It is just before sunrise, and in the stillness of the morning, Marathon clearly holds sway over all she surveys. To starboard, framed by lush mangroves, the glassy surface of Laguna de Navidad reflects a scene that could be Old Florida a hundred years ago, were it not for the range of verdant peaks that command the eastern sky. On the edges of the flats, schools of baitfish occasionally shoot skyward from the still water, fleeing the marauding robalo that cruise the channels. In the deeper water, a shack poised on slender stilts stands guard over a fish weir cobbled together with sticks draped with handwoven nets.

Flawless raised-panel joinery is a Christensen hallmark and provides a versatile backdrop for the boat’s blend of traditional and contemporary furnishings. (Click images to enlarge)

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Delivered in late November, Marathon is the latest of the 157-foot (47.85-meter) Custom Series yachts being offered by Christensen Shipyards. The company hit a home run with this series, and it is obvious from the number of boats under construction in its Vancouver, Washington, facility that customers appreciate the space planning and outfitting that the boats offer, as well as the level of quality that the company is providing. Indeed, over the past 10 years, Christensen has really come into its own, producing well-engineered systems that have increased the reliability of the product for yacht owners who now routinely use the boats for extended bluewater passages. This higher level of mechanical and electrical outfitting complements the fine joiner work showcased by the company for years.

Such growth—in terms of both the company’s capability and sophistication—has begun to attract clients that heretofore would » not have been likely candidates for Christensen yachts. Marathon’s owner exemplifies this trend. Just over a decade ago, he and his wife became involved in yachting, and within a couple of years, the sizes—and number—of their boats became noteworthy.

"In the early nineties," the owner said, "we started with a Hatteras, then bought a 98-foot Denison, which, at that time, was one of the top 100 yachts in America." With a laugh he mused, "the top 100. Can you believe that?

"Anyway, that’s when I discovered that I enjoyed refitting boats. Being an interior decorator, [my wife] found that she enjoyed it also, and it became somewhat of a hobby."

The next boat was the couple’s first Christensen, a 120-footer, which they named Picante. After a refit, the boat was sent to Europe, where she provided the owners with an introduction to the charter business in the Mediterranean.

"While we had that boat, we became two-boat owners because we purchased the 151-foot Feadship, Sea Jewel, in Australia and lived three months in Fremantle while we did that refit.

"She was one of the most successful charter boats in the Mediterranean when we introduced her in the late nineties. Neither of the boats ever chartered until we had them, but they both did twenty-plus weeks their first year."The owners next purchased Hanse, a secretive 165-foot motor yacht that laid claim to one of the most valuable berths in the Mediterranean, which today is home to Octopus. After sailing to the United States, Hanse received a complete refit, but before employing her in the charter trade with Picante and Sea Jewel, the owners received an offer from a Greek customer that, according to the owner, "was too good to refuse," and the boat was retired from their fleet.

Several years later, the owner said, events at home caused a shift in the couple’s thinking. "Post 9/11, we sold everything and took a respite from the yachting business. We kept a 92-foot Cheoy Lee, which was basically a Bahamas boat. Then, about a year ago, we bought Savoy, a 126-foot Trident." Pausing in his recitation, the owner chuckled and exclaimed, "You know, this must sound like you’re talking to a guy in a mental institution."

Some might agree, but what should be quite apparent is that, despite their love of boats and an unabashed affinity for refits, this is a couple that never warmed to the idea of building a new boat. As the owner continued, however, it became obvious that their state of mind was about to change.

"I’d always been a fan of Dave [Christensen] building boats the way he did, with a house-builder’s mentality. He and I always got along. I enjoyed watching what he did, and we stayed in touch, but I had vowed that we’d never do a new build.

"When this opportunity arose, Joe Foggia (Christensen’s president) really presented a very good case [for becoming involved in the build]. I was really impressed with the work that Christensen had done. I had gotten on Nice N Easy (ex-Liquidity) and looked at the quality of the work. Then, I went out to visit the yard and saw that it was a great shipyard. Its people had great spirit, and they were building tremendous systems. I think they’ve really come a long way and are now one of the top yachtbuilders in America. I was impressed with their vision and felt that it was time for me to get back in the yachting business."

