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DO YOUDREAMOF A LONG-DISTANCE CRUISE?WE HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN

3 NEW BOATSOVATION 52, CALIFORNIAN 55 LRC RINKER 400 EXPRESS CRUISER

1,000s OF NEW & USED BOATS FOR SALE INSIDE

www.seamagazine.com JULY 2009

$4.95 USA and Canada

CHARTERINGTIPS

Californian 55 LRC

CUT COSTS & AVOID PITFALLS

TOUCH-SCREEN DIGITAL MONITORING SYSTEM p. 22

SCORETHIS

DETAILS ON PAGE 120

HOW CAN I EVALUATE A

USED ENGINE?

SHOULD I ADJUSTMY VALVES EVERY

400 HOURS?INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

SPECIAL SECTION!

16-PAGE BOAT

BUYERS GUIDE

ASK THEEXPERTS:

p. 57

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34 SEA / JULY 2009

The first Californians, built byCalifornia’s Marshall Boat Co., splasheddown in 1972 and within a decade thecompany expanded its line of trawlersand long-range cruisers from 30 to 52feet. In 1982, the company was pur-chased by Wellcraft, which made thedecision to update the line. Marshallrepurchased the company in 1987 and,that same year, sold it again, this timeto Carver, which moved production toNorth Carolina. In 1991,GenmarIndustries purchased Carver and

stopped making Californians.In the late 1990s, Jule Marshall, the

original owner, who continued to buildyachts under the Navigator marquees,reacquired the rights to the Californianname and began once again to buildCalifornians at his plant in Perris,California.

The new 55-footer features a nice,crisp design with hull windows providinglight to the master stateroom. Thestraight sheer line adds to the modernlook of the entire exterior and large win-

dows, including forward deck hatches,flood the interior with natural light.Entry to the vessel is via the well posi-tioned swim step and through a tran-som door into a large, uncluttered cock-pit. Useful cockpit space is gained pri-marily because there is no access tothe salon roof or the command bridgefrom the cockpit, thus doing away withthe usual cockpit ladder. Access to theseareas is via a set of interior steps to theaft of the pilothouse.

Sidedecks and stainless steelhandrails allow quick and easy move-ment between the cockpit and the fore-deck. The Portuguese bridge providesa nice touch for out-of-sight stowage of

SeaTrial

Californian 55 LRCA WELL-DESIGNED CRUISER THAT SIPS FUEL BY ROGER MCAFEE

THE NEW CALIFORNIAN 55 LONG RANGE CRUISER (LRC) is an unusu-al vessel. Unlike many other current offerings in the market seg-ment it’s designed and built in the United States.

+SEA Californian JULY09 5/27/09 9:59 AM Page 34

fenders and lines and good protectionfor the wheelhouse should the vesseltake green water over the bow. Themolded nonskid pattern in the deck issharp and provides secure footing.

The exterior glasswork was smoothand fair and showed no signs of print-through. Stanchions and other stain-less items were fitted nicely andappeared to be well secured, while allthe cleats have aluminum backing platesfor additional strength and security.

The hull was designed with a rela-tively shallow V of 13 degrees at thetransom allowing the vessel to plane withless power than similar-size hulls witha sharper V. The full, deep-V hulls havea deadrise of about 22 degrees. The hullhas a double chine, which improvesdynamic lift while the forward acts asa built-in spray rail.

According to the manufacturer thehull is built of solid glass, bottom andsides, with bi-axial glass in stress areas.For improved blister resistance and UVprotection the entire hull is coated witha vinylester resin skin. A premium epoxybarrier coat is applied before bottompainting to reduce the likelihood of waterwicking into the laminate.

The deck is end-grain balsa-coredfiberglass and the hull/deck joint ismechanically fastened at least every 6inches with Sikaflex high-strengthadhesive between the overlap. Then theentire inside of the joint is glassed over.

