Soundings
Magazine, October 2003 -- By
Michael Kelly
Reprinted with permission from Soundings Publications LLC
The
lobster yacht is hardly new to recreational boating, but custom
Maine boatbuilder Black Horse Yachts has added a new dimension to the
genre with the introduction of its Black Horse 33. (The Black
Horse 32 was introduced in 1999 under the C.R. Rooney name; company
founder Chuck Rooney left in July.) Geoff Dickes, the designer of both
yachts, says the 33 has a refined hull that delivers improved running
efficiency.
While maintaining the distinctive look
and classic profile typically associated with Maine lobster yachts - high,
gently spooning bow and swept-back cabin with ample deck space - the
Black Horse 33 substitutes the traditional round bilge for a hard
chine to enhance stability and performance, according to Black
Horse Yachts. The hull incorporates a full keel, giving good protection
to the boat and propeller. The hard chine and stern design facilitate
efficiency and clean water to the propeller, allowing for higher
speeds with less power and added fuel savings, according to the
company. The new design draws 3 feet, 8 inches and is said to give
a comfortable ride at slow or cruising speeds.
The Black Horse 33 is available as
an express, flybridge or sedan. "We're a custom one-off shop, so we can
accommodate anything our customers want done to enhance and personalize
their boat," says builder Howard Hagar. He stresses that
much of the gear that is standard on the 33 is offered only as options
by many other builders.
Hagar says the boat is comfortable for
a casual picnic day trip to a small island, though rugged and utilitarian
enough for an overnight fishing run. "To me she's established
a new standard of beauty for the breed," he says. "Sleek,
very refined, strikingly elegant, and yet quite clearly an extension
of the traditional lobster yacht, incorporating all of its simplicity
and userfriendly characteristics."
The
hull is hand-laid vacuum-bagged foam core with a vinylester skin
coat; the deck also is foam cored. The interior structure is built
with lightweight honeycomb Nida Core, providing strength and enhanced
soundproofing. She has six opening ports and one large hatch in the cabin.
The Black Horse 33 has no engine box,
and an inboard-swinging transom door gives same-level access to
the cockpit and swim platform, and sliding pocket companionway
door. She maintains a traditional look, and is accented with plenty
of teak and custom paint.
The helm is compact with excellent
visibility and includes such features as teak windshield framing, a 24-inch
teak wheel, three windshield wipers, compass, Kobelt controls, and teak
and stainless venting window, according to the builder.
The
cabin has a mahogany and basswood sole, and includes a head with
VacuFlush system, starboard side sink, separate shower, vanity and
storage space. The V-berth with cushions sleeps two and can be
modified to accommodate four. There is a full galley, enhanced with
oiled teak trim and sole. It comes standard with a propane stove,
large custom refrigerator, and above- and below-counter storage.
The Black Horse allows good access
to the engine room and its 370-hp Yanmar diesel. She has two 100-gallon
tanks, a 40-gallon water tank, and two automatic bilge pumps.
Options include hull colors, custom sized and powered hatches, 440-hp
Yanmar, bow thruster, radar mast, bow rail and saltwater washdown system.
Black Horse Yachts recently delivered
hull No. 1 of the 33, built as an express cruiser, to Frank and
Alice Schambra of St. James, N.Y., and Barters Island, Maine. "The
Schambras were looking for elegance combined with practicality and
reliability in a boat, and that's exactly what the Black Horse provides," says
Hagar. "She's the epitome of simplicity with understated
style, a boat with character and pedigree inspired by Maine's
rocky, island-dotted waters."
