lia fail yacht

July 1, 2020

A Bright Future Ahead For Northern Marine

BACK TO NEWS

Although not a large shipyard by world standards, Northern Marine has nevertheless been a major player on the custom yachtbuilding scene since it was founded in 1995 by Richard “Bud” Lemieux. Prior to opening Northern Marine, Lemieux had built yachts and small commercial vessels for more than two decades at Delta Marine in Seattle. And he brought to the new venture his accumulated high level of expertise and dedication to producing high-quality, solidly capable seagoing yachts.

Starting with the Spirit of Zopilote, a 62-foot long range cruiser (LRC) that Northern Marine completed in 1997 for well-known TV producer Bruce Kessler, the yard successfully completed some 28 handsome and exceptionally rugged yachts, from 35 to 152 feet LOA, before it underwent a change in corporate ownership in 2006.

Many of the yachts produced during that early period were expedition yachts in the genre of some of the stout fishing trawlers that Bud had built during his Delta Marine years. However, some were significantly larger and seriously more luxurious. For example, the magnificent 152-foot globe-girdling megayacht, Lia Fail (later renamed Sorcha), was a fully qualified example of world-class luxury motor yacht construction, fit, and finish.

In 2007, the 80-foot trawler-style yacht, Julianne, won the Showboats International magazine award for Best Full-Displacement Motor Yacht Under 45 Meters. Speaking to Showboats International, owners Larry and Joan Castellani explained that they did not want big, that instead, they wanted perfection and proportion in a small package. Because they enjoyed driving their own yacht, the couple specified accommodations for a captain and wife team as the vessel’s sole crew. The result was a beautiful, rugged, and ergonomically efficient single-screw FRP world-beater that captured the SBI award that year for yachts of her size and type - clear testimony to Northern Marine’s capabilities on the world market.

Over the years, Northern Marine held a leading position in the yacht building industry out of proportion to its “size” - particularly in the development and employment of leading-edge construction technology. Northern Marine was, for instance, one of the first north American yacht builders to adopt resin-infusion composite techniques for maximizing strength-to-weight ratio hulls and superstructures. This tradition of technical development and advancement continues strong today.

Like most yacht yards in north America, Northern Marine felt the hard times wrought by the economic recession of 2007-2009, and the yard moved through a succession of ownership until, in 2011, a former Northern Marine employee assembled a team that licensed the Northern Marine brand and began building two expedition yachts at the shipyard, an 80-footer and a 90-footer, both tri-deck vessels. Unfortunately, a couple of years later, a launch accident, which had nothing to do with the design or construction quality of the 90-footer involved, slowed the yard’s post-recession recovery. Until 2015, when a Northern Marine customer, Jay Bernstein, who was having the 57-footer, Agave, built at the yard, decided to acquire a controlling interest in the company.

As an experienced yachtsman and a customer with a yacht under construction, Bernstein appreciated the huge reservoir of talent and experience that had accumulated at Northern Marine over the previous two decades. After spending time on his new yacht, which was launched in early 2017, he decided he could pilot the yard and the company forward to new heights.

Then, misfortune struck once more when Bernstein died in a freak mountain biking accident in November 2018. That, however, is not the end of the story.

Notwithstanding the obstacles and setbacks faced by Northern Marine at various points in its history, the shipyard and company amassed a record for more than forty builds, each one a prime example of her class and size, superbly constructed and deftly finished. Through several changes in ownership, the company has been able to preserve its core labor pool of highly skilled and experienced craftsmen, as well as its central design, engineering, and project management team. And therefore, when the opportunity arose to acquire the assets of the company, Peter Whiting, Managing Partner of Seattle Northwest Yachts LLC didn’t hesitate.

Whiting, a trawler yacht enthusiast and builder of the Northwest line, was already well-established on the yacht sales and brokerage scene in Anacortes. He was also long acquainted with the key members of the Northern Marine team and many of the yachts they had built. The fit looked right to him. And he understood well the advantages offered to customers by a relatively small semi-custom shipyard. So, after a period of negotiation, he and his partners in Seattle Yachts purchased the assets of Northern Marine, including the brand, the intellectual property, existing tooling for several different sizes of hulls and superstructures, the yard facility and equipment, a completed 57-footer, and one in process. Coupled with a rising demand for domestically built full displacement yachts in the 50’ to 90’ range - Northern Marine’s sweet spot - the match portends a bright future for the company going forward.

• PREVIOUS BUILDS
• NEWS AND EVENTS

...where adventure and luxury meet

• 100 TRI-DECK EXPEDITION
• 85 TRI-DECK
• 80 TRI-DECK
• 80 RAISED PILOTHOUSE
• 70 EXPEDITION YACHT
• 64 RAISED PILOTHOUSE
• 57 RAISED PILOTHOUSE
• IYBA SEARCH
• IYBA SOLD VESSELS
• IYBA BROKERS
• YATCO SEARCH
• YATCO BROKERS

310 34TH STREET, ANACORTES, WA 98221 | 360.317.6700 | [email protected] | [email protected]

Founded in 1995

Northern Marine

Pacific Northwest luxury yacht builder Northern Marine manufactures expedition yachts and superyachts from 17 to 46 metres in length.

Luxury yacht builder Northern Marine was founded in Anacortes, Washington, by entrepreneur Richard “Bud” LeMieux in 1995. From the start, the shipyard manufactured rugged, oceangoing, luxury trawler yachts, in keeping with the seafaring traditions of this Pacific Northwest port, but utilised advanced composite construction techniques to build them.

Less than a decade later, luxury yacht builder Northern Marine added superyachts to its line, including the 39.6M custom motor yacht  Magic  designed by naval architect Ward Setzer and delivered in 2005. The following year, luxury yacht builder Northern Marine was acquired by Ashton Capital Corporation.

In addition to superyacht  Magic , luxury yacht builder Northern Marine launched the 44.5M tri-deck superyacht  Lia Fail  in 2005.

In 2007, superyacht builder Northern Marine delivered the 25.76M luxury expedition yacht  Spellbound , a fine example of the shipyard’s oceangoing displacement yacht line, with a range of 5,000 nautical miles.

Yachts built by Northern Marine

Shop, Discover, Learn | Browse my Bookstore

Item added to your cart

The lia fáil - mystery screeching stone of tara brought by the tuatha dé danann.

The Lia Fáil, known as the Stone of Destiny, sits atop An Forradh (The King's Seat) at the Hill of Tara, Co. Meath, pictured here at sunset. The stone, according to legend, will cry out when the rightful king of Ireland puts his foot against it. According to the Lebor Gabála, the Book of Invasions, Lia Fáil was one of four mysterious objects brought to Ireland by the Tuatha Dé Danann.

The Tuatha Dé Danann were said to have acquired all manner of knowledge of science, druidry, the arts, prophecy and magic in four mysterious cities in the northern islands of the world. These cities were called Failias, Goirias, Findias and Muirias.

