As part of a worldwide conservation effort, many jurisdictions enforce size restrictions on fish catches: Undersized specimens are thrown back to fight another day, while larger fish are triumphantly referred to as "keepers." In fishing terms, Gary Lane reckons his latest motor yacht, Ad Lib, is definitely a keeper. "The size is just perfect for what I want," he says of the handsome 131-foot (40-meter) tri-deck recently launched from Alloy Yachts in Auckland, New Zealand.

Ad Lib is the third in a line of motor yachts Lane has owned. First there was Q.E.D. (quad erat demonstrandum, translated as "that which needs to be proven") and then, more recently, two yachts designed by Dubois Naval Architects and built by Alloy Yachts: S.Q.N. (sine qua non, translated as "simply indispensable") and now Ad Lib, a phrase derived from Latin and adopted into English meaning "at one’s pleasure."

The delightful view from the aft-deck dining area. (Click image to enlarge)

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S.Q.N., launched in early 2003, obviously came close to meeting Lane’s exacting requirements, because Ad Lib is not a radical departure but more of a refinement of what went before.

"S.Q.N. is an excellent boat, and we learned quite a lot from that project," he says. "Basically, the major difference is that we’ve added 1.5 meters in length. All of that additional length is from the salon doors aft, because I spend most of my time on the aft deck or on the flybridge, which was also lengthened correspondingly."

The larger open areas allow for expanded outdoor entertainment options. The main-deck bar has been moved from inside the salon to the aft deck, which also features an attractive open-air dining table that follows the curve of the transom and provides seating for 10.

The overhang of the flybridge deck protects part of the aft deck from the elements. At the push of a button, a rigid panel extends from this overhang, providing shade to the rest of the deck during the day and illuminating it with concealed downlights at night.

The flybridge deck has three distinct areas: a helm station forward; a dining and barbecue area in the middle; and a bar, sun deck and spa pool aft. The flybridge is also protected from the elements by a permanent hardtop constructed in composites to reduce weight aloft. The bimini appears to float on slender side supports, creating a sense of lightness and visually reducing the overall height of the vessel.Typical of Dubois Naval Architects’ smooth styling, Ad Lib will turn heads in any anchorage. Her profile is strikingly modern and streamlined, emphasized by her deep-blue hull, metallic-silver superstructure and charcoal side accents.

First impressions are reinforced by closer inspection that reveals clever detailing, like the polished stainless louvers that wrap around the aft slope of the main-deck sidewalls and the anchors that are concealed in bow tunnels.

Successful cruising has many facets—adventurous discovery and comfortable relaxation, convivial company and solitude, barefoot casualness and occasional formality—but it also must offer the ability to connect with the world, if necessary. Ad Lib, by virtue of her variety of interior and exterior spaces, state-of-the-art equipment and excellent design and construction, has the ability to meet all these requirements and more.

The flybridge includes a spa and lounging areas. (Click image to enlarge)

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The spacious garage, which is accessed through a transom door on the aft swim platform, contains a wide range of water toys, including a sailing dinghy, sailboards, scuba equipment, kayaks and matching remote-controlled sailboats. A 5.4-meter (17-foot 9-inch) Novurania tender with a 160-hp Volvo sterndrive is also housed here. Water access is through a large side door on the port side, with a yard-built overhead gantry crane for launching and retrieving equipment.

Alloy Yachts has gained an impressive reputation over the years for its ability to design and build custom components, and Ad Lib expands its repertoire with, among other items, the gantry crane and a three-stage passerelle, which extends straight aft from a concealed housing in the transom for Mediterranean-style docking.

For recovery from energetic pursuits—or for those who want to avoid them altogether—Ad Lib offers plenty of places to curl up with a book, stretch out on sun lounges or write a postcard or two to envious friends. Two outdoor bars serve up comfortable spaces to enjoy refreshments. To counter accusations of total idleness, a session in the gym will do the job admirably.

For the interior design, Lane turned again to Donald Starkey, who also handled the S.Q.N. commission. "On S.Q.N., we used lighter timbers for the interior," notes Lane. "For this boat, I wanted darker timbers. I have always loved the wengé/ebony look."Interior finishes feature book-matched wengé panels, together with leather and fabric paneling. The guest joinery is in wengé and sycamore with birch burr inlays, while the interior hard floors are in oak planking and marble in the ensuite bathrooms.

