Project: Release Boatworks 55 Walkaround Flybridge

Release Boatworks from New Jersey have at the start of 2023 started the construction for the first 55’ Walkaround Flybridge, a versatile fishing platform, with elegance worthy of complimenting a superyacht as its game-boat. The Release Boatworks 55 Walkaround Flybridge comes from the minds of Jim Turner, Naval Architect Erwin Gerards, and production manager Scott Jastrzembski who had the design for the walkaround flybridge in mind years ago. As with any Release Boatworks, this boat is specifically designed to cater to the owner’s needs and wants. This 55’ Walkaround Flybridge will be the gameboat for an expedition yacht in the 160’ range for a multi-family operation planning to travel to Mag Bay, Costa Rica, Panama, Isla Mujeres, and The Bahamas. The superyacht will serve its purpose as a floating hotel, while on any given day there won’t be less than ten people on the 55’ for ten-hour adventures of marlin fishing, spearfishing, deep dropping, and diving. The boat owners, who have sons and daughters that love to fish and dive, originally used a centre console as their chase boat, but the range, lack of comfort, and maintenance intervals became a limiting factor to their family travels.

The 55’ Walkaround Flybridge will provide three staterooms, a tackle room, a custom dive locker, two Seakeeper 6 stabilizers for maximum comfort, an expanded fuel capacity for long range, redundancy of systems and pumps in case anything goes wrong in a remote destination, and a quick connect fuel manifold system for fuel bladders, among many other custom features. She will be powered with twin MTU 1622hp for cruising speeds in the mid thirty knots and a top end upwards of forty. The Release Boatworks 55 Walkaround Flybridge hull one home port will be Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  The Release Boatworks has already sold two more 55's which is also available as a Flybridge Dayboat, Inboard Walkaround, and Express platforms.

www.releaseboatworks.com

New Model: Solaris Power 52 Open

Solaris Power continue to upgrade its walk-around line and present this new 52 Open model. A project like all Solaris Power of Brunello Acampora, the 52 Open follows the priorities of this six model line, for full length walk-around deck exterior spaces; and lower deck fully dedicated to overnight accommodation.  The Solaris Power 52 is offered in three exterior deck plans with the choices revolving around the central dinette and galley-wet-bar layout, and comes out as standard with two opposite settees called layout B, C-shaped dinette looking aft layout A with the galley becoming an L-shaped, and layout C with a forward looking dinette.  The choices of the Solaris Power 52 do not stop, with two lower deck plan choices; two cabins version with central master room, and a three cabins layout relocating the owners suite forward, and two cabins at midships.  In both versions the lower deck is fully dedicated to the cabins, no dinette or galley option available.  An optional crew cabin is available in the two cabins version, located to port side with separate entry from the main deck.  Other options in the Solaris Power 52 are the flip down bulkheads which increase deck space by about 30%, and are located in the middle of the cockpit area adjacent with the dinette.  During the Genoa boat show Solaris was telling me that the bulkhead option is ordered in like 50% of units sold, with the metallic colour chosen in like 90% of the units.  The Solaris Power 52 Open is standard powered by rather small for twenty tons twin Volvo 480hp, and or optional 600hp with IPS pod propulsion.  Speeds are thirty knots with the standard engines, and 35 knots with the optional larger 600hp engines. 

Technical Data:

LOA - 16.2 m (53ft)

Waterline Length - 14.83 m

Beam - 4.95 m

Draft - 1.19 m

Displacement - 17,700 kg light, 21,500 kg loaded (approximate)

Fuel Capacity - 2000 l

Water Capacity - 550 l

Max Persons - twelve

Accommodation - four berths in two cabins, six berths in 3 cabins, optional 1 berth crew cabin

