As we move into the third decade of this century, the boatbuilding industry is as strong as ever. Custom boats remain popular, while the iconic production brands introduce new models for the coming season. Nearly every builder we spoke to either had new builds in construction or plans on the drawing board. It’s an exciting time in the offshore fishing industry.
Maverick Yachts Costa Rica
- LOA: 60′
- Beam: 17’3″
- Draft: 5’3″
- DispL.: 75,000 lb.
- Fuel: 1,500 gal.
- Water: 400 gal.
- Power: Twin 1,800 hp MAN V-12
With plans to build its largest custom sport-fishing boat to date, Maverick Yachts Costa Rica is a brand on the rise. This new 60-footer will feature the same cold-molded construction methods that have made its earlier boats legendary performers in Costa Rica. Naval architect Erwin Gerards designed the new 60, which will be overbuilt to withstand the rigors of serious charter fishing, yet finished like a luxurious private yacht. Current layouts include models with three or four staterooms and two or three heads, but buyers can always customize the 60 to suit their personal needs. Twin 1,800 hp MAN V-12 engines are projected to provide a 37-knot cruising speed and a top end of 44 knots.
Bertram Yachts
- LOA: 51’6″
- Beam: 17’5″
- Draft: 4’2″
- DispL.: 62,000 lb.
- Fuel: 1,236 gal.
- Water: 120 gal.
- Power: Twin 1,150 hp CAT C18 standard
One of the most anticipated new designs for 2020 is a 50-footer from Bertram. The famous builder is crafting an all-new express design in open and sport-top configurations with attractive two-stateroom, two-head layouts. The master stateroom with en suite head is all the way forward, and a guest stateroom and day head sits to port, opposite a U-shaped lounge. Although 1,150 hp Caterpillar C18 engines are standard, the new 1,550 hp MANs will power Hull No. 1; the top speed is expected to be in the mid-40-knot range. Fuel capacity of more than 1,200 gallons and a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer are standard. The new 50-footer will join the 35 and 61 Convertible models already in production at the company’s Tampa, Florida, facility.
Daniels Boatworks
- LOA: 60′
- Beam: 17’2″
- Draft: 5′
- DispL.: 60,750 lb.
- Fuel: 1,600 gal.
- Water: 250 gal.
- Power: Twin 1,550 hp MAN
Hull No. 2 from Daniels Boatworks in Wanchese, North Carolina, follows the completion of its first build, a 42-foot express. The new boat is a 60-footer that will be based out of Pirate’s Cove in Manteo, North Carolina, and is being built for tournament and charter fishing. The Daniels 60 will be equipped with 1,550 hp MAN engines, with an expected top speed of 40-plus knots. The cockpit will be approximately 190 square feet, with mezzanine seating. Daniels Boatworks expects to splash Hull No. 2 in late 2020.
Spencer Yachts
- LOA: 63′
- Beam: 17’6″
- Draft: 3′
- DispL.: 60,000 lb.
- Fuel: 1,700 gal.
- Water: 300 gal.
- Power: Twin 1,700 hp Caterpillar
Debuting in spring 2020 will be the latest from Spencer Yachts: a 63-foot jet boat. The build pairs Spencer’s elegant lines and smooth ride with Marine Jet Power for an innovative, responsive design that delivers maximum performance, speed and agility, with a draft of just 3 feet. The 63 will reach cruising speeds of 40 to 45 knots and a top speed of 54 knots. The innovative tunnel design allows the jets to be housed under the stern of the boat, providing the same classic Spencer styling and fishability as the builder’s traditional sport-fish models.
Bayliss Boatworks
- LOA: 72’2″
- Beam: 20’6″
- Draft: 5’9″
- DispL.: 135,000 lb.
- Fuel: 2,600 gal.
- Water: 400 gal.
- Power: Twin 1,925 hp CAT C32A
When the current owner of a 64-foot Bayliss wants to build a new vessel, he commissions a 72-footer with Bayliss Boatworks. This vessel will feature numerous advances, which are now standard on all Bayliss builds. The 72 will be stabilized by a Seakeeper 9 forward and a Seakeeper 18 aft, and will receive the new Furuno omnidirectional sonar as well as Bayliss Boatworks’ proprietary freshwater cooling system for all mechanical components. Other standard features include a chilled water air-conditioning system, custom refrigeration, and custom livewell and tuna tube configurations. The interior layout will include four staterooms and three and a half heads. As with other Bayliss builds, a custom tackle closet, pantry and day head will add functionality for an owner who is prepared to travel far and fish hard.
