ESCAPE
HIGH SEAS
Class ACT
The Burger Boat Company’s 50 Cruiser has the grandeur of a superyacht in a smaller package By Howard Walker
There’s this term, “gentleman’s yacht.” Can’t say I know precisely what the definition is. But for me, it conjures an image of vintage style and elegance, with sleek, simple, timeless lines—and lots of varnished mahogany and mirror-polished stainless steel. See a yacht like this on the water and it moves with grace and pace, parting waves like a hot knife through butter. And being a true gentlemanly vessel, it would have a sunkissed George Clooney at the helm. The artisans at Wisconsin-based Burger Boat Company have been building gentlemen’s yachts since the early 1900s. Their newest is the compact Burger 50 Cruiser, which carries on those traditions yet seamlessly merges eons-old boatbuilding techniques with some very cool technology. Just gazing at the yacht makes my heart soar. It is strong and purposeful, with curves in all the right places, miles of varnished cap rails, and decks of teak. It oozes class in the same way a Hinckley, Hunt, or Hood does. But it doesn’t sacrifice function for form. I love the 50 Cruiser’s tall, glass-filled pilothouse, with its slender pillars that ensure a
360-degree, CinemaScope view from the wheel. Top marks as well for the wide decks and high rails for safe line-handling. Not to mention that deep foredeck sofa with wellpositioned cupholders and music speakers for cocktail-hour cruises. Yes, I wish the hull was 5 feet longer at the bow to visually stretch the lines. From some angles, the Cruiser does look a little on the stubby side. But 50 feet bow to stern is just about the perfect size for an owner/driver to comfortably work the boat. And comfort is the watchword here. Much of that is due to the unique shape of the aluminum hull that came off the computer screens of legendary Dutch naval architects Vripack. Using their patented Slide Hull design, cleverly positioned underwater strakes lift the boat and channel air underneath. Additional win-win benefits of the hull design include improved fuel efficiency, an impressive turn of speed, and a smoother ride in gnarly seas. Speaking of efficiency and top speed, the Burger gets its power from a pair of 600-horsepower Volvo Penta D8s. They’re
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