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It’s a long way to go from California to Italy just to build a boat. Then again, Calex, delivered last year by Benetti, is a 220-foot fully custom build—60 feet larger than its owner’s previous superyacht, which was semicustom. It’s also an example of the degree to which an experienced owner will go to ensure the comfort of those accompanying him: not just family and friends, but also crew.

While a larger yacht naturally affords more indoor and outdoor space, this California resident wanted an abundance of both, prioritizing privacy and well-being.

Arguably the best example of this is the owner’s suite, which, in combination with a dedicated alfresco area, is more like a penthouse apartment. Giorgio Cassetta and his team at Cassetta Yacht Designers, which has styled numerous Benettis, penned 1,772 square feet on the upper deck for this, from amidships forward. The owner’s suite includes the master stateroom, an office, a double bath and a walk-in closet. Since the stateroom faces sole-to-ceiling glass forward, 180 degrees of changing views welcomes the owner each morning. The alfresco lounge lets the owner relax in privacy. Accessible from the suite via two curved sliding doors, the lounge has chaises, chairs and a gas fireplace. And, the raised foredeck forward can be the owner’s touch-and-go helipad.

Unwinding in the company of friends and family was also important in commissioning the yacht, whose beach club is one of the more cleverly private places aboard Calex. Beach clubs have become bigger indoor-outdoor areas, especially through the use of fold-down platforms. They enhance the feeling of having a large lounge atop the sea, but they present a problem when owners and guests want seclusion. So with Calex, a single gull-wing door fully aft swings up to yield access. The beach club is still sizable, in part thanks to the yacht’s 35-foot beam. Guests can watch sports on the TV, enjoy drinks from the bar and use the hammam. To take a dip, they can step out onto the swim platform and use the flip-down swim ladder. Boarding water toys is just as simple from the platform.

And boy, does Calex have toys—especially ones that will help guests burn calories. Stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, water skis, electric surfboards, electric foiling boards, a wakeboard and a surfboard are all available. Friends and family craving a little more speed can step aboard two personal watercraft capable of 65 mph. If the toys aren’t enough exercise, gym equipment and a yoga space are on the sun deck, with a nearby hot tub for a post-workout muscle soak.

All of the time and attention put into creating these areas would be for naught if the crew had subpar quarters. Time and time again, well-planned crew’s quarters contribute to stronger staff retention and a better yacht-ownership experience. Sixteen hands, led by Capt. Eddie Cooney, handle operations aboard Calex. While no one will blink to learn that Cooney’s cabin is on the bridge deck, near the wheelhouse and the ship’s office, they’ll definitely do a double take to see its design, along with that of the quarters for the rest of the crew belowdecks.

According to the Benetti Style Department, the owner had a singular focus for their area from the start of planning. The furnishings and decorative materials are similar to those in the two main-deck VIP staterooms and four guest staterooms (two doubles and two convertible twins) on the lower deck. Finally, and wisely, dumbwaiters connect the main-deck galley to the upper decks’ lounging spaces inside and out.

Calex also features sculptures and art pieces the owner has picked up amid his travels. The yacht casts a comforting spell, inviting guests to be as social as they wish throughout the five enclosed decks, as well as outside on the terrace-like areas and fully open sun deck. Movable deck furnishings make it easy to go from big, garrulous groups to cozier conversations. Simultaneously, Calex caters to more secluded downtime, especially for its owner. Ultimately, Calex is built for different needs, including those of the crew.

It’s a long way to go from California to Italy to get all of this. But, especially for this owner, it was worth it.  

Well(ness) Wishes

As much as the owner set aside space for health and wellness, he wanted the interior ambience of Calex to convey a sense of well-being too. Ivory-toned furnishings and warm woods, such as maple and American walnut, create a serene atmosphere, along with a dose of sophistication. The decor is by the Benetti Style Department and the owner’s team.

Engine Emissions

Calex is Benetti’s first fully custom yacht in this size range to comply with Tier III regulations. Tier III is an International Maritime Organization standard that reduces nitrous-oxide emissions by about 70 percent compared with prior regulations. Calex has a scrubbing system for exhaust gas from the main engines and gensets.

Charter Calex

Calex is part of the Northrop & Johnson charter fleet. The yacht is heading for the Caribbean this winter and the Mediterranean next year. A glass elevator and space-planning make the five enclosed decks accessible for wheelchairs. The weekly base rate starts at $680,000.

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The SS Pacific, a 223-foot side-wheel steamer, departed Victoria, British Columbia, on November 4, 1875, bound for San Francisco. Its cargo included gold and coal, the latter from a mine operated by the ship’s owners, as well as 275-plus passengers and 50-plus crewmembers.

Pacific encountered heavy weather as it steamed west out of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and then south past Washington’s Cape Flattery.

