News
A bold new approach to performance daysailing... the Surfari 53 is part motor yacht, part sailing yacht.
The SURFARI 53 is intended to appeal to the experienced racing yacht owner who has mellowed his appetite for competitive racing and the extensive demands of crew that accompany it. Their need for speed under sail remains, but is being seasoned with a newly appreciated desire for a comfortable lifestyle onboard.
On the top of the list of SURFARI’S advantages are its racing yacht performance under sail, its motor yacht performance under power, and the practicality of the single level floor plan designed specifically for the active outdoor lifestyle. We believe that this outdoor living / recreational style layout is unique to the sailboat market. Fontaine collaborated with Peder Eidsgaard of Eidsgaard Design in developing the refreshing and contemporary styling of the SURFARI 53.
Electrically powered sail handling systems include fully battened mainsail, roller furling genoa and a permanent bowsprit fit with furling asymmetrical downwind sails all enable speeds in excess of ten knots under sail.
No wind? No problem. The SURFARI 53’s hull form is designed to get the owners to their favorite surfing, kayaking, paddle boarding or diving location quickly and comfortably. To do so in speed, she is outfitted with twin 78 HP Volvo D2-75 diesel engines. Each will have a geared folding 4 blade propeller to efficiently propel the hull in excess of 11 kts. “Getting there” fast, comfortably and in style are the primary design features unique to this hybrid performance hull form.
Not only built for speed, she is designed to be as comfortable for dockside entertaining as she is for extended family cruises. A key feature in luxury homes these days is seamless indoor/outdoor space. The SURFARI 53 captures the same feeling with its large, full-width single level ‘outdoor living’ platform. The expansive deck space stretches from the open aft transom through the full width cockpit and into the plush deck salon / galley. Sliding glass doors visibly disappear when opened, leaving the entire outdoor living space without steps, blurring the line between interior and exterior;. This is a design feature not yet found on any other performance cruiser.
Twin helm stations, complete with carbon fiber wheels and full navigational equipment on both sides, are located aft of deep sofa-like settees. The interior helm station will have navigational repeaters for the radar, chart plotter and autopilot, engine controls for the twin engines, as well as the electrical control panels. The control station is intended to equal that of the typical motor yacht for functionality and purpose… hidden when not in use but intelligently arranged when needed. The single level living room / salon will have a wet bar area aft, a large convertible dining table to port and a fully functioning helm control station forward to starboard and a large screen television fit to a lifting platform.
The below deck accommodations feature a fully air conditioned interior space complete with an open, fully functional galley equipped with a microwave oven, large 12V refrigerator and freezer, deep oversized sink, a pull-out coffeemaker and three burner cook-top. A passageway forward leads to port and starboard symmetrical guest cabins. Each cabin has an oversized lower double berth with a second single berth outboard and above. The twin guest cabins are each fit with hanging locker and abundant drawer space. Exiting the twin guest cabins and moving forward one has a choice of accessing either the oversized head to port or the oversized shower / vanity sink to starboard before entering the large full width master cabin.
The full width master cabin is designed with a large oversized centerline berth, but an optional conventional v-berth could easily be incorporated if so desired. The master head and separate enclosed shower allow privacy for when guests are aboard. The standard design has sleeping accommodations for a minimum of six people, more if the salon and cockpit sofas are used. The interior accommodation can, however, be modified to suit the needs of individual owners.
The finish of the SURFARI interior has a simplistic, clean and spacious atmosphere featuring distressed and bleached teak veneers with matte finish. Stepping on board one will feel like they are entering an elegant, breezy summer home with fantastic outdoor-living spaces. Best of all… this seaside home can move!
Click here to read about Ted Fontaine's bold new design, the Surfari 53, as reported in Yachting Magazine.
