Irresistible Condiment Recipes: Elevate Your Meals with Flavor

Condiments are more than just ketchup and mustard.

Condiments are the accessories of the food world. In the same way a strand of pearls can bring a little black dress from day to evening wear, so can a good mayonnaise elevate two slices of bread and some meat to the Best. Sandwich. Ever. Adding condiments to recipes the right way is a cooking hack that will make you look like a professional chef.

Think of an herb aioli like the scarf you tie around your neck that brings out the color in your eyes. The creaminess of the aioli complements the bacon and tomato of the sandwich.

The beret which lends a slight Parisian feel to your outfit—it’s the same as the gochujang which brings a whole Korean vibe to your stir-fry veg.

Stocking your onboard fridge with a varied bunch of condiments is a great way to ensure simple and flavorful meals after —or during—a day on the water and take those meals from hum-drum to hubba-hubba. Making your condiments is easier than you think, with ingredients you probably have on hand.

To be precise, a condiment is a preparation added to food, generally after it has been cooked, to enhance the eating experience by providing flavor or texture or both.

There is more to the world of adding condiments to recipes than mustard, mayo, and ketchup. Many people will attempt to put condiments into separate categories of salty, spicy, sour, sweet, or savory. A good condiment respects no boundaries and will give you at least two of those coveted flavor components. You’ll find quite a spectrum of condiments available for your tasting pleasure, so that’s how we’ll explore them.

Condiments For Recipes By Color

Green

There’s more to green condiments than the ubiquitous jar of pickled relish that’s been sitting in your fridge from a Fourth of July picnic three summers ago. This is not a dis on relish. The sweet, salty, slightly crunch concoction is a perfect companion to fish and charcuterie.

And there’s more to relish than chopped up pickled cukes. Any finely chopped pickled fruit or veg can be relish. Keep a lookout for local relishes made with corn, okra, or peaches.

There’s no denying that pesto could possibly be the best green condiment for recipes, but it overshadows the subtle and more nuanced chimichurri. This herby oil emulsion from Argentina and Uruguay is served with grilled meat. A small jar lasts a couple of weeks in the fridge and is even better on grilled fish, tossed into pasta, or mixed into mayo for an aioli. Chimichurri purists argue whether oregano belongs among the herbs. Your taste buds, your call.

Yellow

You’re probably familiar with the most famous yellow condiment, one specifically named after another color: Grey Poupon. Consider this your invitation to explore the world of mustards beyond the one bottle in your fridge door. Look for flavor combos like IPA mustards, honey mustard, stone ground, gingerbread, and so many more.

Have you tried the other yellow condiment: mango chutney? This sweet/salty/slightly spicy/slightly sour concoction turns a bowl of rice into a meal. Find it in the international aisle of your local grocer and then try it on fish, chicken, cheese sandwiches, seafood, or a spoon.

Quick Mango Salsa

Red

Unpopular opinion: Ketchup isn’t worth the space it takes up in the fridge. But hot sauce doesn’t need to be stored in the fridge (most of them are vinegar-based).

Do we need to talk about all the hot sauces? It seems in every port you explore you’ll find specialty bottles of locally brewed hot sauce with crazy names. Test at your own risk. Be careful, or else you may find your valuable galley real estate occupied by half-empty bottles of Dat’s Nice from St. Augustine and Red Clay Hot Sauce from Charleston. Sriracha is the darling of the hot sauce world, and a hot commodity right now due to a drought-induced pepper shortage.

If you like a little bit of heat with a little bit of crunch, give chili crisp a try. Of Asian origin, chili crisp is a pepper-infused oil with bits of fried chili, garlic, and onion or shallots.

Romesco is a thick Spanish sauce of roasted tomatoes and garlic mashed with nuts and dried peppers. A perfect accompaniment to all manner of grilled or roasted fish and meats, adds depth when stirred into pasta, soups, or stews, gives life to steamed veggies, and resuscitates a sad sandwich.

Pink

Perhaps the prettiest and pinkest of the condiments you can add to recipes is also the most versatile: pickled onions. Drop a forkful on everything from eggs to sandwiches to charcuterie trays. Once you realize how easy they are to make, you’ll always have a jar in your fridge and will always find a new way to enjoy them.

This next pink condiment is actually a combination of lots of other condiments: Fry sauce, aka Utah Fry Sauce, aka Pink sauce, aka Mayoketchup (in Puerto Rico). Fry sauce is a blend of mayo and ketchup, with the addition of any of the following: Worcestershire sauce, pickle juice, hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder.

White

Mayonnaise is the most divisive condiment for recipes. Not only do some hate it, but people have very strong allegiances to their brand: Dukes, Hellmann’s, or (gasp) Miracle Whip. Are you familiar with Kewpie? This rich, silky mayo imported from Japan has no sugar and is made with egg yolks instead of whole eggs, for a savory, creamier mayo. Kewpie will elevate your deviled eggs and level up your aiolis.

Aioli technically is garlic mayo, an emulsion of raw egg, oil, garlic, and a touch of vinegar. But now, aioli refers to any flavored mayo. Do yourself a favor, skip the laborious process of making scratch mayo, as well as a nagging concern about raw eggs, for your aioli. Use the store-bought stuff. Any situation that calls for mayo can easily accept aioli. Think pesto aioli on a tomato sandwich, truffle aioli for fries, horseradish (the other white condiment) aioli—perfect on a steak sandwich.

Brown

Let’s start our brown condiments with a quick combination of maple syrup and Sriracha. You can decide how spicy you’d like it (it won’t get that spicy). Don’t doubt this magical elixir until you’ve tried it with fries or a grilled cheese sandwich.

Many brown condiments for recipes begin with soy sauce, a condiment on its own. Soy sauce is the umami-packed liquid of soybeans fermented with rice and other grains. Your basic grocery store soy sauce might only ferment for a couple days, while more nuanced soy sauces ferment for months or years.

Add fermented bean paste, ginger, and sugar, and you’ll have hoisin sauce. Oyster sauce is a blend of oysters simmered in their liquid until everything breaks down and caramelizes, then some soy sauce is added. Teriyaki sauce is soy sauce sweetened with sugar and honey, then rounded out with ginger and garlic. Each of these sauces provides full flavor of savory, sweet, salty, and if you prefer, spicy.

There is another magic brown umami sauce: fish sauce, the liquid that results from fish or krill coated in salt and fermented for up to two years. The Italian version, colatura di alici, has been used for centuries to add depth of flavor. Thai and Vietnamese fish sauces are easier to source. Mixed with lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chili peppers, you’ll have a delicious nuac chom, a Vietnamese dipping sauce.

Adding Condiments To Recipes: The Limit Does Not Exist

Fun fact: There is no such thing as too many condiments. (To the condiment averse, you may find this content offensive and/or triggering. Don’t hate the flavor.) Go forth and explore the whole world of condiments. You will know you’ve reached condiment success when you have no room in your fridge for food because of the dozens of bottles of chutneys, relishes, pickles, and more.

-by Rubi McGrory

Condiment Recipes For You To Try

Quick ’n Easy Chimichurri

⊲ 1 shallot, finely chopped

⊲ 1 green jalapeño, finely chopped

⊲ 3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or finely chopped

⊲ 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more

⊲ ½ cup red wine vinegar

⊲ ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped

⊲ ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

⊲ Zest of one lemon (optional)

⊲ ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine shallot, jalapeño, garlic, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour vinegar and allow to sit for 10 minutes to mellow the alliums. Stir in cilantro, parsley, and lemon zest (if using). Using a fork, whisk in oil. Add salt to taste. This is best when the flavors have had a chance to mingle, at least three hours or overnight. Keeps in the fridge for one or two weeks.

Nuoc Cham

⊲ 2 Tbsp. sugar

⊲ ¼ cup hot water

⊲ ¼ cup fresh lime juice

⊲ 2-3 Tbsp. fish sauce

⊲ 1 clove garlic, grated

⊲ ½ red jalapeño or bird’s-eye chiles, minced with seeds (based on heat preference)

In a small jar, whisk the sugar and water until dissolved. Stir in lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, and chiles. Place lid on tightly and shake until combined.

You can use right away, or let the flavors come together for a few hours. Keeps for a long weekend in the fridge. Serve as a dipping sauce or make a quick meal by pouring over cold noodles/rice and tossing with veggies.

Pickled Onions

⊲ ½ cup red wine vinegar

⊲ ½ cup water

⊲ 2 Tbsp. fine sea salt

⊲ 1 Tbsp. sugar

⊲ 1 large red onion

Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a glass measuring bowl. Microwave until salt and sugar have dissolved.

In the meantime, peel the outer layers of the onion. Cut in half so you are making half-circle slices. Slice the onion as thinly as possible. Put the onions into a jar or container and pour the still-hot pickle juice over the onions. Push down with a fork to ensure all the onions are submerged. Let sit at least 10 minutes before using. Refrigerate. Keeps up to several months.

Easy Aioli

Scoop a couple of spoonfuls of your favorite mayonnaise into a bowl. Add, to taste, one of the following:

Classic aioli: Freshly grated garlic and a squeeze of lemon

Old Bay: spoonful of Old Bay and squeeze of lemon. Perfect for crab cakes and shrimp salad.

Truffle: a dash or two of truffle oil and a generous pinch or truffle salt. Great on potatoes and beef.

Curry: grated fresh ginger and garlic, chopped fresh cilantro, Madras curry powder. Try it on all sandwiches and salmon.

Smoky aioli: lemon juice, lemon zest, grated fresh garlic, smoked paprika. Adds a smoky Spanish flair to potatoes or seafood.

Exploring Modern Food Trends: From Gourmet Yachts to Home Kitchens

Get the scoop on what’s in and what’s out.

All things sundried tomato. Balsamic everything. Molten chocolate cake. No fat anything. Hollowed-out bread bowl stuffed with spinach dip. Blackened everything. Atkins diet. Dessert nachos. Remember these popular foods of yesteryear? Foods trend just like music or fashion. The old isn’t necessarily bad, but sometimes can be a bit overdone and needs to make way for new ideas. That’s where these modern food trends come into play.

Charter chefs share their food trend preferences

Charter chefs aboard the finest yachts during 2023 Newport Charter Yacht Show weighed in on the trends they’re happy to see depart, and the modern food trends they’re embracing.

Chef Ranada Riley of M/Y Lexington is no stranger to food trends. A veteran of Food Network competitions, Riley ran several restaurants in Lexington, Kentucky, before embarking upon her yachting career.

America’s Native Foods

Fresh from the show’s chef’s competition (she placed first in 2022, and won special honors in 2023), Riley has a lot to say about food trends. “What’s out? How about a sprig of curly parsley and a wedge of lemon for garnish,” she jokes, before declaring that traditional is out. “Right now, people aren’t afraid to play. Everything used to be so traditional.” She emphasizes traditional with a wee scowl. “Now it’s more of a twist. And to me, I think that’s super-important. I love the new emphasis on so much creativity and just trying different things.”

She opens her arms to the galley. “There is so much available to us today, so many recipes, techniques, and ingredients from all over the world.”

If traditional food is off the table, so the speak, what’s being served now?

The four food groups aren’t a thing anymore. Riley laughs, “People are eating less red meat. Vegetables are on the rise. So many more guests [both aboard yachts and in her restaurants] are cutting way back on meat.” Vegetarian food, she explains, has emerged from the dark ages of dense lentil loaf, grilled portabellas with hummus, and a bowl of iceberg lettuce.

Chef Maya Vogt of S/Y Kaori agrees. “Vegetables are now the star of the show,” she says.

Vogt, an architect and yoga teacher from Poland, found her way into superyacht chefdom four years ago. She’s excited to embrace fresher menus. “What’s appreciated now is healthy,” she says. “People are enjoying a huge variety of grains, salads, veggies, and all the seeds and superfoods. They like it colorful, light, healthy, and pretty.

“What I’ve found is that no one wants a big, heavy lunch, especially if you’re on the water and don’t want to spend your afternoon feeling full and lazy,” she adds.

The evolution of the salad

Vogt talks about salad evolving from a bowl of pale green lettuce to its current heyday. “I add a lot of roasted nuts and some grains. People are always surprised that this healthy and light thing can be so tasty,” she says. “Salad doesn’t have to be boring. Each time is different depending on what you add.”

What does one add to a salad to make it a meal? “Almost anything,” she grins. It doesn’t always have to be raw, any roasted veg will do: mushrooms, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, squash. Leftover veggies. Leftover anything. There are so many salad and vegetable-based cookbooks available right now. Her absolute favorite is anything by Yotam Ottolenghi (Yotam’s Instagram).

“He makes vegetables the center of a meal, but there is still room for a little meat,” she says.

The Best Food to Eat in the North

Does meat depart from modern food trends?

Uzane Pohl, chef aboard M/Y Shadowl, insists there will always be room for a meat. While Pohl rounds out the consensus that vegetables have been given a glow-up, meat will always be on the menu. He points out that, yes, veggies are no longer an afterthought. Instead of busting open a bag of baby carrots, boiling them, and tossing in some butter, now, farmers market-fresh carrots are roasted until they’re just tender, tossed with brown butter and toasted nuts, then served on a little cloud of herbed yogurt.

The other half of his sentiment insists that people will always want meat. “It appears though,” he adds, “just not as much as they used to.”