From Failias was brought the Lia Fail, which is in Temair (Tara), and which used to utter a cry under every king that should take Ireland. From Goirias was brought the spear which Lug had: battle would never go against him who had it in his hand. From Findias was brought the sword of Nuadu: no man would escape from it; when it was drawn from its battle-scabbard, there was no resisting it. From Muirias was brought the cauldron of The Dagda; no company would go from it unsatisfied.

The coming of the Tuatha Dé Danann to Ireland with these enigmatic objects is a fantastic arrival, according to Lebor Gabála.

In this wise they came, without vessels or barks, in dark clouds over the air, by the might of druidry, and they landed on a mountain of Conmaicne Rein in Connacht.

Another version suggests that they arrived in a sea expedition, and that they burned their boats after arrival.

It was owing to the fog of smoke that rose from them as they were burning that others have said that they came in a fog of smoke.

This phallic-shaped pillar known as the Lia Fáil, located on top of the mound called An Forradh, the King's Seat, is allegedly the original stone, but there are several reasons to doubt this. In medieval literature, the stone is said to have been located to the north of Duma na nGiall, the Mound of the Hostages. The present stone is said to have been erected in the 1820s by locals in memory of those who died in the area during the 1798 rebellion. P.W. Joyce, writing in The Wonders of Ireland in 1911, said that he had spoken to a gentleman 50 years previously who had been involved in erecting the stone photographed above, and that it had NOT been brought, as Petrie had suggested, from near the Mound of the Hostages, but rather that it had been found in a trench at the bottom of the Forradh, where it had apparently been lying prostrate for generations.

But Joyce goes further, and this is very interesting: "...the coronation stones used so generally by the Gaelic tribes all over Ireland and Scotland, were comparatively small and portable, like that now under the Coronation chair at Westminster which is a flag 25 inches by 15 inches by 9 inches thick. But the present pillar-stone at Tara is 12 feet long by nearly 2 feet in diameter. It would be very unsuitable for standing on during the ceremonies of installation and coronation;"

He concludes that "The present massive pillar-stone on the Forradh in Tara is not the Lia Fail." He furthermore states that: "The Lia Fail was never brought away from Ireland, but remains still in Tara, buried and hidden somewhere in the soil; probably in the position where the old writers place it, on the north side of the Mound of Hostages."

Perhaps some future archaeological probing, using remote sensing methods, or even a proper archaeological dig, will find the real Lia Fáil!

Read more about the Hill of Tara on this page.

Become a Mythical Ireland Insider

For up to date news on dramatic discoveries, magnificent monuments, and terrific tours join our newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time and we promise emails are not too frequent and they always contain something of interest and an occasional special offer.

• Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
• Opens in a new window.

SORCHA Northern Marine Co

• Inspiration

SORCHA has 11 Photos

Sorcha News

Derecktor’s Cimolai® 900 ton mobile ...

Similar yachts.

PROMETHEUS I | From EUR€ 130,000/wk

• Yachts >
• All Yachts >
• All Motor Yachts Over 100ft/30m >

If you have any questions about the SORCHA information page below please contact us .

A Summary of Motor Yacht SORCHA

The generous superyacht SORCHA is a motor yacht. This 45 m (146 foot) luxury yacht was developed by Northern Marine in 2005. SORCHA was formerly named 2; Opus, Lia Fail. Superyacht SORCHA is a grand yacht that can accommodate as many as 10 passengers on board and has a total of 9 professional crew. This balanced motor yacht has been envisaged by naval architects Setzer Design Group and Stuart Archer. Setzer Design Group undertook the interior design and styling.

Motor yacht Sorcha is a resin infused composite superyacht as designed by the famed naval architect Ward Setzer and built by the legendary craftsmen in the Pacific Northwest. The superyacht merges contemporary and classic design. She is constructed with a full displacement hull and wide 29'5" beam that allows for an 8' draft. Her 15,235 gallon fuel capacity enables a range of over 4,000 nautical miles. Her twin 3512B Caterpillar diesels engines push her at a 10 knots cruise speed. M/Y Sorcha's composite construction provides significant weight, structural, insulating and acoustical advantages when compared to other yacht building materials like metal.

Shipyard Work & Design with respect to Luxury Yacht SORCHA

The yacht's wider design collaboration came from Setzer Design Group and Stuart Archer. The technical naval architect intellectual property are a work of Setzer Design Group. Motor Yacht SORCHA received her elegant interior designing from the interior design company of Setzer Design Group. Built at Northern Marine the yacht was built in the yacht producing country of the United States. She was successfully launched in Anacortes Wa in 2005 before being handed over to the owner. Her hull was constructed with composite. The motor yacht main superstructure is made for the most part with composite. With a beam of 8.7 m / 28.5 feet SORCHA has spacious size. A reasonably shallow draught of 2.23m (7.3ft) determines the amount of ports she can berth in, contingent on their particular depth at low tide.

M/Y SORCHA Engineering & Speeds:

She is powered with two agile CATERPILLAR diesel engine(s) and can drive at a comparatively good max speed underway of approximately 16 knots. The main engine of the yacht generates 1200 horse power (or 883 kilowatts). Her total HP is 2400 HP and her total Kilowatts are 1766. Her propulsion units are twin screw propellers.

Superyacht SORCHA Has The Following Accommodation:

Having volume for a limit of 10 welcome guests sleeping aboard, the SORCHA accommodates everyone luxuriously. The boat has room for circa 9 professional crewmembers to maintain and sail.

A List of the Specifications of the SORCHA:

Miscellaneous Yacht Details

On Sept 2009 SORCHA cruised Dania Beach, in United States. SORCHA has traveled the area encompassing Broward County during October 2009. Her deck material is predominantly a teak deck.

SORCHA Disclaimer:

The luxury yacht SORCHA displayed on this page is merely informational and she is not necessarily available for yacht charter or for sale, nor is she represented or marketed in anyway by CharterWorld. This web page and the superyacht information contained herein is not contractual. All yacht specifications and informations are displayed in good faith but CharterWorld does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the current accuracy, completeness, validity, or usefulness of any superyacht information and/or images displayed. All boat information is subject to change without prior notice and may not be current.

Quick Enquiry

IL SOLE | From EUR€ 125,000/wk

LOTUS | From EUR€ 125,000/wk

SECRET LIFE | From EUR€ 100,000/wk

NORDIC TUGS

NORTHERN MARINE

BULLFROG BOATS

MY YACHT WORTH?

• USED YACHTS

FEATURED LISTINGS

YACHTS BY BUILDER

YACHTS BY LOCATION

YACHTS BY TYPE

WHY LIST WITH US

• BUYING A TRAWLER YACHT
• TRAWLER BOAT BUYER'S GUIDE

FT LAUDERDALE

MARINA DEL REY

SAN FRANCISCO BAY

VICTORIA B.C.

• SERVICE - PNW

FLOTILLA EVENTS

SEATTLE SAILING ACADEMY

• JOIN OUR TEAM

Northern Marine Sees Bright Future Ahead

Although not a large shipyard by world standards, Northern Marine has nevertheless been a major player on the custom yachtbuilding scene since it was founded in 1995 by Richard “Bud” Lemieux. Prior to opening Northern Marine, Lemieux had built yachts and small commercial vessels for more than two decades at Delta Marine in Seattle. And he brought to the new venture his accumulated high level of expertise and dedication to producing high-quality, solidly capable seagoing yachts.

