In the new Davis 52, leading-edge technologies rejuvenate a sportfishing icon.
Yachting Magazine
By John Wooldridge
Photography by Forest Johnson
After Dr. Ira Trocki bought the assets of the well-known North Carolina builder, Davis Yachts, in the spring of 2003, he faced the question of all who would take possession of a legend. In this case, Davis Yachts were renowned for their excellent sea keeping abilities in rough waters, trusted to perform in treacherous North Carolina inlets, and savored for their handcrafted interiors. Dr. Trocki’s challenge was as simple as it was dif¬ficult: improve on greatness.
At the invitation of Trocki, CEO, and Bob Hazard, vice president of sales and marketing for Davis Yachts, I boarded the Davis 52 Sportfisherman for a hands-on inspection at this year’s Miami International Boat Show. From the outset it was clear that Davis Yachts landed squarely on the side of tradition with this one-beautiful lines, luxurious interiors that reflect the personalities of the owners-while taking advantage of the latest yacht de¬sign and building techniques.
Crossing the threshold of the power sliding door, I found myself in an expansive saloon with over seven feet of headroom, a large window aft looking out into the cockpit and two massive side win¬dows fabricated as single-piece expanses of safety glass that offer an unobstructed view of your favorite harbor or anchorage. To port was a large L-shaped couch covered in buttery-soft Ultraleather (or the covering of your choice coordinated by in-house designer John Kelley), the perfect place to relax and enjoy the 32-inch flat-screen TV recessed into the high-gloss teak forward bulkhead. Twin Mur¬ray Brothers teak tables can be left loose for entertaining or moved together for dining; their gas-assist mechanisms can change them from cocktail hour height to mealtime height and back again.
“Just look at the door frames, the way they’re constructed and how well they match the doors,” said Dr. Trocki, a plastic surgeon and successful businessman from south New Jersey. “You can’t feel any seams or find any screws be¬cause they’re made up as a single piece, glued in place. We’re one of the few manufacturers in the world that takes the time to do this.”
The quality of the joinery throughout the yacht is indeed superb, showcased by the buffet-style galley that runs along the starboard side of the saloon in this spacious optional layout. A Corian countertop that runs uninterrupted for the length of the buffet conceals the electric cooktop (doubles as a backsplash) and the deep, round stainless steel sink. A pull-out unit that houses glass and bottle stowage allows complete access to plumbing.
The master stateroom has abundant illumination from a portlight; book-matched teak panels grace the bulkhead over the vanity and the large double island berth. The LCD television screen is recessed into an angled overhead panel for¬ward; the en suite head has a teak-and-holly sole and a separate shower stall. The VIP stateroom in the bow continues the theme of comfort with an abundance of natural light, headroom, stow¬age and stunning teak furniture.
“We’re building a yacht that is all about comfort,” said Trocki. “Our customers want an interior that invites family and friends to come and live below, where the spaces have excellent natural lighting and ventilation. We want our owners to feel right at home on long cruis¬es, and that these are living spaces, not just places to sleep.”
On the flybridge, there’s a centerline helm with a custom Murray Brothers captain’s chair, both located well aft for an excellent view of the cockpit action. In fact, visibility was excellent through 360 degrees. The hideaway electronics console rose up on a power lift, and had acres of space for multiple displays and control heads. Stainless steel single-lever control handles and a large stainless wheel, polished to a jewel-like finish, emerge from a custom teak “bubble” to give the helmsman positive control whether cruising or maneuvering to keep a fish hooked up.
The cockpit features mezzanine seating for spectators or those waiting their turn for the next strike. A large baitwell with circulating seawater, built-in tackle center and top-loading freezer are features serious anglers will appreciate. A backing plate beneath the cockpit sole is standard for those planning to add a fighting chair.