Pohl suspects there have been fad diets since humans moved away from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. “I think there was a grapefruit diet way back in like the fifties or sixties,” he says. “Then there was the fat-free diet, followed by the Atkins diet which was pretty much all fat. Now Keto and paleo and no carb—there is so much to keep up with. I don’t trust any diet that tells you fruits and veggies are bad.”

The shift that Pohl sees is still meat, but less of it. “I’d call it intentional, or quality vs. quantity,” he says. People don’t want a burger for lunch every day. Instead, one really great burger once a week, maybe steak just one night for dinner.

What about what’s out?

Vogt doesn’t hesitate before answering, “Fried food. Convenience food.” She talks about COVID’s impact on home cooking. “People started to cook more, they started to explore. A lot of people started to bake their own bread.” So many people, she continues, had an opportunity to see how easy it is to make their own food, like salad dressing. They realized how easy it is and how much better it tastes.

“Who feels good after eating greasy fried food or food filled with lots of preservatives?” she asks.

Pohl is happy to pack his tweezers away. “That whole molecular gastronomy thing was cool, but enough of the foams and gelees,” he says. “When I want to eat or a serve a tomato, I’d prefer to find the ripest one I can, slice it, serve it with a little bit of salt, and let it be its best tomato self. It doesn’t need to be juiced, then reduced, then reconstructed, then dehydrated, then ground into a powder before finally being shaped back into a tomato.”

While he loves a beautiful plate presentation, he likes to let the ingredients shine for themselves. He says the key is finding that sweet spot between a plate presentation that requires tweezers to place every microgreen sprig in place and the idea of a “square meal” or meat and three sides. “I just want my food to be food,” he says.

But without a sprig of parsley on the side.

-by Rubi McGrory

Some Modern Food Trend Recipe Examples

Perfect Tomato Sandwich

⊲ 1 loaf white bread or milk bread (not the fancy kind, the softer and squishier the better)

⊲ 2 really ripe tomatoes, perfect summer tomatoes

⊲ ½ cup mayonnaise

⊲ 1 tsp. seasoned salt (plus more to taste)

Using a round cookie cutter roughly the size of your tomato (2-3 inches), cut one circle out of each slice of bread. Discard/compost the rest.

Peel each tomato, then cut into 1/4-inch slices. Sandwich the tomato slices between paper towels and let them rest in the refrigerator overnight.

Combined mayonnaise and seasoned salt, adding more to taste—it should be a little salty and light pink. Generously spread the mayo mixture on one side of each bread circle. Place one tomato slice in each sandwich.

Roasted Carrots with Herbed Yogurt

⊲ 2 lbs. carrots

⊲ 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

⊲ 1½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

⊲ Kosher salt

⊲ Freshly ground black pepper

⊲ 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

⊲ ½ cups Greek yogurt (0%, 2%, or 5%)

⊲ Flaky sea salt

⊲ ½ cup finely chopped cilantro (or other soft herbs, basil, flat parsley, dill, tarragon, etc.) plus more for garnish

Set oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel and trim the carrots. If they are smaller than 1 inch in diameter, leave them whole. Cut larger carrots in half lengthwise. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking, keeping an eye on the pan, swirling it occasionally until the butter is toasty brown and smells nutty, between 3 and 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add a half teaspoon of salt and the lemon juice very carefully, as it is likely to splatter. Using a silicone spatula, stir, being sure to scrape up the brown toasty bits at the bottom.

Drizzle half of the browned butter over the carrots. Toss thoroughly with a few turns of cracked pepper and a half teaspoon of salt. Spread evenly in a single layer. Roast for about 15 minutes, turn carrots over, and roast another 15 or 20 minutes until carrots are tender and edges are starting to brown.

Meanwhile, combine the yogurt and the herbs with a half teaspoon of salt. Swirl the yogurt over a large serving platter and pile the roasted carrots on top. Drizzle the rest of the browned butter over the carrots and yogurt, sprinkle with additional cilantro, toasted almonds, and flaky sea salt.

Enjoy your delicious modern food trend meals!

Set New Fishing Records: Expert Tips and Strategies

Catch “the big one” – fishing record tips to use on your next trip out

These fishing record tips come from experience meant to serve all anglers. Back when the world’s crust was just beginning to cool, I had the good fortune to luck into a weakfish of mammoth proportions one late fall day off the south shore of Long Island, New York. The encounter occurred in a small cove of pocket water well back near a marsh where smallish school bass and an occasional shad would often stack up.

Having had my fill of shorts on several recent trips, I opted to play around with some ultralight tackle, which was a “thing” at the time. I wasn’t disappointed as schoolies to 20 inches waited in line to put my 4-pound test freshwater trout outfit to the test. All was going swimmingly, as I gingerly played each fish to the net for a quick release without busting my line, an important consideration since I had only one other small hook aboard.

Six schoolies into the trip, the big one ate, instantly doubling-over my rod in a surprise attack on my finger-length live shiner. Instantly outgunned, I eased off on the drag and hoped the big yellowfin might tire before busting free. Amazingly, she stayed buttoned, and the gossamer thread held long enough for a brief visit aboard my 16-foot garvey-style clam boat. It took several minutes to revive that 13-pounder, and I proudly watched her swim away. Later that winter, I read that the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) 4-pound line class record for weakfish was a little more than 11 pounds. UGH!

My tale of releasing a potential record catch isn’t unique. In fact, it happens all the time. Even worse, many possible records are eaten by anglers having no idea they’ve topped the charts.

Tip One: Know The Current Record

Have you dreamed of setting a fishing record? If so, the place to begin your quest is with a visit to the IGFA website, says Zack Bellapigna, who is charged with keeping the official files updated for the association, which runs an office in Dania Beach, Florida.

“We keep a variety of records,” explains Bellapigna, “including all-tackle world records that honor the largest individual of a specific species of fish caught within accordance with the organization’s International Angling Rules, all-tackle length records which honor the longest individual of a species measured on an official IGFA measuring device and released, line-class records that recognize the largest of selected species caught on a specific line class, and tippet-class (fly fishing) records for a number of game fish species.”

All IGFA records, along with the required International Angling Rules, can be found at igfa.org through a world-record database search engine that sees records updated daily. Access is free, and you don’t need to be a member to enter a search. In fact, you don’t even need to be a member at the time you catch a potential world record because you can join the organization ($50/year) when submitting a catch for consideration.

Tip Two: Take Your First Steps To Claiming A New Fishing Record

According to Bellapigna, to qualify for IGFA records, anglers must fill out a World Record Application Form which is available on the website. Anglers must also submit four photographs:

the angler with the fish
the rod and reel used
the scale
and the scale certification sticker/documentation.

Along with these photographs and the completed application, you’ll need to send in your terminal tackle, including 16.5 feet of your line to be tested.

Tip Three: Find An Open Category

For those interested in chasing world records, Bellapigna suggests looking at the current records while paying particular attention to fish you target. Note that species not listed are currently vacant categories awaiting their first entry—which could be made by you. To fill a vacant record, the fish just has to be caught in accordance with the International Angling Rules, weigh more than 1 pound, and be in the top 50 percentile of its maximum potential size.

Potential Challenges (other than the catch)

Of course, with the advance of time, it’s even more challenging to set new fishing records, especially in the all-tackle category. Still, if you do a little digging, you’re likely to find a few that don’t seem out of reach. In just the past year, several records have been broken along the East Coast from Florida to Maine.

This includes:

Gary Jennings with a tautog from New York setting a new IGFA Men’s 4-kg (8-pound) Tippet Class World Record in June 2022.
Jacob Elleson scored with a 91-centimeter black drum from Florida to set the IGFA All-Tackle Length Fly Record.
Randy Morton drilled an 8-pound, 9-ounce sheepshead from Virginia last July to set the IGFA Men’s 8-kg (16-pound) Line Class World Record
and Kathryn Vallilee bested a 26-pound, 8-ounce permit from the Florida Keys back in August to claim the IGFA Women’s 4-kg (8-pound) Tippet Class World Record for the species.

Tip Four: Start Local

While anglers like to set their sights on world records, it should be noted that most state fish and wildlife agencies keep state records. So, where world and even-line class records for some species seem out of reach, state records may be more achievable. Contact your state fish and wildlife department for more info about this option.

“Records are made to be broken,” concludes Bellapigna. “We receive new applications every day from anglers that headed out with their eyes set on a record they were looking to break. If worst comes to worst, you’ll at least have some great fishing stories to tell from your pursuit of a place in the record books.”

No doubt. Which reminds me, did I ever tell you about the 4.5-pound sea robin I submitted some years ago?

-by Tom Schlichter

Introducing the RIO DAYTONA 50: A Blend of Luxury, Power, and Style

Updated: December 06, 2023.

Update - This Yacht Is Available For Immediate Delivery:

Contact: Jeff Eldon

Phone: 954-234-9873

Email: Jeff@TheHelmYachtGroup.Com
DM (Instagram): @yachtguy954

Original Story:

Make your heart flutter with the Rio Daytona 50.

Recently, I thought I was having a health scare. I mean, my heart was palpitating, I broke into a sweat, and felt butterflies in my stomach. I thought for sure it was the big one coming on, but no. As I self-diagnosed my condition, I realized it was one thing: love at first sight! The subject of my admiration was the Rio Daytona 50.

An Enchanting First Impression With Curb Appeal

Now, you may think this is just another go-fast that does nothing more than try to look good running the Intracoastal Waterway with loud tunes. But this is so much more. For one, she has great curb appeal. Following the gently curved sheer line, you see a generous freeboard that blends in a gentle bow flare which results in a dry ride. Hull contours break up the flat surface while housing well-sized portholes. Toward the aft end, there are beach terrace doors that fold flat, increasing the deck space, creating more ways to access the water and opening up the view. An integrated swim platform wraps around the hull with rub-rail protection.

One very cool design innovation is the placement of the engines. When looking at the Rio Daytona 50, it’s not readily evident as to what is powering the yacht. Since she doesn’t have outboards hanging off the end, one must assume she has inboard or I/O propulsion. Ummm, no.

Rio has designed the 50 with a pocket under the large aft sunpad lounger that houses triple Mercury Racing 450R outboards. This is a smart idea as it changes the profile of the yacht and keeps the outboards out of the eye of a thief but also allows 360-degree access to the powerplants for maintenance. It also muffles the sound quite a bit, making for a more enjoyable ride. With the flick of a switch, the sunpad rises for engine access.

Power and Design Working Together

When you merge this level of power with a hull design that works well through the speed range, you understand that the Rio Daytona 50 is something to be seen. It’s not only that this boat looks good, but the handling and comfort also made this a love at first ride. Pushing the throttles up doesn’t mean the bow goes up too. There is minimal rise and adjusting engine trim and tabs gives the captain great visibility. A little more height at the helm is courtesy of a fold-down standing platform for those vertically challenged.

My test run numbers were pretty much in line with Rio’s numbers so safe to say this is a 49 mph/42.5 knot yacht at wide open. Cruise along at 32.2 mph/27.8 knots, 4,700 rpm, 58 gph burn, 237 nautical mile range. With 423 gallons of fuel, cruising at 9.2 mph/8 knots will offer 324 nautical mile range burning about 12 gph. What’s good to know is that you can have the range when desired or speed when needed depending on cruising preferences.

Historic Roots: The Rio Yachts Legacy

Rio Yachts started in 1961 on the banks of Sebino Lake, in Lombardy, Italy. Building recreational mahogany motorboats through the ’60s, Rio switched to plastic construction in the 1970s, to build “a boat for all!”

The Scarani family has held onto the business for several generations, adding commercial vessels and patrol boats to the lineup. Currently, the recreational line includes Coupes and Open styles, of which the Daytona 50 is the largest.

Bringing the yachts to the U.S. takes a dedicated, exclusive dealer, one with the experience of new builds and brokerage. Enter Jeff Eldon, president and CEO of The Helm Yacht Group. Normally I wouldn’t mention a dealer in an article, but Eldon’s relationship is so tight with Rio that he might as well be part of the family. Eldon explained that he has taken actual design changes back to the team in Italy to enhance the products and make them more user friendly, and they listen.

For example, the Daytona 34 is now offered as the Daytona 35 since Eldon asked Rio to extend the swim platform aft to allow for easier boarding and more foot space around the outboards (those outboards do hang off the transom and not in a pocket). That means you as a buyer have a pretty direct line to the factory in the event you would like some modifications. On the Daytona 50, there is no lower galley since there is an exterior galley on deck. But if you want a small one below, Eldon and Rio will build one as they can.

Access All Around

The low profile yet unencumbered center line helm looks a bit futuristic thanks to the Dual Garmin multifunction displays that handle all the operations and functions of the yacht, thereby reducing the number of switches at the helm. An app can be downloaded to an iPad or other device for remote control and monitoring. A Mercury engine monitor, joystick, throttles, VHF radio, and several illuminating cupholders fill out the helm space. Three individual bench seats with armrests and bolsters face the helm, so the operator can engage with guests.

With full walkaround decks, this is one easy boat to navigate from bow to stern. Forward is a large sunpad in front of the raked back single-pane windshield. In front of the sunpad is a forward-facing bench seat with backrest. Across on the peak is another bench seat that faces aft. The ground tackle locker is just forward, out of the way and secure. For shade, a four-post awning can be installed. Grabrails on the gunwales offer safety when transiting.