Engines - 2 x Volvo D6 480hp, D8 600hp

Propulsion - Volvo forward looking dual propeller IPS pod drives

Speed - 35 knots max 27 cruise with 600hp, 30 max 24 knots cruise with 480hp

Project - Brunello Acampora from Victory Design exterior and engineering, Roseo interior

www.solarispower.com

Fairline Yacht Beached in Dockweiler Beach California

A nineteen meter Fairline yacht titled m/y Fortitude with five persons and a dog onboard was saved from sinking and beached in Dockweiler, Playa del Rey California on the evening of December third.  The yacht was reported in striking the Hyperion Pipe and started to take on water, with its skipper deciding to beach the Fairline to avoid sinking.  The Lifeguard section of the Fire Department of the County of Los Angeles responded first to the beaching saving the persons and the dog first.  According to reports TowBoatU.S Los Angeles is instructed in refloating the yacht and taking her to a yard for repairs.

The Fairline in this sinking is a second generation Squadron 62 as designed by Bernard Olesinski and produced from 1999 till 2002 in about twenty units.  Following the design of the Squadron 52, the Squadron 62 was a replacement to the Squadron 59, and was replaced by the Squadron 58.

Project: Windy 29 Huracan

Windy are very pleased to announce its continued collaboration together with designer Espen Øino for the exciting new 29 Huracan project, which is set to debut in 2023.  Replacing the 29 Coho after a ten year production run, the Windy 29 Huracán is being developed as a modern looking Day-Sport-Cruiser combining a spacious, safe, and social cockpit with a fantastic design language creating a unique appearance that radiates both luxury and sportiness.  The 29 Huracan will also continue Windy's collaboration with Design Unlimited who have designed the new Sports Series interiors debuting first with the Camira and now followed in this upcoming 29 Huracan. Design Unlimited are offering a traditional interior layout with double V-berth forward, spacious shower head to starboard, and a cabin galley opposite.  This Windy 29 Huracan can be powered with either Volvo Penta or Yanmar single inboard stern drive engines; from a petrol gas 430hp, up to 440hp diesel. 

www.windyboats.com

Roger Hewson 1933 - 2023

The founder of Sabre Yachts, Roger Douglas Hewson, of Highland Green, Topsham, passed away peacefully on Dec. 2, 2023.  Roger was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on March 2, 1933, son of Irene Elderkin and Joseph Selden Hewson.  Roger attended Westmount High School and graduated from McGill University with a degree in Civil Engineering in 1955. He married Charlotte Gulick Hewson “Charlie” in 1955 and they celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary in 2023.  Roger followed his father’s footsteps in Hewson Construction where they built industrial buildings in Montreal, including four pavilions for the 1976 World’s Fair.  The Hewsons moved to Maine in 1970 where Roger founded Sabre Yachts. Over the years Sabre built over 1600 sailboats from 28 feet to 45 feet, and later began building power boats, which Sabre continues to build today. Roger was a very competitive sailor and raced in the International 14-foot Dinghy, Dragon and Cruising Classes. He also learned to fly and had many years at the controls of his Cessna airplane.  Roger and Charlie met through skiing and they enjoyed many years skiing as a family in the Laurentians, at Pleasant Mountain, and later at Sugarloaf where he skied until his mid-80s.  Roger served on boards of several non-profit organizations including the National Sailing Association, National Marine Manufacturing Association, Business Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve of Boston, and Greater Portland Chamber of Commerce. Most recently he served as a volunteer at Maine Maritime Museum.  The Hewsons lived on Raymond Cape on Sebago Lake for fifty years in a home which Roger designed and built in 1971. In 2010 they moved to Cundy’s Harbor, and later to Highland Green in Topsham. Roger was predeceased by his sister, Joanne Hewson Rees, of Montreal, by one day.  Roger is survived by his wife, Charlie; his daughters Deborah Merrill and Evelyn King and her husband Bruce; his son, Halsey; grandchildren Seth King, Abbie Garcia-Tunon and her husband Javi, Lee King, Parker Merrill and Dana Merrill; and great-grandchildren, Javi, Lucy, and Luke Garcia-Tunon.