Large expanses of glazing provide views that are surpassed only by those from the sun deck (bottom). (Click images to enlarge)

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Another feature that makes the arrangement work well is a companionway that allows the crew access from the crew accommodations to the guest accommodations without the need to use the central staircase. Whilst this is a handy feature for any large yacht, it is especially desirable for a yacht such as Marathon, which will be employed in the charter trade, a business where discreet service is of paramount importance.Properly designed galleys—and the dry and cold stores that support them—are also high-priority items on any charter yacht. Christensen’s standard outfitting for galleys in the Custom Series boats is impressive in terms of fit, finish and quality of equipment. Yet, although the arrangement is more than adequate for normal yacht use, it leaves a bit to be desired for the nearly round-the-clock, heavy-duty service required for meal preparation for charter customers. For this type of work, it is best to commission specialized galley designers to specify equipment and its placement, and to specify work surfaces that are constructed of materials that are more durable in a commercial environment or that help prevent damage to crystal and china when items are bussed to the galley for washing. That said, the boats have as standard equipment plenty of dry stowage just forward of the galley, adequate walk-in cool rooms and freezers on the deck below, and a large refrigerator and freezer in the galley itself, along with wine coolers and other useful appliances.

Exterior spaces on Custom Series boats are numerous and generous, providing guests with a choice of covered and open lounges and dining options. In addition, the boats are equipped with an elevator that services all decks. For Marathon’s owners, this feature was particularly appealing.

"We’ve done a lot of charity work for physically challenged and terminally ill children and their families and relatives," he explained. "We let them use our motor yachts and take them on Sunday cruises. Savoy has been used in this way, and we intend the use Marathon the same way. The elevator allows physically challenged people to [circulate among] the decks.

"Also, when the boat gets to Florida, we are planning to put an extension on her to assist physically challenged people to get in and out of the water. These were all considerations that would help us to do this kind of work."

Despite the checklist that usually guides the overall purchasing decision, one of the principal factors for potential buyers is delivery time, and the idea of obtaining a nearly finished semi-custom boat versus beginning a one-off project becomes more and more attractive as the amount of time until launch of the semi-custom boat decreases. When asked whether delivery was a factor in his decision to buy Marathon, the owner quickly answered: "Absolutely. I wasn’t going to live through a two-year project. We came in when the project was about seventy percent done.

"A lot of guys will put a guy on the project, and they stick their nose in there and end up screwing everything up. My instructions to my project manager were to get out of their way, which, I think, was the right thing to do, and he followed those instructions to a T. Essentially, his job was to keep me posted to see that we were on calendar. The yard was very cooperative."

Chuck Singleton, Christensen’s in-house project manager, confirmed that in addition to the close collaboration that existed between the owner’s wife and the interior designers—Carol Williamson and her project coordinator, Kate Graziano—Marathon was built almost entirely as originally specified by the yard, and that the handful of changes that were requested were all included before the contract was signed. Some of the items include an extra set of shore-power receptacles on the foredeck, a pocket in the swim platform that accommodates a stern anchor and its rode, and an extension for the crane that increases the reach of the boom, allowing it to access items on the quay. The owner said that the extension has another purpose that relates to the modification he plans to make to the swimming platform.

"The [platform] extension will also assist in the recovery of divers. It will increase the length of the boat. With the crane extension, we’ll be able to remove the [upper surface] and use it as a pallet for cargo. The apparatus that raises and lowers it will remain permanently installed and will fold underneath."

The owner said that from Mexico, Marathon made her way through the Panama Canal to begin a season in the Caribbean. "We plan to bring Marathon to the Miami boat show, then we plan to go down island and over to Europe. We hope to get an early start in the Mediterranean, and we’re looking forward to spending time on her."