Merritt
- LOA: 88′
- Beam: 21’2″
- Draft: 5’6″
- DispL.: 150,000 lb.
- Fuel: 4,000 gal.
- Water: 500 gal.
- Power: TWIN 2,600 hp MTU 16V2000 M96L
Merritt’s Boat and Engine Works has begun construction on its largest build to date, the 88-foot Hull No. 109. The five-stateroom, five-head layout will include Merritt’s advanced composite construction and elegant teak interior, with a projected speed of 40 knots. Standard features will include a cockpit day head, 200-amp Atlas electrical system with twin 40-kW Kohler generators, a stainless steel cockpit-to-bridge spiral staircase, a Seakeeper 30HD gyrostabilizer and a marine waste-treatment system. Merritt also has an 86- and a 77-footer under construction.
Ricky Scarborough
- LOA: 67′
- Beam: 19′
- Draft: 5′
- DispL.: 105,000 lb.
- Fuel: 2,200 gal
- Water: 350 gal.
- Power: Twin 2,000 hp MAN
The latest from the distinguished North Carolina custom boatbuilder is being designed to travel the world accompanying a mothership. The 67 will feature two 25-kW Northern Lights generators, a pair of Quick MC² gyrostabilizers, a custom tender and davit, as well as a compressor system to refill scuba tanks. This Scarborough 67 will be powered by a pair of 2,000 hp MAN engines, and will sport a fuel capacity of 2,200 gallons.
Jarrett Bay Boatworks
- LOA: 68’8″
- Beam: 19’6″
- Draft: 5’4″
- DispL.: 78,000 lb.
- Fuel: 2,000 gal.
- Water: 200 gal.
- Power: Twin MTU 12V2000 M96L
Sought after to help tame the often-unrelenting seas of the West Indies, Project Caribbean is Jarrett Bay’s next interpretation of floating-fortress perfection for her owner and crew. Using proprietary cutting-edge materials, and lamination and infusion processes developed for Jarrett Bay’s game-changing 90-foot Jaruco, this 68-footer also will provide next-level performance and safety—balanced with her four-stateroom, four-head comfort, and Jarrett Bay’s signature Carolina styling and soft ride. Also included: nearly every tournament-winning amenity you can imagine in an offshore rig, plus a pair of Northern Lights 25-kW generators, and a 2,000-gallon fuel capacity for her twin 1,920 hp MTU 12V2000 M96L engines.
Check out the history of boatbuilding on the Outer Banks.
Shearline
- LOA: 46’11”
- Beam: 15’4″
- Draft: 2’4″
- DispL.: 36,000 lb.
- Fuel: 600 gal.
- Water: 100 gal.
- Power: Twin 715 hp Cummins QSM11
The newest build from Shearline Boatworks in Morehead City, North Carolina, is a beautiful cold-molded 46-foot express. The boat will feature twin Cummins QSM11 engines; a Northern Lights generator will supply the electrical power while away from the dock. Shearline subsidiary Carolina Custom Towers will fabricate a full tower, and Everett Nautical is slated to complete the faux teak work. The interior will feature a full galley with Sub-Zero refrigeration, a dinette and settee, a queen berth forward, and a head to port—with a separate shower stall—making life comfortable for owners and crew.
Willis
- LOA: 70’7″
- Beam: 19’7″
- Draft: 5’10”
- DispL.: 111,200 lb.
- Fuel: 2,720 gal.
- Water: 300 gal.
- Power: Twin 2,600 hp MTU 16V2000 M96L
Willis Marine of Stuart, Florida, has begun construction on the new Uno Mas, a 70-footer that Willis predicts will top out at more than 49 knots. Complete with custom wake-adapted tunnels, propellers, rudders and struts, the combination of traditional build practices and composites such as carbon fiber will be used to reduce weight. The vessel includes the latest tournament-winning features, including zero-speed gyrostabilization, 360-degree scanning sonar and a custom steering system. The streamlined exterior design is paired with an unmatched level of fit and finish that includes a large, flowing salon, island galley and four-stateroom layout.
Hatteras Yachts
- LOA: 65’2″
- Beam: 20′
- Draft: 5′
- DispL.: 103,000 lb.
