Yachting September 2016

WHO DOESN’T LIKE BALLOONS? I LOVE THEM. I’ve seen them light up my son’s face with happiness. Bobbing blues, reds, yellows and greens are surefire feel-good colors. Balloons are friendly. And if you ask my son, a party isn’t a party unless there are balloons. But sadly, I have seen a downside to these happy float-on-air friends of ours. I’ve witnessed their effect on the ocean, turning it into a post-party graveyard when unaware revelers release them into the sky. I spend a lot of time offshore, and over the years, balloon sightings have become more and more prevalent. Some of the balloons are latex, which, according to the U.K.-based Marine Conservation Society, breaks down over months and sometimes years. In the meantime, the latex drifts with the wind and…

ORGANIZERS OF THE 26TH ANNUAL Monaco Yacht Show are expecting 120 superyachts, including about 40 that will make their world premieres. The showcase will highlight the wide range of styling and features now available at the top end of the yachting industry, from the new 181-foot Damen yacht-support vessel (to be displayed complete with tenders, scuba gear and a submersible) to the 238-foot Lürssen Coral Ocean — a noteworthy brokerage option thanks to her design by the late Jon Bannenberg, her Polynesian interior and her new availability for charter. Also new this year will be the Car Deck, an exhibition space that will display luxury vehicles for sale. Some will be available for test drives in the heart of Monaco — yes, on some of the same streets that become…

WHY YES, THOSE ARE Volvo Penta pod drives beneath the transom on the Williams 38. She’s new from Zurn Yacht Design and the John Williams Boat Company. She might appear to be a traditional wood-construction lobster boat — the kind that has meandered the Maine coastline for generations — but instead she is a 40-knot yacht whose hull is vinylester resin, stitched E-glass and Core-Cell. The shipyard is based in Mount Desert, where it has long supplied boats to Maine’s commercial fishermen. About 12 years ago, the yard started finishing its designs for the pleasure-boat crowd. Enter designer Doug Zurn of Massachusetts, whom shipyard owner John “Jock” Williams had met some 25 years ago on a delivery. They have now decided the market timing is right for a collaboration. The…

AFTER A LOT of reading about bonefishing legend Ansil Saunders, I’m finally walking up to his quaint shop on Bimini. It’s painted green, and the front doors are wide open. A custom Saunders flats skiff is in progress. Sitting in a beach chair by one of his other skiffs, Jewel, is Saunders, now 84. There’s a quick hello, and he leads me to a picture nailed to a wooden shelf. “[Jerry Lavenstein and I] couldn’t get Bonefish Willy out of the picture because he held the record with [pro golfer] Sam Sneed for 18 years with a 15-pound bonefish. We broke it that day with a 16-pound bonefish. You see how he looks like he wants to cry?” • Do you still fish? I still go out and fish. I…

TO A CERTAIN extent, it’s true that each country builds yachts to particular stereotypes associated with its populace. Australians build rugged boats destined for adventure, while an Anglo fastidiousness pervades many British vessels. Americans, not surprisingly, are all over the board with our boats — a true melting pot. The same cannot be said for the Italians. In Italy, elegance reigns supreme. An example of this phenomenon is the 72 Fly from Absolute, which is headquartered an hour or so northeast of Genoa in the small town of Podenzano. The thing that really draws you to the 72 is her lines. Low profile and aggressively swept back, the silhouette is that of a boat built to impress, both from afar and when on board. The yacht has three outdoor entertaining…

LOA 42'10" TOP SPEED 45 KNOTS IF YOU’VE BEEN PAYING attention to the center console market for the past few years, you must have noticed a widespread movement to go big or go home. The trend is not lost on Pursuit Boats, which recently introduced its S 408, a burly, do-it-all cruiser built for pure, unadulterated fun. With a deep-V hull form (20 degrees transom deadrise), this is enough boat to slice across the Gulf Stream easily and get you over to the islands. If you choose the optional triple Yamaha 350s and score good weather, you can make the crossing at a speedy clip that will blow your hair back in more ways than one. WHOM IT’S FOR: The S 408 is meant to double as a sporty cruiser…