The crew aboard the northbound Orpheus, a 200-foot square-rigger, mistook Pacific’s masthead light for the Cape Flattery Lighthouse. The ships collided, damaging Orpheus’ rigging and—it’s believed—opening planks on Pacific’s hull. Frigid seawater likely swamped the hot boilers, triggering an explosion.

Some 325 souls were lost on that storm-tossed night. Only two people survived, making it one of the West Coast’s worst maritime disasters. Also, because Orpheus was navigationally blind, Pacific’s final resting spot was unknown.

In 1980, Jeff Hummel, then a student at the University of Washington, and Matt McCauley, Hummel’s high school buddy, recovered a World War II-era warplane from Seattle’s Lake Washington. They were sued, but they won the case and all salvage rights.

This is when Hummel heard about another group that was searching for Pacific, which he had known about, piquing his interest. “They eventually quit,” he says, adding that he thought it was a good project. “I just kept doing it.”

A marine-industry career—Nobeltec (now TimeZero), then Rose Point Navigation Systems—followed, but Hummel’s interest in the long-lost Pacific endured. In 2004, he purchased SeaBlazer, an 80-foot Desco trawler that he refitted to search for Pacific, and he again partnered with McCauley. The two founded the nonprofit Northwest Shipwreck Alliance and Rockfish Inc., their for-profit commercial salvage operation.

While numerous expeditions had searched for Pacific since 1985, Hummel says that Rockfish’s approach hinged on careful use of technology—including expertise in modifying off-the-shelf sonar equipment and building remotely operated vehicles—and key pieces of physical evidence.

Generations of commercial fishermen have scoured the waters off Cape Flattery, and they occasionally net artifacts, including chamber pots and coal. “The coal was really the key,” Hummel says, adding that because Pacific’s owners also operated a coal mine, he was able to send a sample to a laboratory to test against coal from the mine.

They matched.

The Rockfish team leveraged this information, coupled with fishermen’s GPS data, to reduce the search area from 338 square miles to just 2 square miles. While this was a huge reduction, technical sonar-imaging work remained. “It was an area that was difficult to search,” Hummel says.

That’s where technology, including their custom-built sonar, came into the picture.

“We made our own transducers,” Hummel says, explaining that the team purchased off-the-shelf Simrad StructureScan transducers, chemically dissolved their potted encapsulating material, removed the piezoceramic elements and microprocessors, and then rebuilt them using “magic concrete” as the replacement encapsulating material. The result, he says, is transducers that can withstand far greater water-depth pressures than the originals.

The next step involved fitting these bespoke transducers into a towfish, which the team flew about 35 feet above the seafloor.

“We also developed our own robotics equipment,” Hummel says. This included two remotely operated vehicles—dubbed Falkor and Draco—that are equipped with Blueprint Subsea-built Oculus multibeam imaging sonars and that are capable of operating at depths down to 3,240 feet. “It’s kind of like having a radar on the robot,” Hummel says, adding that the ROVs were designed around these instruments. “We can find a beer bottle 100 feet away and drive the robot straight to it.”

The team also built a camera sled, which provides seafloor optics and collects artifacts via its rake.

The team leveraged ReefMaster software, plus SeaBlazer’s Garmin echo sounder, to create their own bathymetric charts. Critically, this software also allowed the team to create a points-of-interest database in real time as they scanned the bottom, so they could later revisit and evaluate.

This is how, after 12 search expeditions between 2017 and 2022, the Rockfish team identified their sunken needle in July 2022.

The first job was to comb the search area for points of interest using the towed sonar array. “It took a lot of convincing,” Hummel says of their first look at the wreck. “It wasn’t obvious at all.”

The image that convinced them that they had located their needle was of two circular seafloor depressions. These indents matched the 24-foot diameters of Pacific’s paddle wheels. “You’re not going to find two identical things on the bottom of the ocean,” Hummel says. “It has to be man-made.”

The team returned to the site aboard SeaBlazer, this time with two camera sleds and the ROVs. Once they ensured that the area was free of ROV-threatening snags, they dispatched Falkor to reimage the wreck with its Oculus sonar and to measure the hull’s timber spacing. “That matched up exactly to the timber spacing on Pacific,” Hummel says.

Finally, the team employed Falkor’s grabber arm to retrieve a piece of worm-eaten hull wood, and the camera sled’s rake to collect a chunk of a firebrick.

The team presented their findings and were granted salvage rights in November. Weather permitting, they’re planning numerous salvage expeditions this year.

Finding a long-lost ship isn’t a cheap venture, even if the incentives for finding it—including the gold that’s believed to have been aboard—are handsome. “So far, we have spent $2.1 million,” Hummel says. “We believe it will be a profitable venture. … The value of the wreck is substantial.”

Precious cargo will be sold, with funding being shared among Rockfish’s owners and Pacific’s underwriters. All salvaged cultural artifacts and personal belongings will be donated to a museum that the Northwest Shipwreck Alliance hopes to build in the Puget Sound area.