Aft is another well-sized sunpad and electric awning that retrieves from the integrated hardtop feature. Aft the forward end of the pad is another bench seating area, flanking a flip-out teak table. The entertainment station has a flip-up top that reveals a built-in electric grill and deep stainless steel sink. Below are a fridge/freezer unit and ice machine. The Daytona 50 can carry a crowd and serve them as well.

As mentioned, the port and starboard gunwales open to create beach terraces, a classy touch that really opens the deck.

Relax in Elegance: Daytona 50 Interiors

Accommodations below make the Daytona 50 a true weekender. Thanks to the more than six feet of headroom, side windows, and atrium door, the cabin’s open feel invites you in to relax. Curl up with a good book on the port-side sofa. Guests can stay in the midship cabin with twin berths.

Forward, the master stateroom has a king centerline berth accessible from all sides, storage, and side windows. Another great idea is that the master utilizes bifold doors so when open, it really adds to the overall sizeable feel and usable day space of the cabin.

A single head has a basin sink, electric toilet, and separate shower stall. The room is tastefully appointed with high-gloss wood counters, stylish faucet, and dark flooring. Or ask Eldon to create your own look.

Not to be outdone, the cabin and master use a combination of high-gloss wood doors and trim, leather pull handles, and light flooring. Or change it to make it your own. After all, it should be love at first sight.

-by Tom Serio

The Pioneering Aquila 42 Catamaran: Crafted For Modern Boaters

Exploring the Aquila 42: A Catamaran Designed for Modern Cruisers

Aquila 42 is a compact cat with a big appeal.

Aquila Power Catamarans has just grown by one—a 42-foot model designed by VPLP Design that may just be the right choice for couples who want a stable platform with lots of room, plenty of personalization choices, and a good turn of speed. Cruisers looking to set off for the horizon may find the new Aquila 42 a perfect escape pod.

A Closer Look at the Aquila 42 Catamaran: Innovation Meets Comfort On Deck

There are many examples of the well-established Aquila DNA starting with the familiar wide foredeck topped by twin sunbeds and the molded stairs which lead up to the flybridge. The value of not having to go aft, down, and around when moving between the upper helm and the foredeck cannot be understated.

Also present is the bar top in the aft cockpit with two stools beside a small counter and a window which connect the galley with the dining area. This intermediate space between indoors and outdoors is an Aquila trademark and it’s an immensely popular place to hang out at anchor or underway.

The cockpit’s long transom seat and folding table make this a perfect place for breakfast or cocktails, especially if a brisk breeze is blowing because this space is protected by the cabin house and the hardtop. Speaking of the hardtop, a dinghy crane protrudes from its aft end and is used to hoist the tender onto the fixed platform between the two swim steps. No davits are needed and with the tender launched, this is a special spot to relax on a chaise and watch fish swim by.

The cabin house is on the centerline making this model symmetrical which leaves wide side decks to both port and starboard. Two welcome surprises on the bow include a large, well-organized midline locker that houses the anchor, bow roller and windlass, and a cavernous stowage space in the starboard bow that’s large enough to carry loads of gear as well as an optional freezer. It will take restraint to not overload this deep lazarette or the cat will become bow heavy and may hobby horse. This space may be put to another use but more on this later.

Explore The Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran: A Blend Of Luxury And Performance

Outdoor Living on the Flybridge

The aft cockpit is inviting but so is the flybridge which will be a favorite spot to gather. It feels as if the outdoor living space nearly doubles with the addition of this flybridge where you’ll find a long L-shaped settee running along the port side and aft end. Two tables can be combined with an added leaf so six may dine together, and there are companion seats to both port and starboard of the helm.

An island occupies the center of the flybridge. The backside of this module holds a summer galley with a sink, refrigerator, and a Kenyon electric grill. The front side forms the double helm seat with a flip-up bolster. The seat faces the dash which is bordered by a thick handrail. A single Raymarine Axiom multifunction display (MFD) is on the centerline with a small wheel offset slightly to starboard. Engine throttles are to starboard and two cupholders are to port.

The benefits of this helm station include good forward visibility and the rail which helps to steady anyone heading toward the forward steps. However, there are also a few drawbacks to this design. First, the midline placement means that you can’t sight down either the port or starboard side when coming into a slip. Second, the wheel has seven turns lock-to-lock so it will take some getting used to. Third, there is room for only one MFD which is a surprise on a boat in this class. Finally, the helm “island” chops up the available space, forcing odd traffic patterns.

Customized Layout

Inside, the Aquila 42 is a bit of an origami boat with lots of options. Hull No. 1 that we visited featured an unusual layout. Once we stepped through the bifold door, we had a fridge/freezer to starboard and a straight-line galley to port with cabinetry and storage space outboard. Production models will offer a traditional and more functional U-shaped galley with higher cabinetry that extends up to the headliner for more stowage space.

The main seating area in the salon includes a U-shaped dinette to starboard that will accommodate four to six people comfortably, especially if extra chairs are added. On our model, a funky “nav station” was to port. It had no seat and no MFD and seemed like an afterthought that topped a sizeable storage locker below. We have learned since that this will be replaced by either a corner seat (a good choice for charter) or a full interior helm (an excellent option for private owners).

Forward is a utility cabin that holds an optional washer/dryer, a bottle fridge, and a single bunk. This space would work for kids or a professional captain although North American couples who work remotely may want to create an office here instead.

The Aquila 42 Catamaran can be specified with two to four cabins and three heads. On our boat, the entire port hull was dedicated to the owner’s suite with a bed aft, a vanity desk amidships, and a large head in the bow. The VIP ensuite cabin was in the starboard hull.

When four cabins are spec’d, it gets interesting. The owner’s hull holds two cabins with a shared head, and the utility room goes away as does that large lazarette space in the starboard bow that we described earlier. These two areas are then joined into another ensuite cabin with an athwartships bed.

Indirect and courtesy lighting throughout the interior create a warm ambience, and the surrounding tempered glass windows provide great views even from a seated position.

Aquila 42’s Performance

The Aquila 42 comes standard with twin 230-hp Volvo Penta D4 diesels, but with the upgraded 300-hp engines, expect a top speed around 21 knots at 3,400 rpm.

Cruising speed is 16 knots at 2,800 rpm where the engines burn 16 gph, delivering one nautical mile per gallon depending on load and conditions. With 290 gallons of fuel, that translates to an approximate 275-mile range with a small reserve.

The VPLP hull is designed to pop up on plane in less than nine seconds, and the elongated underwater bulbs help keep the bows high and prevent hobby horsing. Aquila also plans to offer a Yanmar engine with a V-shaped semi-foiling system which will lift about 40 percent of the boat’s weight, enabling faster speeds and better fuel consumption. For easy close quarter maneuvering, a bow thruster can be added to the starboard bow.

Aquila Has Some Intriguing Options

Aquila offers owners myriad ways to make this model their own with a long list of options. Besides the choice of layout and wood colors (dark walnut or light ash), owners can add two AGM house batteries, two 100-watt solar panels, a 17-gallon per hour Spectra watermaker, and a Kohler 9kW generator. Comfort options include a washer/dryer, the 23-bottle wine fridge, an icemaker, a propane cooker, and of course, the entire lower helm.

Why the Aquila 42 Catamaran Stands Out: A Comprehensive Review

Verdict

Aquila, which launched its first hull just over a decade ago, continues to fill out its line. Smaller models include the Molokai 28 and the Aquila Sport 32 and 36. At the luxury end, Sino Eagle Group offers the Aquila 70. In the middle, we find three models including the Aquila 54, 44, and now the 42 which the company hopes will attract seasoned cruisers downsizing from bigger boats as well as young families stepping up through the line.

Although Hull No. 1 seemed to be a prototype with an atypical layout, Aquila has left the door open for many future iterations of this design, one of which is bound to suit a cruising couple looking to get away from it all.

-by Zuzana Prochazka

Aquila 42 Catamaran Gallery

How To Have Nautical Celebrations: Unforgettable Holidays on Your Boat

Anchoring the Holidays: Innovative Ways to Celebrate on Your Boat

Throughout our cruising lives, holiday celebrations on boats often become a delightful norm. We tend to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays aboard our boats. Sometimes we do so because we have no choice—when we are delivering the boat from one place to another over a holiday or when we live aboard—but more often, we choose to celebrate holidays on board our vessels. As with land-bound holidays, most are delightful celebrations, often with new boating friends and traditions that provide meaning and continuity in our lives.

It can be challenging to recapture and replicate land-bound holidays on a boat. Some of these challenges are physical—limited space, lack of equipment, or absence of specific ingredients may curtail traditional “sit-down” dinners—while others are emotional. Liveaboard cruisers may yearn to be surrounded by family and friends when they are far away. Vacationing cruisers may find themselves in circumstances or environments that differ greatly from their memories of childhood holiday celebrations—hot weather at Christmas, New Year’s in the islands, or bundling up for the Fourth of July in Alaska!

While we may long to reclaim childhood memories and traditions, celebrating holidays aboard offers terrific opportunities to create unique and exciting celebrations of your own. Blending cherished customs or rituals with new, exotic experiences makes for good times and vivid memories. In other words, if you can adjust your expectations and adopt a new attitude about holidays aboard, it will pay off in spades!

What follows are some ideas for celebrations aboard your boat to get your creative juices flowing.

Seas the Holidays: Creating New Traditions Aboard Your Vessel

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. My birthday and our wedding anniversary are on the same day, which usually falls during Thanksgiving week. The year I turned 50, we flew into Miami to celebrate aboard at Dinner Key. Our flight was very late, and we arrived at the marina to find out that all the nearby restaurants and grocery stores were closed for the night. We made a sad little pre-Thanksgiving meal out of canned tuna, a package of boxed mac and cheese, and some cheese crackers. However, my sweet husband surprised me with a vintage bottle of my favorite French Burgundy (packed in his luggage), and we opened it and toasted cruising life, our anniversary, and my birthday under a full Miami moon.

I asked our cruising friends, who have sailed their 39-foot boat throughout the western Caribbean for several years, how they celebrated classic holidays aboard their boat in foreign ports. Their festivities usually involve getting together with nearby cruisers and creating gourmet potluck dinners. Each cruiser makes a very special dish, presented beautifully. While they found most ingredients nearby (poultry, squashes, potatoes, greens, bread), there are no cranberries outside the U.S. Knowing this, our friends stashed a couple bags in their freezer and made a delightful Cranberry Tart for the potluck.

Christmas

While our cruising friends celebrated Christmas aboard for several years, their first year they were both feeling a little blue missing Christmas morning with their families. Suddenly, a nearby cruising vessel came over and delivered freshly made hot cinnamon buns, tied with a Christmas ribbon to their boat. This generous little gesture really got the day off on the right foot.

If you plan ahead, there are lots of fun little gifts you can make aboard—baked goods, cocktails, fruit or herb vinegars, flavored salts, sugars, spice mixes—and they are always appreciated by friends and strangers alike.

That afternoon, they gathered with friends on another boat. It was decorated with a small lit Christmas tree and colored fairy lights. As they were welcomed aboard with hot buttered rum, they saw that Christmas stockings hung on the boat rails, filled with goodies for each guest. Following a surf and turf dinner with potluck side dishes and desserts, they all sang Christmas carols and toasted the boating life.

New Year’s Day

In Florida, it was easy to adapt our New Year’s Day celebration aboard our Grand Banks 42. We invited friends and family to enjoy the great weather, go for dinghy rides, and watch the Bowl games. We introduced them to Cuban food (widely available in Miami) along with Mojito, Daiquiri, and Cuba Libre cocktails and soft drinks, Cuban pork, moros y cristianos (rice and beans), slaw, avocado and tomato salads, and flan. This became our standard New Year’s Day menu.

Festive Tides: Crafting Memorable Holidays on the Water

Planning, creativity, and spontaneity are the keys to success. Consider local customs and traditions, and participate in celebrations and events. Experiment with seasonal and locally available foods when designing your menu. Bring along “must have” ingredients and cherished decorations and lights, along with music to make the celebration complete. Use your senses and resourcefulness to create a festive and attractive environment for your holiday celebration aboard.

Sight: If you want a casual and cozy environment, use candles and oil lamps, linens and flowers in yellows, golds, and reds to make your cabin glow. If the mood you seek is cool and sophisticated, use fairy lights, greens, plants, fruits, vegetables, and other natural things in your environment as décor (for example, votive candles sitting in seashells or driftwood).

Smell: Bring in scented flowers, fresh herbs, candles, and naturally fragrant items like oranges, vanilla, apples, and lavender to create the ambience you want. Heat herbs in hot water, or microwave a small bowl filled with sliced apples, vanilla, and cinnamon for the holidays. Nothing is as inviting as the fragrance of cookies baking or steaks grilling—so use your menu to entice your guests.

Sound: Think about what kind of music you want to play—rock, big band, or reggae for a more casual holiday, or sophisticated jazz and piano for a refined dinner, or simply use the sound of waves and water. You can change the tone and mood of a celebration by the sounds you choose.

Touch: Use a variety of textures to create the right environment. Pashmina shawls, soft pillows, and knit blankets on settees and chairs if the weather is cool. If the weather is warm, handheld fans, iced drinks, and chilled fruit on cool linens provide relief from heat. This sends the message to guests that you care about how they feel.

