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To understand, you need two details. First, because the guest stateroom is to starboard and slightly abaft amidships, it benefits from one of a succession of picture windows on the starboard side, this particular one large enough to offer lovely, almost-water-level views. And second, the engines are beneath the master and guest berths, an unusual arrangement that cuts shaft angle and draft, divides machinery spaces into two compartments (with little room for service and maintenance chores, unfortunately), and imparts a certain vibrational purr to one's mattress underway. Indeed, lying down for a few minutes helped me see exactly how lovely a long-term version of the experience might be, particularly for a guy who both mellows out in the presence of low-idling diesels and enjoys reading while watching the marine scene slip past.
It also helped me see something else. While the 65 offers virtually all of the comforts and amenities of a modern, seaside condominium, she has a singular advantage: You can move the yacht and not have to deal with traffic-chocked four-lane highways in the process!
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Of course, not-so-nifty features sometimes dwell alongside nifty ones. The three heads were all missing a vital component. While each had a Raritan electric MSD, Moen fixtures, and an electric ventilator, and both the en suite master and en suite VIP heads had separate shower stalls with tubs, I saw no hatches or ports for fresh-air access. Why not add a few?
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There's plenty of room for driving and socializing on the flying bridge. |
Another issue arose when I took the helm. Marina Bay Resort is at a point well upstream on Fort Lauderdale's New River, a twisty, heavily trafficked thread of water crisscrossed by a bunch of bridges. Shortly after I'd maneuvered the 65 out of her slip and through the marina using the engines-only approach, I entered the river downbound and switched to wheel steering, a move that produced such sluggish helm response (due to a whopping eight turns lock-to-lock at the upper helm station coupled with a hydraulic leak that was not immediately repairable) that Jaeckel suggested I resume the engines-only scenario. While that approach worked okay, it got tedious long-term. It did, however, have the virtue of highlighting one feature: the effectiveness of the 65's big wheels. Not only was I able to navigate downbound with minimal gear changes, I was also able to back powerfully astern at one point to safely avoid an upbound motoryacht that swung a turn too fast and wound up on my side of the river.
The actual sea trial in the Atlantic went off quite nicely by comparison, although rowdy four- to six-foot sea conditions offshore dictated we return to Port Everglades Harbor to guarantee the accuracy of our data-collection process. The 65 ran the rough stuff respectably at two-thirds throttle, however, turned with surprising aplomb (I'd guess her turning radius to be about two to three boat lengths), and responded reasonably well to the helm, probably because water was flowing faster over her rudders. In smoother water she did well, too, with an average top speed of 24.6 mph.
Shortly after our return to Marina Bay, I found myself loading Pelican cases (which protect our boat-test gear) and camera bags into a rental car while condominiums were located on all sides. I remember thinking rather absently, "Nice places to live, I suppose—keep your boat right out back."
Yeah, maybe. But consider this: Competition for recreational dollars is indeed fierce these days, with 18-hole lifestyles, RVs, and condominiums highlighting the attractions. Why opt for a chunk of real estate or a clunky, fully furnished bus? Especially when you can cruise our nation's waterways in something that's just as comfortable but way more pleasurable.
For more information on Bluewater Yachts, including contact information, click here.
SPOTLIGHT ON: Romper Room
The Bluewater Legacy 65 is essentially a three-stateroom, three-head motoryacht, but there is a twist. The VIP shares the lower level with a fourth stateroom of sorts, a cool and groovy little space with three on-the-deck berths, sit-up headroom, adjustable lights, handy hookups for electronic games and entertainment, and lots of fun-loving potential. It's a great place for kids to disappear for a while or grownups to chill out. I like it. Reminds me of a few treehouses I built as a kid.—B.P.
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This article originally appeared in the July 2008
issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
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