Cream carpeting is used extensively in the bedroom suites. The overheads are V-grooved painted in cream, with mirrored or upholstered panel inserts as feature elements. Hints of the New Zealand origins of the vessel are evident in discreet paua-shell inlays in the doors and a silver-fern inlay in the cockpit bar top.

The main salon and dining area are on the main deck and feature oak floors, with large side windows providing excellent views. Looking forward from the glass-and-steel pneumatic ranch sliders that open onto the aft deck, the salon is arranged with large and inviting yard-built cream settees and two distinctive multi-striped armchairs arranged around a square coffee table. A small occasional table and chairs provide a pleasant corner for wrestling with the crossword, playing cards or writing up the daily diary of new places discovered.

A low marble-topped cabinet separates the main salon from the dining area. The oval dining table is crafted in sycamore with a birch burr inlay and seats 10. Overhead is a mirrored lighting panel, while two glass floor-to-ceiling side panels contain mood lighting.

The dining and lounge areas introduce another significant change from Lane’s previous vessel. On S.Q.N., the dining area was contained in a separate room with a solid wall, while Ad Lib’s approach is more open, creating a more spacious ambiance. "It’s a bit less formal as well," says Lane, "which is how I wanted it."

A stunning working model of a steamship built in 1870 is a point of interest on the cabinet. "I spotted it in a shop in London and knew it would be absolutely ideal for Ad Lib." It does actually work, although it is unlikely to have many outings from the swim platform. Lane laughs as he recalls the reaction of the London dealer when he jokingly asked if the model had a remote control. "He gave me a very sideways look and reminded me it was an authentic piece built more than a century ago."

The forward section of the main deck is devoted to the full-width owner’s suite, which includes an office with charcoal-leather inlay desk and matching leather armchairs. The bedroom has a king-size bed to port with a cream fabric settee and an art-deco semi-circular chrome coffee table to starboard.

Aft of the bedroom area is a large walk-in wardrobe, while his-and-hers marble bathrooms are forward. Situated between the two bathrooms with dual access is a large shower. The bathrooms are screened from the bedroom with a floor-to-ceiling lighting panel set into a timber bulkhead with square-cut apertures, reminiscent of the teak duckboards on traditional sailing vessels. A subtle silver-studded cornice trim hints at the silver finish work on the exterior.Guest accommodations are amidships on the lower deck. The guest staterooms radiate from a lobby, which is equipped with a fridge and drinks station, so that guests can help themselves to refreshments. Side by side,
two identical double state-rooms extend across the full beam of the hull. A third stateroom has twin single beds, plus a well-concealed Pullman
berth. All the suites have ensuite bathrooms with distinctive marble, TVs and entertainment systems, phones and yard-built lever-operated venetian blinds for the portlights.

A fourth stateroom is equipped as a gymnasium, with the bathroom area used as a wine and general storage area. However, all the plumbing is fitted, so the area can be converted for accommodation, if later required.

Forward of the accommodations is the galley, laundry and crew quarters. The captain’s double cabin with ensuite bathroom is opposite the highly functional galley on the starboard side. Forward is a crew mess to port and commercial-style laundry to starboard. Two crew cabins are situated farther forward, one with two single berths and the other with three. Both have ensuite facilities.

The wheelhouse, with its raked-back windscreen, is situated above the main-deck lobby with internal stairs from the port and starboard sides. Access to both side decks is through yard-built pantograph watertight doors.

The wheelhouse furnishings are finished in blue and grey leather with polished aluminum inlays and fascias. A five-spoke stainless steel and wood-rim steering wheel is flanked by an extensive array of state-of-the-art navigation, communication and performance electronics with five large-screen monitors.

Powered by twin 1,450-hp Caterpillar diesels, Ad Lib cruises at 13 knots and has a top speed of about 16.5 knots. Fuel tankage allows for extensive transoceanic passages with a range of approximately 4,500 nautical miles at 10 knots.

"We did briefly discuss going to a planing boat," comments Lane. "There was some thought that such a sleek-looking boat should be really fast. But when you contemplate pushing a 220-ton vessel up and on top of the water, it is a hell of an exercise in terms of power and fuel. Then we briefly discussed a semi-displacement boat, but in the end a displacement option was overwhelmingly the practical answer."

Practical, elegant, perfectly sized for Lane’s requirements, Ad Lib looks well set to live up to all the promise implied in its name and, barring some new Latin inspiration or circumstance, is definitely well qualified to be a "keeper."