Bob Book says he “was hooked forever” on boating when he took out a 16-footer (4.9-meter) on his honeymoon 44 years ago. He’s not kidding: Book Ends, delivered by Heesen Yachts last year, is the 17th yacht for this megayacht owner. Bayliner, Sunseeker, Westport; you name it, he’s owned it.
In searching for a steel-hulled yacht capable of a transatlantic crossing, he learned of Project Ruya at Heesen. Nearly finished, she suited his desire to cruise the Med for the summer season. A full year later, he’s enjoyed every minute onboard, plus getting to know the Heesen team. Here, this megayacht owner shares his experiences in yachting. Furthermore, Bob Book shares his views on why fellow megayacht owners need to pay attention to technical things as much as aesthetic things.
MegayachtNews.com: I loved your honeymoon story. How soon after that did you buy your first boat?
Bob Book: We got back, and we started going to a boat and camping show. We didn’t know that they had boat shows! I saw an 18-footer, then a 21-footer, then a 23-footer, and put down deposits on all of them. Then, I ran into a boat broker, and he said, “Why don’t you start off with a big boat?” And I said, “Like what?” “Like a 25-footer.” It had a little cuddy cabin in it. I said, “Wow, can I go see it?” And that’s when I ended up with a 25-foot Cruisers. So, probably three or four months after we got back from our honeymoon, we had our first boat acquisition. We were having so much fun shopping around and looking at boats! When I look back in retrospect, we had no idea what we were doing. (laughs)
MegyachtNews.com: What draws you to the yachting lifestyle?
Bob Book: There’s nothing like it. I go to places I would otherwise not visit. This summer I spent seven weeks on Book Ends in the Med, visiting Barcelona, Ibiza, Mallorca, Capri, Amalfi, Positano, Portofino, Sorrento, Elba, Ischia, Rome, San Remo, Monaco, and St. Tropez. The time spent on the water is very special to be shared with family and friends, especially my grandchildren.”
MegayachtNews.com: How did you come to Heesen? What made you decide this was the right builder/brand for your next yacht?
Bob Book: Thom Conboy, who is one of the most knowledgeable and respected professionals in yachting, works with Heesen. That spoke volumes for me. Further, the Heesen brand is well known around the world for quality and performance. Finally, they truly hold their value when it comes time to sell. After visiting several shipyards in Italy, Spain, Turkey, USA, and three in Holland, I selected Heesen. Heesen was the most impressive in terms of quality of facilities, production excellence/best practices, design, and an unswerving commitment to deliver the boat on time and on budget.
Since this is my seventeenth boat, I did have some clear ideas of what I wanted in this vessel. Must-haves included a full-displacement steel hull, 4,000-nautical-mile range, a well-laid-out engine room, big MTU engines, state-of-the-art electronics in the pilothouse, and a superior exterior paint job. Thom Conboy and the Heesen team made some compelling points. Most notable, the boat was completed and ready for the 2017 summer season.
There are no “Perfect Boats.” I did make some compromises. However, on a scale of 1 to 10, the boat was a strong 7. I have now enjoyed two summer seasons in the Med, and winter in Florida and the Bahamas. Since deeds always speak louder than words, I am now building a new 55M Heesen slated for delivery in June 2020. Since I am early in the build, this boat will be a 9 out of 10.
MegayachtNews.com: Your list of must-haves was a lot more technical than what most owners describe. Did your background make you more aware of the importance of those things, and how those should be prioritized over the glamorous stateroom spaces?
Bob Book: In many ways, we’re all the product of our environment, and the sum and substance of our experiences. You always learn something when you have problems when you’re underway, or when you’re sitting at the dock. I always spent time with the engineer or the captain in the engine room. I want to know how things work, how they don’t work, what can go wrong. …It’s really a floating city. It’s not just a condo at the dock. It really has to work. You have so many systems that really need to integrate and work well with each other, and if they don’t, it really ruins your day. The more you understand that, the better off you are.
MegayachtNews.com: What advice would you give someone who is looking to build their first yacht?
Bob Book: Hire a well-experienced project manager and surveyor, and have your crew involved in the build out at an early stage, especially the captain, chief engineer, first officer, chief stew, and chef.
The bottom line for Bob Book: “I can honestly say the two years I spent boat shopping after I sold my 40M Westport was just an amazing learning experience. I visited practically every shipyard in Italy, went to Turkey, went to [The Netherlands]…I really learned what to look for in a boat. Even now, we’ve had two wonderful seasons in the Med on our current boat. You’re always learning what you want, what you need in a boat. So, you never stop learning, which is what makes it very interesting for me.”
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