Egg Harbor, New Jersey – Monday, April 28, 2014 Since the first design articles appeared a few years ago, boat owners and industry professionals alike have been holding their collective breaths for a glimpse of the new Makaira brand of yachts. Today, John Leek IV, the driving force behind this next generation sport fishing yacht, announced the successful conclusion of sea trials for the new Makaira 64’.
The Leek family, who brought us the iconic Ocean Yacht brand, has been building landmark boats and launching them in the historic Mullica River since 1721. So, it’s not surprising that a company as old as the American marine industry itself would continue to set the standard for builders across the country.
The name Makaira is the genus name for marlin, and this sleek ultra-fast semi-custom moves as gracefully through the water as its namesake. “From the beginning, our goal was to push the limits of design and technologies for this new brand beyond what other builders were offering” said John Leek IV, president of Makaira Yachts. “The infused hull is fully cored with Corecell, and the vacuum process ensured that it is incredibly light yet strong from the keel up.” said Leek. “Even though the harsh winter weather slowed us down a bit, I couldn’t be happier with the results of the sea trials.”
Steve French, founder of Applied Concepts Unleashed, who developed the designs that would make Makaira a reality, was along for the trials. “Across the board, this vessel meets or exceeds all of its performance envelopes.” said French. “The Makaira line has been built for big open water. The forefoot cuts perfectly through the waves and when you bank, the water just peels off the chines for a dry ride. The unique transom design allowed us to back down and maneuver aggressively and the 360° visibility from the helm is outstanding. We incorporated a new precision floating shaft system into this build which, combined with her monococque construction practically eliminates cockpit noise and vibration. Everyone involved is enormously proud of this boat and judging by the amount of inquiries we have already seen, a lot of serious sport fishermen and off-shore boaters are going to be as well.”
Makaira will be seen this summer at several tournaments along the East coast and will make its boat show debut this fall. The exact schedule will be posted as soon as the dates are confirmed.
Makaira Yachts was conceived and developed by Ocean Yachts to create a high performance semi-custom line of yachts that provide the fit, finish and elegance of a custom yacht and still be manufactured rapidly and efficiently. Built from the keel up with light-weight super strong composite materials, the new Makaira line of sport fishing yachts opens a new chapter in the accomplishments from the creators of the Ocean Yachts brand.Contact: jleek4@oceanyachtsinc.com
Steve French’s Applied Concepts has been designing some of the most famous boats on the water for over 25 years. Some of the notable names using Applied Concepts designs include: Garlington, Spencer, Whiticar, Richie Howell Custom Yachts, Sunny Briggs, Tribute, F&S, Miller, Sculley, Tribute and Merritt. All have built boats noted for their flowing lines, speed, and soft ride. Today it is estimated that there are over 1500 custom and production boats that embody designs by French. Contact:marketing@acunleashed.com
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