Starting with the Spirit of Zopilote, a 62-foot long range cruiser (LRC) that Northern Marine completed in 1997 for well-known TV producer Bruce Kessler, the yard successfully completed some 28 handsome and exceptionally rugged yachts, from 35 to 152 feet LOA, before it underwent a change in corporate ownership in 2006.

(Seen below: The Spirit of Zopilote cruises in front of the Statue Of Liberty.)

Many of the yachts produced during that early period were expedition yachts in the genre of some of the stout fishing trawlers that Bud had built during his Delta Marine years. However, some were significantly larger and seriously more luxurious. For example, the magnificent 152-foot globe-girdling megayacht, Lia Fail (later renamed Sorcha), was a fully qualified example of world-class luxury motor yacht construction, fit, and finish.

In 2007, the 80-foot trawler-style yacht, Julianne, won the Showboats International magazine award for Best Full-Displacement Motor Yacht Under 45 Meters. Speaking to Showboats International, owners Larry and Joan Castellani explained that they did not want big, that instead, they wanted perfection and proportion in a small package. Because they enjoyed driving their own yacht, the couple specified accommodations for a captain and wife team as the vessel’s sole crew. The result was a beautiful, rugged, and ergonomically efficient single-screw FRP world-beater that captured the SBI award that year for yachts of her size and type - clear testimony to Northern Marine’s capabilities on the world market.

Over the years, Northern Marine held a leading position in the yacht building industry out of proportion to its “size” - particularly in the development and employment of leading-edge construction technology. Northern Marine was, for instance, one of the first north American yacht builders to adopt resin-infusion composite techniques for maximizing strength-to-weight ratio hulls and superstructures. This tradition of technical development and advancement continues strong today.

Like most yacht yards in north America, Northern Marine felt the hard times wrought by the economic recession of 2007-2009, and the yard moved through a succession of ownership until, in 2011, a former Northern Marine employee assembled a team that licensed the Northern Marine brand and began building two expedition yachts at the shipyard, an 80-footer and a 90-footer, both tri-deck vessels. Unfortunately, a couple of years later, a launch accident, which had nothing to do with the design or construction quality of the 90-footer involved, slowed the yard’s post-recession recovery. Until 2015, when a Northern Marine customer, Jay Bernstein, who was having the 57-footer, Agave , built at the yard, decided to acquire a controlling interest in the company.

(Seen below: "AGAVE" is currently listed for sale with Seattle Yachts.)

As an experienced yachtsman and a customer with a yacht under construction, Bernstein appreciated the huge reservoir of talent and experience that had accumulated at Northern Marine over the previous two decades. After spending time on his new yacht, which was launched in early 2017, he decided he could pilot the yard and the company forward to new heights.

Then, misfortune struck once more when Bernstein died in a freak mountain biking accident in November 2018. That, however, is not the end of the story.

Notwithstanding the obstacles and setbacks faced by Northern Marine at various points in its history, the shipyard and company amassed a record for more than forty builds, each one a prime example of her class and size, superbly constructed and deftly finished. Through several changes in ownership, the company has been able to preserve its core labor pool of highly skilled and experienced craftsmen, as well as its central design, engineering, and project management team. And therefore, when the opportunity arose to acquire the assets of the company, Peter Whiting , Managing Partner of Seattle Northwest Yachts LLC didn’t hesitate.

Whiting, a trawler yacht enthusiast and builder of the Northwest line, was already well-established on the yacht sales and brokerage scene in Anacortes. He was also long acquainted with the key members of the Northern Marine team and many of the yachts they had built. The fit looked right to him. And he understood well the advantages offered to customers by a relatively small semi-custom shipyard. So, after a period of negotiation, he and his partners in Seattle Yachts purchased the assets of Northern Marine, including the brand, the intellectual property, existing tooling for several different sizes of hulls and superstructures, the yard facility and equipment, a completed 57-footer, and one in process. Coupled with a rising demand for domestically built full displacement yachts in the 50’ to 90’ range - Northern Marine’s sweet spot - the match portends a bright future for the company going forward.

Also read: Northern Marine Is Back! By: Bill Parlatore

Annapolis Powerboat Show 2024

View Article 

Nimbus Boats Featured At Trawlerfest Baltimore 2024

Nyba fall boats afloat show 2024, san diego international boat show 2024, california yacht club open house & boat show, anacortes boat and yacht show featuring trawlerfest 2024, pacific sail and power boat show 2024, annapolis marine industry spring open house, seattle yacht sales.

• Find A Yacht Broker San Diego
• Yachts For Sale Seattle
• Shilshole Yacht Sales
• Anacortes Boat Dealers
• Cruising Boats Fort Lauderdale

New Boats & Yachts

• American Tug 395 For Sale
• Legacy Yacht Sales
• Tartan Sailboats For Sale
• Alaskan Yachts
• Hampton 700MY
• Endurance Yachts In Florida

Used Boats & Yachts

• Yachts in West Palm
• Selene Yachts
• Ocean Alexander 72 For Sale
• Nordhavn 47
• Fleming Yachts

OFFICE LOCATIONS

Pacific northwest.

Shilshole Marina

7001 Seaview Ave NW, Suite 150 Seattle, WA 98117

ANACORTES - SALES

Cap Sante Marina

1019 Q Avenue, Suite A&B

Anacortes, WA 98221

ANACORTES - SERVICE

Marine Parts / Service Center

2915 W Avenue

Sun Harbor Marina

5060 N Harbor Dr, Suite 155 San Diego, CA 92106

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

Marina Village Yacht Harbor

1070 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 109 Alameda, CA 94501

MARINA DEL REY, CA

Marina del Rey

13900 Marquesas Way, Suite 6002 Marina del Rey, CA 90292

FORT LAUDERDALE

Fort Lauderdale

1535 SE 17th St, Suite #103B Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

Safe Harbour Old Port Cove

116 Lakeshore Dr. North Palm Beach, FL. 33408

Annapolis Harbor

7350 Edgewood Road Annapolis, MD 21403

International

Philippines.

Virtual Brokerage Office

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Conservation and Philanthropy
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• BOATPro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

Northern Marine

Pacific Northwest luxury yacht builder Northern Marine manufactures expedition yachts and superyachts from 17 to 46 metres in length.

History of Northern Marine

Luxury yacht builder Northern Marine was founded in Anacortes, Washington, by entrepreneur Richard “Bud” LeMieux in 1995. From the start, the shipyard manufactured rugged, oceangoing, luxury trawler yachts, in keeping with the seafaring traditions of this Pacific Northwest port, but utilised advanced composite construction techniques to build them.

Less than a decade later, luxury yacht builder Northern Marine added superyachts to its line, including the 39.6M custom motor yacht Magic designed by naval architect Ward Setzer and delivered in 2005. The following year, luxury yacht builder Northern Marine was acquired by Ashton Capital Corporation.

Notable Northern Marine Yachts

In addition to superyacht Magic , luxury yacht builder Northern Marine launched the 44.5M tri-deck superyacht Lia Fail in 2005. Custom luxury motor yacht Lia Fail also features engineering and interior design by Setzer Design Group .

