What makes Carolina boats so desirable? Aside from their great rough-water ride and economical performance, it's the look! The powerful bow flare, the
sensual curves flowing in every direction, and the sexy tumblehome on the hull and transom coalesce to provide awe-inspiring appeal. Calyber, known for its yacht-finished, pocket-size sport-fishers, pulls deep from within Oregon Inlet's Carolinian heritage for its newest and largest vessel, a 35-footer.
"I just got tired of everything I built being boring and square," says Calyber president Trevor Sherrick. After years of developing boatbuilding experience under legendary Carolina builder Buddy Davis, Sherrick embarked on his own. He dressed his vessels with beautiful teak rails, decks, covering boards and cabinetry, producing a rare level of finish for a semi-custom boat this size. Add fine woodwork to its wonderful curves, and the new Calyber 35 might just be Sherrick's prettiest yet.
To a hard-core fisherman, however, this boat's real beauty lies in her successful marriage to Volvo Penta's Inboard Performance System (IPS). With twin Volvo Penta six-cylinder, 500-series common-rail diesels under the deck, she topped out at almost 40 knots. Pulling back to 3,250 rpm, she cruises at a modest 33 knots while sipping only 29.8 gph. Volvo Penta claims the drive system increases efficiency by up to 35 percent over traditional inboard propulsion systems, mostly in the upper-rpm range.
This, however, was only the tip of the iceberg in regard to the IPS benefits. Catching live bait while maneuvering around Miami's range markers proved remarkably simple using the helm-mounted joystick. Push it in the direction you want to go, and the boat instantaneously responds. Push harder, and it moves faster. Twist the stick, and the boat spins. If you push the joystick sideways, the boat goes sideways. A child could slip this boat in its own length! If you want to chase a pair of sailfish in reverse, it steers like a car without ever touching the throttles.
Helm
The elevated helm chair eliminates the need to stand for better visibility — a problem common to many express boats. The large dash-mounted, black Plexiglas electronics box with removable locking cover provides an attractive security feature. In the right corner of the dash, a hidden bar contains an ice maker, a freshwater sink and a stainless rack for four liquor bottles. The space under the L-shaped settee houses a unique tool-storage system. Racks organize everything a mechanically inclined captain may need, including a metric tool set under the left bench and a conventional set under the right.
Cockpit
I couldn't help but notice the clean and uncluttered layout of the pit. Large deck hatches lift for access to two small belowdecks fish boxes, but the jackshaft drive placement takes up some of the space.
In true Carolina fashion, Calyber built a large, flip-lid fish box into the transom to assure a well-stocked freezer at home. Exhausts exiting through the IPS propulsion pods reduce noise and diesel smells dramatically. No matter which direction or what speed we ran, I never caught the slightest hint of diesel fumes — a serious benefit for those with a weak sea stomach.
Interior
I often find spiral staircases on boats skinny and dangerous. Calyber, however, makes the steps wide enough to provide a safe, comfortable and even dramatic entry into its cozy interior. Immediately to port, a small wooden dinette table with wraparound leather seats directly opposes a small counter, stainless freshwater sink, refrigerator, cabinets and drawers. More wooden cabinets line the walls above the forward bed. At the aft bulkhead of the cabin, you'll find a small private head and shower.
Construction
Honoring Carolina tradition, Calyber built its first 35 using rock-solid, cold-molded construction. Sherrick, however, realizes that wooden boats of this size often cost more than comparable fiberglass hulls. In order to satisfy his customers with timely and cost-efficient boats, Sherrick created a mold from this hull, allowing subsequent Calyber 35s to be built using all-fiberglass construction. Rest assured however — Calyber still considers customization a primary goal. The company continues to adapt layout, design and construction to match customers' needs and desires, and that's what makes this curvy fish-chasing machine a true Carolina dream.
LOA......35'4"
BEAM......12'8"
DRAFT......3'4"
WEIGHT......18,870 pounds
FUEL......350 gallons
WATER......100 gallons
POWER......T 370 hp Volvo Penta IPS 500 D-6 diesels
BASE PRICE......$407,950
Calyber Boatworks / Edenton, North Carolina / 252-482-0775 / www.calyberboatworks.com
