Review: Burger 151' Fantail Cruiser "Sycara IV"

In her sumptuous dining room, completely separate in its own space, the ovoid-shaped dining table sets the tone for the room, top to bottom. Heavily lacquered, paneled walls in Madrone Burl sport an added brilliance to its decorative woods. At its centered starboard beam, second entry, French doors allow access to/from her veranda via the walkway to starboard. Clearly seen in this image; Sycara's lapstrake ceiling, carried throughout the vessel, complements the era.

Her striking Main Salon features furniture arrangements flaunting the rich color decor, which lead the patrons to conversation groupings. While deep-cushioned armchairs in the aft section suggest more intimate talks; the relaxed voyagers in the soothing blue/black couches, next to her sturdy coffee table, are more likely to appreciate the 54” TV screen, forward. Flooring is also an exceptional designer choice, featuring teak and sycamore, as well as snow-white, geometric-designed wool carpeting.

While headroom on even the largest yachts is limited, Sycara IV performs a soaring, bold, trompe l’oeil (fool the eye) maneuver. Shown here, a domed prism in the ceiling with luminous reflections simulate a time-warp. Bringing the past forward, natural light is drawn through a transparent cut-out centered on the flybridge, as well as the dining table directly above the prism.

Looking forward and sporting her rich wood paneling over gleaming, varnished teak flooring, Sycara IV reveals the welcoming warmth of her era. When the sun is almost down and the ocean sprinkles its last rays, she affords a pleasant place to hang out; celebrate another day – another “living in the moment experience.”

Across the aisle from the wet bar; this beautifully designed hutch with rising pillars is crowned with a seashell seemingly sculpted from a solid block of wood. It's a handy storage space for miscellaneous items – extra glasses and service for the bar, opposite; but also as a cabinet-cover for the stairway down to the guest accommodations.

A close-up view of the intimate, nautically inspired bar reveals a backlit, peach onyx granite countertop, traced with a wooden railing around the bar for leaners. For sitters, a stainless footrest outlines her leather upholstered panels. All set against polished sycamore flooring and hefty, twisted pedestal stools.

On the Main Deck aft in the soft, airy evening outdoors, yet another glamorous setting. Featuring weatherproof outdoor chairs and table, this portrait is also the raucous dining-dancing Flapper venue visited before, with sightly more decorum. “Menu, please, tonight we’re only dining.” If you study this picture closely, you will see the separation in the rails at the stern, along with the breaks in Sycara's aft bulwarks and seating. This section drops away (down) to allow the passarelle to extend backwards from the transom. See 'Details' following the review for this function.

Sycara IV’s lower deck landing foyer invites passengers and patrons to enjoy the evening’s restful moments. Bathed in appropriate decor with the selected, lustrous tan-brown-chocolate woods, plus a circular motif. A parquet pattern enlivens her effective presentation. An imaginative teak compass rose in set in the flooring at the entrance to staterooms. Overhead, the pattern is echoed, simplified, reflected in singular dark and light woods.

Stunning is the word for the sculpted and highly finished woodwork and inventive placement in her enormous, aft VIP stateroom, which, on only a slightly smaller scale, follows the same ornate patterns as the Master stateroom. It is stationed aft across the lower deck, with a pair of opening portholes to each side; plus two extra couches, raised, convertible to extra berths. Almost as spacious as the master, it boasts its own entertainment center, plus a large desk.

Decorated in the Madrone Burl/Macassar Ebony light-to-dark chocolate theme, the aft VIP head displays sculpted white Onyx countertops, inset twin Onyx wash basins, with ultra-modern Lalique fixtures and accessories. Separate shower and toilet facilities feature etched-pattern Lalique Crystal doors. A wide, opening porthole over the vanity provides light as well as moderate sea-air freshening, as needed.

The woodwork in the guest VIP, like all of Sycara's interior, consists of cabinetry and doors that are a plywood substrate, veneered and finished for light weight, but also good sound absorption. The VIP stateroom shows how complete the patterned delineations are throughout: a 33” TV-DVD screen faces the raised queen size berth, with the added courtesy of a small desk for correspondence or reading. The closet is walk-in size. Each stateroom offers a full ensuite head and shower.

For family or additional guests, a twin stateroom is abeam the VIP, with its own ensuite head/shower, and separate entrance. It also sports a double opening port, desk, walk-in closet, with roomy shelves and drawers. There’s a 24” TV, and desk.

Cleverly placed by the owner on the lower deck, rather than use the premium main deck space, Sycara IV’s galley is none-the-less splendidly equipped for the vessel with a full size walk-in freezer, embossed aluminum wall coverings, long-lived solid granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and large opening ports made by Pacific Coast Marine; the yacht provides every capacity to produce the finest meals. Even the stove top hood is neatly integrated into Sycara's crown ceilings.

On the lower deck forward, crew quarters include a six-seat crew dinette/mess in the port bow area, adjacent to ship’s galley. Amenities encompass a large, L-shaped leather couch and several stools at the ample table setting. Cupboards and cabinets abound, as well as a small wash basin and a stacked washer-dryer unit.

