Not supposed to notice…

I. What you’re not supposed to notice…

To all whom I was lucky enough to catch up with at the Fort Lauderdale Show, thanks for your time! I can say with complete authority that no one who boarded our Zeelander 55 left unimpressed. And my clients, I am very proud to say,  are very hard to impress!

Seeing my yacht through your eyes is the most valuable education I could ask for. On the VIP day of the show, an experienced yachtsman I had met for the first time spent quite awhile going through her, as you can on VIP days. When he was done, he sat in the cockpit for a long time, drinking her in, before saying:

“I get it. She speaks to me.” 

That she did. That’s what happens when the right designer meets the right builder, and the magic begins.

The FLIBS show was perhaps my 150th over the last twenty years. I would guess I have shown my yachts to way more than 100,000 people in that time. And what these relationships have taught me is that with the finest of yachts – those created by that special magic – the first appeal is not what we we consciously see. It’s about what we feel.  Feelings like this couple evidenced in their spontaneous “flash-tango” on the Z55’s beautiful, immense swim platform:

 

That platform, by the way, operates my means of a cockpit switch mounted in the aft docking station”

 

 

As well as a handheld remote and a hidden emergency switch along the waterline reachable by a swimmer in case … well, you know.

The operation of the platform is a thing of beauty:

I’m sure you noticed at the beginning of that clip the port-side tender garage. It houses a Williams Jet Tender. It’s operation is shown here in this real-time video:

The Z55 was an eye-opener at the show. I have previously posted here a bunch of exterior photos and videos, but I now have some stupendous interior and cockpit shots:

The cockpit table drops in the same way, making a huge sun bed:

And, ingeniously, the table also tips up 90 degrees, allowing a complete athwartship walkway, with cockpit entries to port and starboard!

 

I asked that yachtsman what our Zeelander whispered to him.  He said:

“She just …. flows.”

Flows! I was thrilled to hear that word. Because that ideal was determined up front by Zeelander. Their designers and builders challenged themselves to build a yacht with as few straight lines as possible. In the end she’s all about the curves, and they certainly do flow.  Take a moment and revisit the pix above, and this one below, and I think you’ll get my meaning. Flow is not something you expressly see. It’s not about noticing design and engineering choices. It’s something you feel. And when you do, it makes your day! And mine….

If you could not make it down to FLIBS, our Z55 is berthed in Fort Lauderdale for the next few months. She is fully available for your own special VIP viewing. Just launch a flare…

II. And Her Little Sisters

These intoxicating curves are no less evident with the “little” yachts that launched the Zeelander line: The Zeelander 44H. You will find her in motion here, and if you can find more than a handful of  straight lines, you win!

I can now announce two dramatic price reductions on two “leftover” Z44’s.  The first is a stunning 2014 model with a metallic Black Sable hull:

 

 

 

And the second is a Bentley Blue 2012 Dealer Demo at almost 40% off a new build price:

 

 

 

These two wonderful pocket yachts, currently at the factory in Holland, now need to go away. Quality trades will be considered. You can see their complete specifications on my Yachtworld listings, here:

Zeelander 44 #028 – Call for Price

Zeelander 44 #016- $795,000

By all means, call me for their stories in full. One of these belongs on your dock, and  if they won’t get you to Europe, nothing will.

III. The Holland Tour

I’ve been displaying, to no small notice, some wonderful photos of the Hartman Yachts Livingstone 24M on her Scandinavian cruise, Now, some from the Holland part of her shakedown:

 

So what then, you might ask, are we not supposed to notice about the Livingstone 24?

That’s easy – her rugged construction. It’s completely untrue, for those in the know,  to say that the blood and guts of yacht building in steel and aluminum is best left unexamined, like that old joke about the sausage factory. There is real beauty in strength, if you finish the job right! For an explorer yacht like the Livingstone 24, it’s about becoming the beast and the beauty, in that order.

You can build a myriad of rugged boats out of steel, from barges to aircraft carriers. But building them with consummate style and grace means enveloping their ruggedness with real polish and panache. That’s where the magic happens.  So here’s a glimpse of what you are not supposed to notice, in chronological order:

 

This wonderful go-anywhere classic is berthed about an hour outside of Amsterdam. She’s a full season yacht, of course. I’ll be in Holland on a monthly basis all winter, so please allow me to take you on your sea trial of this beastly beauty.

IV. And then there’s those tough conditions…

My final “not supposed to notice” for the week is about when fine yachts get tested in  harsh, real world conditions.  Because when the going gets tough, a great yacht delivers a ride capable enough that your family  don’t quite notice that tough sea-state.

The best example of this is The Baron, my Vicem 72 listing, effortless making her way through some serious weather at 28 knots, with nary a complaint:

She is in Miami, and can (make that should) be seen at any time.

VI. And finally…

Something I do want you to notice, loyal readers. I’d like to introduce you to my new hire. Now serving as The Fog Warning’s “Good Will Ambassador,” I am pleased to present Trout, my new Australian Shepherd puppy:

 

 

Her first performance review was OUTSTANDING! I will keep you posted as she chews through my life.

As always, thanks for rolling with me!

Big Wave Dave (and Trout)