In 2007, superyacht builder Northern Marine delivered the 25.76M luxury expedition yacht Spellbound , a fine example of the shipyard’s oceangoing displacement yacht line, with a range of 5,000 nautical miles.

Specialisations of Northern Marine Yachts

Luxury yacht builder Northern Marine’s specialities include advanced composite construction of expedition yachts and superyachts, and commercial fishing vessels.

RELATED ARTICLES

Yachts for charter

Yacht Features

Propulsion System

Find anything, super fast.

• Destinations
• Documentaries

We don't have any additional photos of this yacht. Do you?

Motor Yacht

Luxury motor yacht Magic, built in 2004 by American shipyard Northern Marine, sees a contemporary departure for the company who usually builds heavy, trawler-style vessels. With a fibreglass hull and superstructure she features interior and exterior design by Setzer Design Group. This elegant vessel measures 39.62 metres and can accommodate up to 10 guests.

Motor yacht Magic was the largest built by Northern Marine at her launch although she has since been succeeded by the 46 metre Lia Fail. Owners Merlin and Carolyn Hanson requested she be created to reflect a high-speed vessel with a displacement hull easily used in shallow waters. To accommodate this request the luxury vessel was designed with a 6' 10" shallow draft ideal for island cruising, and she is powered by MTU 12V-2000's with 1480 horsepower that ensure she is both economical and high-performing.

The super yacht is spread over three decks and her layout ensures extensive space is created for all staterooms as well as focusing on generous inside and outdoor public areas. The interior is a reflection of the traditional yachts of the 1930s, using timeless details like fluted columns and intricate mouldings to set-off satin-finished raised-panel mahogany. The interior design is highly personalized, featuring significant input by Carolyn Hanson and a handpicked group of stylists.

On the main deck can be found a large sheltered aft deck lounge that connects to the main salon through sliding glass doors. The formal dining salon is also located on this level, serviced by a large and well-equipped gourmet galley. Besides the guest accommodation, the lower deck also houses a guest laundry room and a large walk-in luggage locker tucked neatly beneath the curved staircase descending from the main-deck foyer.

Designed with entertainment in mind, motor yacht Magic’s exterior spaces are a highlight of her design. Particularly noteworthy is the open sun deck fitted with bar/grill area and a large spa tub. The bridge deck is accessed via a stairway that delivers guests to a lobby equipped with a dayhead and dumbwaiter service area. Aft can be found the bridge deck lounge; a covered space boasting lounging cushions and teak decking.

Amongst her five cabins are an indulgent owner’s suite; two King staterooms; one Queen stateroom; and one double/twin cabin. Located forward on the main deck, the full-beam owner’s suite features a generous walk-in dressing room, laundry room, and a private bathroom with Jacuzzi. A neat office connects the suite to the entrance lobby. The two King staterooms are located aft on the lower deck, while the two remaining guest suites are found forward. Each includes marble en suite baths.

Featuring a dedicated crew, Magic cruises comfortably at 15 knots while her crew of seven under the direction of Captain Dave Ober ensure the needs of every guest are met.

Motor yacht Magic is an award winning vessel, winning the 2005 Pacific Northwest Superyacht Society Design Award.

• Yacht Builder Northern Marine Co No profile available
• Naval Architect Setzer Design Group No profile available
• Exterior Designer Setzer Design Group No profile available

Yacht Specs

Other northern marine co yachts, related news.

The Lia Fail or Coronation Stone of Tara

The third of Tara's wonders was the Lia Fail or Coronation Stone, on which the ancient kings were crowned; and the wonder of this was that it uttered a shout whenever a king of the true Scotic or Irish race stood or sat on it. [1] And it was from this stone that Ireland received the old poetical name of Inisfail, that is, the Island of the (Lia) Fail.

According to the old legend, the Dedannans brought the Lia Fail, along with certain other precious and marvellous objects, from Lochlann or Scandinavia, where they had sojourned for some time before they came to Ireland. And they placed it in Tara where it was used as a coronation stone, not only by the Dedannans, but also by the Milesian colony who conquered them.

If we are to believe the testimony of certain Scottish writers, this famous stone, after having been removed from Ireland, made a great figure in later ages in Scotland and England. But the story of its removal has been examined by Dr. Petrie , who shows that it is flatly contradicted by native Irish authorities; that it is nothing better than a fabrication; and that the Lia Fail was never removed from Tara at all.

It is a historical fact accepted on all hands that in the year of our Lord 503 and the following years the western part of Scotland was conquered by a colony of Irishmen, or Scots as they were then called, from the territory of Dalriada in the north of Antrim, led by Fergus, Angus, and Lorne, the sons of a chief named Erc.

So far we have true history. But the Scottish narrative tells us that Fergus caused the Lia Fail to be brought over to Alban (Scotland), with the consent of the king of Ireland, and had himself crowned on it.

For there was—the story goes on to say—an ancient prophecy, that into whatsoever land the Lia Fail was brought, there a prince of the Scotic or Irish race should reign. This prophecy is given by the Scottish writer, Hector Boece, in a Latin couplet:—

Ni fallat fatum, Scoti quoteunque locatum

Invenient lapidem regnare tenenter ibidem;

the sense of which is conveyed well enough in the following translation:—

If fate tells truth, where'er this stone is found,

A prince of Scotic race shall there be crowned.

And on account of this prophecy it is said to have received the name of “Lia Fail,” which, according to these authorities, means the “Stone of Destiny” ; but the word Fal , when examined critically, will bear no such interpretation.

Fergus's reason, then, for having himself crowned on the stone, was, in order that the prophecy might be fulfilled, and that his claim to the new kingdom might be acknowledged without dispute. For the Scottish people were merely a branch of the Irish, and had the same superstitions and legends.

It remained in Alban and was kept at Scone till the thirteenth century, when Edward I. took it by force and brought it away to England, where it now lies under the seat of the coronation chair in Westminster.

That the stone now in Westminster was brought by Edward from Scone, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Alban, where it had been used as a coronation stone by the Alban Scots—of all this there can be no question; and so far, Mr. Skene, the latest and best and most clear-headed writer on Scottish history, traces it, but no farther. But that the coronation stone of Scone is not the Lia Fail will appear quite plain from a short examination of authorities.

The story of the removal of the Lia Fail to Scotland rests entirely on the authority of the Scottish historians.

The oldest Scottish document to which it can be traced is the Rhythmical Chronicle, written it is believed at the close of the thirteenth century, from which it was borrowed later on by the two Scottish writers, John of Fordun and Hector Boece, and incorporated by both in their chronicles—those chronicles which are now universally rejected as fable.

Our own countryman Geoffrey Keating , writing his history of Ireland in the seventeenth century, adopted the story after Boece (whom he gives as his authority for the prophecy); and it has been repeated by most other writers of Irish history since his time.

But in no Irish authority before the time of Keating is there any mention either of the removal of the stone, or of the prophecy concerning it. If Keating had found either or both in any old Irish authority he would have been only too glad to mention so.

