It’s been about six years since Palmer Johnson began focusing on the muscular cruisers it calls Sport Yachts. Surely you’ve been able to pick out one on the horizon, even among myriad other megayachts, as they’re sleek and streamlined in profile, and nearly all are punctuated by paint jobs in metallic blues, golds, and more. All told, there have been nearly two dozen delivered to date, catering to crowds who enjoy the casual cruising lifestyle over formal, tux-and-tails entertaining.
The newest among these is Vantage, a 150 Sport Yacht—number seven in the series, if you’re counting. She keeps up the tradition of eschewing fussiness for fun.
How? Check out this shot above that I took of her flying bridge. Whether you’ve been aboard a 150-footer or even a 200-footer, chances are good that they have essentially identical layouts: hot tub forward, surrounded by sunpads; bar amidships; and toy stowage aft, replaced by lounge chairs when the Jet Skis are in the water. Not so aboard Vantage. Her flying bridge is akin to an alfresco lounge, complete with television viewing area and cushions so comfortable, you may want to linger most of the day. It effectively feels like a room unto itself, given full-height windows, skylights fitted in the hardtop, and a sliding glass door forward that yields access to a grill, perfect for sneaking a taste of what the chef has cooking. (Speaking of the chef, he or she and the stews can come and go from the grill area without interrupting the TV watching, since the grill is a few paces to the side of the pilothouse’s entry.)
The no-fuss approach extends throughout the interior, where four guest staterooms can accommodate eight to 12 guests, given two Pullman berths in the twin staterooms. Beautifully finished bleached teak lines the soles and walls on the main deck, an inviting atmosphere for the shorts and polo shirt set. Of course, with Vantage being a megayacht, the paneling is nicely accented by zebrano and wenge woods, plus stone countertops in some areas. A particularly nice touch are the floor-to-ceiling windows flanking the dining area. They brighten up the interior and, when the fold-down balconies to either side are in place, allow for limitless vistas. (If you’re wondering, as I did, why the windows are fixed and not sliding doors, it’s because Lloyd’s classification won’t permit it. Vantage is further in compliance with the MCA Code.)
Vantage has a reported cruising speed of 24 knots and top speed is 28 knots, given twin MTU 16V 4000 M90 diesel engines. Enjoy the tour, above.
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