2008 Flibs - Live Coverage

Marlow Yachts has a few of their beauties on display from their fleet. You can spot the lap-strake styled, blue hull and classic lines a mile away.

I'm a little biased towards radar arches since not only are they critical for holding electronics, but they can be styled in many cool ways. Here's the arch, or mast, on Nor-Tech's new high performance express cruiser.

Here's another arch, on the new Hargrave 84.

And this Hargrave is one innovative yacht. Suffice it to say that space utilization is taken to the next level on this "raised pilothouse" styled yacht. Don't look on the outside, the change comes from within.

Innovation was also found on some of the models too (the plastic ones). The Nahema sailing cat model showed a swim platform/deck that could raise and double as a chopper landing pad, keeping the bird well aft of the boom. Interesting.

If you have never seen the real yacht JeMaSa, here's the model of it. This yacht also had a shadow vessel, SuRi, built by YES (Yacht Escort Ship).

As we headed towards the end of the day, as it was very busy photographing all those models (the real ones), we took up refuge for a cold one with Judy of JW Yachts aboard one of her listings called "Sand Pebble", a long range cruiser that was custom engineered by the owner and has a host of redundant systems. It's also very economical to operate and has cruised to many corners of the earth.

Many thanks to Sand Pebble's owners for being such gracious hosts to YF members! And a special thanks to Judy Waldman, who put her nursing skills to work and helped to fix our broken Admin.

From the deck of Sand Pebble, we were treated to a couple of cold beers by Judy Waldman, topped off by a warm and colorful sunset. We'll have more shots of the yachts, especially over the weekend, so stay tuned and thanks for checking out our coverage!

FLIBS Day 2

FLIBS: Friday October 30th - Mid Day Update​

from Chris Caswell​

Order Your Burger With Sails!

One of the more interesting announcements at FLIBS this year is the collaboration between Burger Boat Co. and Sparkman & Stephens to design and build a series of custom aluminum motorsailors. Even megayacht owners have to pay for their fuel, so a luxuriously appointed motorsailor is an appealing alternative. The new motorsailors will be from 90’ to 150’, and each will have both fuel efficient and eco-friendly systems. Face Dock 16

Cyber Yacht Design!

Even though the 161’ Trinity “Blind Date” won’t be finished until sometime next year, it’s owner can already take guests on a guided tour, thanks to a sophisticated computer modeling and animation program used by Patrick Knowles Designs. In it, every piece of fabric, furniture, lighting and accessory is perfectly re-created, giving an animated virtual tour of the yacht, which has a unique vintage Hollywood “glam” interior. The “visit” starts with a helicopter approach with aerials of the exterior of the vessel, and then takes guests on a walking tour of each deck and throughout the magnificent vessel. Yacht Builders Tent 636

Expressly New!

An EXciting debut is the new “EX” line from Everglades boats. Two express-styled outboard fishing machines debuted at Booth 2011 in the Convention Center: the 320EX and 350EX. There’s also a 320EX afloat at Bahia Mar in Dock BC-43. All are fish ready and can be powered by up to triple outboards.

Call Your Mother!

Need to call home from, say, 500 miles up the Amazon or from the Seychelles? Iridium unveiled their smallest and most powerful satellite phone at FLIBS, the Iridium 9555, with a bright screen, speaker phone, and a mini-USB data port for Internet access. Designed for use in harsh conditions from far offshore or in mid-desert, the compact phone has nearly two days of standby power.

Sassy Sessa!

Italian builder, Sessa Marine, debuted their C46 Open Hard Top to America yesterday. If you think “open hardtop” is a contradiction, well, you really can have it both ways with the large opening sunroof for those fine days and a fully enclosed cabin when you needed. With Volvo IPS pod drives, it feature fingertip-controlled joystick steering but, if engines aren’t your thing, there’s a spacious sunpad with built-in speakers for lounging. Bahia Mar F/G Dock, Slips 41-44.

Simon Sez:

Palladium Technologies has developed MiSimon, a software package that will transmit details and alerts for the MiSimon yacht monitoring, alarm and control systems to your iPhone and iTouch. Users will get instant notification of changes in engines, generators, tanks, bilge levels and electrical systems, with both visual and audible alerts. The user also has remote control over pumps, lights and other systems with a touch of a button on the screen. IYB 352

by Chris Caswell

Friday October 31st: Onboard Lazzara's 92 LSX & Christensen's Casino Royale

By Tom Serio​

Friday's traffic along the docks at FLIBS was fairly heavy, with a stiff breeze and peek-a-boo clouds keeping the heat at bay.

Getting tours of some of the newer yachts was a treat, and that's where we begin.

We showed the unveiling of the Lazzara 92 LSX previously, so here are some of the views from on-board. Stepping into the salon, the aft bulkhead doors open wide offering access to a cavernous interior. Large windows and low profile furniture opens up the inside, with complimentary color selections for the couches and wood components.

The 92 LSX packs four Volvo IPS-2 engines in the aft engine room. These powerplants produce 675 hp each, allowing the 92 to cruise around 27 knots.

The talented and hard working Lazzara team took the 92 from drawing board to splash down in around 10 months, with perfection being key. You only get one time to make a first impression, and it seems that Lazzara lives by that creed. Perfection was evident all around, from the fine joinery and choice of materials, to the functional design that calls out to you to come aboard and relax. Natural lighting below decks is helped by not only the side hull windows, but atrium styling forward of the lower helm as well as the use of smart glass, glass panes that are clear for openness and with a flick of a button, clouded through for privacy.

Here's the aft master that is full beam, roomy and stylish.

Let's top this tour off with a trip to the bow. Teak decks add to the style and help in footing. It's a long yacht, but with joystick control the 92 will go where you want it. Off to our next yacht...

Christensen arrived with a full deck of cards, ready to roll the dice with their latest yacht; the 163' Casino Royale. Touring the yacht, you just can't find the words for the accommodations and exquisite styling. Here's the staircase leading down, and that's if you don't want to use the elevator. Those are LED lights at the bottom of the glass panes that have a multitude of colors.

Housing the twin 12-cylindar MTU's, this engine room has more polished stainless steel I have ever seen. The engineer must have to include polishing as part of his regular maintenance.

Casino Royale's dinning area is fabulously coordinated, thanks to a talented chief stew that works closely with the owners.

The skylounge's bar lights up for a soft effect.