CLASSIC FLYBRIDGE CRUISER EXUDES OLD-WORLD CHARM

BY HOWARD WALKER

In the words of Confucius the Navigator, the seafaring brother of that wise and worldly Chinese philosopher: “Life’s too short to own an ugly boat.”

Stroll the docks at any boat show these days, and you’ll spy a multitude of floating Clorox bottles with more glass than fiberglass, acres of sun pads, and top-heavy designs guaranteed to have the crew coming down with mal de mer at the first sign of a chop. Which is why the sight of the newest offering from Turkey’s Vicem Yachts, the Vicem 55 Classic Flybridge, at the 2022 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show caused a teen-like spike in my endorphins.

This thing is beyond gorgeous. It has a classic Down East design with cues from Maine’s iconic lobster boats, arguably the most famous being Captain Quint’s salty Orca from the movie Jaws. Only in this case, you won’t need a bigger boat; this oh-so-elegant 55-footer comes with an air-conditioned pilothouse/saloon, two sleeping cabins, and a flybridge big enough to host a Super Bowl party.

While Vicem is best known for the quirky cold-molded wooden construction seen across its Classic range of 46- to 82-foot cruisers, this new 55 Flybridge is the first to be built from easier-to-maintain fiberglass. Just think of the money to be saved in termite protection alone.

And speaking of the flybridge, on a sunny day you might never want to leave. In addition to the helm and its diamond-quilted seat for two, there’s a huge L-shaped sofa to port opposite a well-stocked outdoor kitchen. Take the teak steps down to the aft deck, and there’s even more entertaining and lounging space, complete with another sofa for six and a moveable mahogany pedestal table. Drag that cockpit table into the saloon for an instant dining area, or pull out a section of the portside sofa and presto, you have a double bed for guests.

The saloon is customizable, so you can trade the sofa on the right side for a full galley. The 55 on display at the Lauderdale show featured a galley that was four steps down in the bowels of the lower level. While not always a chef’s favorite location—it keeps you away from the action up top—it does make the saloon feel much bigger.

Power File

PRICE: FROM $1.5 MILLION

LENGTH: 55 FEET, 3 INCHES

BEAM: 14 FEET, 5 INCHES

POWER: 2 X VOLVO IPS 700

TOP SPEED: 26 KNOTS WHY

WE LOVE IT: BECAUSE THIS VESSEL MERGES DOWN EAST STYLE WITH TRUE QUALITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP.

Up in the bow is the spacious master cabin with its roomy heads and big shower cubicle. Opposite the galley is the midships guest cabin that, in this case, came with a double bed instead of twin bunks.

What’s truly remarkable about the entire boat is the level of love and attention that goes into the woodwork. The matching of veneers, the gorgeous and at times complex cabinetry, the sheer depth of the varnish work is all just spectacular.

A pair of Volvo Penta 6-cylinder D8 IPS 700 turbo diesels pack 650 hp a piece and drive through pods with IPS-style forward-pointing props. Flat out you’ll see around 26 knots, with a 20-knot cruise speed. The 528-gallon tank should get you to the Bahamas and back.