ALL PHOTOS: Garrett Swartz
UPDATE, JANUARY 16, 2014: Hargrave Custom Yachts has found a buyer for Bops. She’s now been rechristened as Carbon Copy. Read on for the full review of our time onboard the yacht.
Hargrave Custom Yachts is intent on stirring up the 100-foot yacht market more than it has over the past few years. New megayachts like Bops show just how. Sure, she’s a raised-pilothouse motoryacht, a popular design for other American companies. But, she’s fully custom, something few competitors offer. Add a new profile and new hull design, the latter allowing speeds in the low to mid 20s, and Bops embodies what many of today’s buyers want.
The raised pilothouse aboard the 101-foot (30.8-meter) Bops emphasizes navigation more than observation. However, the cozy corner settee invites guest and crew interaction. Many Hargrave Custom Yachts clients like checking in on the action on occasion.
Even with the raised pilothouse, Bops has a full flying bridge. A hardtop provides welcome shade for the dining area and extra helm. The bar’s position adjacent to the sunpad (covering the hot tub when it’s not in use) makes for a party space. Typical for Hargrave Custom Yachts owners, Bops’ buyer wanted a tender and davit fully aft. Loose lounges can go here instead.
Alfresco enjoyment extends to the foredeck, with two seating areas. It’s a nice setup that doesn’t impede the crew’s tasks. No doubt Bops’ next owner (the megayacht is for sale) will seek out secluded anchorages, where those aboard can enjoy sunset cocktails here.
Speaking of cocktails, the saloon aboard Bops is set up for pre- or post-dinner drinks, too. The bar top is onyx, backlit for nice effect. As for the rest of the saloon, the open flow to the dining area enhances the feeling of the 7’2” (about 2.2 meters) headroom. There’s also excellent use of stowage space. Hargrave Custom Yachts and Yacht Interiors by Shelley extended the walnut-lined cabinetry a few extra inches to allow tucking away large platters and the addition of wine coolers.
Country kitchens are just as popular today as they were when introduced in the 1980s. Bops makes good use of the layout. The granite-topped prep island doubles as a sneak-servings-from-the-chef area thanks to the barstools. The island aboard Bops also contains an icemaker (on the side facing the refrigerator and freezer).
Two sets of oval ports enhance the full-beam (21 feet) master suite aboard Bops. Walk-in wardrobes for both him and her ensure no one argues over closet space. Hargrave Custom Yachts created a separate area in the foyer for luggage stowage, too, for the owners’ bags and those of the friends and family staying in the three guest staterooms. There’s a queen cabin, a twin cabin with a pullman, and a private VIP, accessed via its own stairway from the galley.
Two crew cabins and a captain’s cabin comprise the crew’s quarters aboard Bops. The crew cabins share a head, as you might expect. The captain has a private head. All three of the staterooms are outfitted with the same walnut wood as the guest areas.
With twin 1,675-hp Caterpillar C32s, Bops is reportedly capable of a 21-knot cruise. That’s in keeping with similar-size megayachts from competitors of Hargrave Custom Yachts. The 3,200 gallons (12,113 liters) of fuel and draft just shy of 6 feet (1.8 meters) make for plentiful island-hopping in wintertime and coastal cruising in spring and summer.
Besides reflecting Hargrave Custom Yachts’ new philosophy, Bops still reflects a longstanding norm for the builder. She was purchased by a repeat customer just as she was finishing commissioning for her original owners (who planned to christen her Second Love). Repeat business is a big part of Hargrave’s success. More than half of its clients buy two, three, or even four projects in succession. Perhaps Bops’ buyer will follow suit—and enjoy a flexibility few builders in this size range can rival.
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