-by Lori Ross

Your 2023 Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts For Every Boater

Add to your wish list with some help from Southern Boating’s 2023 Holiday Gift Guide.

2023 Holiday Gift Guide

View the FlipBook Here or scroll to see the guide on a webpage.

We don’t just build yachts, we handcraft a legend. All Marlow Explorers are conceived, engineered, and constructed utilizing state-of-the-art technology and three elements required for exceptional works of mankind: heads, hands, and heart. Our full-service facilities are backed with management and staff who are motivated and mentally invested artisans. We build the finest yachts for people; not focus groups or committees. Contact us today to start building your legend. marlowyachts.com

Pettit’s Captain’s Varnish 1015 is a spar varnish and provides a warm, light amber hue that will enhance your brightwork’s appearance. This product can be used for exterior or interior applications and offers fantastic UV protection. Captain’s Varnish is easy to apply, flexible, durable, and offers outstanding gloss retention. Captain’s Varnish is available in multiple sizes including an ALL-NEW aerosol that is perfect for detail work, small projects, and touch-ups. MSRP $29.99; pettitpaint.com

Nau-T-Girl Jewelry, a signature line of maritime-inspired elegance, is crafted with precision in sterling silver. Each piece embodies nautical charm. The Propeller Pendant boasts intricate detailing, a testament to the brand’s artistry. The Anchor/Propeller Ring melds strength and grace, a perfect emblem of maritime spirit. Completing the ensemble is the Hook Anklet, a fusion of style and symbolism. Adorned with Rhodium, these creations gleam with timeless allure. For those seeking opulence, the collection is also available in 14K gold. Nau-T-Girl, a trademarked beacon in designer nautical jewelry, beckons you to sail the seas of style. MSRP $84 (pendant), $87 (ring), $113 (anklet); Nau-T-Girl.com

The Bahamas map is available as a print on canvas or glossy poster, in a variety of sizes. Island Map Store has more than 100 beautiful nautical wall maps featuring areas of the Bahamas, Caribbean, and coastal regions of the USA. Maps are available in both blue and earth tones to match any décor and adorn your wall proudly! Makes a great gift for the boater in your life. MSRP $50-140; IslandMapStore.com

The Siren 3 Pro makes the boating experience better and more secure than ever. Siren Marine’s smart boat monitoring system allows boaters to remotely track their boats’ location, engine, temperature, bilge pump activity, battery levels, water levels, shore power status, and more. Control lights, A/C, and other systems and access digital switching with the touch of a button so that your boat is at your fingertips. Together with the easy-to-use Siren Marine mobile app, the Siren 3 Pro connects you to your boat anywhere, anytime. Have peace of mind and enjoy stress-free boating. Welcome to the Connected Boat. MSRP $797; sirenmarine.com/products/siren-3-pro

Hose Hut Dock Hose System is a complete dock hose management system comprising a 100-foot reinforced expandable hose, 6-foot convenience and 4-foot supply hoses (both made of 316 marine-grade stainless steel), thumb-controlled Ergo nozzle sprayer, solid brass quick connects, and y-valve. The hose and components are stored inside a compact, sleek hut, which has the highest UV protection available. The expandable hose is specifically designed for the Hose Hut system and is superior to any other hose on the market. The lockable Hut can be attached to a dock or other surfaces. MSRP $295; hosehut.com

A.G.A. Correa & Son Fish Float Sphere Pendant is 18k yellow gold hand-twisted ropework providing a frame around a 16mm Aqua Chalcedony sphere. The ropework is finished with three twists of 18k yellow gold and attached to a handmade 18k rope pendant eye. Chalcedony is composed of the minerals quartz and moganite; the aqua color of each stone will vary. Pendant chain sold separately. MSRP $2,100; agacorrea.com

The DTS+Mobile FCI Dockside Washdown Solution provides purified spot-free water from a municipal source for rinsing. Intelligent controls monitor service. Simply choose between filter saving bypass washing mode or purified spot-free water for rinsing. The DTS+ Mobile purifies by removing up to 99 percent of total dissolved solids. Twenty percent lighter than most, DTS+ Mobile ends tedious, time-consuming maintenance extending the life of your chrome, glass, paint, and wax finishes. Crew spends less time wiping down, polishing, and applying compounds. Eliminates pitting and water spot etching. With zero hard-water buildup, maintain your rods, toys, and appliances, and make your interior shine. MSRP $7,500; info@reverse-osmosis.net

Magic offers a unique opportunity to own a Marlow yacht in time for the holidays. This beautiful 2020 Marlow Explorer 66E is a low-hour Explorer in Bristol condition. She’s possibly the finest yacht in her class on the market today. Long-distance cruise like a trawler or cross the gulf stream at 20 knots. She has three staterooms, three heads, and a comfortable crew cabin with a seating area. MSRP upon request; marlowmarine.com

In a sea of same old, same old, it’s time for a change. Pettit ProPoxy 2K aerosol is a two component, acrylic urethane topcoat engineered for maximum gloss and durability. ProPoxy’s premium-grade formula cures to a durable, ultra-high-gloss finish that resists staining, blistering, and chemical damage. For a stunning finish and superior durability, ProPoxy component aerosols have you covered! MSRP $129; pettitpaint.com

Has this ever happened to you? You are all set for a great boating day out on the water. The marine unit happens to be making safety checks in your area and as luck would have it, you are selected. They find expired marine flares! It’s easy to lose track of the expiration date. The Flare Countdown is a visual aid about the size of a credit card programmed to remind you that your marine flares are reaching the manufacturer’s expiration. The Flare Countdown is just as important as the cooler you loaded on the boat! MSRP $19.95; purdynemarine.com

Timepieces International has spent many years mastering and perfecting the construction and design of our watches. Here, we bring you our best-selling Renegade Blue men’s chronograph watch by Daniel Steiger.

This super-popular timepiece is the epitome of style and sporty design, featuring a durable rubber strap that will withstand everything the elements throw at it, as well as three precision sub-dials featuring split-second, second, and minute. Our watches are also covered by a five-year movement warranty, ensuring accurate timekeeping for years to come. MSRP $99 with promo code: SB3NRG; timepiecesusa.com/products/renegade-mens-blue-watch

Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer offers two elegant timepieces: the Connected 45 mm Bright Black Edition and the Connected 42 mm Golden Bright Edition. Encased in a black DLC sandblasted grade 2 titanium case, the 45 mm Bright Black Edition boasts a steel crown surrounded by rubber designed to enhance grip and functionality. Its ceramic bezel is adorned with golden lacquer and PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition. The leather/rubber strap combines comfort and style.

Golden lacquer details embellish the crown and pushers. The Golden Bright Edition is encased in a rose golden PVD steel case with alternate finishes. The full leather strap boasts a combination of black and red lining, and the domed sapphire crystal protects the exquisite dial. With its 42 mm size, this timepiece has a unisex appeal. Both offer an exclusive watch face called “TONOS” which comes with 10 different colors intricately associated with golden indexes and complications. Both timepieces are water resistant up to 50 meters and are presented in an elegant black box. MSRP upon request; tagheuer.com

Southern Boating apparel and headwear are perfect for every day on the water. Comfortable options include cotton or performance T-shirts and our popular Pelican Joe cap. Visit our online store to order merchandise from this unique collection chosen exclusively for Southern Boating readers. MSRP varies; shop.southernboating.com

RICOH WG-80 is a durable, lightweight, and waterproof compact digital camera that produces super-high-resolution photos and high-definition (HD) video and is optimized for use in rugged conditions. Equipped with a 5x optical zoom and a large, outdoor-friendly, wide-frame LCD monitor, the new camera makes it easy to capture photos and video of adventures on land, under the sea, or in any challenging environment. MSRP $329.95; us.ricoh-imaging.com

Come visit the 50^th Anniversary Stuart Boat Show January 12-14, 2024! Set against the stunning backdrop of Florida’s Treasure Coast, this show promises an unforgettable experience. Secure your tickets now to explore an array of yachts, boats, and marine accessories, all while enjoying entertainment and gourmet cuisine. Whether you’re a seasoned boater or dreaming of life on the water, this show has something for everyone. MSRP $18 adults, $8 children ages 12 and younger per ticket; stuartboatshow.com

PENTAX JUPITER series of porro-prism binoculars comprise four different models featuring large-aperture objective lenses to ensure a bright, clear field of vision, even in low-light conditions, such as outdoors at dusk, at night, or at indoor events. With a choice of magnifications ranging from 8x to 16x, users can find a PENTAX JUPITER series model that best suits their needs and intended applications, whether it’s astronomical observation, wildlife viewing, or another boat in the distance. MSRP from $79; us.ricoh-imaging.com

Embark on your next adventure with the BERM Tanto Flipper Knife from TRUE Knives. At the heart of the BERM Tanto Flipper Knife lies a 3.5-inch Tanto stainless steel blade crafted to deliver strength and durability. Featuring a caged ball-bearing pivot system, this knife enables smooth and effortless deployment, ensuring quick access to the blade whenever needed. The liner lock mechanism provides reliable security, keeping the blade firmly in place during use and minimizing the risk of accidental closure. The knife boasts a handle made from G10, a high-performance material known for its exceptional strength and resistance to impact and moisture, offering a comfortable and secure grip. A four-position pocket clip allows users to choose their preferred carry option to ensure the knife is always within easy reach. MSRP $39.99; true.acgbrands.com/berm-tanto-flipper-knife.html

Papa’s Pilar Rye-Finished Rum, the ultra-premium rum brand inspired by legendary novelist Ernest Hemingway, is made using the brand’s Dark Rum, which is blended with rums sourced from Barbados, Dominican Republic, Panama, Venezuela, and Florida. The rum is
further finished in once-used straight rye whiskey barrels made from heavily charred white oak. Papa’s Pilar Rye-Finished Rum offers an oak-forward taste with subtle hints of coffee, baking spices, and dark chocolate. Bottled at 43 percent alcohol by volume, the rum has a nose of oak, burnt sugar, dates, and baking spices, with a long and warm lingering finish of cacao and caramel. MSRP $49.99; papaspilar.com

The Gateway Dry Bag is compact and perfect for onboard use to keep your phone, camera, and shoes dry. The 20L volume bag has a small, water-resistant external pocket for handheld items and includes a shoulder strap for easy transport. MSRP $50; islesurfandsup.com

With the Fenwick Eagle rod series, including Bass, Salmon/Steelhead, Trout, and Walleye, anglers of all skill levels will love the combination of top-notch performance at an extremely affordable price point. No matter the species, how difficult the cast is, or challenging the conditions, it is game on when you feel the slightest tick. The rod is masterfully balanced, minimizing forearm fatigue thanks to the legendary Fenwick craftsmanship that allows you to experience a better in-hand feel while maximizing sensitivity, and as a result, miss fewer bites and catch more fish. MSRP from $99.95; fenwickfishing.com

Floafers are a family-friendly athleisure shoe inspired by the classic loafer made of lightweight, breathable foam that is comfortable, convenient, and stylish. The water-friendly slip-on shoes are made of durable EVA foam and feature a flexible slip-resistant outsole that won›t scuff boat decks or galley floors. Inside, the foot bed features arch support and relaxing massage pods. They are naturally buoyant with ventilation ports for water to drain and when they get dirty, simply wash them with soap and water. Available in a wide range of colors and novelty prints. MSRP from $59.99; floafers.com

The SITKA Drifter 75L duffel has enough room for plenty of gear. Rugged 150D TPU-coated rip-stop fabric in the main body and a waterproof 450D welded TPU coated rip-stop floor assure your gear is protected from the elements. Four side and one top carry handle as well as removable shoulder straps make carrying the bag easy. Available in four colors. MSRP $189; sitkagear.com

The TINCUP Adventure Pack, a double-walled, stainless steel, reusable canteen filled with 375ml of TINCUP American Whiskey, is lightweight, recyclable, and goes where glass doesn’t—whether it’s on the boat, by the lake, at the beach, in the mountains, or along the trails. The Original TINCUP Whiskey is a marriage of two great American whiskeys: straight bourbon distilled in Indiana and Colorado single malt, each aged in charred oak barrels. TINCUP is a true mountain whiskey, cut to proof with Rocky Mountain water and bottled at an elevation of 5,251 feet. MSRP $29.99; tincupwhiskey.com

Whitewater Fishing’s Rapids Fishing Shorts employs a poly/spandex blended fabric, treated with Durable Water Repellent, that delivers four-way stretch for maximum mobility while maintaining fit. Functional features include three open pockets and two zip-closure pockets to keep your most important items secure. The shorts sport a zip-fly with a button closure, belt loops, and a comfortable 9-inch inseam. Available in waist sizes from 30 to 42 inches. Colors include Marine Blue and Beach. MSRP $59.99; whitewaterfish.com

Ferragamo Timepieces’ Swiss-made Double Gancini Mini is a women’s watch characterized by the refined lines of the rectangular case and the modular bracelet, featuring two-dimensional Gancini motifs. The white or black enamel finish embellishes the dial and bracelet, creating a sophisticated play of light and contrasting colors against the yellow or pink gold case. The indexes are marked by four decorative micro studs, while the crown is adorned by Ferragamo’s signature red cabochon. Water resistant to 30 meters. MSRP from $1,395; ferragamo.com

ISLE’s Explorer Pro is a longer, narrower paddleboard that delivers better speed and glide over long distances. Built for longer tours, the Explorer is ideal for users looking to increase time and distance on the water. Available in two models, a 12-foot and 14-foot board, the Explorer can also double as a single or double kayak. MSRP $995 (12-foot), $1,095 (14-foot); islesurfandsup.com

Junedays offers a line of purpose-built and aesthetic accessories for boating and entertaining outdoors. The products, which include a range of foldable coolers and storage solutions, are designed to be compact, modular, stylish, and durable, enhancing the experience of anyone preparing for a day on the water, and ultimately encouraging more people to connect with each other outside. All products are water-resistant, wipeable, modular, and collapsible. Some products offered in multiple colors to help you visually organize your onboard necessities. They are thoughtfully designed to be multifunctional with small spaces in mind and provide a stylish, unique look. MSRP from $38; junedays.com

Engineered with superior Lateral Line lens technology, the Fin-Nor Sportfisher sunglasses are made for long days outside with lightweight, flexible materials, adjustable nose pads, and integrated spring hinges. The lenses come with an oleophobic/hydrophobic top and bottom coat, which greatly reduces the effects of smudging, scratching, water spray, dust, and more. The low-profile side shields provide protection from the sun while also allowing for maximum airflow throughout the frame, allowing for a lifestyle look off the water too. MSRP from $189; fin-nor.com

The Huk Diamondback Shirt combines a sharp and versatile style that transitions effortlessly from the water to any social setting. Crafted from an advanced nylon/spandex blend, this shirt offers a remarkable four-way stretch, ensuring unrestricted movement and unparalleled comfort during long fishing expeditions or a night out on the town. Its water-resistant properties and vented back yoke guarantee that anglers stay dry and comfortable in any weather conditions. Other features include full stain resistance, built-in UPF 50+ sun protection, an interior eyewear wipe, hidden snap collars, and edge-stitched pocket seams and side seams. hukgear.com

Large Center Console Boats Are Redefining The Luxury Experience

We take a deeper look into what’s driving the market for larger center consoles.

