Story Cecile Gauert Photos Interior Matthieu Carlin Exterior Exterior Jerry Wyszatycki
Alain Cousineau, who heads the exclusive U.S. dealership headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, has been working closely with the Taiwanese yard’s founder Eddie Yeh. He describes Yeh as an energetic man who rises early each morning and still gets excited about what he does 40 years after he first started the business. Cousineau estimates the yard has built more than 1,400 boats to date. Recently, President Yachts, which also builds composite boats sold under other brand names, has developed new models under the President label, ranging in size from 65’ to now 140’. There are trideck, raised pilothouse and Portuguese bridge models. Cousineau, who has extensive experience working with Taiwanese boat builders, says that the President yard is more than willing to modify each hull to the extent possible in order to accommodate client’s particular requests or tastes. Full design and tooling are now ready for a complete range of fiberglass yachts to 140’, he says. President Yachts builds all its vessels at a modern harbor-front facility in Tainan, near a new beach resort at Jiang Jun Boat Harbor.
Yeh once called the 107-footer, first displayed at the Miami Yacht & Brokerage Show, a “mini megayacht”, and indeed, even though ample space and volume is to be expected on a trideck, most everything on this yacht is quite large. Viewed from the dock, the all-white trideck yacht, now named D-Fence (a clue to her owner’s line of business) is an imposing presence, rising 34’ above the waterline. The 23’ 8” beam presents many advantages inside and out. Wide side walkways, sheltered overhead nearly all around the superstructure, make onboard circulation easy and safe. Spacious entertainment areas are available on all three decks. The American owners of D-Fence chose an easy-to-maintain non-skid finish on the sun deck and bridge deck, but as Cousineau points out, all three decks can be fully finished with the same quality teak sole that graces this yacht’s main deck. D-Fence’s spacious sun deck, equipped with a helm station, barbecue grill, table and sofa, does not include a Jacuzzi, but that option is available, and there is certainly room for one. The sundeck also holds the tender along with its crane.
Inside, the combination of beam, large windows, layout and finishes contributes to emphasizing the sense of space, but as we walk around, we realize this is not mere trickery resulting from a clever design. Stairs and corridors are wide and fitted with secure banisters, providing safe passage between lower-deck accommodations and the main deck. On D-Fence, the owners chose to locate their master stateroom aft on the bridge deck where a more traditional layout might place a bar and lounge. As a result, only three staterooms are located on the lower deck, two accessible through one set of stairs forward of the country galley, and the other through a separate entrance accessible from the salon. The VIP, located in the bow, is uncommonly spacious. In this model it features two double beds, but the stateroom, accessed through elegant double wooden doors with frosted glass inserts, could easily have a king-size bed. Closets, all lined with cedar, are spacious, and under-bed storage provides even more capacity. Across a foyer, with a full-size washer and dryer and large linen closet, is a full-beam stateroom, also with double-door entry and an elegantly appointed ensuite bathroom with a whirlpool tub, double sink and glass-enclosed walk-in shower, made to seem even larger by the use of a mirrored ceiling and stainless-steel accents. The lower deck can easily accommodate four staterooms, an arrangement featured on the next hull, due to arrive in the United States in January.
The full-size country kitchen, fully equipped in this case with GE Monogram appliances, has an attractive oak sole, and with a comfortable banquette surrounding two independent tables, provides a great venue for breakfast or an ideal space for a chef to set up hors-d’oeuvres service. Moving forward past a day head located behind an elegant curved teak panel, a large salon includes a dining area and a full-size wet bar with bar stools. The dominant wood the owners chose—owner Patricia Horn was the interior designer— is a beautiful satin-finished teak, but a few other species, including ebony in a cabinet near the dining table, create contrast. The owners did the decorating on D-Fence, choosing from a wide selection of woods and marbles available from the yard.
Another area where space is evident is the after part of lower deck, where the well-finished crew quarters are located. These include a captain’s cabin with private bathroom, a twin cabin also with bathroom and a small galley with granite counter tops, a dining area with leather banquette, a two-burner cook top, refrigerator and microwave. Cousineau says the yard likes to finish the crew quarters with a level of detail comparable to guest areas, and it certainly helps make the space welcoming and comfortable. A wide and easy-to-use staircase—very different from some of the contorted affairs that too often complicate crew access on other yachts larger than this—leads to the secondary entry door that also will serve as the preferred engine access when the yacht is underway. There is space enough at the stairs’ landing here for another laundry room. The engine room, accessed through a heavy and well-insulated door, provides great access for any checks, maintenance or repairs. There is ample space in front of, behind and between the two Caterpillar engines that power the yacht, and a good 7’ of overhead clearance, which is the case throughout the yacht. In fact, the yard’s designers obviously have thought a great deal about maintenance as well as comfort. Well-disguised, but readily accessible openings allow reaching pipes, wiring and bilges throughout the yacht.
Comfort and ease of use are clearly two priorities that have dictated design choices on this vessel. But the ultimate surprise may very well be that this nearly 60-ton and voluminous yacht with a modified V bottom is capable of a 23.5-knot speed, and a similar one can be built for less than $8 million.
For more information, contact Presidential Yachts, CousineauA@bellsouth.net
