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Uno Mas easily satisfies the speed and functional demands of a high-performance sport-fishing boat, but when you add in the craftsmanship and attention to detail that comes with the Bayliss name, this boat takes on the luxurious feel of a motoryacht. It looks like a custom sport-fishing yacht, but that’s where the similarities end. Uno Mas took 76,000 man-hours and 29 months to build, representing the most complex build for Bayliss to date.
Performance
The Bayliss 68 topped out at a whopping 42.5 knots at 2,310 rpm while burning 199.5 gph. Interestingly enough, cruising at 29.5 knots (1,700 rpm), it burned 4.08 gpm, but while turning 36.8 knots (2,000 rpm), it used slightly less fuel – only 4.07 gpm.
Backing down on a fish, the Bayliss runs hot, straight and true at 7 knots. And although it scribes a fairly large arc in a hard-over turn at cruising speed, the instant wheel response comes into play for dodging obstructions.
Uno Mas also boasts ZF’s JMS controls (Joystick Maneuvering System), which allow you to maneuver the boat much the same way you can with pod drives.
Winds outside of Lake Worth Inlet, near Palm Beach, Florida, ran about 15 knots, with seas out of the northeast at three to five feet. Prime sailfishing weather! We ran straight into it at 32 knots before I even bothered to look at the speed. Likewise, 38 knots down-sea proved to be a nonevent.
“There is no substitute for weight and waterline length in these conditions,” says John Bayliss. Employing that simple yet tired-and-true philosophy resulted in an unbelievable ride.
Engine Room
The engine compartment features two access possibilities: from the cockpit through a centerline hatch under the mezzanine seating or through a door entering from the crew’s cabin.
Under the floor of the pump room sit six AMT raw-water pumps (66 gpm each) bolted down in such a fashion as to be plug-and-play if you need to replace one. They handle all the water for the livewells, tuna tubes, watermakers, air chillers, low-pressure washdowns, etc. And for an added touch of class, the engines sport polished stainless-steel covers that Bayliss custom fabricated.
Interior
A tackle locker slides out of the companionway bulkhead that holds eight 50s and 10 30s, as well as two kite and two teaser rods, with all the associated rods and reels handily stowed.
All of the stateroom doors fit into pockets, and you barely notice the track at the bottom.
The starboard guest stateroom with a double berth sports a gorgeous bas-relief wood carving by Sarah Gill on the bulkhead. At the push of another button (there seems to be hundreds on this boat), the carving folds out from the wall and forms a pullman berth. The pullman berth also houses six 130-pound rigs underneath. The captain’s cabin opposite shares a head with the mates quarters just forward to port, which has over/under singles that also hide the 80-pound tackle.
Finally, the master cabin occupies the bow along with a private head and a large TV screen that hides behind a one-way mirror. A lighted, etched-glass headboard by Chris Channel beautifies the space that also holds a biometric safe, a large gun locker, another drink refrigerator and tons more storage. Anne Sigmon of M.A.M.S Design in Raleigh, North Carolina, designed all of the interior fabrics.
All of the manuals for the vessel and its equipment have been digitized and reside on a Kindle – in addition to the paper backups stowed away in the bilge.
Flybridge
Air conditioning cools the forward half of the flybridge, and a cocktail table hides a refrigerated drink box to augment the freezer space under the other flybridge seats. Recessed above the helm you’ll find four Miya Epoch electric teaser reels – there are two more up in the tower as well. In fact, you can control all six teaser reels from the tower.
This 68 boasts an expansive dash with more than enough space for four beautiful KEP 19-inch LCD Glass Bridge displays – all flush-mounted onto a beautiful black-carbon-fiber background.
I particularly like how Palm Beach Towers places the tower legs inside the flybridge rail these days, making accessing the tower much safer.
The overhead on the flybridge is nonskid that’s actually sanded down and then shot several times with Alexseal, which dampens glare, provides a satin finish and cleans easily.
Cockpit
The innovative deck design ensures that what little water does come in through the transom door when backing down hard barely wets the deck, instead running right to the scuppers. More hidden actuator buttons open and close the glossy sliding doors under the gunwale, which hide all of the storage for gaffs and mops as well as the connections for shore water, oil pump-outs and power.
Another unique feature, the starboard-side single mezzanine seat comes with a drawer that pulls out to reveal an electric grill complete with fold-up sides to protect the bulkhead coaming and the upholstery from heat and spatters.
Design and Construction
Uno Mas utilizes triple-plank, cold-molded construction and 100 percent epoxy resins. The cabin, bridge and all bulkheads are built with Okoume plywood and Core-Cell A500 foam to provide maximum strength while saving weight. All structural bulkheads are 3 inches thick, while the hull sides are 2.
Bayliss concedes that the boat could be considered “overbuilt,” but it’s something you can definitely feel in the ride and hear in its quietness. “Another benefit is the potential for upgrades,” says Bayliss. “A few years down the road, you can repower this boat without any concerns for its integrity.”
While the craftsmanship and beauty of this boat are an unexpected bonus, I have no problem saying Uno Mas is one of the most advanced, well-thought-out sport-fishing boats I’ve ever seen.
Specifications
LOA……68′
Beam……19’3″
Draft……5’2″
Weight……85,000 pounds
Deadrise……12.9 degrees
Fuel……2,600 gallons
Water……450 gallons
Generator……Twin 30 kW Northern Lights
Power……T 1,925 hp Caterpillar C32 Acerts
Price……On request
Bayliss Boatworks / Wanchese, North Carolina / 252-473-9797 / www.baylissboatworks.com