While Hummel may point to Rockfish’s use of digital and analog evidence as keys to finding Pacific, ultimately, the discovery also required a 40-plus-year friendship between two high school buddies who refused to give up.  

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Built by the Sino Eagle Group, the Aquila 36 power catamaran is a versatile outboard-powered dayboat that is also capable of weekending and angling adventures. There are two en suite staterooms, one in each hull, with nearly queen-size berths and 6-foot-6-inch headroom. On the main deck, which can be covered by an optional fiberglass hardtop, cruisers have a dinette, a cooktop, a fridge, a sink and a smokeless grill. Top speed is 35 knots with 350 hp Mercury Verados. As of July, there were 11 Aquila 36s available, ranging from $439,000 to $725,000.  

From the Archive

“The Aquila 36 is a departure from her sisterships in that she is an outboard-powered, express-cruiser-style catamaran, but she also adheres to MarineMax’s philosophies. With a single main living level from bow to stern and a beam of 14 feet, 7 inches, the Aquila 36 is like a bowrider on steroids. She has seating that can handle 20 adults for outings and barbecues, and there are two staterooms below, one in each hull, for family weekending.”

— Yachting, August 2018

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Long a top honeymoon destination, St. Lucia has lots to love for all visitors. Its lush, natural beauty, rich history and culture, delectable food scene and welcoming atmosphere beckon cruisers to drop anchor and linger awhile in this lovely and laid-back Caribbean port of call.

The Pitons

The twin peaks of the Pitons are the beloved symbol of St. Lucia and the island’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Formed 30 million to 40 million years ago by a volcanic eruption, these iconic peaks are now blanketed with a lush tropical forest that’s home to 27 bird species and many rare plants. The shorter, steeper Petit Piton (2,438 feet) is a realm for professional climbers only. But the taller Gros Piton (2,619 feet) is popular for its guided day hikes.

Castries Central Market

Replenish your provisions at the colorful Castries Central Market, opened in the heart of St. Lucia’s capital in 1891. The produce and spice vendors are considered the highlights among the 100 stalls, but you’ll also find handicrafts and souvenirs. It’s busiest on Friday and Saturday mornings, and closed on Sundays.

Diamond Falls Botanic Garden and Mineral Baths

This 6-acre retreat checks all the boxes for a relaxing afternoon. Hummingbirds flit between the hibiscus, heliconia and other beautiful tropical blooms filling the flower gardens. Stroll along the winding path to the 55-foot-tall Diamond Falls, its surrounding rock face a kaleidoscope of colors. And, naturally, follow in the centuries-old tradition and take to the therapeutic mineral waters, choosing between a public or private soak. Guided tours are available, but this is a place where a leisurely wander can be equally rewarding.

Pigeon Island National Landmark

Once the lair of a 16th-century French pirate nicknamed Wooden Leg, Pigeon Island now attracts a variety of visitors for far more legitimate reasons. The trails crisscrossing this 44-acre national landmark off St. Lucia’s northwest tip lead up to the remnants of Fort Rodney, an 18th-century British garrison, as well as to the museum and interpretive center, which provides context for the island’s ecological and historical significance. The island’s two small, calm beaches are considered among the top beaches on St. Lucia and are popular picnicking spots. (A pub and a restaurant are on-site too.) The island is at its liveliest every May when it welcomes music lovers from around the world for the wildly popular St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival.

Big Chef Steakhouse

For an indulgent dinner out on St. Lucia, reserve a table at Big Chef Steakhouse in Rodney Bay Village. Since 2007, chef Rosie Joinville and her husband, Marc, the manager, have served up mouthwatering steaks and seafood, wickedly rich desserts, and well-curated cocktail and wine selections.  

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It’s not easy to make a 496-gross-ton trideck look sleek without wasting space, but Italian designer Francesco Paszkowski nailed it with Tankoa’s all-aluminum S501 Series. Check out those lines: the high bow dipping to a chamfer at the bow, the near-square stem, the climbing chine, and the heavily raked bridge windows. They all punctuate the 164-foot length overall, and then the yacht sweeps back to create generous aft-deck overhangs and an elegantly raked transom.

Launched in spring 2022 and shown at the Monaco Yacht Show this past fall, Kinda is the fourth hull in the S501 Series. Like its sistership Bintador that launched four years ago, Kinda has a hybrid propulsion system. There are three cruising modes: diesel-mechanical, diesel-electric and full electric. Choosing the appropriate mode can improve fuel consumption, and the intervals between engine and generator servicing should be longer, saving on maintenance costs and inconvenience. The zero-emissions mode could allow access to otherwise restricted waters.

In conventional mode, the most efficient cruise speed is around 12 knots, at which Kinda’s twin 1,400 hp MAN V-12 diesels burn just over 42 gallons per hour. With a little more than 15,000 gallons of diesel, that translates to a transoceanic range of almost 4,700 nautical miles. Maximum speed is 17 to 18 knots at half-load. In diesel-electric mode, top-end speed drops to around 10 knots.

