The Turkish shipyard Vicem Yachts is one of the few major builders that still produce boats with hulls made entirely from mahogany. The cold-molding construction method required for such hulls is a labor-intensive process that involves coating layers of mahogany strips with epoxy laminate and bending them around a frame, thus creating a naturally insulated hull that is sturdy, shaped to cut waves, and free from the creaks and strain that sometimes plague wooden boats. In April, the 21-year-old company launched its largest cold-molded mahogany model to date.
The Cruiser 107 is the semi-displacement flagship of the brand’s Vintage collection, which also includes the Classic displacement series yachts and the Bahama Bay line of planing vessels. With its nearly 127-ton displacement, along with its cold-molded V hull, the 107-footer can slice through rough ocean waters in the manner of a much larger vessel. Despite its size, the Cruiser 107 is equipped with a relatively short draft of just over 6 feet, so that it remains friendly to shallow waters.
The size of the Cruiser 107 allowed Vicem’s design team to incorporate ample open deck space and a generous interior, making the model conducive to hosting large families and a strong candidate for charter. The forward area of the 753-square-foot flybridge—the largest bridge deck on a boat in Vicem’s Vintage line—features a covered secondary helm station, a padded lounge, a seating-and-dining area, and a bar, plus a Jacuzzi and an open lounge deck, both located aft. The space also affords room to stow a 12-foot rigid-inflatable tender and a crane.
The sprawling main deck allows for a 10-seat dining table amidships, as well as a raised pilothouse, a day head, and a full industrial-grade galley by Gaggenau, all located forward. Panels of windows line a large salon aft, and open-air seating areas can be found at the bow and stern.
The European owner of the first Cruiser 107, dubbed Moni, chose a contemporary interior to counterbalance the yacht’s classic exterior. With a full-beam belowdecks master suite, in addition to dual VIP cabins and dual twin cabins, Moni sleeps as many as 10 guests, with room for four crew members. (The yacht is available in various configurations.)
While the Vicem Cruiser 107, which cruises at 16 knots and starts at approximately $11.5 million, is the ultimate expression of the company’s all-mahogany models, it also might mark the beginning of the end for the yard’s cold-molded boats. Vicem plans to launch new cold-molded models in the future, but in July the company launched the initial vessel in its Vulcan line of megayachts: a 151-foot trideck model that is the yard’s first boat created with a composite hull.
Vicem Yachts, www.vicemyacht.com
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