To Affinity and Beyond

Photo by Forest JohnsonAffinity 90The Affinity 90 should definitely turn heads when she pulls into port. Part yacht, part sportfisherman, she's not only fast and comfortable, she reportedly eats waves too. At 90 feet overall with a beam of 23 feet, she offers plenty of room to move around in. At

By Mike Smith

January 1, 2009

Photo by Forest Johnson

Affinity 90

The Affinity 90 should definitely turn heads when she pulls into port. Part yacht, part sportfisherman, she’s not only fast and comfortable, she reportedly eats waves too. At 90 feet overall with a beam of 23 feet, she offers plenty of room to move around in. At sea, your comfort level should be high whether you have the throttles pinned, you’re on a champagne cruise, or you’re trolling for marlin.

Step into the saloon, and you’ll find an L-shape settee to port, centered opposite a retractable 57-inch LCD TV, dayhead, and stairs to the flying bridge. Just forward and to port, the galley has two large windows and a cocktail bar with four stools. A GE Monogram trash compactor, dishwasher, and refrigerator-freezer, combine with granite countertops to make this an efficient food-prep area.

Below and amidships, the full-beam master is large and luxurious. There’s a built-in settee to port, desk, and entertainment center with CD, DVD, and surround-sound. The master head has marble and granite throughout, a sunken Jacuzzi-style tub separated by his-and-hers facilities, and an escape hatch to the engine room. The three guest staterooms come with 20-inch LCD TVs and cedar-lined hanging lockers. Quarters for the captain and crew are just aft of the engine room and accessible from the cockpit.

The teak cockpit was designed by fishermen and so includes a Murray Brother’s fighting-chair, huge livewell, Eskimo ice machine, transom door, and tackle center that includes a barbeque grill. Forward, a mezzanine provides a spot to watch the action, a sink and ‘fridge, and stairs to the flying-bridge’s aft deck. The bridge itself is enclosed, with a dining area, day head, and wet bar. From here, you can head up to what will likely be the biggest tower in the marina. And what of performance? Affinity says the 90 has been clocked at speeds in excess of 39 mph.

Affinity Yachts
(877) 777-9279

Photo by Guillaume Plisson

Swift Trawler 52

Swift Trawler 52

The Swift Trawler 52 is the latest offering from Beneteau and follows the success of its Trawler 42. Natural light pours into the saloon through many windows and hatches, including a giant, port-side bay window. The U-shape galley to port has lots of counter space, hardwood cabinetry, and a range of appliances. Steps from the galley, the pilothouse offers a small dinette, chart table, stairs to the flying bridge, and sliding doors to the Portuguese bridge. The owner’s cabin, encompassing more than 129 square feet, has a starboard-side desk facing a large panoramic window. In the forepeak stateroom there’s a V-berth, hanging locker, and numerous drawers. Rounding out the accommodations, the port-side guest cabin has bunks but can be ordered as a dressing room or private office.

Beneteau USA
(843) 629-5300