In fully electric mode using batteries alone, and with normal hotel loads, expect a little over two hours’ autonomy at 5 knots, and perhaps an hour and a quarter at 8 knots. At anchor overnight, owners should get seven hours of run time on batteries alone with normal hotel loads. Twin electric fins from Italy’s CMC provide stabilization at anchor (and when cruising) but can be disengaged to boost fuel efficiency.

Kinda’s outside lounging spaces include the usual cockpit and upper deck aft, but there’s also a sun deck up top beneath a hardtop, and there’s a noteworthy foredeck terrace. Unlike the three previously launched sisterships, all of which have hot tubs on the sun deck, Kinda has its hot tub on the foredeck. It’s a 1,300-gallon glass-wall affair flanked by sofas and able to be shaded by a Bimini top.

Views from all these spaces are enhanced by frameless glass balustrades. Even the hardtop has tinted-glass skylights that cut down on the shadows. Furniture outside comes from Italian brands such as Talenti, Kettal, Varaschin and Tuuci.

The transom’s main event is Kinda’s beach club, which includes a gym, a shower and a day head (one of three aboard). A transverse tender garage aft is big enough for a 21-foot Castoldi RIB, and there’s room on the foredeck for a 14-foot Castoldi RIB, flanked by a crane and a couple of personal watercraft. The transom door folds down, creating a dock abaft the swim platform.

Kinda’s interior was conceived by Margherita Casprini, a longtime associate of Paszkowski. The main salon and sky lounge have a contemporary, soft palette with brushed-oak veneers, rich leather paneling and dramatic Botticino marble. All is cool and calm aboard Kinda. The open-plan salon has three distinct social zones: a lobby aft with a small table and chairs; a conventional lounge with an L-shaped sofa, two armchairs and a coffee table; and a formal dining table amidships. Loose furniture comes from Minotti, Vitra, Flexform and Gallotti&Radice.

Accommodations for 12 guests are in six staterooms. However, the layout aboard Kinda is a little unusual, with two of the staterooms forward on the main deck in what is effectively an owners’ suite with a lobby/study, a master stateroom and a VIP. The master occupies the full beam with a forward-facing king-size berth, an en suite head, a lounge and a walk-in closet. The VIP spans two-thirds of the beam to port with an aft-facing king berth, a lounge chair and a coffee table, and an en suite head.

The remaining four staterooms are belowdecks. Two have inboard-facing queen berths with pocket doors to their en suites. The other two have aft-facing twin berths.

There’s also quarters for nine crew, including a captain’s cabin on the bridge deck. All other crew quarters are on the lower deck beyond an amidships galley and crew mess. Staircases connect to pantries on the main and upper decks, so crew can move around discreetly.

Kinda is this owner’s first trideck yacht and will be used for private family cruises. With luxe accommodations and trans-Atlantic range, the owner’s hardest task will be choosing a waypoint.

Exploring the Med

During its first summer season in the Mediterranean, Kinda was used for intimate family cruises along the French Riviera and the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, Elba and the Aeolians. This summer, the yacht will head to the Eastern Med’s Greek islands and Turkish coast.

In Build Now

Tankoa has more than a half-dozen tridecks in build from 147 to 190 feet. The first all-aluminum Tankoa T55 Sportiva is scheduled for delivery in early 2024, and the second is set to go to a European owner in late 2024. The T580 is Tankoa’s biggest-ever project: a 190-foot, fully custom Francesco Paszkowski/Margherita Casprini design with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. It also should be delivered in 2024. In addition, there’s a fully custom 170-foot all-aluminum hybrid project on track for completion next year in association with Philippe Briand and Vitruvius Yachts. The smallest Tankoa to date, at about 147 feet length overall, is a Giorgio M. Cassetta design with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. It’s called T450, and it was started on spec in autumn 2020, sold once, and is now available again with a proposed 2025 delivery date.

Capable Hands

For the past few years, the Tankoa team has been steered by CEO Vincenzo Poerio, who previously led the Benetti half of Azimut-Benetti.

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Renato Cappuccitti used to see it all the time, and it would drive him nuts.

As Bajío’s vice president of operations and Rx, he’d be at a boat show, and people would come over to say they owned and loved the company’s sunglasses. “But they have a pair of readers around their neck on the cord, and they hold them up over the glasses they’re wearing,” he says.

Hence, the line of readers from Bajío that launched in March. By the time this issue of Yachting is on newsstands, reader lenses are expected to be available in every frame style the company makes.

The reader sunglasses are a modern take on traditional bifocals, available in powers of +1.5, +2.0 and +2.5. The magnifier is embedded in the back of the lens, so there is no prominent line (like in the old days) telling the world that the glasses are bifocals. And because the magnifier is on the inside of the lens, it is also a lot less likely to get scratched.

