The Finished Product

After almost five weeks, all of the rigging and commissioning work was finally completed. Sabre Yachts hull CC073 is now officially "Endless Summer"!

The past few weeks really dragged by. I am just like a kid -- the closer it gets to Christmas morning, the longer it seemed to take to get here! But alas, final delivery day occurred and it has been worth every minute (and dollar) to get here.

The changes we made have had a dramatic effect on the appearance and functionality of the boat. The salon looks bigger -- a lot bigger. It has made the beam of the boat appear wider, more open, more attractive. The utility room below is massive (for a boat this size) and is already being equipped with tools, spare parts, general storage and of course, a very nice washer and dryer.

The exterior of the boat is equally as appealing. The new roof line and Sureshade extension not only looks great, it makes the aft deck all that more useful. The new full size entry door looks fantastic and is so much more logical than the old bi-fold design.

The boat was debuted by Sabre Yachts at the the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show the first week of November. While I was proud to show her off (and she received rave reviews), it was nerve racking to see the hundreds of people traipsing all over her. Just the same, that was part of the "deal" and I did my part to fulfill that commitment. I'm glad that is over!

Following the boat show, we headed to our new home port in Longboat Key. We took a relatively easy route by going from Ft. Lauderdale to West Palm, to Stuart and through the Okeechoobee Waterway to Fort Meyers, and finally to Longboat Key Club Moorings. As expected, the boat ran beautifully and we felt very comfortable on board.

Like any new boat (or house), we have a short "punch list" of items that need some attention, but all in all, Endless Summer has turned out beautifully in every respect. We are excited to be back on the water and are looking forward new explorations and adventures.

Commissioning Complete

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

Welcome Aboard

Aft Deck

Salon Looking Forward

Port Side Salon

Salon Looking Aft

Captain's Quarters

Master Head

VIP Cabin

Helm with Garmin Electronics

Top Deck Antenna Array

Galley

Utility Room Below Salon

First Light Start - Headed Home

Ft. Lauderdale to Longboat Key

Port St. Lucie Lock

Locking Through

My Happy Place

Sitting Pretty

Home Sweet Home

Keep on Trucking

As I stated in my previous post, I was concerned that the amount of work left to do at the Sabre Yachts factory and the time needed for completing "Endless Summer" on schedule seemed unrealistic. I was right.

In fact, there were three additional delays over the following weeks which ultimately pushed the completion date to September 22nd. Not a big deal really, other than my expectations and excitement had to be kept in check!

Out the factory door - waiting for a ride south.

Next was the long 1500+ mile ride on an massive oversize load truck to get the boat to Florida for its final rigging in Jupiter. Due to state highway permits and regulations, police escorts and weekend restrictions, it took the folks at Journey's End Transport a full eight days to get to Seminole Marine in Palm Beach Gardens.

Leaving Maine

BIG Rig

One of two escort vehicles

Once in Palm Beach, she was quickly off-loaded and placed in the yard to begin the rigging process -- bottom paint, hull wax, transom name, navigation electronics, radar, sonar, Sat TV, communications, varnish, engine prep, testing and final cleaning.

All of that is expected to take about three more weeks. As long as the weather holds out, we should be in good shape, but the boat MUST be finished by November 1st in order to be ready for its debut at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS).

And of course, I had to take a quick peak inside. Very pleased with how she turned out (so far!)

Port Side

Twin helm seats

Master cabin & head

Galley

Starboard side

The Final Factory Visit

While two months is not normally a long time, when you're building a boat, it can seem like an eternity. The anticipation of seeing "Endless Summer" in her almost finished state was both exciting as well as frightening. Up to this point, it's been drawings, engineering and renderings with only a few completed components along the way. Now all the pieces have come together and she is fast becoming more than a drawing, more than a dream.

We decided to fly into Boston and drive up the coast to Portland this time. While I'm not a fan of big city traffic, once we were out of the Boston metro, it was a relatively easy two hour drive. With the heat of summer upon New England, it was hard to remember the incredible snow accumulation and frigid temperatures we faced on our trip back in February.

Ready for inspection -- files in hand!

With only four weeks left until the scheduled factory completion date of September 14th, I was a little surprised as it seemed there was still a lot to do. I was assured it would be "done" within the time frame and that despite my doubt, it was right on schedule. Just the same, it was exciting to see Endless Summer nearing completion.

The biggest change we made in the design concept was in the open salon and creating a new "utility room" below deck. Both were turning out even better than I had anticipated in terms of space and perspective.

The utility room was easy to access with a new ladder / steps design.  Along with a washer and dryer to port, the utility room offered tons of storage space and shelving you just don't find on any other boat in its class. The fit and finish was most impressive.

The salon change was dramatic. Even without all the furniture in place, it was obvious that the new design made the beam of the Sabre 48 seem much larger and open than the normal build. The port side (where the "easy chairs" will be located) offered substantial space and an excellent traffic flow through the boat.  I also felt that reversing the starboard side settee dramatically opened the aft end of the salon and given the new entry door configuration will make for easier entry and exit.

There are also a bunch of "little things" that while not immediately noticeable will make for a more comfortable and functional boat for extending cruising (ice maker, water purifier, custom ottomans, sliding solid salon table, hidden liquor cabinet, recessed lighting, large TV, settee extension for additional berth, additional electric outlets with USB plugs, room darkening shades in master, etc).

As with previous trips, I really enjoyed meeting the talented men and women at Sabre Yachts who are building this beautiful yacht. They take obvious (and well deserved) pride in their work.

