I have a surprise for you. You probably think that to commission a custom built yacht to your specifications would be vastly more expensive than purchasing a boat produced by one of the large volume builders. Well, that's not always the case.
For example, I recently spent some time onboard a new 36-foot express cruiser from one of the big volume builders; it was a gorgeous boat that most owners would be very proud of. However, for the same money, an owner can purchase a Big Pond 42 finished to their specifications and with dramatically more space onboard. Yes, the two boats are as different as night and day, but at the end of that day, we think the Big Pond 42 sedan has more of what you go boating for!
Big Pond Boat Shop is a small builder and repair shop located in Cape Breton; the crew is only able to turn out one 42-footer per year under normal circumstances. Keith Nelder, ably supported by his wife Pat Nelder, leads that crew; their boats are built to ABYC specification from stem to stern.
Well, it's more than that, really. The Big Pond 42 begins life with the Nelders supervising hull construction at a major commercial yard in Nova Scotia. The hull is solid hand laid glass, built to meet the commercial standards of the Nova Scotia fishery; the deck and superstructure are completed by Big Pond Boat Shop from Corecel sandwich.
This trawler design is the real thing, proven in the teeth of the gale on the Atlantic on a regular basis. Bobbing around the Great Lakes would be a piece of cake.
But rugged can also be beautiful. The fiberglass work is "yacht finished" and the Big Pond 42 had a smooth, glossy finish reflecting on its navy blue hull.
Within the context of this 42' long by 15'3" wide trawler hull, an owner can specify what they want. Our test boat had been built for an experienced Great Lakes cruiser and his wife. There was no need for guest accommodation onboard. Laid out for long range cruising, the exterior areas were very important. Starting at the stern, there is a teak finished full-width swim platform and conventional style transom with large transom door.
Solid teak decking is laid throughout the cockpit and up the extremely wide side decks. The hull sides are quite a bit higher than the decks and are teak capped with stainless steel rails above that. Almost anyone will feel comfortable walking around the exterior of this yacht, even under way. Stainless steel handrails on the cabin roof add to the security offered by the Awlgrip Griptex™ nonskid covering the generally flat decking.
Up front is a bowsprit with anchor roller and electric windlass that feeds the rode into a substantial drained anchor locker. Nothing on this boat is flimsy.
For example, substantial inboard mounted cleats are used and lines pass through stainless steel hawes. Large scuppers in the cockpit keep things dry and there is abundant storage in the lazarette. The test boat had a nice little aft-facing storage bench tucked under the cabin roof overhang. A teak stepped ladder leads to the cabin roof and on the test boat; this was for access to a dinghy that can be swung over the side by an electric hoist. Real big boat stuff.
Some owners might prefer to tow an inflatable and add a flying bridge, but this owner preferred the helm to be located in the cabin.
Experienced cruisers often find that the wind and sun of the flying bridge, the hassle of taking canvas up and down and the lack of climate control, makes a fully enclosed sedan yacht like this one easier and more comfortable. There is no canvas to fiddle with and if it's cold, turn on the heat. If it's hot, crank up the air conditioning.
Where a custom built yacht can really shine is in the cabin accommodations. In this case, the owners are enthusiastic cooks. Composite teak style flooring was used for easy cleanup and long wear. Up the starboard side of the yacht, measuring 9' by about 4.5' is an amazing galley – large enough for two to work in comfort. It has an oversized, double sink with spray head, eight drawers, two lockers, a roll-out trash bin, two-door under counter style Nova Kool refrigerator and freezer, stainless steel finished GE profile microwave, Force 10 three burner stove and oven as well as a real Corian countertop. Bake a cake, host a dinner party or just have some gourmet good times. This is a great galley.
The owners specified American cherry wood for the interior and cabinetry with heavy-duty drawer slides and carefully chosen hardware. The Big Pond Boat Shop also built a gorgeous high/low table for the port side settee. This makes a charming coffee table or rises to be a dining table; all this living space is at the main deck level, surrounded by bright opening side glass. You're not living in the basement on this boat.
At the forward end of the galley cabinet is a companionway leading to a sliding cabin side door by the helm. In this cabinet is a concealed combination washer/dryer; on the forward side of the companionway is a doublewide helm seat with storage underneath.
There is a companion seat on the port side; this is a large open shape that also has two drawers inside to keep important little items handy. All this is in the main cabin and that means this cruising couple can prepare meals, run laundry and relax in air-conditioned comfort while they travel from A to B.
The boat was equipped to cruise with a Raymarine E120 system, autopilot and Raymarine Tridata and matching VHF radio. There is also a SmartCraft Vessel View system because this boat was ordered with a 540 hp QSC Cummins MerCruiser 8.3 L diesel engine with electronic controls by ZF. There is a Xantrex inverter system, sniffers, what looks to be a commercial quality Danforth compass and far more.
The master suite is forward and occupies the entire bow area. There is an island queen berth with side tables, four opening portholes with screens, a hanging locker, four side lockers and two shelves. The owner specified a chart table/desk with two more lockers and shore power for computers and other devices. What is difficult to describe is the fact that this area has open floor space big enough for a grown adult to really stretch out in.
Another great feature is the separate home-sized shower stall with pocket door to starboard and to port; there is a separate private head with a Raritan MSD, sink in vanity plus convenient electrical outlets, handy light switches and more. Electric dimmers – an especially luxurious touch that the owner added at considerable expense – are on almost every light. But then, it's a custom boat. You can add anything that you can dream up.
Some dreams are bigger than others. The 540 hp QSC Cummins MerCruiser engine is fantastic and the hull is more than up to handling the power, but it struck us as overkill. This is a trawler hull that will get up and plane but it would probably perform almost as well with 380 hp rather 540 (although the new owner claims a 1 mpg cruise). Nevertheless, this boat just muscles its way through the Atlantic seas throwing spray and delivering a smooth and comfortable ride.
Typical of commercial fishing boat practice, the Big Pond 42 has a single diesel engine, but the bow thruster makes docking uneventful. The hull has a substantial keel and we found that the boat tracked very well, holding a course easily and able to execute a very sharp turn. The keel helps the boat stay level when turning; we found we could really crank it around although once the galley is full of dishes and crystal, you may not want to do that.
This owner got exactly what he was looking for and you probably could too, working with the Big Pond Boat Shop on a 42 of your own. Overall, we were left with the impression that this boat "lived" more like a 50 than a 42 and the rich appointments of real American cherry wood and genuine teak make it quite an exceptional boat to be onboard. Our only caution to would-be purchasers is that you have to wait a year while your boat is built and once you set out the specifications with the builders, changes during construction could drive up the cost. Take the advice of the builders on the key points because they have the knowledge from many past boats, then stay on your plan once you have the quote you want and you can probably get your dream boat, at what could be a bargain price.