“What’s really nice about a reader like this is that it’s a very quick learning curve versus progressives,” he says. “That takes your brain a week or two to adjust. Anybody who has had that experience with progressives, you don’t have that same experience with these.”

Cappuccitti says boaters find the readers helpful for maintaining protection from the sun while tying flies for fishing, looking at helm displays and using apps on a mobile device. Just like readers from the drugstore, these sunglasses can be worn while doing anything on board that requires a close-up view. “In sunglasses, bifocal makes the most sense for a reader,” he says. “We don’t want someone to be blinded by the bright light when they take off their sunglasses to read something. Now you get the protection from the sun, and you can still read or see something small.”

The lenses are made of polycarbonate, which is the same material most people have in reading glasses at home. Like the bio-based frames that Bajío uses, the reader lenses are lightweight too.

Orders ship from the Florida factory within 48 hours with a choice of frames and lens colors.

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Top Luxury Fishing Boats

The following 13 sportfish yachts are all vessels we’ve reviewed. They are listed in no particular order.

• Hatteras GT65 Carolina: A customizable sportfish yacht with Caterpillar diesels
• Viking Yachts 64C: An eye-watering 42 knots of fish-chasing speed boat 
• Royal Huisman Project 406: The biggest sportfish yacht ever built
• Rybovich 94: A superyacht-sized angler’s dream
• Viking 38 Open: A family-sized express sportfisherman loaded for offshore fishing
• Bertram 61 Convertible: A tournament-ready battlewagon with a distinct look 
• Hatteras Yachts 45EX: Entry-level sportfish yacht with all the angling amenities of its larger siblings
• Huckins 45 Sportfisherman: Built for bluewater angling with the patented and sea-taming Quadraconic hull form 
• Jarrett Bay 46: A mid-size custom-Carolina sportfisherman with a yacht-level finish
• Viking Yachts 92: Designed to travel the world’s oceans chasing behemoth billfish
• Merritt 72: An iconic Florida boatbuilder’s high-end fishing boat
• Bertram 35: This 35-foot flybridge sportfish pays homage to the builder’s legendary roots.
• Viking 54 Open: This express-style fish boat also comes in a Sport Tower and Coupe version

Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina

The Hatteras Yachts GT65 Carolina falls in the middle of the New Bern, North Carolina, boatbuilder’s three-model GT lineup, which also includes a GT59 and GT70. This sportfish yacht has a solid-fiberglass hull bottom built for blue-water duty and comes with a variety of diesel engine options, which starts with twin 1,622 hp Caterpillar C-32A diesels.

Like all Hatteras GT models, the GT65 has notable bow flare to beat back tempestuous seas as well as a high freeboard to keep decks dry in the slop. The Hatteras GT65 also represent a design evolution for the series with a “stepped-back flybridge” an element found on in earlier Hatteras models, as well as a new window treatment and hull-side vents. With yacht-level luxury on the inside and a fishing-mission design on the outside, the Hatteras Yachts GT65 is a formidable sportfish boat.

Quick Specifications

Viking Yachts 64C

With its 180-square-foot, dance-floor-size, teak cockpit, options for a fighting chair or rocket launcher, a mezzanine perched perfectly for spotting prey in the spread and enough livewell space to keep a gaggle of goggle-eye baits frisky, the 42-knot Viking Yachts 64C is built for battle with big fish.Its impressive speed, which comes via optional 2,022 hp MTU M96X V-12 diesels, ensures that the Viking 64C is likely to be first boat with lines in the water. Cruise speed: 36 knots at 80 percent engine load. (Base powerplants are twin 1,550 hp MAN V-12 diesels.) For the traveling tournament crew, the Viking 64C has four staterooms, including three en suite guest staterooms, plus a crew cabin with upper and lower bunks.

Quick Specifications

Royal Huisman Project 406

A 171-foot sportfisherman? Yes. That’s exactly what the six-deck, Royal Huisman’s Project 406 is. The interior and exterior design of Project 406 is from noted Dutch yacht-design firm Vripack. Vripack calls the vessel a “sportfisher on steroids.” The hull and superstructure of the supersize sportfish is Alustar aluminum, a material known for its strength and relatively light weight.

Even with six decks, Vripack has managed to create sleek lines for Project 406. It starts with a high freeboard forward that seemingly dares the ocean to approach. Transitioning from the bow, the sheerline slopes downwards in a steady cadence. The flowing sheerline resolves seamlessly at the cockpit. The vessel’s raked house and stacked deck are juxtaposed against the long profile, creating a sinewy aesthetic, which is no simple feat in this 171-footer. Add in all of the expected angling accouterments and 30-knot speed, and you have a sportfish yacht ready to chase fish around the world.

