The 655’s shallow nature will appeal to hardcore gunkholing enthusiasts and Bahamas-cruising aficionados. Rooftop Party The 655 Coupe has a carbon-infused cabin-top sun…

Based on the C52 Command Bridge launched in early 2016, Carver’s new C52 Coupe was one of the mustsee models this past fall. The Wisconsin builder’s dockside booth at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show was overflowing with yachtsmen who wanted to step aboard the black-hulled C52 Coupe — which is a beauty inside and out. “We knew this would be our flagship for a long time, so we decided to go above and beyond,” says Josh Delforge, vice president of product development and engineering at Carver. “We wanted to show exactly what we could do with this new generation of Carvers.” HISTORY OF CHANGE Founded in 1954 by Charles Carter and George Verhagen, Carver started by building wooden runabouts. Genmar acquired the company in 1979, and Carver transitioned toward…

START’EM YOUNG Here is my grandchild Noah. He is 8 months old. This past week on one of the warmer days, we went for our first boat ride, and he took to the wheel like a pro. However, the best part was after we got home, he pulled himself up on a table in our family room and picked up the latest issue of your magazine. He stared at the boat on the cover for at least two minutes, enough time for me to get a photo. Now, as the good grandfather I am, I may need to buy him a subscription. Why should he be stuck only looking at alphabet and animal pictures? Hope this brings a smile to you, as it did me. DR. KEITH OVERLAND Norwalk, Connecticut…

A LITTLE MORE THAN 10 years ago, my editor asked me if I had any interest in spending a week aboard a 120-foot motor- yacht that had been built for the king of Spain. Yes, these are the kinds of things that really do happen when you work for a magazine like Yachting. And yes, it took me all of threetenths of a second to start daydreaming about how amazing the yacht would be. I flew to Nassau, in the Bahamas, and met her at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort marina. The captain immediately cast off the lines and pointed her bow south, taking us away from the tourists and into the Exumas archipelago. That’s where I saw a scene much like the one in the photograph above, of…

CHESAPEAKE CITY Chesapeake City is about midway between the east and west ends of the C&D Canal with a snug anchorage, marinas and free city dock. There can be a strong current in the canal, so pay attention to the depth sounder as you approach the harbor basin and favor the east bulkhead surrounding the grounds of the Army Corps of Engineers. ¶ Once you’re tucked in, you’ll find that Chesapeake City is boaterfriendly. We especially like the Chesapeake Inn, which has a marina, restaurant and great deck that’s perfect for a drink or a bite. Nearby, the town’s free dock works on a first-come, first-serve basis with a 24-hour limit. (Your best shot at a free overnight is during the week.) To anchor out, you’ll find 10 to 12…

ONE OF THE COOLEST aspects of my job as Yachting’s electronics editor is my front-row seat to the real-time evolution of marine electronics. Product releases have been aplenty at the Newport International Boat Show, Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and Marine Equipment Trade Show (in Amsterdam), and more are coming this month at the Miami International Boat Show. After jetting between the United States and Europe, my boat shoes are well-traveled, and I’ve had the chance to talk with industry insiders about the latest-generation marine electronics coming your way. Airmar has been building high-quality sonar transducers for years, and recently the New Hampshire-based company turned its attention to performance-minded sailors with its DX900+ MultiLog Transducer. The DX900+ ($1,500) delivers depth, speed and temperature information, but its real magic is…

FROM 2000 to 2007, Viking Yachts sold 61 of its 61 Convertibles to owners seeking to run the tournament circuit and chase granders. The team from Hull No. 1 even won the blue marlin category at Ocean City, Maryland’s famed White Marlin Open. Today, you’ll still find 61s at most of the big-game hot spots, chasing fish. Notable features: An aggressive, straight sheer line, 170-square-foot cockpit, helm pod with single-lever controls and standard 1,300 hp MAN engines. Belowdecks: There’s a three-stateroom, three-head setup with a king-size berth in the master. Availability: At press time, 30 Viking 61 Convertibles and Enclosed Bridge models were for sale, ranging from $675,000 to $1.4 million. FROM THE ARCHIVES “While the 61’s styling and exterior are groomed to tournament standards, her interior layout is generous…

COMING IN AT AN EVEN 75 feet length overall, the Horizon E75 debuted to U.S. yachting enthusiasts at November’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. She falls in the middle of this builder’s nine-model E series, running from 56 to 98 feet length overall. For seasoned owner-operators who want to voyage to far-flung waypoints, this yacht is ready to travel. Horizon is confident that its owners are up to the challenge. The yacht has an 18-foot-6-inch beam that helps keep her manageable, and her systems are designed for use without crew. Says Horizon USA Marketing Director Elise Moffitt: “None of this boat’s systems require a professional engineer. If you’re a knowledgeable owner — which, at this size, almost everyone we see is — you’re going to be comfortable working the…

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE OCEAN ALEXANDER 70E is summed up in that “e” tacked on so casually to the end of the name. It stands for Evolution, an apt descriptor for this 70-footer. But, lest you worry that Ocean Alexander has thrown the baby out with the bath water, this is still a classic OA in so many ways: solid construction, outstanding seakeeping abilities and thoughtful design. If your dad had an Ocean Alexander, he’ll still feel right at home. So what’s new? Well, start with the Volvo Penta IPS pod drives. This is the first OA with pods, and the setup reflects the modern thinking that went into this yacht. The 70e is also the first Ocean Alexander built in the United States. And mega-yacht…

As a yachting writer, I see the term “SUV of the sea” kicked around from time to time in press releases, often promoting a rugged vessel that can supposedly do it all. Sometimes those press releases are correct. Sometimes they’re, well, less than correct. In the case of Riviera’s SUV series — a 445, 525 and 575 — the Australian builder put its reputation on the line by putting the metaphor right in the name of the boat. It’s a brassy move, one the company backs up with a lot more than just talk. I tested the 575 SUV off Australia’s Gold Coast in the notoriously rough-and- tumble Coral Sea after the model debuted at the Riviera Festival of Boating, an extravagant affair the builder hosts at its Coomera,…

ASTONDOA’S 65 Top Deck takes day boating to the extreme, with the ability to hold 30 guests. At anchor, the upper deck and swim platform unfold like lotus petals. That swim platform is 270 square feet when the sides are open, while the upper deck measures 1,350 square feet. Getting a yacht to fold open requires serious engineering. In addition to ensuring that the hydraulic system for the “wings” would be reliable in salt water, the Spanish builder had to construct the teak sections on the wings to meet the opening system’s weight requirements. Astondoa also gave the swim platform a submersible section for diving or launching a tender, with an adjoining garage for water toys. This yacht’s open upper deck is where the party happens, with an alfresco…

I’D BEEN THINKING about downsizing a bit to an open-console boat, so I set course for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show with my pal Bob. “Coming full circle in boating isn’t uncommon for aging boomers like me,” I explained. He insisted I was simply going through a phase. In fact, he proved it. We were still arguing as we wandered the docks. “Console boats make sense,” I said. “They always have.” My first ride was the iconic 13-foot Boston Whaler. I was still in diapers. “A console helm and six seats and 500 bucks new in 1958, as I recall.” “That’s not a boat,” Bob said. “That’s a dinghy. Full circle. You’re just a lazy, cheap SOB.” As Bob eyeballed a new 53- foot express, a broker spotted me…