MJM Yachts New Web Site

MJM Yachts presents its new web site.  MJM which means Mary Johnstone Motorboat was founded in 2002 by Bob Johnstone, Mary's husband and a co-founder with his brother Rod of J/Boats in 1977, one of the World's leading brand of performance sailboats which is still under the Johnstone family ownership.  MJM will presents its first model the 34z in 2004, a traditional down-East lobster inspired looking day cruiser designed by Doug Zurn, and build by Boston Boatworks.  The 34z is followed by the 29z and 40z in 2007 expanding the line further, with a 50z debuting in 2014.  Doug Zurn has till today designed all MJM's while Boston Boatworks will build all the vessels till 2021, when the company will move to its North Carolina facility, although the collaboration between the two is still continued today. In 2019 Bob Johnstone will sell MJM to his son Peter, who will resell to Saothair Capital affiliate Seolta Holdings in September 2023.  Today MJM offers four models, which start from the eleven meter 3 model which debuted in 2021, and go up to the still in project 42 model.  MJM new web-site takes you around with the following buttons; Models, Construction, Build A Boat, About, Shop Gear, Locate A Dealer, Request Pricing, The Build, News, Classic MJMs, Contact, and Careers.  MJM is also on social media with links at the bottom of the page taking you to its Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages.

www.mjmyachts.com

Production History;

34z 2004-10

29z 2007-15

40z 2007-19 (100+)

36z 2011-15

50z 2014-19

35z 2017-

53z/zi 2020-22

43z/zi 2020-22

3 2021-

4 2023-

Super Yacht Ends Aground in Dubai

M/y Indigo Star I, a 38 meter super yacht ended aground and beached in Dubai, near Marina Harbor on the evening of Friday first December.  Indigo Star I is reported to have had a technical fault, with the captain losing controls of the engines and the super yacht ending beached.  With high tide coming in, the super yacht was towed away on the same night, with the yacht reported to have received no damage from the grounding.  

Indigo Star I is owned by German fashion designer Robert Geiss since about ten years, who have used the yacht to cruise around the World since taking ownership.  Robert and his wife Carmen have been cruising on Indigo Star I in the Persian Gulf for over a week, with the yacht attending the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the previous week-end.  The Geiss's where in Dubai when the accident happened but not on the yacht, and were informed about the accidental grounding over the phone, with Robert Geiss joking on Instagram that now he has a private beach club.  Indigo Star I is currently available for sale for 3.9 million US$.

M/y Indigo Star I is a custom Siar-Moschini 38, launched in 1995 to a design of Andrea Bacigalupo with interiors by Studio Vafiadis. Siar-Moschini from Fano was a joint venture between Siar a yacht interior fitment specialist firm, and Moschini a high-end large sizes advanced fiberglass builder in 1986, which will build a dozen yachts from 21 to 43 meters, launching its first yacht in 1988, and its last in 2004.  Carlo Moschini was also one of the three founders of Ferretti Custom Line brand in 1996, with this lasting two years after he sold his yard to Azimut-Benetti Group in 1998, sale completed in 2002.

New Model: Cantiere delle Marche Flexplorer 146

Cantiere delle Marche has on Thursday 23rd November launched its new largest build to date the Flexplorer 146.  Titled m/y Maverick this is the first of three 146's and second model to launch of the Flexplorer line, which debuted in the fall of 2020 with the 40m.  This second four meter larger Flexplorer 146 unlike the first unit comes from a design of Sergio Cutolo, who still created a sober and similar line to the Paszkowski designed smaller sister.  The Flexplorer 146 is also full of technical features including the superb and praised integrated A-class frame crane with a lifting capacity up to 4.4 tons which debuted with the Flexplorer 40m, and an ice belt hull structure of 22 mm thickness above and below the waterline.  Flexplorer 146 hull one features interiors designed by Francesco Paszkowski and Margherita Casperini who presented an accommodation layout for ten/twelve guests in five cabins; with a master stateroom located to forward of the main deck, and four  double guest cabins on the lower deck.  Crew accommodation is for nine in five cabins; three cabins plus mess forward of the lower deck, a captains cabin behind the wheel house on the upper deck, and an engineers cabin at midships to forward port side of the engine room.  Cantiere delle Marche Flexplorer 146 features a lengthened hull of the 40m which launched in the fall of 2020, a Sergio Cutolo designed full displacement bulbous bow and active fin stabilizers shape, for comfortable long range cruise up to five thousand nautical miles, and fourteen knots top speeds from twin Cats 1014hp.