Why it was that this fable was invented, and why Keating adopted it, though he found it in none of his own native authorities—the motive of all this is plain enough. It was about the time when the Rhythmical Chronicle was put together that the dispute began touching the respective claims of the Scottish and English kings to the throne of Scotland, in which figure the great names of Wallace and Bruce; and the old Scottish writers invented the story about the removal of the Lia Fail and the prophecy concerning it, in order to strengthen the claim of the Scottish kings, all of whom had been crowned on the Scone stone, which according to this invented account was the Lia Fail itself.

For a like reason, Keating and other Irish writers eagerly caught up the same story, since according to their ideas it proved the right of their favourite monarchs, the Stuarts, to the throne—the Stuarts being descended from the Irish kings.

Indeed Keating says what amounts to this when he affirms that “the prophecy of the stone has been fulfilled in our present King Charles and in his father James who both descend from the race of the Scots, since they were crowned kings of England [at Westminster] on the aforesaid stone.”

[1] Stones that uttered various sounds—even speech.—are sometimes mentioned in old Irish tales, just as we read about the Vocal Memnon, the colossal statue in Egypt, which uttered musical sounds when it received the rays of the rising sun. See "Cloghlowrish," the "Speaking Stone" in my "Irish Names of Places," vol. ii., and "The Voyage of Bran," by Dr. Kuno Meyer, vol. i.,p. 10, verses 17, 18, and p. 39, note 17.

• THE PRINCESS PASSPORT
• Email Newsletter
• Yacht Walkthroughs
• Destinations
• Electronics
• Boating Safety
• Ultimate Boat Giveaway

Made to Order

• By John Wooldridge
• Updated: October 4, 2007

The history of luxury yacht building in the Pacific Northwest is writ large on the waters of the world. From this corner of North America, yachts are launched monthly that are capable of making long coastal passages and transoceanic voyages. The level of design, engineering and construction ranges from yard to yard, but suffice it to say that to build a thriving yacht business in this part of the world requires superb planning, precise execution and detailed follow-through. Fortunately for us, the Pacific Northwest is home to a tradition of boatbuilding excellence that reaches back to the days of wooden sailing ships, and carries forward into the craftsmen who build today’s modern yachts. The builders covered below are some of the best-known names in this region, and they are known throughout the world for their superior yachts. This is not a comprehensive list of Pacific Northwest yacht builders, to be sure, but it is an overview of the companies you might want to explore as you begin your search for your next custom yacht.

Delta Marine

Located just south of Seattle, Delta’s 18-acre shipyard offers a dramatic Pacific Northwest backdrop and a thriving urban center that their custom luxury yacht customers appreciate. Starting in the early 1960s, their yard on the Duwamish River built a worldwide reputation first for seaworthy fishing vessels destined for Alaskan waters. Since 1980, their focus has been on luxury yachts. The majority of Delta’s new designs are composite, although they also have experience in aluminum builds. Their Refit & Repair division draws on the expertise of the Delta Design Group, as well as craftsmen well versed in multiple systems and materials.

Delta’s new 163-foot project, designed for an owner whose passion for underwater exploration is equal to his love of yachting, is a testament to the customization the company can offer. A helicopter landing pad, two 6,000-pound cranes and two 24-foot tenders are accommodated on deck. There are two elevators serving four decks of living and entertaining areas, one of which serves the crow’s nest. Twin Cat 3508s provide propulsion for this 163-foot-long composite expedition yacht, which has a 30-foot, 8-inch beam. Delta designed, engineered and fabricated the entire package, including soft-mounted engines and a rubber- bushing system that isolates the interior accommodations from the yacht’s structure. A movie-editing suite, full dive shop, sophisticated sonar and bottom mapping systems are just a few of the highlights.

Contact: Delta Marine, (206) 763-2383; www.deltamarine.com .

Christensen Shipyards

Maintaining their reputation for high-quality certified composite motor- yachts, this well-regarded Vancouver, Washington, builder of superyachts has just delivered Hull 027, another of its popular 157 Series, to a yachtsman who has owned two previous Christensen designs. Coincidentally, it will be offered by Christensen soon after delivery, as the owner has now committed to Hull 034. Twin 1,800-hp MTU/DDC 12V4000 M60 engines push the 29-foot, 6-inch, beam hull to a top speed of 17.5 knots. It has a long-range cruising capability of 4,500 nautical miles. The exterior profile is by CSL, who are also available for interior design if an outside design firm is not desired. Sound engineering is by Van Cappellen.

The Christensen shipyard, which boasts a 160,000-square-foot climate-controlled manufacturing space and a seven-acre marina, will soon have a new 50,000-square-foot facility for the manufacture of composite infused parts, plus a 70-foot-high yacht outfitting area. This adds important capacity to the existing nine large manufacturing and assembly bays, one of which houses an expandable mold for hulls from 100 to 165 feet. A clean environment is maintained in one fully enclosed bay for coating yacht exteriors. On-site metal, wood, cabinet and paint shops, as well as electrical and upholstery departments, provide quality work throughout the construction process. Christensen’s dry dock can accommodate yachts up to 350 tons.

Contact: Christensen Shipyards, (360) 695-3238; www.christensenyachts.com .

NorthStar Yachts

Third-generation boatbuilder Jerry Clark and his staff are well known for the luxury cruising motoryachts they build, ranging from a 74 pilothouse to a 105-foot trideck. A new 112-foot raised pilothouse is on the drawing table. The yard is located in Kalama, Washington, on the Columbia River, a region well regarded for its experienced craftsmen. NorthStar builds composite designs from the boards of Ed Monk Jr. and Jack Sarin, but the latest design, an 80-foot sportfishing yacht called El Lobo, is from Howard Apollonia.

Built for the owner of a 100-footer by the same name, El Lobo is a lightweight, precisely engineered motoryacht built to ABS High Speed Craft standards that aims to fulfill the needs of a serious sportfishing enthusiast who loves to roam the world. Twin 2,000-hp MTU 16V2000s are predicted to hit 34-knot top speeds and cruise comfortably at 30 knots, drawing on 3,600 gallons of fuel. Plans show an enclosed flying bridge with skylounge, a large mezzanine deck with seating for spectators, a full-beam master with king-size berth plus his-and-hers heads, and three guest cabins with queen-size berths and en suite heads. A well-appointed galley and adjacent dining area are forward of the saloon.

Contact: Generation Marine, (954) 321-1457; www.generationmarine.com , or www.northstaryachts.com .

LeClercq Marine

This Seattle, Washington-based builder has produced over 400 vessels of all kinds from their five-acre Lake Union yard over the years, and maintains an active retrofit and repair business. But the big news around the LeClercq yard these days revolves around two new projects: an 82-foot custom performance cruiser and a 92-foot Yachtfisher designed with Jack Sarin Naval Architects and the experienced owner’s input.