Quick Specifications

Rybovich 94

Size, speed and agility is a unique trifecta in a sportfish boat, but the 94-foot, 41-knot III Amigos from Michael Rybovich checks all those boxes as well as a few more too. The sportfish boat, designed by Patrick Knowles with naval architecture from Dusty Rybovich, is built in cold-molded mahogany. Prop pockets help keep the boat’s half-load draft down to a Bahamas-friendly 5 feet. The Rybovich 94’s impressive speed is helped by a pair of beefy 2,600 hp MTU diesels. 

The owner of II Amigos also owns a 196-foot Feadship superyacht and, while he wanted the sportfish to be all business on the outside, he wanted luxury-yacht finishes on the inside.  “Subtle but telling touches are the solid doors to the staterooms; each mimics the owner’s Feadship with ¾-inch thickness. The doors close flush (each has hidden hinges), and the sound is of a Rolls-Royce door closing.”

Quick Specifications

Viking Yachts 38 Open Billfish

The Viking Yachts 38 Open Billfish is the builder’s entry point to its diesel-propelled sportfish boats. An owner-operator-size angling platform, the 38 Open is powered with twin 550 hp Cummins QSB6.7 diesels, which gives the sportfish boat 36-knot speed. Notable angling features on board the 38 Open include a 109-swqure-foot cockpit, complete with a mezzanine seating flanking the centerline stairs to the bridge deck as well as a laminated backing plate foe either a fighting chair or a rocket launcher. For overnight canyon trips, there is a forepeak stateroom with a double bunk as well as a single above it. Additionally, the salon’s sofa converts to a berth for guests or crew. The galley is outfitted with Corian countertops, two-burner electric cooktop, microwave/convection oven and drawer-style refrigerators and freezers. Some options include a Palm Beach Towers tuna tower and electronics packages from Atlantic Marine Electronics, both are Viking Yachts’ subsidiaries.

Quick Specifications

Bertram 61 Convertible

Bertram’s 61 Convertible leads the builder’s offshore series, which also includes a 35 Convertible and the express-style 50 Sport. Like its 50 Sport sistership, the 61 Convertible has a stepped sheerline, a nod to the legendary boatbuilder’s earlier designs. It also creates an instantly recognizable profile. The 61 Convertible is ready to run out of the box thanks to its twin 1,925 hp Caterpillar C-32A diesels. Top hop is 44 knots.

When it comes to chasing fish, the 61 Convertible has 188 square feet of fish-fighting space. A 100-gallon in-transom livewell is accompanied by twin in-sole fish boxes as well as rod stowage to port and starboard. A tuna door to starboard makes bringing in that bigeye on board a breeze. (Fish not included.) The accommodations layout belowdecks includes three staterooms. There is a full-beam master stateroom amidships.

Quick Specifications

Hatteras Yachts GT45X

The Hatteras Yachts GT45X express sports twin 1,150-horsepower Cat C18 ACERT diesel engines that deliver 40-plus-knot speeds. During our sea trial, the GT45X showcased remarkable handling, gracefully leaning into turns without any loss of power from the props. Hatteras has equipped the GT45X with a custom-engineered, sound-deadening system. This feature reduces noise and vibration, ensuring a relatively quiet ride for all aboard. Inside, the yacht has a luxe sensibility with its wood sole, sumptuous leather seating, a fully equipped galley and a spacious forward stateroom. On deck, there are two comfortable helm seats, an undercounter fridge, an ice maker, an inviting L-shaped settee and a table, creating the perfect entertainment area for relaxing after a successful day of fishing. The integrated hardtop enhances visibility with its one-piece windshield and large side windows, offering optimal views of the surrounding waters. To adapt to changing weather conditions, simply install clear curtains across the bridge deck aft, transforming the GT45X into an all-season sport-fisherman. Personalization is key with Hatteras Yachts, and the GT45X offers a variety of optional features. From a bow thruster and additional stateroom to teak accents and a flybridge option, you can customize your yacht to meet your specific needs. With a simple ala carte ordering process, just select your must-have options, start the engines and have your next angling adventure.

Quick Specifications

Huckins 45 Sportfisherman

The Huckins 45 Sportfisherman starts with the Florida boatbuilder’s patented Quadraconic hull. The Huckins’ Quadraconic name derives from four conical projections that make up the bottom surface shape. The sport-fisher has a deep forefoot and some measurable flare above the waterline for good buoyancy and dry running. A single chine rises from the waterline and then descends quickly to optimize spray control. The deep-V shape forward warps to a flat running surface far aft for efficient planing and excellent roll resistance.

Power is twin 480 hp Cummins diesels, which give this sportfish boat an easy 28-knot cruise. Top speed is 35 knots, so a 30-knot cruise is easily an option. The owner of the 45 Sportfisherman we got aboard is an avid stand-up angler and set up his boat with three flush-deck insulated fish boxes with macerators, a Dometic ice maker, two 28-foot Rupp outriggers, six gunwale rod holders, saltwater and freshwater washdowns, and a four-rod rocket launcher in lieu of a fighting chair.