Technical Data:

LOA - 44.50 m (146ft)

Waterline Length - 41.6 m

Beam - 8.60 m

Draft - 2.60 m

Displacement - 439 t full load

Fuel Capacity - 65,100 l

Water Capacity - 15,950 l

Accommodation - ten/twelve guests in five cabins, nine crew in five cabin

Engines - 2 x Cats C32 Acert IMO TierIII 1014hp

Propulsion - direct shaft with Reintjes 542L gearbox

Speed - fourteen knots max, ten knots cruise

Range - 5000 nautical miles at ten knots

Hull Shape - full displacement with bulb and active fin stabilizers

Construction - steel hull with 22 mm ice belt

Project - Sergio Cutolo Hydrotec design for exterior and naval architecture. Paszkowski and Margherita Casperini for the interior

Certification - Mach Y, cross of Malta for hull

www.cantieredellemarche.it 

Ferretti Yacht Sinks in Baker Beach San Francisco

A fifteen meter Ferretti flybridge yacht with two persons onboard sank two hundred meters away from the shore of Bakers beach, to the North of San Francisco at around 12:00 hours of Thursday thirtieth November.  San Francisco fire department said they received the call of the yacht sinking just before noon, with the two boaters jumping in the water and then rescued by three rescue swimmers from Bakers beach who took them to a nearby San Francisco Police Department boat.  The two boaters where then taken to San Francisco Marina Yacht Harbor for a health evaluation.  The Ferretti Yacht cause of sinking was not reported, with the yacht sitting in about four meters of water and its flybridge still visible. 

The Ferretti Yacht in this sinking is a 510 as designed by Zuccon and produced from 2007 till 2014, renamed as 530 from 2010.  The 510 came out as a replacement to the Ferretti 530, and was replaced by the 550.

Production History

From Summer 2023 PowerYachtBlog added a new Production History label, to the popular names in motor boating.  Production History was started with a favourite brand, Itama, and eventually it was added to other popular motor boating names.  When doing this data, in some models more to others it is like a voyage back in time, in history, and present. 

Production History lists model designation and name, years of start and end production, and when available also how much units produced.  If this information is known, I also list the different project name, some models get in pre-production phase.

Accurate as possible is the aim in production history, although this is harder to achieve also because boat builders are not fully open on data.  The other problem is the past, as the further one goes in time the more difficult it is to get a fully correct information, especially when one tries to dig in the seventies and or before that.  Difficult but not impossible.  In some cases when Google and the Internet are not enough I am helped by brand fans or previous workers from that company.

Custom builders builds are not listed in Production History, because it would be over whelming to list all.  Imagine listing all the custom builds of Spencer which is now at one hundred plus all different deliveries, and Feadship or Benetti with a story which started in the fifties.  For custom builders who venture consistently into semi-custom-production builds, as is the case for example with Baglietto and Benetti, I do list the data for those. 

Some custom builders also have an incredible data, of there past, present and future on there website.  For example of the sportfish builders, the data Jarrett Bay provides on all its builds is superb, as does Feadship.  

Last but not least if you have knowledge that some information in Production History for brand X or Y is not accurate or correct, just private message on the Contact Form on the lower part of the left column, and I will get back to you.