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Some yachts are the product of the builder, some of their owners, and some a combination of the two. Mary P, the 87-foot sportfisherman from Queenship, is definitely the latter. Queenship is known for its willingness to cater to customers' whims, and Daryl and Mary Pennington, Mary P's owners, are nothing if not demanding.

Lifelong boaters, hardcore anglers and divers, and schooled in every aspect of vessel operation and construction, the Penningtons have a lot of time on the water. When I asked Daryl how many hours they'd logged on their previous yacht, a 1979 53-foot Hatteras convertible the couple is so fond of they can't part with, the Louisiana native drawled, "Caint say, but I can tell you it's enough that I rebuilt the engines four times."

So when the Penningtons decided they wanted a yacht that could accommodate their three grown children and span oceans in search of game fish and dive spots, they knew what the job required. They just didn't know which yard could do it. Queenship eventually got the nod, they say, because of its willingness and ability to translate their specifications into reality.

Mary, for whom the yacht is named, points to the galley as proof. For her, cooking is both passion and preference. She, her husband, two daughters, and son (who will soon assume the captaincy of Mary P) share a fondness for highly spiced Cajun food, especially that based on game taken by Daryl, who is also an avid hunter. Hence the area is large and impressively outfitted: an upright freezer, eight refrigerator drawers, and an icemaker, all by Sub-Zero; two Fisher-Pachek drawer-style dishwashers; Gaggeneau oven, stovetop, barbecue, and deep fryer; and a Thermador warming drawer. Expansive counters-- granite veneer over honeycomb to save weight--provide plenty of work area, a small dumbwaiter takes food up to the enclosed bridge, and a powder-coated backsplash electrically rises to keep grease off the window behind the cooktop. There's even a gleaming brass cappuccino machine that Daryl can activate from a bedside switch, so he doesn't have to wait for his morning caffeine.

But what Mary seems most fond of is not appliances but ambiance. Since the galley is to port of the principal eating area, a 10-person U-shape dinette, and open to the saloon and lanai deck, she is always part of the action. Mary says it was this feature that really sold her on Queenship's Caribe series.

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