Framing for the main deck interiorsole, including the forward cabin area,is made of marine-grade aluminum boxchannel. This type of material makesfor a very light, strong and rigid struc-ture. The aluminum itself is impervi-ous to saltwater corrosion by the timeit is installed.

Entry to the vessel is through a cock-pit sliding glass door into the aft salon,or into the pilothouse through port andstarboard sliding doors off either side-deck. The Portuguese bridge providesreasonable spray protection when thewheelhouse doors are opened.

The aft salon is roomy and com-fortable, complete with an L-shaped set-tee to port and two large, comfortablebarrel chairs to starboard. A high-lowtable in front of the settee can be a cof-fee table when set in the low positionor a dining table when raised. The col-

An Inside Look

FREE PRODUCT INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.SEAMAGAZINE.COM 35

ors selected for the interior carpet andupholstery match the varnished teakvery nicely and give an overall feelingof luxury and comfort.

The U-shaped galley located to portand forward of the salon is wellequipped with Corian counters, ahome-sized double stainless sink, fullrefrigerator, microwave, electric ovenand cooktop. There is plenty of stor-age under the counter, and a large pantryis located under the galley sole. Thoseon board can move to and from the salon

or wheelhouse without interrupting gal-ley operations.

The galley-forward bulkhead doesnot go completely to the overhead, soanyone working in the galley can eas-ily converse with those in the salon orthe wheelhouse. Access to the wheel-house is forward and up three steps onthe starboard side of the deckhouseacross from the galley.

Visibility from the wheelhouse isexcellent all around, and a large, flatdash area allows for the installation of

The aft salon is roomy andcomfortable, complete withan L-shaped settee to portand two large inviting chairs.The U-shaped galley is locat-ed to port and forward of thesalon; it’s well equipped witheverything including stainresistant Corian countertopsand a home-sized doublestainless sink. The masterstateroom features a walk-around queen bed and plentyof stowage.

TESTER'S OPINION“The builders have cre-ated a very efficientcoastal cruising-shapehull. The vessel handledour sea trial very wellwithout skid or prop cav-itation. Throughout theentire test the vesselresponded well to thehelm.”

+SEA Californian JULY09 5/26/09 1:49 PM Page 35

the usual electronics without making thearea look like the cockpit of an aircraft.There’s even room for a folded paperchart. Because of the openness of theinterior layout the skipper can keep invisual and voice contact with anyonein the salon or galley. The wheelhousehas a small L-shaped settee and tableso others on board can comfortably keepthe skipper company. However, therecould be a bit more space between thehelm chair and table, especially for us“huskier” boaters.

Access to the command bridge is viaa stairwell from the pilothouse. Forwardvisibility from the command bridge maybe an issue. The vessel has what is knownas a chariot bridge, where the aft top ofthe wheelhouse is the command bridge“dash” and the upper helm “sole” is thetop of the salon. This places the com-mand bridge well aft and relatively low.As a result it is difficult to see the bowof the vessel. Visibility aft, port and star-board is excellent, though.

The staterooms are located forwardand down from the wheelhouse, with afull head including a separate showerstall immediately to starboard at the bot-tom of the companionway. This can alsodouble as the day head.

The master stateroom, featuring awalk-around queen bed and plenty ofstowage, is located full width across thebeam of the vessel under the pilothouse.Complete with its own private head andseparate shower and tub this space isvery comfortable and surprisingly quiet,even when under way. There is plentyof hanging locker space, more than onmany liveaboards, in addition to a wash-er/dryer.

The VIP stateroom is located in thefo’c’s’le and features a queen-sized walk-around, good storage and hanging lock-ers. It too is a very comfortable space.A third smaller cabin with bunks is locat-ed between the two larger staterooms.This space could easily be converted toan office.

We fired up the D9 575 hp Volvoinboard diesel and idled away from thedock, making good use of the bowthruster in the very tight quarters. The2,370-pound in-line six-cylinder idledsmoothly, quietly and smoke free. At idle,550 rpm, we were making 3.9 miles perhour and burning .25 gallon per hour.