- Fuel: 1,900 gal. std; 2,265 gal. opt.
- Water: 270 gal.
- Power: Twin 1,600 hp Caterpillar C32A std.; 1,900 hp Cat C32A opt.
Hatteras takes its tournament-ready GT Series in a fresh design direction with the new GT65 Carolina. The Hatteras engineering team utilized Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis to create a new hull form and tunnel design that will take the boat’s performance and handling to the next level. The hull and stringer system are fused into a single component—an industry first—to reduce weight and increase strength. Like all Hatteras GT Series boats, the GT65 Carolina will top out at more than 40 knots and cruise in the mid-30-knot range. As with all its models, Hatteras offers owners the opportunity to customize this four-stateroom, three-head layout, which features the largest master stateroom in its class.
Michael Rybovich and Sons
- LOA: 94′
- Beam: 22′
- Draft: 5′
- DispL.: 165,000 lb.
- Fuel: 4,400 gal.
- Water: 600 gal.
- Power: Twin 2,600 hp MTU 16V2000 M96L
Michael Rybovich and Sons Hull No. 6 is a 94-foot enclosed bridge, which is designed to fish anywhere in the world in total luxury, thanks to a state-of-the-art power management system and redundant systems throughout. The design features a full-beam master with side windows disguised as engine air intakes to let in natural light without compromising the look of the hull from the outside. This build includes room to sleep up to eight guests and four crewmembers, making it the largest built by the Rybovich family to date. MR&S has partnered with Metrica, a noted superyacht-interior fabricator, for the ultimate in luxury accommodations. The boat is expected to launch in the fall of 2020.
Viking Yachts
- LOA: 45’6″
- Beam: 15’4″
- Draft: 4’3″
- DispL.: 43,134 lb.
- Fuel: 709 gal.
- Water: 99 gal.
- Power: Twin 700 hp Cummins QMS11 or optional 800 hp MAN I6
Viking Yacht Company has introduced the 46 Billfish, a turnkey-ready boat designed for ease of maintenance and operation, fishability and family amenities. The 46 features a 140-square-foot cockpit, flybridge with center console, walk-around helm and guest seating, and a salonlike command deck with optional air conditioning. An oversize centerline day hatch provides quick access to the engine room, and both outboard seating areas of the command deck rise on electrically actuated rams to expose the entire engine compartment for maintenance. Accommodations include a spacious forepeak master stateroom, under-over bunks on the port side, a full galley and a head with separate shower.
Roscioli Donzi
- LOA: 76′
- Beam: 19’6″
- Draft: 5’4″
- DispL.: 113,000 lb.
- Fuel: 2,200 gal.
- Water: 250 gal.
- Power: Twin 1,800 hp MTU 1200V2000 stD.; MTU 16V2000 and 1600V2600 opt.
A new 76-foot Donzi is under construction for an avid angler who built a 58-footer with Roscioli nearly three years ago. The owner is expanding his horizons with a larger vessel to also accommodate a captain and mate when needed. The continuous profile is carried from the bow to the flybridge and down from the recessed side air vents to the aft deck, which features two refrigerated fish boxes/livewells and a Release Marine Battle Saddle. An additional 60-gallon pressurized livewell is located in the transom. A CZone control-and-monitoring system will provide networked digital-switch interfaces for all onboard electrical systems, simplifying traditional wiring and offering the ease of phone or tablet control.
Ritchie Howell
- LOA: 61′
- Beam: 18′
- Draft: 5′
- DispL.: 76,000 lb.
- Fuel: 1,450 gal.
- Water: 275 gal.
- Power: Twin 1,800 hp MAN
The newly designed Ritchie Howell 61 features a stepped hull and ultramodern sleek lines, with Howell’s exclusive seamless-look windows. The boat will be powered with a pair of 1,800 hp MAN engines, with an expected cruising speed of 38 knots and a top-end of 45 knots. The hull itself is cold-molded, while all interior and exterior decks, the house and bridge are fabricated with composite materials, which has Howell estimating the boat’s weight at less than 76,000 pounds. This 61 will have a three-stateroom, two-head layout with an additional tackle-storage area, Seakeeper, Sub-Zero refrigeration, Dometic ice chipper, integrated Spot Zero system and full tower by Palm Beach Towers.
