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Quality and straightforward
design hallmarked the rest of the interior as well. In fact, no matter
where I ventured on the lower deck, from the amidships master with its
huge en suite head (with Jacuzzi tub and PAR QuietFlush electric MSD)
to the forward VIP with its own sizable head (which it shares with the
small, port-side guest stateroom), the right stuff ruled. Cherry joinery
was nicely done, and mattresses were comfy, HandCraft innersprings. In
keeping with an apparent goal of real cruising livability, a washer and
dryer–each a home-size GE–were in a closet behind a nice-looking
louvered door.
Upon finishing with
the inside of the 62, Booth and I visited the engine room, where any vestiges
of my earlier prejudice were promptly given the seaboot. Accessed through
a watertight bulkhead (via a stainless steel watertight door) that separates
it from the lazarette, the place virtually shouted its merits. For starters,
the headroom was generous–6'0" at least–and so was the lighting,
thanks to a couple of pairs of big fluorescents. And there was a raft
of groovy features, including a set of strength-boosting bulkhead-to-bulkhead
stainless steel U-beams under the engine mounts, PYI dripless shaft logs
(Tides Marine dripless logs are used on the rudders), Racor 75/1000 duplex
main-engine filters on the forward firewall, made-in-USA Imtra hydraulics
(for bow and stern thrusters, Brower davit, etc.), Delta "T"
demisters and blowers, and a brace of soundshield-encased Onan gensets
(both solidly mounted on Divinycell-cored fiberglass shelves at the back
of the ER), one a 21.5-kW, the other a 13.5-kW.
But what impressed me
here more than anything else were a couple of thoughtful redundancies
that seemed indicative of Symbol’s seamanlike approach to mechanicals.
First, there were two sanitary systems with two separate tanks and two
separate on-deck pumpouts. Any maestro of MSDs who’s had to contend
with a stopped-up stretch of hose immediately sees the wisdom of this.
Second, there were two freshwater pumps, a 24-volt Groco Paragon Senior
and a heavy-duty 110-volt Teel. Team these babies up with the 62’s
two water tanks, plumbed in series but with isolating valves in case of
contamination, and you’ve got a great fail-safe arrangement.
The day was fine for
sea trialing, with the Pacific swell almost nonexistent and the temperature
cool, a plus for the performance of our twin 800-hp Caterpillar 3406Es.
I ran the boat from the standard lower station, with the two Aritex Pantograph
bridge doors open so I could smell the salt air, getting a top speed of
27.5 mph, a good 5 or 6 mph faster than some other similar-style vessels
I’ve tested in this size range. Why the extra juice? The 62 is comparatively
light thanks to CoreCell coring just about every place except for the
solid FRP bottom and stringer-grid. Visibility from the Pompanette helm
chair was okay, except when I leaned on the electronic Twin Disc engine
controls to put the boat on plane: The 62’s out-of-the-hole running
attitude is steep. Despite the fact that her angle of attack at speed
was pretty high as well, the modified-V hull tracked nicely, with an agility
in turns I’d again attribute to her fairly light displacement. Docking
was easy, in part due to powerful hydraulic Sidepower bow and stern thrusters,
but also to a Twin Disc remote control station in the cockpit that produced
superb back-down visibility.
I finished the day a
changed man. In spite of my fanciful certainties, the Taiwan-built 62
turned out to be a well-built, conventionally-laid-out, finely finished
motoryacht with as many name-brand amenities and mechanicals onboard as
any other yacht in her size range. Was there some sort of lesson in all
this? Could I have been that far off to begin with?
It pains me to admit
this, but–Yup!
Symbol Yachts
Phone: (949) 722-2700. Fax: (949) 515-9094.
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