Utility Room (washer and dryer to port)

Starboard side settee - looking aft

Port side space for chairs (not folding!)

Master Stateroom

Galley - a work in progress

New salon door entry -- much better!

Getting close to completion

Build Update from Maine

Well, this is more like it. A visit to Sabre Yachts in Maine without freezing temperatures, snow on the ground and having to wear my winter coat and gloves! What a difference a few months can make. And with daytime temps in the 70's in Portland right now, it feels great to get out of the central Florida heat and humidity for a few days.

Prior to coming back to check on things, we spent a lot time on the phone, on the computer and on the drawing board fine tuning the custom design we have been working on. Now that "Endless Summer" is in full production mode, there is lots to see in terms of progress, components and details.

What is most amazing to me is all the "parts" being built in the different areas of the factory that will eventually come together in once place to be our boat. Fiberglass shop, wood shop, router shed, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, not to mention all of the detailed engineering and design drawings that accompany it.

While "Endless Summer" is still in the early stages of construction, this last trip was critical in that things are now in full swing.

Detailed Planning

As we continue down the path of building our Sabre 48, I have gained a new appreciation for the level of detail that goes into design and engineering of custom work. Before I share some of that, I must first acknowledge the entire team at Sabre Yachts for their excellent work (and patience). Real professionals!

As explained in an earlier entry, we have made a number of major changes to the layout of a Sabre 48SE. Basically, we have totally changed the salon configuration and large space below deck.

This is standard layout of the Sabre 48:

Here is our new custom layout:

The first thing we did was reverse the positioning of the starboard side settee so that the short end of "L" faces aft instead of forward. We thought it better to be looking "out" than "in" -- it also opens the salon space somewhat. In doing so, we relocated the TV behind the long side of the settee and increased the size to a 40" flat screen LCD. Additionally, we created an end table aft of the settee, and a new fixed table design on an electric high-low pedestal. We also added a second helm seat so there will be comfortable, fully adjustable and secure seating for two while underway. We think (hope) all of these changes on the starboard side will not only look better, but will be more functional as well.

Starboard:

On the port side, we totally removed the current seating arrangement which was a combination of a small settee aft and a rather large "navigation" seat forward. Problem with that for us was the second person had no view or access to the helm, chart plotters, radio, etc. and it consumed a lot of space. Since this boat is all about our enjoyment during extended time on the water, we wanted to incorporate very comfortable "recliner type" chairs in the design. By removing all the other built-ins, we made room for two streamline Stressless chairs just like we have in our home. These are built in Norway and beautifully designed. Between the two chairs is a "wedge" shaped end table with reading lights and storage below. To the forward side is another end table with an ice maker inside. The two chairs face the new 40" TV that is hidden by a lift behind the starboard side settee.

Port:

In the space below the salon floor on the Sabre 48 there is normally another berth (also called "crew quarters") but in all honesty, we felt was small and cramped. Not to mention, it is a berth arrangement we were not likely to use frequently (if at all) yet it consumed a large and otherwise nonfunctional space. So we opted to redesign that area into a large, open and functional "utility room". With access through a large hatch in the salon floor (with a hydraulic lift), we expanded the landing area, built multi-layer shelving, and added a separate washer and dryer to the port side. Here, we will have ample room to store supplies, bikes, golf clubs, parts, and provisions. It will be finished space including lighting, electrical and air conditioning.

Utility Room:

In a few weeks, I will be making my second (of three) planned trips to the Sabre Yachts factory in Maine to finalize some details and check on the progress of the build. I am really enjoying the process and thinking through all the various options, designs and custom changes.

Stay tuned.....

The Name Game

As you can see, there's a change a brewing!

Over the past few months, we have been playing "the name game" for our new Sabre 48SE due for delivery later this summer. As with previous boats, we wanted to find a name that reflected something about us, or the boat, or an attitude, or all of the above! I won't bore you with the number of different names, ideas and variations we devised, but suffice it to say, much thought, contemplation and family consultation was involved.

After all was said and done, we decided that the best name for this yacht (and reflecting its purpose and our lifestyle) is "Endless Summer". Not too hard to figure out that the plans call for her to be in the northeast environs of the Chesapeake Bay and Long Island Sound in the Spring and Summer and then Florida and other southern climes during the Fall and Winter. Truly, an endless summer.

It might seem a bit premature to name a boat that isn't even completed, but then, most people name their kids long before their birth these days. And I feel reasonably confident "Endless Summer" will meet her due date!

PS. The blog name and title have been updated accordingly!

Photo Shop mock-up of name on transom

February Factory Visit

I never thought when we contracted to build a new Sabre 48 that I would need to visit the factory in Maine, in the middle of the winter, in the frigid cold (the high today was 7 degrees) and with 5 feet of snow on the ground. It just doesn't seem much like a "boating" experience if you ask me. Just the same, there were new design concepts to review,  engineering to be done and decisions to be made -- so off to Portland we went.

Despite the bitter cold, it was a great day and the folks at Sabre couldn't have been more accommodating. We climbed in and out of multiple Sabre 48 hulls and decks that were in various stages of completion. We reviewed options and drafted new ideas down on paper. We looked at (and decided on) fabrics, colors, and finishes for our boat. We also got a timeline on the various build "stages" and an antipated completion date (late August). While it was a bit overwhelming at times, I loved every minute and didn't want to leave! As our boat construction moves through the factory, we plan to return again in June and a final visit in late July.

Beautiful hand crafted cherry elements

Engine Room

Utility Room - custom layout

Choices, choices, choices....