As we advanced the throttle the elec-

tronically controlled engine movedsmoothly up to 750 rpm, and we made6 mph burning 0.8 gph. At that speedthe vessel has a range of just more than5,060 miles, allowing a 10 percentreserve.

At 1200 rpm we moved along at 9mph and burned 2.6 gph; with a 10 per-cent reserve this gives a range of 2,336miles at about 260 hp. At 1500 rpm ourspeed was 11 mph and we burned 5.8gallons per hour. Range, once again allow-ing a 10 percent fuel reserve, would be1,280 miles. Clearly, the big Volvo’s sweetspot is around 1,200 rpm.

Top speed, at 2,600 rpm, was 22.1mph and the fuel burn was 2.8 gph. Rangeat that speed with the 10 percentreserve was 630 miles. All speed calcu-lations were based on GPS readings.

During our speed tests those on boardhad no problem speaking with each otherat normal conversation levels evenwhen the Volvo was running flat out. Infact, the vessel was much quieter thanexpected.

After our speed runs, we stopped,cranked the helm over hard and keptit there as we slowly increased to fullthrottle. The vessel handled this processvery well without skid or prop cavita-tion. Throughout the entire test the ves-sel responded well to the helm.

In summary, this U.S.-made vesselis well-thought-out, makes good use ofinterior space and the builders have cre-ated a very efficient coastal cruising hullshape. The engine is well matched tothe hull, and the fuel economy at allspeeds is near the top of its class forthis type of vessel. There’s plenty of stor-age space for long-range cruising and theinterior is bright and cheerful: a neces-sity for boaters who spend a lot of timeon the water and who want to be com-fortable. There is plenty of headroomthroughout even for those who are wellover 6 feet tall.

My only concern is the starboard sideof the wheelhouse sole, which is downone step from the rest of the wheelhouse.The area doubles as the companionway,from the aft salon through the wheelhouseforward to the cabin spaces below; thisstep-down can create a falling hazard.

I strongly suggest you put this boaton your short list. The fuel economyand design alone make this boat a must-see.

36 SEA / JULY 2009

Californian55 LRC

SPECIFICATIONS LOA 56 ft., 9 in.Beam 15 ft.Draft 4 ft., 7 in.Weight 52,000 lbs. Fuel 750 gals.Water 240 gals.Engine Volvo Penta D9 diesel - 575 hpList Price $896,000

STANDARD EQUIPMENTD9 575 hp Volvo inboard, modern galley withplenty of storage, cooktop, convection oven,large under-galley pantry, large flash dash arein pilothouse, full head with shower and tub,queen-sized bed in master stateroom, fullwalk-around, large hanging lockers,washer/dryer and much more.

OPTIONAL FEATURESSee your local dealer for a full list of options.

CONSTRUCTIONSolid fiberglass hull, above and below thewaterline, deck and superstructure are end-grain balsa cored, hull to deck joints mechani-cally fastened at least every 4 inches, withSikaflex hi-strength adhesive in joint, thenglassed over inside, hull stringers are full-length, laminated Douglas fir plywood glass-encapsulated. Soles are aluminum 6063-T 52box channels with sub-frame grids and struc-tural supports, including cabin areas, sec-ondary bonding, bi-axial fabric with hi-strengthvinylester bonding resin. Water tanks aremolded glass with FDA-approved resins; fueltanks made of welded aluminum 5052-H32.Factory pressure-tested waste tank is moldedglass, rails are 302L stainless 1-1/8 inch diam-eter with aluminum backing plates on allcleats.

BUILDERCALIFORNIAN YACHTS, INC., Perris, CA;(951) 657-2117; www.navyachts.com

WEST COAST DEALERSSundance Yacht SalesPortland, OR; (503) 283-3216Seattle, WA; (206) 633-2850www.sundanceyachts.comCA Yacht Sales InternationalNewport Beach, CA; (949) 631-8888www.cayachtsales.comCruising Yachts Inc.Alameda, CA; (888) 789-2248; www.cruisingyachts.net

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