| Palmer Johnson 120 |  |
The Nuvolari-Lenard design, which is an evolution of an idea
first conceived by the late Mike Kelsey Sr. in 1997, does in fact seem to have
lifted the once moribund builder out of the doldrums, an unfortunate period
that followed more than 90 years of quality custom boatbuilding. Abandoning
fully custom projects, PJ, under new owner Timur "Tim" Mohamed, has embraced the
semi-custom concept. The shift, combined with the success of the 120 line, has
drawn buyers back into PJ’s Wisconsin offices. The company has presold two
135-footers and two 150-footers—both based on the 120—and is working on plans
for a "significantly larger boat" that will launch in less than three years.
(Kelsey won’t disclose details yet.) Started on spec using the same basic GA as
her predecessors, Vanquish is nonetheless different, showing
refinements that mark the line’s maturation.
"When I look at her, I see bulls on parade," says Kelsey.
"Muscular, but not hard; angular, but not edgy. We rounded over all of the
places where hard lines would make her feel boxy, so she’s athletic, but not
severe." Kelsey points out the window line, one of the few elements that carried
over from his father’s original sketches to Mohamed’s vision and that of
Nuvolari-Lenard. "Not too high and not too low, they help to give her excellent
proportion." She is named for Aston Martin’s line of Vanquish sportsters, cars
Mohamed favors for their balance, proportion and athleticism.
 The sun deck offers regular seating or pads,
forward, as well as a fridge. A bimini deploys from within the carriage roof to
shade the aft main-deck cockpit. (Click image to enlarge)
Mohamed brought the idea for her aggressive shoulders, which
lead the eye back to her tiered aft deck—actually decks, plural. On the
main-deck level is the primary social area, which includes twin teak coffee
tables that quickly convert into a single, hydraulically height-controlled
dining table. Outboard stairs on both sides lead down to a large, built-in sun
pad. From there, a centerline staircase connects to the swim platform.
The stair-stepped effect was designed to work with the view from the dining
room, which, unlike aboard many new yachts, is aft of the main salon and the
first indoor space when entering from the sliding glass doors astern.
"We wanted the view from the dining area to evoke visions of a
coastal Mediterranean café where you might sit and take in the view over a
hillside that tumbles down to the sea," says Kelsey. To create the panorama for
such a view, PJ went with a four-panel glass wall with sliding doors outboard.
But stairs to the sun deck on the carriage roof obstructed the expanse. In a bit
of industrial magic, PJ’s engineers made them literally disappear. They broke
the staircase in two, pulling the top half into a hidden recess in the
overhanging roofline and folding the bottom half into a low-slung cabinet at the
base of the glass wall. When someone wants to sunbathe, the pieces deploy with
the touch of a button.
 The sun deck. (Click image to enlarge)
On the sun-pad level, a concealed portside control panel
gives the captain control over the hydraulic passerelle, which is hidden on the
starboard side, and the retractable swim ladder, which deploys from beneath the
swim platform. The panel also operates the rams that lift the entire structure
between the aft deck and the swim platform, revealing a garage that houses a
10-foot (3-meter) jet boat and two PWCs. (A 15-foot/4.6-meter Castoldi Jet
Tender is sequestered in its own lidded garage recessed into the foredeck.)
Vanquish’s
interior matches perfectly with her streamlined exterior, which is minimalist
without transgressing into austere. A chocolate-colored wengé sole anchors a
masculine palette that includes horizontal-grained, washed white oak and
high-gloss Macasser ebony. Spinneybeck leather inserts in parque orange add an
earthy energy, and Rubelli fabrics throughout soften the feel and add a degree
of "ahhhh" comfort. Italian-made Pole 74 sofas kick out into oversized
recliners, adding another level of relaxation. The coffee table comes with
removable, fitted cushions so it can be converted to extra seating while
entertaining. Square drawer pulls milled from solid aluminum billet—not stamped
from thin sheets—lend a feeling of quality, and a square-spiral design brushed
into their flat surfaces shows nice attention to detail.
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