It was not so long ago that a 39-foot center console really got you noticed. Take, for example, the Yellowfin 39, a lovely and, some might even say, iconic boat, that one magazine proclaimed its “mammoth size” in a 2011 write-up. But in today’s hypercharged, large center console market, that sportfishing machine could be taken for a guppy. Heck, a 39-foot LOA won’t even get you in the door at that club. These days, it takes at minimum 40 feet to be considered a large center console, and with true monsters like the much ballyhooed HCB Estrella 65 and the even larger, soon-to-come, Scout 670LX in the mix, the ceiling seems nearly limitless.

But what’s driving this push for the seemingly outrageous? It turns out a few factors, from age-old ticks of the human psyche to the most modern outputs of engineering and design. Perhaps Mark Taiclet, Pursuit Boats’ director of brand management, put it most succinctly when he told me, “It sounds almost too simple, but people are building these boats because they can.”

The Driver

Any discussion of mega center consoles and the factors that are, well, propelling them, needs to begin with the recent onset of massive outboard engines—first from the now-defunct upstart Seven Marine, and then in expectedly more long-lasting form from industry giants Yamaha and Mercury.

Mercury Verado Outboards, 300 HP, 400 HP, and 600 HP

“We started coming to the market with outboard boats right around when Mercury released the three hundred-fifty and four hundred, and then a four hundred-fifty-horsepower V8 in 2019, and then the six hundreds came out,” says John Cosker of Mystic Powerboats, which has a 52-foot center console flagship. “That’s the real driver. You can have a fifty-foot center console now because of these outboards; they’re so fast and powerful. And they’re also easy to maintain. The reliability of the outboards has gone up so much that there’s very little problems. I’m in the Bahamas right now with twelve outboard-powered boats and nothing else. If you told me ten years ago I’d just be building outboard boats, I would have said you were crazy, but they are just so easy and reliable. We don’t even make inboard-powered boats anymore.”

Chris Landry, marketing director at Viking Yachts, echoes Cosker’s sentiments about the new generation of massive outboards, particularly in regards to maintenance. “The outboards are easy to get to and easy to maintain,” he says. “What’s great about them is that they’re readily accessible. If one engine needs to be replaced, it’s right there. You don’t need to do major surgery to fix anything.”

Viking’s Valhalla line of center consoles had the unusually fortuitous situation occur where they were invited to Mercury’s headquarters to get a sneak preview of the 600-hp V12s that are currently all the rage with the biggest center consoles. “When it comes to the forty-six and fifty-five, those boats were actually designed specifically for the six-hundred Mercs,” says Landry. “So I think, inarguably, you can say the power is driving it.”

Viking wasn’t the only one who got an early look at the 600s. “We brought down key people from Valhalla, Formula, and Tiara in 2019,” says Jeff Becker, Mercury’s senior category manager for outboards 150-horsepower-plus. “We gave them a sneak peek into what we were doing, and we showed them all the features and benefits, and told them our launch plans, and gave them an opportunity to think about what they wanted to do.” The largest Valhallas, the Tiara 48 LS, and the Formula 500 SSC became some of the first boats to showcase the now nearly ubiquitous engines.

Yamaha has its own relationships, perhaps most notably with Pursuit, who runs the company’s biggest engines, the 425s, on the back of its biggest center console model, the S 428.

The Desire

So, okay, the potent and capable propulsion units made possible today’s colossal center console models at a macro level, but what is driving this market at a human level? What is it about the boats that make them so popular?

Well, for one, this is the boating industry, so we might as well get this part out of the way first—a lot of it has to do with ego. “Guys want to go bigger and bigger and bigger,” says Taiclet. “You pull into the marina, and you want to have the baddest boat. For years, maybe, people didn’t think a market for these boats over forty feet was sustainable, but now if you’re not over forty feet, you’re not really a player in the game, and a lot of these guys are going a lot bigger than that—they want the biggest boat wherever they go.”

Another factor manufacturers point to for the popularity of these boats is their versatility. “Before the advent of the large center consoles, a lot of owners had multiple boats depending on what they wanted to do,” says Becker. “They had a twenty-five- or thirty-five-foot center console and a large sportyacht, and as the forty-two, forty-five, fifty, and sixty-five center consoles emerged, these owners could consolidate from two boats that do separate things to one boat that can do it all—cruise, entertain, fish—and they feel comfortable captaining it. This is really a do-everything segment of the market.”

Seven Marine and Volvo Penta Partnership

The consolidation makes not only for easier boating, but also for more cost-efficient boating—for one thing, a lot of these owners don’t feel they need a captain to help them run the boat.

Compared to a convertible, the single-level center console is a much simpler boat. The model type is much less cumbersome to clean after a day on the water, easier to maintain, as we’ve already discussed, and they are also easier to drive thanks to joystick controls at slow speeds and two-speed transmissions that help the boats get on plane quickly and safely.

“That was a big thing when we were developing the six hundred,” says Becker. “We talked to owners moving up from smaller center consoles or down from diesel sportfishers, and in both cases, they wanted acceleration and an ease of operation getting the boat on plane. These big heavy boats can lose the horizon when they start to plane, and that can be dangerous.”

Mercury found an answer in a two-speed transmission that works first to get the boat on plane and second to quickly get it up to full speed.

Performance

Speaking of speed, it’s an area where center consoles really shine. It’s not just a folly for thrill-seekers; it gives these large center consoles a major leg up on the tournament trail. Think about it. The benchmark for a fast convertible is 40 mph. The Viking 80, for example, is a celebrated platform, known for being able to get to and from the fishing grounds swiftly, with a top speed around 43 mph. Yet some of these center consoles can go 60 mph. “That’s a real advantage to the center console,” says Josh Slayton, product specialist at Scout Boats. “It means you can fish for an extra hour. That’s legitimate; that can help you in a tournament.”

Of course, what you give up in speed aboard a convertible, you gain in comfort. And that’s another driver of the large center console market. Customers want to be able to take their boats across to the Bahamas and elsewhere and spend real time aboard, overnighting on the boat, perhaps even with another couple. Thus, the real driver at the very upper end of the market, say 55 feet-plus, is accommodation space. “We were getting customers looking at our forty-two and even our fifty-three, and they just couldn’t see themselves spending multiple nights aboard,” says Slayton. “So we figured, ‘Shoot, we’ve already got them here, we might as well give them what they want.’ On the sixty-seven, you’ve got a master and a VIP, and you can fit two couples or five or six friends comfortably.”

So where does it all end? Will we one day see a true center console superyacht, 80 feet long and powered by as-yet mythical, quintuple Yamaha 850s? The answer is anyone’s guess, but as long as the propulsion units keep growing, it seems unlikely that owners’ collective thirst for something even bigger and badder will ever actually be slaked. But don’t feel bad for the Yellowfin 39s of the world. Once these monster center consoles reach superyacht size, they’re all going to need tenders.

-by Kevin Koenig

Watermakers for Boats: The Right One Is Pure Bliss

Watermakers for boats turn seawater fresh.

Freshwater is heavy. At 8.35 pounds per gallon, you don’t want to carry a lot of water while cruising. Once you anchor, the generator is turned on and your onboard watermaker starts making freshwater. The power of having watermakers for boats can be summed up into one word: convenience.

How Watermakers for Boats Work: The Science of Seawater Conversion

Watermakers use pumps, filters, and membranes to purify raw seawater into freshwater. The process, reverse osmosis, is the same desalination plants use on a large scale. At the heart of the process is the membrane, a filter with pores the size of a red blood cell. After the larger particles in seawater are filtered out, the high-pressure pump forces water through the membrane removing almost all the dissolved solids. This method rejects up to 99 percent of salts, contaminates, and pollutants from seawater.

Heat and standing seawater create the ideal environment for biological growth—the bugaboo for watermakers—that can affect water quality. In the past, keeping biologicals from growing involved flushing the system with acidic chemicals. Today, freshwater flushing keeps the membranes clean and greatly reduces maintenance.

Compact and Efficient

“The future of desalination technology is all about being compact and nimble,” says Paul Kamel, product manager of Parker Hannifin’s water purification division. “We can expect to see smaller, more efficient, and more modular designs than ever before. And this isn’t just about saving space, it’s about creating water treatment systems that can handle the most challenging conditions, no matter where they are needed.”

Most boats 40 feet and longer will use watermakers run with AC-powered pumps; however, DC-powered watermakers are used on smaller powerboats and sailboats. AC-powered systems deliver a more constant flow rate and higher pressure over a longer period, while DC systems are for boats with less demand and smaller tanks.

“We introduced the Parker H2O ECO series with automatic operation to improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability with energy-recovery technology,” Kamel says. “The ECO provides up to fourteen point two percent more power efficiency reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact in the way freshwater is produced. It works with AC or DC power and has a small footprint.”

Parker Hannifan H2O ECO series of watermaker

You Get What You Pay For

Watermakers cost between $4,000 and $25,000, depending on the size, output, and complexity. However, consumers often look for the lowest price, a decision that can lead to regret.

“Often customers ask, ‘What is the smallest machine you make?’” says Chip Edmonds, director of sales for Watermakers, Inc., based in Fort Lauderdale. “That’s code for ‘what is the least-expensive machine you make?’ The sad thing is that cost has nothing to do with your freshwater needs.”

For example, Watermakers’ smallest machine makes 10 gallons of water per hour. A 200-gallon tank takes 20 hours to fill, or 20 nonstop hours of running of the machine. The next size up does 20 gallons an hour, yet the price difference is less than $500 more.

“The few times I have not been able to talk someone up to the larger machine, they come back within a month and ask, ‘How do I make more water?’” Edmonds says. “Some people will put themselves in a position where they invested in a watermaker, and they are still conserving water.”

Choosing the Right Watermaker for Your Vessel: What You Need to Know

Edmonds recommends the WMS-1000 for a vessel in the 50-foot range with two to six passengers and also notes the company’s ISL-700 which is a less expensive, no-frills alternative, yet still offers auto-flush. “The auto-flush automatically flushes the membranes and high-pressure pump head after every use and once a week whether the watermaker is used or not,” he says. “This greatly prolongs the membrane and high-pressure pump head’s life.”

Having the ability to choose your level of water purification can make sense for some boat owners. “Vessels that are looking for freshwater stability for an extended time at sea should consider our flagship product, the MaxQ+ APC/DTS with Spot-Free Double-Pass System,” says John Gabriel, director of sales for FCI Watermakers in West Valley City, Utah. “It’s our three-in-one system that allows you to operate in three different modes: seawater to freshwater, seawater to spot-free purified water, and dockside to spot-free purified water. No matter where you are, at the dock or underway, this system allows you to produce fresh, clean water, anywhere.”

FCI Watermakers MAXQ+ Spot Free Double Pass System

There’s no downside to making water faster. Once a sportfishing boat drops anchor and starts fishing, it’s time to make water and ice to keep freshly caught fish cold. For a small sailboat, the quicker you can make water, the less time you need to run a generator.

“I have put watermakers into boats that have only a forty-gallon tank,” Edmonds says. “If the owner goes to a larger machine, it gives them the equivalent of a much larger tank because that can refill it so quickly.

“You are always going to run a watermaker wide open because you have to reach a certain pressure, but with a larger watermaker you can run it less,” he continues. “A rule of thumb regarding the size you need is to buy a machine that can replace a day’s usage in, at the most, eight hours of running time.”