Quick Specifications

Jarrett Bay 46

Originally named Persistence, this Jarrett Bay 46 was built for fishing enthusiast and NASCAR driver Jeff Burton. When creating his fully custom sportfish boat, Burton noted that his vessel would be both a fishing boat and a family boat. Fishing features include an in-transom fish box, a sailfish pod, insulated fish boxes and a tuna door (sans bridge) in the cockpit. Jarrett Bay installed three rod holders in each gunwale and six more across the flybridge rail, plenty of rod room for setting up a trolling spread.
With upper and lower helm stations (the latter being an owner request), the Jarrett Bay 46 also gives the skipper options if the weather goes south. The Jarrett Bay 46 has ZF pod drives with underwater exhaust paired to twin 575 hp Caterpillar C9 diesels. At a comfortable 2,000-rpm cruise, this sport-fisher makes about 26 knots while those diesels consume 41 gallons per hour. Dial it up to a top-end speed of 35 knots and consumption goes up to 58.3 gph.

Quick Specifications

Viking Yachts 92

The Viking Yachts 92 is the largest sport-fisher the New Gretna, New Jersey-based boatbuilder has ever constructed. Offered with an open- or enclosed-bridge setup, the hefty sportfish boat (displacing around 205,000 pounds) hits 37-knots-plus when powered with optional 2,600 hp MTU diesels. At 2,100 rpm, this battlewagon cruises easily at 31 knots at 78 percent engine load. Dial it back to 28 knots, and engine load is a mere 70 percent. The 92-footer is also agile thanks to the Viking Independent Programmable Electrohydraulic Rudder (VIPER) steering system, a fly-by-wire setup that lets the helmsman control each rudder individually.

From an angling perspective, the 92 has 55-foot Rupp outriggers, fish stowage large enough for a wolf pack of bigeye tuna, space for a season’s worth of baits, secured gaff stowage and enough tackle drawers to handle all the lures and terminal gear an owner could ever buy. The Viking 92 also has six staterooms to accommodate owners, guests and crew for tournament season and long-haul adventure angling.

Quick Specifications

Merritt 72

Like some of the other names on this list, Merritt is an iconic Pompano Beach, Florida-based, custom sportfish builder with a current model lineup that includes 66-, 72- and 86-foot convertible designs. The Merritt 72 is a model that has stood the test of time, and one that owners flock to year in and year out, for its fishability, seakindly nature and the ability to tailor the layout to an owner’s angling needs.

Because these boats are custom-built, the specifics can change from one 72 to another, but 30-knot cruise speeds and nearly 40-knot top-end speeds are common in all 72s, as are massive cockpits for fighting Hemingway-worthy marlin, stout construction for chasing those fish in the blue water and superyacht-level finishes inside and outside.

Quick Specifications

Bertram 35

The entry point into Bertram’s three-model Offshore Series⎯spanning from 35 to 61 feet length overall⎯the Bertram 35 blends a familiar profile with modern power and technology to create a 36-knot angling juggernaut. This owner-operator-sized, Michael Peters-penned, flybridge sport-fisher starts with a wave-slicing, deep-V hull form with 22 degrees transom deadrise. The form is supported by a solid fiberglass hull bottom with cored hull sides for added strength without added weight.

The 35 has a 126-square-foot cockpit ready for any fish-fighting fanatic. Bertram sets up the 35 with rod holders, a livewell, in-deck fish boxes, and a transom door for the big ones. Optional teak decking and covering boards add a custom look. Inside, the salon is accented with teak and maple Amtico soles and overhead dimmer lighting. A wainscot-style ceiling houses rod stowage for big-game gear. Power is twin 500 hp Caterpillar C7.1 diesels matched to ZF drives. At a comfortable 27.5-knot cruise at just 68 percent engine load, the Bertram 35 has a 253-nautical-mile range, making it easily canyon-capable.

Quick Specifications

Viking Yachts 54 Open

Many anglers like open- or express-style sportfish designs as they enable the captain and crew to keep in close proximity, and the Viking 54 Open, which also is offered in a Sport Coupe or Sport Tower, does just that. The 54 Open’s bridge deck has a Palm Beach-style helm on centerline, flanked by a double-wide companion seat to port and a single seat to starboard. Abaft the helm and to port is U-shaped seating with a walnut table, creating a respite from the sun on tournament day while still allowing the crew to keep an eye on the spread via the open after bulkhead. Across from that seating is an L-shaped settee.

With a focus on fishing, the 54 Open has 154 square feet of cockpit real estate. Two sets of mezzanine seats offer perches for the crew to watch the spread. Other fishing-friendly features include a transom livewell, an in-deck fish box to starboard (with an optional livewell tub), an insulated in-deck box to port, a deck plate for mounting a rocket launcher or fighting chair, cooler stowage in the mezzanine steps (a bait freezer in the steps is optional), and a tuna door. Power is either twin 1,400 hp or 1,550 hp MAN diesels. For owners who prefer a three-sided fiberglass enclosure to a clear-plastic setup—but still want an open after bulkhead—Viking offers the 54 in the Sport Tower version. The 54 Sport Coupe model closes the after bulkhead, completely protecting the bridge deck from the elements.

