78 Motor Yacht
The Ocean Alexander 50 Classico is a 52-foot trawler yacht with a raised pilothouse and a flybridge that was produced by the award-winning Taiwanese yacht-building brand Ocean Alexander between the years of 2001 and 2009. A classic profile inspired by this firm’s rich trawler heritage eschews modern gimmicks in favour of sturdy and practical lines made for life out at sea. Yet this is also an incredibly comfortable yacht with deluxe, timber-lined interiors that are there to be lived in.
An al-fresco flybridge that can be fitted with a Bimini roof when entering the rainier climes offers a superb dual-use space that can host a set of plush outdoor sofas and a wet-bar or be used as tender storage with a hydraulic davit. There is also an upper helm on this level, sitting on a raised pulpit with views out to the far horizon. Down on the main-deck you will discover a Portuguese Bridge sofa out on a compact elevated foredeck that is accessed via a pilot-house door, as well as a teak-lined, sheltered aft-cockpit with room for a dining table and a transom sofa. There is a small swim platform back here as well, ideal for setting off on snorkelling trips when you make you way into the fish-rich waters of the Caribbean.
A glazed Dutch-door leads guests into the teak-lined main-deck salon, where holly floors, an L-shaped Ultraleather sofa, a pair of ottomans, frameless windows and a set of curved cabinets await. An open galley to starboard features walk-in dimensions, granite or Silestone counter-tops, a Sharp combination microwave oven, a Franke steel double sink, a Force 10 3-zone propane hob, a Fisher & Paykel dishwasher, a Seagull water filter and a Summit fridge-freezer tower.
The raised pilothouse is about more than just navigation – it also features an upholstered sofa with a table sitting up against a bulkhead with a hidden sleeping space for daytime naps. A pair of skipper’s doors lead out to the side decks, while a single Stidd helm chair faces a timber and leather lined dashboard boasting a Raymarine Axiom display screen with chart plotter and radar, Simrad autopilot, ICOM VHF radio, a YachtMinder system, Vetus bow and stern thruster controls, a Ritchie compass and a Furuno digital weather station.
A two cabin, two head lower-deck layout makes this yacht a great option for longer voyages, with rooms benefiting from porthole windows, teak-lined surfaces, plush carpeting underfoot, cedar-lined lockers and plenty of hidden storage. A bunk berth for two sits across from a main guest head with granite, teak and mirrored surfaces, a Tecma toilet and an open shower fixture. The double stateroom, meanwhile, features a queen-sized island bed, bedside cabinets, reading lights, a mounted HDTV and an en suite with an enclosed shower cubicle.
With a top speed of just over 11 knots you will not be outpacing any marlin while cruising in this yacht, but this vessel’s single 300MHP John Deere diesel engine is all about stamina. At a cruising speed of 8 knots, you can expect a range of almost 1,400 nautical miles, a range that only increases as you lower the speed. A rugged fiberglass hull will stand up to the challenge of choppy offshore conditions, while a KeyPower Get Home auxiliary prop drive provides a superb and reassuring back-up system.