Because of cost and space, having two watermakers isn’t practical for most cruisers. But for larger boats, two watermakers are on board for redundancy. Regarding durability, it’s primarily pumps and motors that are the main issues. Use stainless steel, not bronze or brass pumps, which are going to pit and leak in seawater, and beefier is better.

How Do Watermakers Work?

Boxed or Modular

Consumers can choose from manufacturers who offer either boxed or modular systems. Boxed systems are easier to install and provide a smaller footprint, while modular systems allow the components to be spread out in the engine room. It can be more of a challenge to diagnose an issue in a boxed system.

Finally, there are portable watermakers available, but consider the hassle factors. “Every time you want to make water, you have to lug the system on deck and throw a hose over the side,” Edmonds says. “You can’t make water underway because of the hose, and you don’t have a way to flush the membranes for cleaning. If you have three boats you take out different times I get it, but if you have just one boat, the portable doesn’t make sense.”

-by Doug Thompson

Explore The Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran: A Blend Of Luxury And Performance

Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran is made to fit like a glove

Owners love to make a new boat their own, which isn’t always easy with production models where little more than fabric colors and wood finishes are up for personalization. However, that’s where the semi-custom nature of the recently launched Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran comes in. With the emphasis on “custom” rather than on “semi,” this model from South Africa is tailored to each owner’s specific needs and desires.

Experience Luxury On Deck with the Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran

There’s a lot to take in on deck including three separate social spots. The recessed forward cockpit, which is three steps down from the main deck, will be a great place to enjoy happy hour when swinging to anchor in the tropics as the sun blazes down on the transom. Here, a C-shaped dinette with a hi-lo table is the perfect spot to enjoy breakfast, play a game, or relax with a book. A raised sunpad flanks each side. This zone is accessed directly by an interior door or from the side decks.

Because of the extensive foredeck area, the aft cockpit is a bit understated. Rather than molded structures, this zone is outfitted with loose (but secured) furniture, and our boat had twin rattan loveseats with a coffee table in between. The optional hydraulic platform aft has chocks to carry the tender, or it can become an extra play space when lowered. Otherwise, the area is clean and simple. The sole provides access to the engine compartments on either side, and there are storage lockers along the glass door and window that lead to the interior. An optional docking station is to port, and the stairs to the flybridge are to starboard.

The flybridge is the star attraction on the 555 Power. Starting aft, there’s open deck space to put a chaise or two and work on a tan. You can also carry a PWC here that’s loaded with the optional crane. Moving forward, a dinette with a hi-lo table is to port and a long, curved companion seat is in the starboard forward corner. An optional galley module adds a summer kitchen with a refrigerator, sink, electric grill, and icemaker. It’s easy to see why people would gather up here more than in the aft cockpit.

The helm is on the centerline behind a windshield that protects only the console and seat. The angular dash is molded into the forward bulwark ahead which is another sunbed that’s accessed through a short bulkhead door. Most equipment at the helm is standard including a Stidd bench seat with armrests, twin multifunction displays, engine screens, autopilot control, and a spotlight. The wheel is offset slightly to port, behind and below the compass. One large wiper services the whole tempered glass windshield, and the hardtop covers most of the flybridge with the exception of
the aft deck and the grill area.

Discover the Tailored Interior of the Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran

The standard layout includes three to four cabins and three to four heads with the master placed either on the main deck and forward (standard) or down in the hull. With the master down, the forward part of the main deck features a wet bar and sofa or a full interior helm. The boat we visited in Miami was reflective of very specific owner requirements which made it somewhat memorable. Our boat had the master down but had no helm or wet bar. Instead, there was a sofa to port and a dinette in the starboard corner, both flanking the watertight door to the forward cockpit. Some people prefer to separate where they eat from where they lounge, and the plan we saw accomplished this effectively.

The main social salon is aft with a C-shaped sofa for six to port and facing a galley island with a hidden TV on a lift. The L-shaped galley doesn’t skimp on storage lockers or Corian countertop space. On one end is a side-by-side refrigerator clad in wood to disguise its location. A four-burner electric cooktop, a double sink with garbage disposal, and a microwave are within steps of each other. A dishwasher,
wine fridge, and icemaker are options.

The galley, dinette and salon are all on the same level so moving about is easy with no tripping hazard anywhere. Ample direct and indirect lighting as well as large windows brighten the interior and air conditioning vents are integrated discreetly above the windows.

The staterooms in the hulls below are accessed via steep steps on both sides just ahead of the galley and salon. On our model, the master was to starboard and had a queen-size athwartships bed, a desk, and a large head. The toilet compartment with one sink is separate, but there are additional twin sinks near the shower stall. Two guest staterooms were in the opposite hull—one outfitted with two berths that can be joined together using a filler cushion.

Performance Insights of the Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran

Standard power is provided by twin 370-hp Yanmar 8LV diesels, but the boat in Miami was upgraded to 550-hp Cummins QSB 6.7 engines. The exhaust is underwater, and the five-blade propellers are ensconced in tunnels with a sacrificial keel just ahead for protection. Top speed is 25-27 knots with a cruising speed of 18-19 knots at 2,600 rpm. At cruise, the 555 Power will burn 31 gph providing a range of 410-420 nautical miles with a small reserve.

The 555 Power has a high bridge deck clearance to reduce pounding into head seas and a spray rail to stay drier on deck. The engine compartments are cavernous and easily accessed. Large 24V alternators and twin Racor filters are at each engine. A 21.5 kW generator is to port but with an Integral power system to charge the bank of lithium house batteries, it will most likely see little use.

Options and Upgrades

There’s a long list of available options beyond the placement of the master suite and the choice of engine size. Comfort items include a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher, a Splendide washer and dryer, icemakers in the galley and on the flybridge, a Kenyon electric grill, air conditioning, a Glendinning Cable Master, a Steelhead davit on the upper deck, a KVH TracVision TV antenna, FLIR cameras, and more.

The Verdict

Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing builds a range of custom power catamarans, and the 555 Power is now the smallest and, therefore, the entry point into the line. Just like its siblings, the newest design can be made unique and aims to make owners feel special. Between technical items like the underbody design and the Integrel power system, and the highly personalized interior, the 555 Power will likely appeal to a clientele looking for exclusive experiences that fit each owner like a glove.

-by Zuzana Prochazka

SPECIFICATIONS

LOA w/ platform: 57′ 7″

Beam: 25′
Draft: 3′ 6″

Displacement (dry): 49,600 lbs.
Fuel/Water: 750/200 U.S. gals.

Power (standard): 2x Yanmar 8LV @ 370-hp

Contact: HMY Yachts/Two Oceans

(561) 228-4300

hmy.com

Spotlight: Grady-White 281 CE — Family, Fishing, and Extra Fun

The new Grady-White 281 CE blends the best of fishing and water sports fun.

The best way to test a boat is to take it out on what some would call a crummy day. It was definitely not a beach day when I walked down the dock at MarineMax in Pensacola, Florida, to take a ride on Grady-White’s 281 CE, the new addition to the inshore/offshore Coastal Explorer series. A storm front had just passed through that made my flight circle the airport for 45 minutes before it headed off to bring tornadoes to the eastern side of Florida. It was cool, cloudy, windy, and rainy, but the ride was smooth, steady, and stable as we played around in Pensacola Bay. As Grady-White describes it, the 281 CE is “an inshore piece of Heaven with an offshore peace of mind.”

The Grady-White SeaV² hull design is the foundation for this versatile fishing and family-fun model. Tagged as a “sandbar chariot,” the 281 CE is designed to venture out to deep waters yet easily go shallow where others in her class might not.

“This model is really meant to be that perfect crossover, the sandbar chariot while also having all the fishing features,” says Katie Creech of Grady-White. In other words, anglers can fish offshore in the morning and then take the family to the sandbar or the beach in the afternoon. She has all the amenities, features, and creature comforts for both.

Let’s Talk Fishing

The SeaV² hull is designed to handle the waves with its continuously variable-V design. “On this boat, it’s a little bit different than previous models,” says Creech. “It’s still a SeaV² hull design, but in the back of the transom, deadrise is about sixteen degrees, much shallower than our other styles. However, it is similar in that it continuously sharpens going forward, so amidship, it is around thirty degrees and up to around fifty degrees at the bow stem.” The hull also has a shallower draft, about 19 inches, to get close to the shore, and with the strakes and the Carolina-style flare, the boat stays dry, which was evident as we powered out into the Pensacola Bay chop.

There are padded bolsters all around, and the optional Elite lean bar has Command Elite captain’s chairs with flip-up bolsters and armrests. The Deluxe lean bar is standard but with bench seating. Both lean bars include tackle storage, separate knife and plier holders, rod holders, rigging station with a recessed freshwater shower, cutting board, bait locker, and a 38-gallon insulated raw-water livewell. There’s also an 18-gallon insulated livewell under the transom bench with a 500-gph pump that offers plenty of room for bait so you can fill both 70-quart fish boxes in the bow. In addition, a 296-quart cooler under the forward console seat with a removable divider is the spot for drinks, lunch, snacks, and, perhaps, the fish caught on that perfect day when the other fish boxes are full.

The entire bow area can transform into a casting platform. With the cushions removed and the casting platform insert (along with an optional crescent-shaped insert that connects the bow seating to the forward console), anglers have full range across the bow.

Back at the transom, the newly designed aft bench can configure for three different uses. For fishing, remove the cushions and swing the port and starboard backrests aft as well as remove the optional center backrest to create a raised casting platform with ample space to pull in your catch on the lower engine mount platform.

“An interesting thing about this model that I’ve not seen on another Grady is that there’s no engine well, it’s just flat back there,” says Creech. “So you have a Euro transom design without the well, and you can actually come back here and have another fishing platform.” The backrests can also act as a bolster when on the engine platform. Swing the backrests back, insert the optional center backrest, and add the cushions to reset the comfortable bench seating.

The 281 CE is available with a single Yamaha 425 or a dual Yamaha 300 engine configuration, both with digital integrated electric steering. Standard steering is through the Helm Master EX, but does not include the joystick. The option then is the Full Maneuverability Helm Master EX that includes the joystick and autopilot.

“My opinion is it’s pretty much like a rocket ship,” says Andrew Haring, a MarineMax Pensacola team member who is at the helm. “I mean, on a calm day, it comfortably runs at fifty miles an hour with these three hundreds. This boat, when I took it out, got up to sixty, but obviously I’m not running that fast for that long, but comfortably, fifty miles an hour.”

Another fishing option is a trolling motor swivel mounting bracket with quick release, head stabilizer, three 12-volt batteries, and a 20-amp battery charger. The choice of trolling motor is up to you.

Let’s Talk Family

If the family loves to fish, then they’ll appreciate all the features noted above. But if cruising around and playing in the water is the name of the game, then Grady-White has done its job in making the 281 CE a “sandbar chariot.”

To start, Grady-White has designed an innovative cockpit side door that sets it apart from other boats in that style—the new portside Sport Deck. “It was very evolutionary for Grady because, like many other manufacturers, we got into the cockpit door game in the past decade or so,” explains Creech. “This is going to be completely different because it’s much wider than your average cockpit door, and it opens out to be a deck instead of just swinging in on the hinges….It is electro-mechanically controlled and is the only one on the market right now that’s a standard feature.”

A sturdy, four-step ladder is fitted to the door deck for swimming, diving, etc., and is removable (with its own storage cabinet under the gunwale) so it can act as a flat deck for fishing. It’s not meant for boarding at the dock as the door opens outward. Additionally, there is a pull-out, single pole ladder with folding steps that stows within the hull at the transom.

When you add all the cushions back after a morning of fishing, there is abundant seating and sunpad options both in the bow and the stern. Besides the port and starboard swing-away transom backrests, the bow seating on each side include electro-mechanically adjustable backrests for comfort. There’s also an optional bow table.

Rarely a day goes by without music, and the standard stereo system, which includes a waterproof color touchscreen display, an AM/FM tuner, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and speakers with LED lights in the bow, cockpit, and T-top will satisfy music lovers of any age. Speaking of which, there are accessory outlets and USB ports in the console to keep devices charged.

Seating and music are important, but most of all, the 281 CE offers a sizable console cabin area for a marine head with electric flush. The holding tank with macerator has overboard discharge and a deck pump-out. The cabin is lockable to keep gear and valuables safe when off the boat and has a composite cherry and holly sole.

The Viking 90: A Majestic Revelation in the Sportfishing World

Another family advantage is the optional SureShade electrically retractable cockpit shade for shelter from the hot sun as well as an “Easy Up Bow Shade” for those in the bow. Cold drinks are also refreshing, and as mentioned, the 296-quart cooler under the bow lounge seat will hold plenty.

For those who like to ski or wakeboard or tube, an optional ski pylon is available with the twin 300 outboard setup, while a ski arch is available if the boat has the single 425 outboard package. Either way, the water is always invigorating on a hot day, and that flat Euro transom platform makes it easy to get into and out of the water.

“For me, personally, I think this boat is the perfect size for a great inshore boat,” says one of MarineMax’s deckhands walking by on the dock. “And if you still want to go forty miles out, you can definitely go forty miles out.”

“Grady’s are notoriously overbuilt because they’re built for saltwater,” adds Creech. “They’re built for rough seas, and you’ll be able to put your family on it and feel comfortable and safe.”