Captain’s quarters feature a nicely arranged double berth, forward, lower deck, with well planned and finished wood drawers and hanging locker. There’s also a full length door mirror, as well as a private head/shower. Additionally, there are crew quarters forward on the lower deck, including double over-under bunks for six, each with private heads/showers.

Sycara IV is equipped with twin CAT C-18 diesel engines, developing 448 kW/600 bhp @ 2100 rpm, sending Sycara on a 14 knot journey in time. At her normal cruise speed of 12 knots, she produces a range of 1,700 nm. At her long range cruise of 10 knots, she will deliver 2,400 nm, burning only 27 gallons per hour. In contrast to yesteryear's candle power, Sycara boasts a 208VAC 60Hz four wire electrical system; plus an ASEA Shore Power Converter with an input of 180-550VAC; output 208VAC 3ph, 60Hz.

DEPARTURE:​

This lovely lady, the rarest Fantail Motoryacht, will no doubt take her place
as the most innovative yachting concept of this Inaugural Century, 2009. While
most industry leaps toward the stars – Galaxies yet to be discovered – Sycara IV
reminds us that just a few moons ago, rare concepts of beauty still stir, smiling to us...

...never to be forgotten. Sycara IV!


<end>​

Specifications:

LOA: 151’3” 46m
Beam: 26' 06'' (8.1m)
Draft: 6' 00'' (1.8m)
Max. displacement: 180 L.T.
Fuel capacity: 4,200 U.S. gallons (15,894 liters)
Fresh water capacity: 1,500 U.S gallons (5,676 liters)
Naval architect: Bruce King / Burger Design Team
Interior design: Ken Freivokh / Burger Design Team
Exterior styling: Burger Design Team
Engines: Caterpillar C18, 600 bhp (448 kW) @ 2100 rpm
Transmissions: Reintjes model WAF 244
Generators: Kohler 80EOZ (2)
Shore power converter: ASEA 75kVA
AC power management: Kohler / Ward’s Marine Electric
Ship’s information monitor system: SiMON
Air conditioning: Dometic / Marine Air
Stabilizers: Quantum Controls QC 1000 w/ARC 3001 Zero-Speed
Bow thruster: Quantum QT 120
Paint: AwlGrip Mystique Blue/Snow White
Davit/Crane: Nautical Structures EZ-5500-EX
Electronics by: McLaughlin Marine Electronics, Inc.
Launch date: Spring 2009
Class: ABS Certified

Navigation/Communications:

Anshutz Standard 22 Gyro Compass
Simrad AP50001 Autopilot System
KVH Tracphone FB250
SeaTel Coastal 24 Satellite TV Antenna
Ericsson W25 Quad-band GSM Cellular Telephone
Triplite Smart 15000 LCD, 1500VA UPS
CR GlobalFix 406 MHz EPIRB
Furuno FAR2127BB Radar; 4’ Open Array Antenna
Furuno NavNet vx2 Radar/Chartplotter
Furuno DS80 Doppler Speed Log
Furuno LH3000 Loud Hailer
Furuno FCV1200BB
Furuno NX-700 Dual-channel Navtex receiver
Northstar 6100i GPS
Furuno FA-150 Class A Universal AIS
Furuno Fax 408 Weather facsimile receiver/recorder
Icom IC-M88 Handheld VHFs x 4
Furuno FM8800S Radiotelephone
B&G HY3-SYST-1 Hydra 3000Cruise Pack
(3) B&G H3000 FFD Displays (crew, captain, fly bridge)
B&G H3000 NMEA FFD Display; Air Temp, Barometric Pressure, apparent wind, wind speed
Icom IC-M604 VHF (black)
Transas Navi-Sailor 3000i ECS Software; “AIS Package”
Three Hatteland 19.0” TFT monitor
Furuno MU-155C color LCD marine monitor (Fore Deck)
Extron MVX 84 Matrix Switcher
Pelco 8-Channel DVR 250GB hard drive CCTV System w/Joysticks

For more information contact:

Burger Boat Company
1811 Spring Street,
Manitowoc, WI 54220
(920) 686-5117
www.burgerboat.com

***​

DETAILS:​

Just about every piece of wood on Sycara is carved from a 5 axis router. The fit and finish of Burger's interior's are legendary, but computer aided design and production has taken this to a higher level. Although routers could carve ornate / decorative items such as this bow scroll, the programming time isn't cost effective. The bow and stern scrolls are one of the few things done the old fashioned way on Sycara.

Not all the wood on Sycara is real. For example, this mast was 'carved from carbon', sorta speak, then given the wood faux finish. The inset picture to the left shows the work in progress. A light base coat is sprayed, followed by a brushed top coat to bring out denser grains.

One of the drawbacks to a fantail is the inability to dock stern-in, euro style. The engineers at Burger solved this problem with a drop away transom and a Nautical Structures retractable gangplank. It functions just fine, but there's something fundamentally wrong about losing your behind.