The new 82 is a stylish, high-performance cruiser built strong and light, with four staterooms on the lower deck, plus two private crew staterooms aft with their own galley and head. The builder expects twin 1,100-hp Detroit DDC 12V92s to produce 28-knot max speeds and 25-knot cruising speeds. Measuring 82 feet overall, and 18 feet, 6 inches, on the beam, the 80,000-pound LeClercq 82 draws only 4 feet, 6 inches, so it should be comfortable in relatively shallow cruising areas. The builder plans to offer this design in 76-, 86- and 90-foot overall lengths.

The 92 takes LeClercq in an entirely new direction which, in this case, is fast fishing. Twin 4,000-hp MTU 16V2000 engines provide power for the semi-displacement, moderate-V Sarin design, which measures 100 feet overall, nearly 23 feet on the beam, and draws 6 feet. The 92 has an aluminum hull and a cored-fiberglass superstructure, with a large crane on the foredeck to launch the shore boat or a PWC. The fishing-enthusiast owner specified a separate freezer, fishbox and bait freezer in the cockpit, with adjacent lanai deck seating for those who would rather watch and relax.

Contact: LeClercq Marine, (206) 283-8555; www.leclercqmarine.com .

Westport Yachts

Westport currently builds yachts of 98, 112 and 130 feet in their yards at Hoquiam and Westport, Washington. At their new facility in Port Angeles, the first 164-foot trideck is moving quickly toward completion.

Sold out since the first one was launched in 2001, the five-stateroom Westport 130 features a large saloon that opens aft to a covered California deck, a main-deck master stateroom, plus four guest staterooms on the lower deck. Completely equipped for navigation and communication, the upper level pilothouse includes an adjacent settee where guests can relax and enjoy the ride, as well as a skylounge aft with bar. The skylounge provides access to the boat deck with tender and hydraulic davit, plus the hot tub, dual lounges, sunpad and a full-service bar. Twin 2,735-hp MTU 12V4000 diesels develop mid-20-knot cruise speeds. The 130 has quarters forward for a crew of eight, plus an engineer’s stateroom aft.

The new 164 trideck features an advanced William Garden hull design and an interior designed by Don Starkey. Following ideas advanced in the 130, the 164 has the full-beam master suite forward, a large formal dining room and the saloon aft which opens on a large overhead-protected aft deck. Tenders are housed in a swim-platform-level garage. There’s a full bar and hot tub on the expansive flying bridge for owners and guests. Interestingly, there’s also a top-deck VIP suite with a private sundeck.

Contact: Westport Yachts, (360) 268-1800; www.westportyachts.com .

Nordlund Boat Company

When Norm and Phyllis Nordlund joined forces with Walt Silva in 1958 to form the Nordlund Boat Company in Tacoma, Washington, wooden yachts were at their zenith and the company quickly gained a reputation for high-quality custom building. Sons Paul and Gary, and daughter Karen, eventually joined the business and in the transition to fiberglass during the 1970s helped the company make the shift into new technologies. As the size of new custom boats continued to grow, Nordlund kept pace, but their interior work garnered a significant share of attention in the world-wide marketplace.

In late 2003, the company launched Fantasma, a 94-foot trilevel design with an enclosed bridge and a California deck from the board of Ed Monk Jr. and the firm Edwin Monk & Son. Tim Nolan Marine Design supplied the structural specifics, but the interior and exterior were all Nordlund Boat. The owner, who previously owned a 63-foot pilothouse built by Nordlund, keeps the boat in Southern California, and has plans to cruise the coast of Mexico this winter and the East Coast next year. Work has already started on a 114-foot yacht fisherman.

Contact: Nordlund Boat Company, (253) 627-0605; www.nordlundboat.com .

McQueen Yachts

One of the pioneers of yacht building in the Vancouver, British Columbia- area, George McQueen began building 28-foot custom yachts in 1952, using skills honed in the wooden, commercial boatbuilding trades in the late 1930s. In the 1950s he began building wooden yachts designed by Ed Monk Sr. as his customers’ needs grew. His son Doug joined the business and George retired in 1982. McQueen Yachts began building Ed Monk Jr.- designed fiberglass yachts in 1984, and has produced over 50 luxury yachts that are 70 feet long and larger. From the 28-footers of the early 1950s to the 115-foot Hotei, McQueen has built designs that range from the very simple to the most extravagant.

The 90-foot Crosser, built for a Southern California client who wanted to circumnavigate, is a noteworthy example. She was, in fact, the largest yacht that completed the Nordhavn Atlantic Rally last summer, and is currently cruising in the Med. The complex electronics specified by the owner dictated the need on site for an audio engineer and audio video technician-a demand McQueen was able to fulfill. Mechanical and electrical systems in the engineroom and machinery spaces were installed with ease of maintenance in mind. Interior joinerwork is of the highest quality.

Contact: McQueen Yachts, (604) 325-4544; www.mcqueenyachts.com .

Northcoast Yachts

When Steven Yadvish founded Yachtfish Marine on the shores of Seattle’s Lake Union 14 years ago to offer custom yacht manufacturing, repair and restoration services to Pacific Northwest owners, he could not have forseen the opportunity that presented itself in the summer of 2003. With the purchase of Northcoast Yachts in Tacoma, Washington, Yadvish acquired a company with a fine reputation, talented workforce and excellent facilities to produce a full line of custom motoryachts ranging from 85 to 132 feet. Northcoast designer Paul Fredrickson began updating the line, which he characterizes as “classic American design lacking “elliptical windows or curved staircases.

The new 85 motoryacht is a perfect example, an all-composite yacht with a four-stateroom layout that can be crewed or owner operated. Twin V-12 diesels give the 85 a top speed of 28 knots and a cruise speed of 24 knots. Her 3,000-gallon fuel tankage supports a 1,500-mile cruising range. Wide side decks make it easy for the crew to move around without disturbing the owner and guests. An extended flying bridge deck provides good cover for the cockpit and fore-and-aft storage for the shore boat. Entertainment topside is supported by twin curved settees, Corian tables, and a full outdoor kitchen.

Contact: Northcoast Yachts, (206) 953-9030; www.northcoastyachts.com .

Northern Marine

Located in Anacortes, Washington, gateway to the San Juan Islands, Northern Marine has been building custom yachts up to 160 feet since 1995. The 130-foot trideck Magic was launched this year and is on her way to the East Coast. She will soon be followed by the 150-foot Lia Fail and a 144-foot trideck that is the first of a series of Cerulean motoryachts from designer Jonathan Quinn Barnett.

But Northern Marine is also well known for its series of Expedition trawler yachts, ranging in size from 57 to 98 feet in length. The yard gained acclaim for its launch of Spirit of Zopilote for Bruce and Joan Kessler in 1996. In 2003, the 78-foot Endurance joined two other sister ships from Northern’s 8000 series, and cruised British Columbia and Alaska. With a 4,200-gallon fuel capacity, a big Cummins K19M power plant and a 4,000-nautical-mile range, the list of possible destinations seems endless. Last year, three 57-footers-Sarava, Timberwolf and Raven-cruised the Pacific Northwest together, pausing in Poulsbo, Washington, for the annual Trawlerfest.

Contact: Northern Marine, (360) 299-8400 (yard), (954) 316-6008 (sales); www.northernmarine.com .