The day I tested the Davis 52 Sportfisherman off Miami Beach, there was a modest breeze out of the northeast, waves three to four feet and sunny skies. The conditions were normal for Government Cut in February-lots of wake, good chop at the entrance and plenty of large shipping coming and going. Throttling up as we cleared the entrance, we headed north at high cruising speed, slicing through three-footers. Even the occasional fourfooter failed to produce much bow rise, and the trademark Davis bow flare did its part keeping spray to a minimum. Hard over on the wheel carved powerful turns at speed. Control of the boat while backing down in the waves was very responsive, and it changed directions quickly with variable applications of power to the long single-lever controls designed to optimize steering with the engines when facing backward. Given the fact that this model had prop pockets, as opposed to the traditional drive train that’s also available, [ was pleasantly surprised at its precise performance. Overall, the yacht was wonderfully balanced.
The 52 Sportfisherman hull and deck is the brainchild of Nick Soksa, of Soksa Marine Design. “I started with the lines of the previous 52 hull as a model, and pulled out the chines for better running surface and dynamic stability,” Soksa said. “Preserving the aesthetics was critical, particularly the well-flared bow, yet the wider beam gave us a chance to include a modest tumblehome aft. From the waterline down, I stuck with a deep forefoot, sharp entry and a warped plane body that offers 21 degrees of deadrise amidships and 16 degrees at the transom-a good balance of sharp entry when coming down on a wave but good planing surface aft. A small skeg keel adds tracking, and shallow pockets with a close tip clearance add efficiency.”
Davis Yachts builds the 52 Sportfisherman with the DlAB Core Infusion Technology process, a vacuum-infusion process that DlAB maintains is eight times the strength and 17 times the stiffness of comparable solid fiber-glass laminates. The engineroom is gelcoated, as is much of the interior hull surface, but it is also painted with Awlgrip for ease of maintenance. A three-inch-thick Divinycell cabin sole adds stiffness and sound reduction. Hull to deck joints are completely fiberglassed inside, while the outer joint it sealed with Plexus. This is a strong boat.
Everything about the construction of the Davis 52 Sportfisherman is bluewater tough. Yet the interior is, in keeping with Ira Trocki’s vision, incredibly comfortable and luxurious. This is one legend you’ll like living.
Yachting : July 2007 – Sportfishing Special
Lively Legend
In the new Davis 52, leading-edge technologies rejuvenate a sportfishing icon.
By John Wooldridge
Photography by Forest Johnson
After Dr. Ira Trocki bought the assets of the well-known North Carolina builder, Davis Yachts, in the spring of 2003, he faced the question of all who would take possession of a legend. In this case, Davis Yachts were renowned for their excellent sea keeping abilities in rough waters, trusted to perform in treacherous North Carolina inlets, and savored for their handcrafted interiors. Dr. Trocki’s challenge was as simple as it was dif¬ficult: improve on greatness.
At the invitation of Trocki, CEO, and Bob Hazard, vice presi¬dent of sales and marketing for Davis Yachts, I boarded the Davis 52 Sportfisherman for a hands-on inspection at this year’s Miami International Boat Show. From the outset it was clear that Davis Yachts landed squarely on the side of tradition with this one-beautiful lines, luxurious interiors that reflect the personali¬ties of the owners-while taking advantage of the latest yacht de¬sign and building techniques.
Crossing the threshold of the power sliding door, I found myself in an expansive saloon with over seven feet of headroom, a large window aft looking out into the cockpit and two massive side win¬dows fabricated as single-piece expanses of safety glass that offer an unobstructed view of your favorite harbor or anchorage. To port was a large L-shaped couch covered in buttery-soft Ultraleather (or the covering of your choice coordinated by in-house designer John Kelley), the perfect place to relax and enjoy the 32-inch flat-screen TV recessed into the high-gloss teak forward bulkhead. Twin Mur¬ray Brothers teak tables can be left loose for entertaining or moved together for dining; their gas-assist mechanisms can change them from cocktail hour height to mealtime height and back again.
“Just look at the door frames, the way they’re constructed and how well they match the doors,” said Dr. Trocki, a plastic surgeon and successful businessman from south New Jersey. “You can’t feel any seams or find any screws be¬cause they’re made up as a single piece, glued in place. We’re one of the few manufacturers in the world that takes the time to do this.”
