Against The Grain
Power and Motoryachts|August 2017

IF YOU LOVE THE LINES OF A SPORTFISHERMAN BUT THINK MASS-PRODUCED BOATS ARE NOTHING SPECIAL, YOU MAY FIND A CUSTOM WOODEN YACHT LIKE THIS MERRITT 46 TO BE YOUR PATH TO FULFILLMENT.

Capt. John Wooldridge
Against The Grain
The late afternoon light arced at right angles across the dock in front of me, a dock lined on both sides with large sportfishing yachts of every stripe. The light splashed into the cockpits of the battlewagons tied stern-to on one side of the dock, electrifying the gold and black grain of deeply varnished, teak-planked transoms. Imagine, if you will, a long row of blazing transoms side by side—it was a mesmerizing sight, particularly for anyone new to the thrill of sportfishing yachts.

I wondered out loud how many of the boats tied up here for the tournament were made of wood. A more experienced colleague walking the docks with me stopped and pointed at two, identifying one as a fiberglass design of some renown, and the other as a cold-molded Merritt Custom 46. The exterior finish on both was impeccable, with nary a black streak from some corroded fitting or sooty bloom from a poorly maintained engine.

I remember seeing that particular Merritt at the check-in and weighing station as its experienced owner deftly backed into a slip next to the scales and crane. Standing on the after edge of the flybridge, his back turned to the steering console, he slipped the shifters in and out of gear with precision; the corners of the cockpit followed the motion of his shoulders in a powerful, yet controlled, approach as dozens of onlookers watched. Judging wind and current, he backed in quickly and then stopped, the boat unmoving and suspended off the dock by maybe a foot. I remember thinking, I want to do that! And I wasn’t the only one.

This all came back to me as I considered the Mollie Whopper, a Merritt Custom 46 located in Beaufort, North Carolina, and offered in brokerage sales by Tom Harris at Harris Marine in nearby Morehead City. Since he sold fishing boats both small and large, in fiberglass and wood, I asked him which type would be right for me, if I wanted to take up big-game fishing seriously.

Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av Power and Motoryachts.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 2017-utgaven av Power and Motoryachts.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA POWER AND MOTORYACHTSSe alt
A Good Ear
Power and Motoryachts

A Good Ear

It pays to be acutely aware of noise on your boat, particularly if it’s coming from the engine room.

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2018
Strike!
Power and Motoryachts

Strike!

Gulf of Panama, Panama 7°22'N 80°0'W

time-read
1 min  |
June 2018
Made In Taiwan
Power and Motoryachts

Made In Taiwan

As the world’s fourth largest producer of yachts 78 feet and over, Taiwan is a country on the move.

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2018
The Hard Way Around
Power and Motoryachts

The Hard Way Around

REFUSING TO PUT LIFE ON HOLD, FOUR INTREPID TWENTYSOMETHINGS SET AN UNCONVENTIONAL COURSE TO SEE THE WORLD ON A NORDHAVN 76.

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 2018
Permission Granted
Power and Motoryachts

Permission Granted

A BILLIONAIRE FINALLY GETS HIS YACHT.

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2017
Uncompromising Vision
Power and Motoryachts

Uncompromising Vision

ARCADIA CREATES A DESIGN AROUND PEOPLE RATHER THAN HULLS. THE RESULT IS A STUNNING MIX OF COMFORT AND DELIGHT IN A 100-FOOTER THAT MUST BE EXPERIENCED TO BE BELIEVED.

time-read
5 mins  |
August 2017
Against The Grain
Power and Motoryachts

Against The Grain

IF YOU LOVE THE LINES OF A SPORTFISHERMAN BUT THINK MASS-PRODUCED BOATS ARE NOTHING SPECIAL, YOU MAY FIND A CUSTOM WOODEN YACHT LIKE THIS MERRITT 46 TO BE YOUR PATH TO FULFILLMENT.

time-read
5 mins  |
August 2017
End Of An Era
Power and Motoryachts

End Of An Era

CRUISING THROUGH THE YEARS WITH HEF

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2017
Sea Trial Like A Pro
Power and Motoryachts

Sea Trial Like A Pro

COUNTLESS BOAT TESTS HAVE TAUGHT ME NEVER TO OVERLOOK THE OBVIOUS.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2017
Up Close And Personal
Power and Motoryachts

Up Close And Personal

A four-month test of the Monte Carlo MC5 allows Editor-in-Chief Daniel Harding Jr. to peel back the many layers of this versatile vessel.

time-read
6 mins  |
December 2017