West Bay SonShip Yachts

When Bernardus Vermeulen and his wife Leidy arrived from the Netherlands in 1959, Vancouver, British Columbia, was their intended new home. Ben Vermeulen opened a boatbuilding business in 1967 in nearby Delta, B.C., and thus began the legend of West Bay SonShip Yachts. Well known for their SonShip 58, with more than 75 launched, the company also builds boats measuring 64, 68, 78, 87 and 103 feet in length. Vacuum bag resin infusion techniques are employed in the hulls, as are fiberglass knit fabrics, CoreCell structural foams and isophthalic resins. Interior joinery is typically mahogany, oak or American cherry. West Bay maintains an in-house design staff using computerized design and engineering tools.

The newest design from West Bay is the SonShip 50 Pilothouse, designed by their in-house team and Gregory C. Marshall Naval Architects. Twin 503-hp Caterpillar C-9 diesels should push the modified-V SonShip 50 with its shallow keel and prop tunnels to a 24-knot top speed and 20-knot cruising speed. Twin 700-hp Cat C-12s are available. The standard layout includes two staterooms, with an optional third cabin. Walk-around side decks and molded stairs to the flying bridge, which is extended over the aft cockpit for protection, are notable exterior details.

Contact: West Bay SonShip Yachts, (604) 946-6226; www.west-bay.com .

Pacific Mariner

Pacific Mariner 65 owners who asked the company for a larger yacht saw the first Pacific Mariner 85 launched in December, 2004. The 85 is an all-composite pilothouse motoryacht combining a William Garden hull with exterior styling and interior accommodations by Gregory C. Marshall. Twin 1,480-hp diesels will propel the 85 to mid-20-knot cruising speeds, while two Northern Lights will provide electrical service away from land. Stairways connect the swim platform to the large California deck, which leads into a large saloon with separate dining area. Similar to the arrangement on the 65, the galley and a dinette adjoin the pilothouse helm so that guests can enjoy the yacht in any weather.

Although it can accommodate a professional crew, the design brief for the 85 intends the yacht for owner operation, and includes necessary equipment like warping capstans aft and a hydraulic bow thruster to ease docking and maneuvering chores. The layout includes four staterooms with en suite heads, including the full-beam master, which has its own private entrance, dressing table/desk, and settee.

Contact: Pacific Mariner, (360) 466-1189; www.pacificmariner.com .

San Juan composites

Partners Donald Campbell and Randy McCurdy formed San Juan Composites in May of 1998 to design and build high-end composite yachts that would take advantage of all the latest technologies-five-axis CNC tooling production, vacuum-assisted resin infusion, Corecell cored laminates throughout the structure-yet finished with megayacht-level mechanical and electrical systems, as well as custom cabinetry and joinerwork. Their first vessel, the lobster-boat styled San Juan 38, was an immediate hit with discerning yachtsmen who wanted a luxury yacht unlike most others on the market. The San Juan 48, designed with Gregory C. Marshall Naval Architects and built following ABS guidelines, followed this year to rave reviews. The view from the bridge deck is spectacular through a glass bulkhead aft, with plenty of room for guests. The two-cabin layout is as functional as it is beautiful for a family of four. Twin 825-hp Detroit Diesel Series 60 electronic diesels produce cruising speeds that range from 15 to 35 knots. Joystick control of the bow and stern thrusters, in conjunction with Detroit Diesel controls, lets the owner maneuver easily Coming next June: A new 30. n Contact: San Juan Composites, (360) 299-3790; www.sanjuan38.com .

• More: Yachts
• More Yachts

Sunseeker Predator 75 Reviewed

Meet the Emissions-Free Colombo 25 Super Indios E

Offshore Fishing Boats and Insurance Prices

Discover the Princess Yachts Y95

For Sale: Prestige 620 Fly

For Sale: Viking 45 Open

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

• Vessels: 209892
• Vacancies: 97
• Registered: 65405

SORCHA , IMO 9356787

• Current position
• Certificates

World’s fastest growing seamen employment service!

• Apply for a vacancy (updated daily) Vacancy list
• How does it work? Learn more
• Receive job opportunities by email
• CHIEF OFFICER
• SECOND OFFICER
• THIRD OFFICER
• FOURTH OFFICER
• TRAINEE OFFICER
• ABLE SEAMAN
• ORDINARY SEAMAN
• SAND BLASTER
• CHIEF ENGINEER
• SECOND ENGINEER
• THIRD ENGINEER
• FOURTH ENGINEER
• TRAINEE ENGINEER
• ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
• GAS ENGINEER
• REEF ENGINEER
• ELECTRICIAN
• TRAINEE ELECTRICIAN
• MOTORMAN/OILER
• MOTORMAN GRADE 2/WIPER
• ELECTRONIC OFFICER
• SUPERINTENDENT
• ENGINE CADET
• ELECTRICAL CADET
• CHIEF STEWARD (-ESS)
• STEWARD (-ESS)
• WAITER (-RESS)
• MESS MAID/BOY
• JUNIOR OFFICER
• CRANE OPERATOR

Upload vessel photos

Add to block list

Delete note.

Do you really want to delete this note?

Add to a vacancy

E-mail: [email protected]

Mega Yachts

By the time I went to the delayed Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show, the deer hunting season was already noticeably underway here in Maine. Maybe that’s why I started thinking of the megayacht bridges I toured in terms of trophy racks, the morBe screens—or antler points—the more noteworthy. By that standard, Lia Fail’s powerful five-display glass bridge was almost ho-hum compared to the amazing nine-screen rack decorating the pilothouse of the tri-decker Janie. For megayacht gawkers like me, and maybe some owners too, it’s oh-so tempting to focus on the tech glitz. I had to pinch myself to remember that I was after other game, that I was trying to figure out what’s to be learned from installing and managing mega-complex electronics systems like these.

But, heck, first let’s enjoy the glitz a bit. The captain of Lia Fail can use his two 23 inch and three 18 inch screens to monitor the output of two Furuno black box radars plus numerous on board cameras and three dedicated computers, one each for Nobeltec and Transas charting systems and one for the extensive SiMON monitoring system. Each screen has at least two input choices, and everything is controlled via neatly labeled buttons, infrared mice, and/or touch screen commands. Various smaller screens apprise him of depth and wind, stabilizer and engine status, etc. and dead center are the ship-style gyro-guided autopilot and multiple steering modes (the little wheel backs up the big one) that let him handle the beast. Of course there are also radio, intercom, and phone communications near at hand, and back aft, over the skipper’s finely varnished desk, is a wall full of GMDSS-level long-range distress alarming and weather gathering tools. In both locations are Northstar 6000i plotters for further backup and situational awareness.

Plunk in the middle of all this control and display splendor is a large, raised settee where owner or charter parties can enjoy the Starship Enterprise ambiance. Such a perch seems to be an omnipresent feature on mega yachts, indicating how interesting all this gear is, even when you don’t do the driving. Aboard Janie the wheelhouse can become a sort of gentlemen’s hang out when at anchor. That’s because she’s set up so that her nine VEI 20 inch displays can not only show all the operational screens available on Lia Fail and most megas, but can alternatively put up the output of nine satellite TV receivers, all controlled by a Crestron remote with its own whomping 15 inch touch screen display. The sports-obsessed owner says, “It doesn’t get any better than that!”

