Newport-based MCM has been appointed as owner’s representative for a 21-metre express cruiser to be built by custom shipyard Delta Marine in Seattle. The Express Cruiser designed by Doug Zurn of Zurn Yacht Design for an experienced client will be powered by Volvo Penta IPS units with Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) for a zippy top speed of 38 knots.

“The owner has had several production boats and currently owns a series yacht with similar styling and IPS propulsion. He decided to go up in size he also wanted to upgrade the quality to a superyacht standard and the only way to do that was with a bespoke design and a custom shipyard,” says Peter Wilson of MCM. “as a result of working with other members of his family in the past (in fact, their yacht was MCM’s first project back in 1988!) and this is his first custom new-build, we were very pleased that he approached us to manage the project and thus, continue the longstanding and important relationship.”

When going through the yard selection process, MCM looked at shipyards in the US, Europe and Australasia, but finally settled on Delta Marine as one of very few custom Superyacht yards left in the US. An added advantage was that Jack Jones, the company founder, had started out in the ‘60s as a composite builder of high-speed pleasure craft.

“When I asked Jack, he was enthusiastic about the project and I am convinced Delta will do a excellent job,” says Wilson. “This is at the smaller end of the scale for them, but they have a long history in a wide assortment of motor yachts and they clearly understand that less weight means more speed.”

Yacht designer Doug Zurn in Massachusetts is well known for his classic New England style and the 70-foot Express Cruiser displays traditional exterior lines and an interior décor based on a contemporary take of raised and fielded mahogany wood joinery with white wainscoting details.  

The classic styling, however, disguises a thoroughly modern and lightweight hull construction using infused epoxy, E-glass and Corecell/Airex for a displacement at half load of just over 30 tonnes. Comfort at anchor and under way are provided by Seakeeper gyro stabilisers and Humphree interceptors with active stabilisation.

The owner will use his new yacht for cruising and fishing with family and friends, and to this end the aft deck has a modular design to fulfill both functions. Below deck there is accommodation for six guests in an ensuite owner’s cabin and two cabins with shared head.

The hull and deck tooling is currently underway at the shipyard and completion is envisaged for the second half of 2021.

SPECIFICATIONS

Overall                                            70’ 0” / 21.34m

Length on Deck                            65’ 5” / 19.96m

Beam                                               18’ 9” /  5.72m

Draft                                                4’ 7” / 1.40m

Displacement (half load)             66,614 lbs / 30216 kg

Deadrise/Transom                        18.80

Propulsion                                     x2 Volvo-Penta IPS 1350 1000HP D-13 with DPS

Fuel Capacity                                1,100 gal / 4,164 lit

Water Capacity                              300 gal / 1,136 l

Air Height                                       14’ 3” / 4.34 m

Top Speed                                      38 knots