F&S BOATWORKS 82

Everything a flagship should be, and then some

- CHRIS RABIL

What do you do when you have produced one of the top boats in the fleet? You take everything you've learned from it and make it better. I had the pleasure of experiencing F&S's latest flagship, Hull No. 31, Special Situation, in Palm Beach, Florida, with company president John Floyd, who was on-site to walk me through the build. While the last tournament-winning 78-foot Special Situation has moved on to the next owner, she didn't move far, sitting only a few slips down from the new one. However, the latest version is a little bigger, comes with more range, and consists of only the best of the best. And, to no surprise, not a single corner was cut.

COCKPIT AND FLYBRIDGE

Seeing the cockpit for the first time just before first light, it was hard to grasp the sheer size of it, only able to really take it in as the sun rose above the horizon. The first thought that popped into my head was clean. For such a big boat with all the toys, the cockpit appeared like any other, but as Floyd walked me through, I quickly found out that it was anything but basic.

A cavernous, pressurized livewell with the option to add tuna tubes sat in the transom; additional fittings laid hidden in the deck for external wells. A watertight lazarette hatch is installed to keep all of the gear dry while fighting fish in big seas. But what really grabbed my attention were the curved steps leading up to the mezzanine. Not only are they beautiful, but they're also extremely wide, making it easy to quickly and safely run down to the dance floor from the mezzanine. Beneath the step, massive freezers are at the ready for long-range adventures, and the tackle center features F&S's trademark teak drawers. A hidden purified-water dispenser is installed in an effort to reduce single-use plastic waste. Additional storage is present under the mezzanine seating, which also features backrest air conditioning.