Grady-White has succeeded in designing a family boat that is easy to handle and has loads of standard features on a stable platform for an exceptionally comfortable day on the water. Whether fishing or playing sandbar chariot, the 281 CE is an outstanding crossover for Grady-White Boats.

-by Steve Davis

The Grady-White 281 CE Boat Test Video:

An Abacos Boating Itinerary: New Adventures Await

A Week in the Abacos

Plan your escape with the perfect Abacos boating itinerary for the busy boater who needs to get away.

It’s no surprise that during 2020 and 2021, there were record boat sales as folks turned to boating to create a COVID-free environment in a world of lockdowns and mask mandates. Investment portfolios were healthy, so for many, a family-size express cruiser was the perfect solution. It is spacious and self-contained so once you left the dock, apart from an occasional stop for fuel, you could discontinue all the health protocols in your luxurious personal bubble on the water. The itch to go further afield has been there since the early days, but initially there was no place to go as the world was locked down. Now that business is back in full swing, work is preventing you from getting away for more than a week.

So where do you go to get the most out of a week off? The Bahamas is the answer, but it’s a big country with more than 700 islands spread over an area larger than New England and New York combined. Bimini is the closest island, but a week there will seem long for most people. It’s better for a power weekend which makes it a good fallback in case you get delayed by weather. The Berry Islands are a possibility, but they lack variety. If your crew wants nightlife in addition to natural beauty, you will be hard-pressed to keep them happy, unless they believe that 9PM is boater’s midnight. Eleuthera or Exuma are simply too far away even for a 20- to 25-knot express cruiser to cover in a week, and the rest of the Bahamas would require flying to a boat if all you have are seven days.

For those with limited time, the Abacos are tantalizingly close and always receive high marks for the clarity of the water and the quality of the fishing. But more importantly, they offer the greatest variety of destinations as well as boasting a higher concentration of marinas than any other part of the country aside from Nassau. You might say the Abacos were made for boaters. The following is an itinerary to make the most of a week in paradise.

Embarking on the Adventure: Your Seven-Day Abacos Boating Itinerary

Day One: Arrival and Customs Clearance

With just a week, it is more efficient to clear customs as close as possible to where you want to spend your time. Grand Cay in the northwest corner of the Abacos is a favorite destination for families who enjoy world-class fishing and diving. Located approximately 100 miles from the east coast of Florida, it is easily within reach for most boats without refueling, and at express cruiser speeds, one can leave after breakfast and arrive well before dinner. There is a choice of marinas ranging from the well-established Rosie’s Place in Grand Cay to the open but still under construction revival of Walker’s Cay Marina in nearby Walker’s Cay. Since the same customs officer serves both locations, clearing in is a quick procedure and provided Click2Clear was completed correctly, you can be underway in less than 15 minutes. If you prefer to overnight ashore after a long day on the water, book a guest cottage at Rosie’s Place. Staying there offers a chance to meet some of the locals, many of whom are also dive and fishing guides, and dine at the well-known marina restaurant.

Day Two: You Abacos Boating Itinerary takes you into Grand Cay

Sleeping in is not an option as the local roosters start crowing long before sunrise. By daylight, the hard-working fishermen who live on Grand Cay are getting their gear ready for a day on the water. It’s a great time to walk the docks and strike up a conversation because they are never too busy to point out a few choice spots to a newcomer but know they will always direct you away from where they are working. Even without a recommendation, the reef apron north of Walker’s Cay National Park is a mere six miles away, and the large, healthy coral heads offer spectacular snorkeling. If shelling is more your speed, the beaches along Wells Bay and Baker’s Bay provide some good finds. And if simply sitting in the cockpit with your morning coffee to recover from the previous day’s travel sounds good, the buzz of activity in the harbor is a continuous reality show. For lunch, consider Etta J’s snack bar for cheap and cheerful Bahamian fare, and for dinner, try fresh seafood and some of Maxine’s famous conch fritters over at Ron’s Hot Spot, an eclectic place that combines pool tables with fine dining on handmade lace tablecloths. In a small town, you have to be versatile.

Day Three: The Wonders of Double Breasted Cays

Today will be a special treat as you make your way over to Double Breasted Cays, a collection of long narrow rocks only three nautical miles away from Grand Cay. Between the rocks are arguably the prettiest anchorages in the country. Whether you choose a spear or rod, the sportfishing around Double Breasted is first rate, and everything from pelagic species like mahi-mahi and tuna to snapper, grouper, hogfish, and conch are abundant making it easy for even a fishing novice to bring home dinner. After a full day on the reef, having a sundowner on the inner beach at Double Breasted is a perfect way to unwind before cooking the day’s catch.

Day Four: Journey to Green Turtle Cay

Following our Abacos boating itinerary, today’s destination is Green Turtle Cay (GTC); A 65-nautical mile jaunt southeast on the Little Bahama Bank. The trip is relatively weatherproof—provided winds remain under 25 knots, it is possible to make the trip on the relatively protected waters of the Little Bahama Bank, but if the weather isn’t to one’s taste, remaining within the well-protected confines of Double Breasted should not be a hardship. A mid-morning departure from Double Breasted will have you pulling into your choice of marina, mooring, or anchorage at GTC by mid-afternoon with plenty of time to wander the narrow streets of New Plymouth Settlement and take in the sights of its Loyalist heritage while discussing where to go for a pre-dinner sundowner. A popular spot is poolside at Pineapples Bar which is accessible by both boat and golf cart.

Discover Abaco Beach Resort: Have A Luxurious Bahamas’ Getaway

Day Five: Weather Check and Exploring Hope Town

Today you must assess if the weather supports going farther or if it’s time to start thinking about heading back toward Florida. In a perfect world, you can make it back to Florida in a single day from most locations in the Abacos, but a prudent mariner always includes some reserve to accommodate sudden forecast changes. If the weather permits continued travel, you can remain in GTC for another day to walk the gorgeous beaches with possibly a short side trip to No Name Cay to visit the swimming pigs of Abaco or head 25 nautical miles southeast to Hope Town and check out its iconic Elbow Cay Lighthouse that is nearing the completion of a full post-Dorian restoration.

Hope Town was ground zero when Hurricane Dorian battered Abaco in 2019, and while some classic locations such as the Hope Town Lodge were damaged beyond repair, what remains have been lovingly brought back to postcard perfection. With great marinas, well-protected moorings, and good anchorages just outside of the inner harbor, there are options to suit every taste. For example, it is possible to take a mooring ball in the inner harbor and call the Abaco Inn for its shuttle to bring you back for an elegant dinner overlooking the sea or dock you boat at the Firefly Resort for world-class cuisine.

Day Six: Sunset at Great Sale Cay

With your Abacos boating itinerary coming to a close, we head northwest to a couple of options to enjoy. First, there’s Great Sale Cay for a well-protected night on the hook to enjoy your last Bahamian sundowner of the trip. Or, if the conditions are settled, continue another 20 nautical miles to Mangrove Cay where there is less protection but the location makes for a shorter trip home the next day. Keep in mind that both spots are without cell coverage so be sure to check the weather before you’re in the vicinity of Fox Town on Little Abaco.

Day Seven: The Voyage Home

Head back home across the Gulf Stream unless you call the office as you pass the cell tower at West End, Grand Bahama, and—cough, cough—need a few more days to—cough, cough—recuperate from a nasty cold. The Bahamas is the perfect cure.

-by Addison Chan

Elegance at Sea with the Hunt Ocean Series 68 Flybridge

The latest Hunt Ocean Series 68 Flybridge reflects its owner’s character.

Each boat has its own personality, even if it’s a simple, no-thrills 20-footer. There are a lot of white boats plying the waterways, which is why one with hull color makes you look a few seconds longer as it brings out more of its style. The same goes when you step aboard. More than anything, the interior truly reflects the owner’s personality, and I was reminded how beautiful the elegant look of rich wood invites one into a timeless space of traditional luxury.

The Hunt 68 is a Home Away from Home

I’m on the new Hunt 68, the latest in its Ocean Series. This particular owner loves the classic, traditional look and after owning a Hacker-Craft, a 34-foot Hinckley runabout, and a 43-foot Hinckley flybridge, he moved to a more comfortable Hunt 68. His model is the flybridge edition. The size gives him and his wife plenty of interior and exterior room to enjoy a day on the water, and with the grandchildren and lots of friends, afternoon and weekend cruises are the norm. “He’s very busy…and it’s really his second office,” says Pat, the yacht’s captain. However, he loves boating and finds relaxation on his home away from home, even spending nights aboard when it’s at the dock. “It’s like a little bit of an oasis for him,” adds Peter Truslow, managing director for Hunt Yachts.

The flybridge and the cockpit are the most lived-in spaces. The fresh breeze and open air are two of the most logical reasons to have a boat; taking a break from everyday life is another. The flybridge model offers two helms, so if the weather does get dicey, the yacht keeps on cruising.

The owner’s priority in the build was elegance and day boating with occasional short cruises, but the yacht can easily handle long distances. Primarily spending the summer up north and the winter in Florida, a trip over to the Bahamas isn’t unheard of. The interior is designed for that purpose and not setup for long distances, but it can be. “I think this boat for him is an excellent layout for just what they do,” says Truslow. “They’ve got the galley up
for entertaining.”

“They don’t do a lot of overnight stuff,” adds the captain. “They wanted to go as minimal on galley as possible. …They’ll do all their cooking on the grill or bring it on from the house.”

Photo Credits: Jim Raycroft

The galley up saves on time and keeps the chef part of the social action. Although smaller than a full galley below, there are under-counter refrigerators, a Wolf three-burner cooktop, and a double stainless steel sink set in an L-shaped counter. Because this owner decided on the galley-up design, they turned the extra room below into a pantry where a washer/dryer could be installed or, in this case, a full-size fridge.

Accommodations below include three generous ensuite cabins. The midship, full-beam master with an island king berth that has storage underneath boasts a settee to port and a desk to starboard along with a full-height, cedar-lined closet. The VIP cabin with a walkaround queen berth is at the bow, and the starboard mid cabin has twin bunks. The entire level, as well as the salon, shines with the most elegant African Cherry wood (imagine a mahogany color).

Unlike a place where you’re afraid to sit down because you might ruin the furniture, the owners have made this “home” a cozy, comfortable space where they can relax or have family and friends on board in the sun, the shade, or in air-conditioned luxury. Most of their time is spent up on the large covered flybridge that is the perfect spot for additional entertaining. These owners put a huge sunpad along the aft rail. The grill and a sink area divide the aft seating from the L-shaped settees on each side with tables. Two Stidd Admiral captain chairs are forward with a full helm for control. With Strataglass clear vinyl fitted to the hardtop, owners and guests can still enjoy the flybridge in inclement weather.

The flybridge extends far aft enough to provide protection over the main-deck cockpit from the sun or rain. It’s a great area with many uses, from enjoying a meal, sipping cocktails, having a cup of coffee, reading, or watching the kids playing out in the water. A stairway on each side leads down to the swim platform that hydraulically lowers into the water for easy access, which also makes it easy to launch and retrieve an inflatable tender. The owner of this model employs a captain, and the crew quarters and engine room are accessible from this deck. Speaking of which, the engine room has plenty of space for service and as Capt. Pat noted, it’s air conditioned.

FLIBS Preview – The Explorer 62

Built from Experience

Hunt is very well known for its legendary deep-V hull design. The Ocean Series hulls are engineered to be the best riding hulls among others in this model’s category. The hull rises quickly onto plane and affords a comfortable ride throughout a range of conditions and speed.

“These boats are overbuilt,” says Truslow. “They’re pretty heavy, but really solid and structurally sound.”

Capt. Pat gave us one experience when he started the trip north. The forecast heading out of St. Lucie Inlet was for two-foot seas. “We got out there, and it was two-foot seas…for an hour,” he says. “And then it built, and it built, and it built…coming out of the northeast, so we were probably in four to sixes. We threw on the stabilizers and you took a little bit of spray, but it wasn’t stuff coming over the top…. We were walking around. We didn’t have our legs spread apart for balance. It’s a really comfortable boat.”

“It’s not revolutionary, but it’s a planing hall, so it gets up and gets all the dynamic stability because it’s lifted, so it’s drier and stable,” adds Truslow. “And then just about on all of the boats, we have the Humphree stabilizer system with the interceptors and the foils. They’re amazing.”

The Ocean Series is also noted for speeds near 30 knots. This flybridge model has a top speed of 27 knots with a cruising speed at 24 knots, plenty of power with the upgraded Caterpillar C-32 engines to get back quickly if conditions warrant it. She’s also equipped with the most advanced electronics and systems available to make piloting this boat a breeze, including Garmin GPSMAP 8617 multifunction displays, C-Zone to control DC circuits, as well as the aforementioned Humphree stabilizers and fins to smooth the ride.

Owner’s Choice Connects You To The Hunt 68

Hunt makes a point of including owners to be part of the build process that makes it more personal. As mentioned, this owner loves the classic, traditional look, and it shows with it its warm, full gloss African Cherry wood. It’s exquisite and is the accent throughout the boat, including the staircase that winds from the salon to the flybridge. In contrast, the owner of a Hunt 63 chose the opposite, a much lighter theme, and one currently in build is going with a pickled oak that has a somewhat whitewashed look. The point is, Hunt works closely with owners to meet their wishes. For instance, the granite countertops on the 68 exactly match those in the owner’s home.