Quick Specifications

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When the 160-foot motoryacht Ohana launched just a couple of years ago, the owners had the idea to offer by-the-cabin bookings similar to a small cruise ship. But demand was so high for full-yacht charters in the Croatian cruising grounds that the practically new vessel is already undergoing a refit.

“We convinced them to upgrade it to a yacht with the amenities and service of a superyacht, and make it just for private charter,” says Aymen Boulehmi, marketing manager at Goolets Ltd. “To do so, they needed to do many upgrades to the cabins, salon and deck, and add many new amenities on board as well.”

The refitted yacht is expected to start accepting bookings this summer in Croatia, a nation that continues to be a highly sought-after East Mediterranean destination for motoryacht charters. The section of the Croatian coastline from the walled city of Dubrovnik south to Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor is particularly well suited to charter, with everything from historical cities to natural islands and quiet bays available to explore. Fans of the show “Game of Thrones” are particularly drawn to this region, where filming for the HBO series often took place in locations that tourists can visit today.

Ohana’s onboard guest spaces include a cinema where those “Game of Thrones” episodes can be watched after days of having fun in the sun. The yacht’s sun deck has an open bar, a barbecue, hanging egg chairs, an open fireplace and loungers for sun-worshipping time. A shade can cover the space around the hot tub for guests who want more protection from the elements. Inside, the yacht has a children’s playroom—an onboard space that is becoming increasingly popular aboard superyachts being ordered from European shipyards. There’s crew space for the addition of a babysitter as well.    

The Croatian Coast

• Dubrovnik has an Old City that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture is centuries old and is preserved in fountains, churches, palaces and more. 
• Korcula is an island about 20 miles long that’s sometimes called Little Dubrovnik because of its preserved buildings. 
• Hvar is another popular island, with fields of lavender, olive trees and vineyards. 
• Brac island is less touristy with rocky shores and popular scuba sites.

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Thrill-seekers, rejoice. Wally’s new wallypower58X combines the luxury and comfort of the inboard wallypower58 (which debuted at last year’s Cannes Yachting Festival) with the muscle of outboard power. Using quad 600 hp Mercury Verado V-12 engines, the Italian builder says the wallypower58X can reach 50 knots and can cruise at 42 knots for 320 nautical miles. This 57-footer made its world debut at the recent Palm Beach International Boat Show.

While the outboard engines will garner most boaters’ initial looks, the rest of the after section of the wallypower58X has a lot to offer. Here, there’s a four-person sun pad with cushions that allows for forward-facing seating or aft-facing lounging by the sea. At the touch of a button, an electrically actuated awning rises to provide protection from the elements. This space is further enhanced when the bulwarks to port and starboard fold outward, creating a 269-square-foot beach club with room for modular furniture and guests.

And, like the wallytender48X and wallytender43X siblings, the wallypower58X has a hydraulic passerelle on centerline for easy boarding.

Farther forward, there are two sofas beneath the cockpit hardtop: one to starboard and one to port. The starboard-side seating is accompanied by a dinette. Forward of the portside seating, there is a customizable galley. Here, the hardtop can open for ventilation, or, for chillier outings, the cockpit can be fully enclosed and heated.

Follow the side decks forward, and there is an additional sun lounge on the foredeck. In total, Wally says, 12 to 16 people can comfortably fit on the wallypower58X’s main deck.

Standard accommodations belowdecks include a forepeak master stateroom with a queen-size berth and an en suite head to starboard. Centerline stairs lead down from the main deck to what Wally calls a “full-beam double salon” with sofas to port and starboard. The day head, with a separate shower, is to port. Owners can also opt to convert the portside salon into a guest stateroom that has direct access to the day head.

To maintain the brand’s trademark exterior lines, and for further protection and privacy, this boat has what Wally calls magic portholes: 55-inch flat-screen TVs that relay external views via hullside cameras.  

Take the next step: wally.com

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IYC has welcomed the 109-foot Baglietto Islander II to the charter fleet, based year-round in Greece and Turkey with off-season dates available for bookings this autumn.

Islander II is a 2002 build that most recently was refitted in 2021. The yacht has accommodations for as many as 11 guests in five staterooms, including a full-beam master on the main deck. Islander II charters with six crew.

The flybridge is a focal point of the design, with alfresco dining, a bar, a grill, sunning areas and umbrellas for shade. At water level, there’s a beach club filled with water toys for fun in the sun.

What’s the lowest weekly base rate to charter Islander II? It’s about $71,000.

Take the next step: Contact a charter broker at iyc.com

The post Now for Charter with IYC: ‘Islander II’ appeared first on Yachting.