In fact, entertainment systems are at least as big a deal on these boats as the elaborate glass bridges, and Janie, for instance, will soon be fitted with the super cool Kaleidescape DVD and CD server. The same goes for onboard computing, both for the ship’s and guests’ business, and for fun. Always-on high-speed Internet access is becoming the norm, as are multiple WiFi access points to it and, for the crew, to certain ship systems like SiMON and Nobeltec. That’s why seemingly over-the-top accessory products like ReVA (sidebar at top right) are possible.

However, don’t presume that mega yachts are suckers for the latest and greatest. When my eyes went saucer size taking in all this electronics extravagance, I noticed that my installer and captain hosts quietly rolled theirs. These very smart, and very polite, guys are much more concerned about getting all this stuff to work, and keeping it working, than they are about the “wow” factor. In fact, one thing I discovered behind the glitz was a certain conservatism. The brand name gear I’ve mentioned so far tended to appear on one bridge after another, along with other reliables like B&G instruments and Icom radios. The critical gyro, pilot, and steering systems were dominated by high-end names so old—Sperry, Raytheon, Anschutz, and C. Plath—that they are now intertwined in ways difficult to sort out.

Service and reliability are words I heard a lot. And what the top dog installers are proudest of is not all the screens, but how they’ve facilitated future servicing and upgrading.

The idea of the $3,500 ReVA (Remote Video Assistance from/to Anywhere) system is to troubleshoot a problem—be it a balky system or a medical emergency—using hands-free one-way video and two-way voice communications with an expert ashore. That’s a tiny color monitor near my right eye which helped to accurately aim the camera at my left temple. Clipped to my waist is a little WiFi wire-less video/audio server and loaded into the yacht’s computer would be “tunneling” software designed to get the 30 frames per second .mpg stream smoothly ashore via the vessel’s high-speed Internet connection. ReVA handles the shore end, either routing the problem to its own Nauti-Tech service operation or to any 3rd party with a fast Web connection.

Don Ehrlich, a principal of Yachtronics in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and the guy responsible for the navigation electronics on both Lia Fail and Janie, showed me how every cable and device is painstakingly labeled and cross-referenced to drawings and spreadsheets that live on the yachts’ computers as well as at his Ft. Lauderdale office. A WiFi transceiver tucked into a locker on a sky bridge even had it’s “Mac” address affixed, meaningless to most of us, but possibly a godsend to some hurried tech out in the islands, not to mention a skipper trying to make a very expensive charter run smoothly. Ehrlich also showed me how many systems were rack mounted with deep extensions or built into cabinets whose entire interior could slip out for better access (sometimes to his design). And he only sighed once remembering all the hours he spent inside the fixed helm cabinetry. Installing electronics at this level not only requires great organizational skills but physical agility!

I was also taken with how Ehrlich often seemed to find simple solutions to seemingly complex issues. After I’d seen a closet full of satellite and cellular voice communications gear, I asked if Lia Fail had what’s called a “least cost routing” device. His technique is to simply arrange the various “line outs” in cost order on the yacht’s PBX system. When in doubt, a user just goes from left to right until he or she finds a dial tone, and thus also the cheapest call. Now, mind you, before installing the Panasonic phone system, apparently another proven mega brand, Ehrlich had to take a week-long training. But it does interface with the ship’s PC network and can print out custom phone bills for charterers and crew. “Simple” is only a relative word in mega land.

Further insight behind the big electronics came from Steve Martin, captain of the Feadship Silver Cloud. Most of the megayacht skippers I’ve met seem as astute about technical issues as they are about nautical ones, but Martin’s a first as he actually built the computers that hum away in Cloud’s much upgraded pilothouse. Asked how he’d equip, say, his own 40 foot cruiser, he said he’d probably opt for a dedicated PC with Nobeltec-integrated charting and radar, plus some sort of monitoring software and as many smart sensors as he could find (hello, NMEA 2000®). Which is a pretty good example of how the high-tech, if conservatively careful, world of megayachting is slowing affecting smaller boats.

But Martin also noted how his tech savvy and long time relationship with installer Electronics Unlimited, another Ft. Lauderdale firm, had earned him the complete trust, and hence the home phone number, of its chief technician. And it was clear that the number is for him a more valued trophy than the rack of Sony 23 inch screens at Cloud’s helm. ME

About the author

Ben Ellison is electronics editor of Power & Motoryacht and Sail magazines, and also blogs at www.panbo.com . He has skippered and crewed aboard a variety of commercial and recreational boats. A version of this article originally appeared in Power & Motoryacht.

Content Courtesy of NMEA

Join Our Newsletter!

Get community news, buying bargains, and how-to guides at your fingertips.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

• Link to search page
• US: +1 (561) 833 4462
• US: +1 (206) 209-1920
• MC: +377 99 90 74 63

Yachts for Sale Location: Moscow

Unfortunately, we currently do not have any yachts in Moscow listed in our inventory. However, our knowledgeable brokers can assist you in locating and acquiring the perfect vessel, even if it's not currently advertised on the market.

Don't hesitate to reach out to our team of experts. They have extensive connections and resources to help you find your dream yacht, tailored to your specific preferences and requirements.

Home / School, courses also ONLINE / Russia

Sailing schools and courses (ISSA, RYA, IYT) in Russia

The possibilities for yachting in russia are unlimited, since this is a country with a long maritime history. you just need to choose where you want to sail. small and big lakes, full-flowing rivers, warm and cold seas — all this is available to those who want to try sailing in this country..

Practical yachting

You will be able to master the skills of sailing; learn to feel the boat, approach and leave the pier, learn about the safety measures on the water and much more.

There are places in 1 team

International Bareboat Skipper (IYT) Course

Having received the International Bareboat Skipper Certificate, you can independently charter a yacht on a charter and operate it in the waters of any country.

More details

ISSA Offshore Skipper course

The certificated confirms the skills sufficient to sail the yacht in light and dark hours at a distance from a sheltered port up to 100 sea miles.

IYT International Crew course

This is a certificate of excellence for those candidates who wish to train to become an active crew member on a power or sailing yacht. It includes Introduction to Boating for power and sail yachts.

IYT Introductory Sailing Skills course

This course is great for groups of friends or like-minded people to get together for a few days of fun sailing while learning skills to better help as crew onboard.

IYT Try Sailing Course

It’s a fun hands-on course to enjoy being on the water while learning basic sailing skills.

Yacht management training in the Moscow region

In three hours of training, you will learn the basic techniques of managing a yacht, learn some of the specifics of working with a yacht, a helm, sails.

RYA Coastal Skipper course

Advanced skippering techniques for yachtsmen with considerable knowledge of sailing and navigation, wanting to undertake coastal passages by day and night.

RYA Competent Crew course

This course is for beginners and those who would like to become active crew members rather than just passengers.

RYA Day Skipper course

A course for aspiring skippers with some yachting experience and basic navigation and sailing skills.

RYA Start Yachting course

A short introduction to sailing for complete beginners.