Hunt boats are more than semi-custom. “We have the hull and the deck,” says Truslow. “Whatever you want without moving bulkheads and stringers. Ray Hunt Design has literally designed every interior corner and then does the weight studies and all that.” In other words, Hunt doesn’t make modifications without a strict analysis of how the boat will float. “He is involved through the whole process of what the owner wants because if you want a larger kitchen or different equipment, he has to be part of that.”

Needless to say, this new Hunt 68 is exactly what the owner wanted and knows that he’s found a boat that is beautifully built to last; one that he can comfortably fit into the demands of everyday life yet allow for his escape.

-by Steve Davis

SPECIFICATIONS

LOA: 72′ 11.5″

Beam: 19′ 6″

Draft: 5′ 4.5″

Fuel/water: 1,620/490 U.S. gals.

Displacement (half load): 100,000 lbs.

Power: 2x Caterpillar C-18 @ 1,136 bhp (standard)

Max/Cruise speed: 27/24 kts. (standard)

Range: 380 nm @ 24 kts.

Contact: Hunt/Hinckley Yachts

(401) 683-7100

huntyachts.com

The Marlow 70E MKII: Experience Luxury and Performance at Sea

The Marlow 70E MKII yacht takes center stage and performs eloquently. It deserves a round of applause.

It’s not one thing that determines the boat you buy. There’s certainly a first impression, but it’s not until you get down to the brass tacks and see what she’s made of that gets the checklist started. The sea trial is an important test to feel how a boat behaves at sea. It’s also a time when seasoned boaters get a sense of whether the boat will fit into their lifestyle, including comfort, ease of operation, and dependability in the boat’s systems. When the cruising couple I spoke with recently told me of their decision to build a new Marlow 70E MKII, they added one more factor—the relationship with the builder.

“I really came away with a good feeling because of their flexibility and design as much as anything,” say the owners about their first meeting with Marlow Yachts. “Some of the other boats that are this style, you know, you can choose different carpet, you can choose the color of the fabric, but you couldn’t choose a lot of the things that we wanted.”

The really significant options were already incorporated in the MKII design, such as a large engine room and enclosed bridge. “I wanted the engine room I could walk around in, that was a big deal, and I wanted an enclosed glass command bridge, and I wanted a day head up there,” he adds. “They were willing to do all of that and more for us, and that went a long way with me.”

As Times Change; Transitioning to the Marlow 70E MKII.

The couple spoke with anonymity (and not all things can translate to print), but it was easy to see they were happy and loved the cruising lifestyle. “We’ve been boating most of our lives and when the kids were small, we had lake boats,” they both say at once. “Then, as the kids moved away and went out on their own, we bought our first ‘big’ boat (a forty-two-footer),” he continues.

Like many boat owners, they consider themselves going through the natural progression of stepping up to larger boats from the 42 to express cruisers in the 50-foot range and up to a 70-foot motoryacht. They enjoyed them all, and over time, they learned what features made their experiences special.

The decision to buy their first Marlow, a 49, wasn’t made lightly. The owners did their due diligence and looked at other builds, but on the recommendation of a friend, they reached out to Marlow and made their first appointment. It was during the sea trial that the owners realized how well the boat handled.

“I liked the ride. The visibility was good. The engine room was good, and the boat felt solid,” says the husband. “That was a lot of our decision-making to go for the first one. We went with a forty-nine because we didn’t want to get anything, at that time, too big…that we couldn’t take care of, keep clean, polish the stainless, and do all the work. That was important also. We were both still working quite a bit. You have a passion for the water and a love for boating, but you have to sometimes go to work to pay for that too.”

The owners were delighted with the features on their first Marlow and enjoyed it for five years. As the family grew, so did perspectives. “My son decided that he wanted to do more entertaining and more boating, so we decided to partner up,” says the dad. “So we ended up with something a little bigger.”

Step onto the Marlow 70 Explorer MKII

I have to admit when I first saw the owners’ new Marlow 70 Explorer MKII from the marina office, it had the classic Marlow profile, but there was something different. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but then realized it was the owners’ way of matching the metallic stone gray color of the hull with particular trim lines for each level above the deck. It wasn’t white on white, and with the added black mask window treatment, the yacht looked…well, slimmer.

“We did a lot of playing with the design on the computer for the look that we were looking for, a sleek, modern look for a trawler—a modern trawler, you might say,” says the husband.

And that carries on into the interior as well. “Typically, what you see in a lot of boats is a lot of wood,” he continues. “We used a lot of whites on the walls inside, which we felt brightened it up.” In addition, a lighter teak and ebony wood was used for the floors, a warm golden wood for the cabinetry and accent panels give the interior a soft and natural feel, and the white fabrics along with white with gray etched quartzite countertops articulates a clean, elegant style.

Then there are the windows. They’re wide, tall, and surround the boat on each deck. They not only allow light in to brighten the interior, even on cloudy days, but they also provide big views of the surroundings.

“I’m a big window person,” says the husband. “It’s not like a lot of these boats where you see glass everywhere, but it’s definitely different than traditional trawlers.” In the master suite, for example, the owners worked with Marlow to design the windows so when they sat on the side of the bed, they could look out and enjoy the view.

64th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2023: A Grand Showcase of New Boats

Accent lighting is another aspect of brightening up the interior and it’s evident throughout the boat. It adds a unique effect to the modern trawler look the owners desired. Multiple options light up each room differently, but with the same purpose—to see or to create a mood, from under and around the beds, behind accent panels, around mirrors, lining hallways and stairs to the specially made headliner lighting in the salon and the enclosed bridge.

The owners saw a design of recessed strip lighting across a ceiling that diffused the light for a softer glow and asked if it could be done on the boat. “I just thought they were the coolest things,” says the missus. “I mean, just very modern, very sleek. It just made the room, and Marlow went to work.” The LED RGBW lights easily change color for the mood or for nighttime piloting. Even the engine room has custom RGW lighting.

Another modern feature that is rarely found on board is that all the heads have heated floors. The master bath also includes a steam shower. Marlow Yachts works with all owners to customize the boat to their liking. These owners travel with their cat, and Marlow was able to design and build into the accommodation deck a customized litter box. It has access doors from the hallway and from the master suite—luxurious living.

As You Like

The Marlow 70E MKII provides its owners and guests comfortable living quarters on every deck. Accommodations below offer a full-beam midship ensuite master, a VIP queen cabin forward, and cabins both to port and starboard. Storage cabinets line the hallway and include room for a full-size washer and dryer. There are also quarters for a captain accessible from the cockpit or garage door off the aft swim platform.

On the main deck, the owners opted for a huge galley with island forward. As I mentioned, experienced boaters usually know what they want and don’t want, and besides the large windows surrounding the galley, these owners decked it out with optional Sub-Zero refrigeration/freezer drawers, full-size dishwasher, induction cooktop, and convection oven. A large U-shaped settee with table for conversational dining sits aft and divides the galley from the salon. “It feels like a home,” says the missus.

The galley deck is raised two steps from the salon to provide more headroom to the forward accommodations below. Mounted on the backside of the galley dining settee is the flat-screen TV that conveniently opens to reveal cabinets for all the entertainment equipment.

The salon is a roomy living area and leads to the same-level cockpit that has an aft bench with table for alfresco dining. A small entertainment center with refrigeration is tucked to starboard while the stairs leading to the upper deck are to port. Walkaround access to the bow is protected with a solid tall rail as part of the Portuguese bridge. This version does not walk completely around and has two doors up front to reach the bow because the owners wanted to include a large lounge area for sunning and relaxing in the center. Remove the filler cushions and a table becomes available for numerous uses. The bow area also has plenty of room for anchor work, and the missus, with the help of a Yacht Controller, can control the boat while bringing up the anchor, which includes an anchor wash below the pulpit to wash away any mud—much easier than using a separate hose and hand signals directing the one at the helm.

Speaking of the helm, there’s a reason they call it the command bridge. On the Marlow 70E MKII, whoever sits in the chair truly has the conn. Besides the 360-degree view through the surrounding windows, experience led the owners to choose a navigational equipment package from Garmin. Most helms are customized with the gear desired by owners, and because they were planning to spend more time on board and cruise longer distances, the helm sports three 22-inch and two 12-inch multifunctional displays for charts, radar, sounder, cameras, FLIR and A/V controls. All systems have backups to the backups. One camera is located in the engine room to keep an eye on the power equipment, including the twin 1,150-hp Caterpillar C18 engines.

“This boat will run very comfortably at nineteen or twenty knots, and the fuel burn is not significant,” says the husband. “I did find out on a couple of occasions that it’s very smooth at that speed. And if you want to really get somewhere in a hurry, you can run twenty-five or twenty-six knots. Most boats that can typically get the kind of fuel burn at ten knots, typically won’t run that fast and get up and go if you need to go. In fact, we ran some hours at seventeen to eighteen knots, and the fuel burn was very minimal.”

Why The Marlow 70E MKII Is The Top Choice For Seasoned Boaters

For these owners, the Marlow 70E MKII new build was their perfect choice. The ability to work with the builder to make the modifications they knew would make them comfortable was key. “We’re able to live aboard longer periods of time, and certainly travel more and be able to have another couple or family on board and not feel like you’re on top of each other,” they both say in chorus.

They were happy knowing that they got that as well as the performance they were looking for all in one package. They looked at the boat with an experienced eye during the orientation before they actually took delivery. “We did our first trial run with the boat for a couple of days just to get a feel for it and we’re very happy…and that you can print.”

-by Steve Davis

Life Raft Readiness: A Comprehensive Maintenance and Inspection Guide

Ready to Launch

Life raft inspections and stowage

Like bear pepper spray and supplies for the zombie apocalypse, life rafts are purchased in hope that they’ll never be needed. Even so, they’re expected to operate flawlessly in an emergency, despite minimal maintenance and constant exposure to the harsh marine environment. Here’s how to keep your life raft ready, willing, and able.

Life Raft Essentials

Valise rafts come packaged in a soft, flexible case designed for storage belowdecks. Canister rafts are contained within a rigid canister for mounting on deck.

The valise style raft is popular due to its greater compactness, lighter weight, and the additional protection offered by stowing it below. This keeps the decks clear and the raft guarded from weather and theft.

Belowdecks storage on smaller vessels can be problematic, however, as many lack sufficient space near the companionway to stow a bulky raft without impeding the normal flow of traffic. Another downside is the need to lug the raft on deck to deploy, as rafts are heavy and may be too much for smaller crewmembers to handle.

While a valise life raft can be temporarily stored abovedecks during offshore passages for easier deployment, rafts permanently stowed above should be housed within a canister. Canisters (typically stored in molded fiberglass) offer greater protection from physical damage and the elements than a fabric valise, allowing them to be mounted at most any suitable location abovedecks.

The cons associated with canisters include being larger, heavier, and more expensive than a valise container. Unless the vessel has a dedicated life raft storage area, they also require the installation of a cradle or mount for the container, which means drilling holes into the deck or wherever the raft will be located.

Owner’s Inspection Checklist

First, look at the inspection date which will be prominently displayed on the exterior of the valise or canister. Inspection cycles vary depending on the manufacturer and factors, such as the type and age of the raft.

Some life rafts require their first inspection after three years, while others may not need one until five years. For some rafts, the three-year interval may only apply to the first three years after purchase, after which they may require annual inspections.

The fees for inspection and recertification also vary. For example, repacking the same life raft at six years will typically cost more than the first inspection at three years, as items inside (flares, batteries, food) will likely be expired and need replacing.

Additional requirements, such as hydrostatic testing of the gas/inflation cylinder, can also add to the expense. Keep this in mind when purchasing a used raft, as the cost of that next inspection may well exceed the purchase price of that sweet find at the marine swap meet.

Always have your life raft inspected at a service center authorized by the manufacturer and attend your inspection, if possible. This provides an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the raft, observe how it inflates, and verify what’s inside.

Canister life rafts will have a hydrostatic release unit (HRU) mechanism, which automatically releases the raft at a pre-determined depth. The HRU will also have an expiration date and should be replaced if expired or close to expiration.

Spotting Physical Wear and Tear

After checking inspection dates, the next thing to do is look for physical damage. Inspect valise cases and carrying handles for cuts, tears, rips, chafing, or degradation of the material due to age or UV exposure. Inspect canisters for damage such as dings, cracks, failure of the packing bands or sealing gasket, any of which could allow water entry. Although rafts are vacuum-packed prior to stowage in canisters (as well as valise cases), they should never be allowed to rest in water. If you find damage to the canister or suspect water entry, the raft will require immediate inspection.

Verify the cradle is free from damage, such as corrosion or broken welds. Make sure all raft mounts and cradles are secured with sufficiently robust mounting hardware that is properly tightened. Inspect the wire or webbing straps securing the canister to the cradle for problems, as well as the life raft painter line (the “rip cord” that activates the raft) and its connection point to the vessel.

Safety First: Important Considerations

While conducting the above inspections, take a moment to step back and view the entire life raft installation to spot potential problems. If mounted near the engine deck hatch, will you be able to reach and deploy the raft in the event of an engine fire or explosion? Will that spot beneath the boom allow the raft to deploy without becoming tangled in the rigging? Don’t be afraid to simulate a launch using the raft (or a cardboard box of similar size) to develop a launching procedure and ferret out problems beforehand—your life may depend on it.

-by Frank Lanier