The quality of the joinery throughout the yacht is indeed superb, showcased by the buf¬fet-style galley that runs along the starboard side of the saloon in this spacious optional layout. A Corian countertop that runs uninter¬rupted for the length of the buffet conceals the electric cooktop (doubles as a backsplash) and the deep, round stainless steel sink. A pull-out unit that houses glass and bottle stowage allows complete access to plumbing.
The master stateroom has abundant illumina¬tion from a portlight; book-matched teak panels grace the bulkhead over the vanity and the large double island berth. The LCD television screen is recessed into an angled overhead panel for¬ward; the en suite head has a teak-and-holly sole and a separate shower stall. The VIP stateroom in the bow continues the theme of comfort with an abundance of natural light, headroom, stow¬age and stunning teak furniture.
“We’re building a yacht that is all about comfort,” said Trocki. “Our customers want an interior that invites family and friends to come and live below, where the spaces have excellent natural lighting and ventilation. We want our owners to feel right at home on long cruis¬es, and that these are living spaces, not just places to sleep.”
On the flybridge, there’s a centerline helm with a custom Mur¬ray Brothers captain’s chair, both located well aft for an excellent view of the cockpit action. In fact, visibility was excellent through 360 degrees. The hideaway electronics console rose up on a power lift, and had acres of space for multiple displays and control heads. Stainless steel single-lever control handles and a large stainless wheel, polished to a jewel-like finish, emerge from a custom teak “bubble” to give the helmsman positive control whether cruising or maneuvering to keep a fish hooked up.
The cockpit features mezzanine seating for spectators or those waiting their turn for the next strike. A large baitwell with circulat¬ing seawater, built-in tackle center and top-loading freezer are fea¬tures serious anglers will appreciate. A backing plate beneath the cockpit sole is standard for those planning to add a fighting chair.
The day I tested the Davis 52 Sportfisherman off Miami Beach, there was a modest breeze out of the northeast, waves three to four feet and sunny skies. The conditions were normal for Government Cut in February-lots of wake, good chop at the entrance and plenty of large shipping coming and going. Throttling up as we cleared the entrance, we headed north at high cruising speed, slicing through three-footers. Even the occasional fourfooter failed to produce much bow rise, and the trademark Davis bow flare did its part keeping spray to a minimum. Hard over on the wheel carved powerful turns at speed. Control of the boat while backing down in the waves was very responsive, and it changed directions quickly with variable applications of power to the long single-lever controls designed to optimize steering with the engines when facing backward. Given the fact that this model had prop pockets, as opposed to the traditional drive train that’s also available, [ was pleasantly surprised at its precise performance. Overall, the yacht was wonderfully balanced.
The 52 Sportfisherman hull and deck is the brainchild of Nick Soksa, of Soksa Marine Design. “I started with the lines of the previous 52 hull as a model, and pulled out the chines for better running surface and dynamic stability,” Soksa said. “Preserving the aesthetics was critical, particularly the well-flared bow, yet the wider beam gave us a chance to include a modest tumblehome aft. From the waterline down, I stuck with a deep forefoot, sharp entry and a warped plane body that offers 21 degrees of deadrise amidships and 16 degrees at the transom-a good balance of sharp entry when coming down on a wave but good planing surface aft. A small skeg keel adds tracking, and shallow pockets with a close tip clearance add efficiency.”
Davis Yachts builds the 52 Sportfisherman with the DlAB Core Infusion Technology process, a vacuum-infusion process that DlAB maintains is eight times the strength and 17 times the stiffness of comparable solid fiber-glass laminates. The engineroom is gelcoated, as is much of the interior hull surface, but it is also painted with Awlgrip for ease of maintenance. A three-inch-thick Divinycell cabin sole adds stiffness and sound reduction. Hull to deck joints are completely fiberglassed inside, while the outer joint it sealed with Plexus. This is a strong boat.
Everything about the construction of the Davis 52 Sportfisherman is bluewater tough. Yet the interior is, in keeping with Ira Trocki’s vision, incredibly comfortable and luxurious. This is one legend you’ll like living.
Contact: Egg Harbor Yachts, (609) 965-2300