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While two of our crew spread themselves out on the saloon's L-shape couch to port--a place I found comfortable enough for an hour snooze on the way back--I began the first of my many forages through the galley's cabinets and three-door, under-counter refrigerator and freezer. Complementing their capacity are a pair of spacious counters wide enough on which to roll out several pizzas or prepare a sit-down dinner for the six hungry diners who could occupy the starboard dinette.

But while she possesses comfortable and useful interior amenities, the 52 had taken us out here to fish, and it wasn't long before those two-plus hours slipped by and Wilkinson throttled her down. Mate Leek set our eight trolling lines out as he moved easily about in the 89-square-foot cockpit. The business end of our boat was armed with all the requisite equipment to balance out the battle between big fish and angler. There were rod lockers to either side, a Pompanette fighting chair, four flush-mounted rod holders, and a pair of 39-foot Rupp triple-box spreader `riggers with flying bridge release. A bait center with freezer, sink, and tackle locker housed in an athwartships cabinet was forward, and there's a transom livewell, seawater washdown, and to either side of the chair, a pair of in sole dunnage boxes, one of which contained a shaved-ice maker.

We put this feature to good use when Ryan got first chance after our port `rigger's outside line was hit. Putting a determined nine-year-old in the chair and pitting him against a 53-pound (we had a scale onboard) long-fin tuna was a wise move, as it resulted in one nice fish in the shaved-ice box.

With our spirits buoyed and the youngster beaming over his catch, we filled the other box with ice and awaited the next strike. McGee, who had stretched his six-foot frame across one portion of the expansive flying bridge's 10-person seating area in an attempt to catch up on some sleep, was up next.

He didn't have to wait long. Clearing the lines, we let him roam the cockpit with a particularly spunky fish on as Wilkinson backed and maneuvered the 52 as you'd expect a seasoned fishing captain to do when he has a responsive boat. Skipper and boat did their jobs, but McGee, while raising the leader three times, failed to bring the fish to the surface. On the fourth attempt the line broke, yielding him a big zero for his efforts. Hence the moniker "Doughnut" McGee.

The rest of the day produced a few knockdowns but no landings. And with the heave still with us, it was time to head for the barn. While I did grab that hour nap, I also managed to discover some more things about the 52 Super Sport. She has a gelcoated and Awlgripped engine room, whose working space around the powerplants would make any hands-on skipper's maintenance program clean and easy. Like all Ocean Yachts she's built tough and solid with hand-laid FRP to the waterline that is protected from osmotic blistering. Her hull- and topsides are cored with Divinycell of varying densities and thickness (one-half to two inches), depending on structural needs. Through-hulls are surrounded by additional laminates instead of coring or wood.

An important factor that goes into designing and building any sportfisherman is finding symmetry among power, performance, hull design, fishing equipment, and comfort. After a day of fishing in the deep blue, I'd say Ocean's 52 Super Sport has achieved a balance that competitors will be hard-pressed to match, much less exceed.

Ocean Yachts Phone: (609) 965-4616. Fax: (609) 965-4914. www.oceanyachtsinc.com.

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