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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

POWER FILE

coupled to spacesaving IPS drives with joystick controls for magical, slide-it-sideways maneuvering.

Those muscley twin-turbo straight-sixes can punch the 50 to a top speed of 31 knots, or throttle back for an easy 26-knot cruising speed. Burger makes sure they’re well-insulated and whisper quiet too; no gentleman likes to raise his voice.

The interior layout is the work of Miamibased De Basto Designs, which has kept the theme bright, especially in the airy salon, with cream-colored fabrics and veneers. The narrowish cabin has a well-equipped galley on the starboard side, opposite the U-shaped sofa-cum-dinette. The power-sliding sunroof adds light and air and makes for perfect dining under the stars.

The back deck features an almost full-width sofa and mirror-varnished table for entertaining. A barbecue, a sink, and counter space is built into the transom, and a huge hydraulic

PRICE: UPON REQUEST

swim platform makes it possible to launch a

LENGTH: 50 FEET

tender—or a 10-year-old swimmer—into the

BEAM: 15 FEET, 2 INCHES

DRAFT: 4 FEET, 3 INCHES water. To stow all those must-have water toys, POWER: 2 X 600-HP there’s even an in-hull garage at the stern. VOLVO PENTA D8 Back inside, steps leading down from the saDIESELS TOP SPEED: 31 lon take you below decks, where there’s a gorKNOTS WHY WE LOVE geous, full-beam owner’s suite with massive IT: BECAUSE IT’S THE hull windows. Up in the bow, there’s an equalTRUE DEFINITION OF AN ly spacious forward VIP cabin. While there’s no

ELEGANT, CUSTOM-BUILT

bunk room for the kids, Burger is quick to point

GENTLEMAN’S YACHT.

out that the 50 Cruiser, like all Burger boats, is very much a custom build. Within reason, you can get whatever layout you want. For now, Burger is staying mum as to the price of this new 50 Cruiser. But the astonishing quality and craftsmanship, wonderful fit and finish, and high level of equipment will ensure it isn’t cheap. But then again, a true gentleman wouldn’t dream of asking the price. Naturally, money is «no object.

COMPLEX COMMERCIAL LITIGATION AND ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

DAVID B. ROSEMBERG, ESQ.

Fluent in Spanish