Green is Good
From the dock, the Marlow 90V was simply too much boat to take in. But I had an idea.
Five minutes later, from 100 yards away, I stood atop the tuna tower of a spiffy sportfisherman. From there, I could admire the 90V’s profile. It is fitting that her custom Awlgrip finish is named Donegal green, as the planked hull’s deep hue reminded me of the verdant Irish countryside. The color strikes a handsome contrast to the off-white superstructure and long rows of tinted glazing.
Once I was back dockside, I started from the bottom of the 97-footer and worked my way up. Boarding from the swim platform, a wide transom door took me through a beach club, crew quarters and a machine room, and then into the belly of the beast. Past experience on Marlow models had prepped me for the superlative nature of the workspace. There is also carbon fiber everywhere, from the soles and engine stringers to the ring frame that encircles the area, giving off a holographic glow. I found more than 7 feet of headroom and plenty of elbow space around the twin turbocharged, 2,000-hp Cats and the pair of 85-kW gensets. Bonus: The engine room is air conditioned.
On the main deck, a single-level salon, accessed from a cockpit sliding door, leads to her amidships galley. In place of a dining table, the 90 has a bar and a trio of stools. Combined with the salon’s settee and other loose furniture, that makes seating for eight, with room for the same number of BEARINGSpeople to dine alfresco in the cockpit. A credenza with refrigerator and freezer drawers, and stowage, can hold stores for weeks at sea. When crew is aboard, the galley can be closed from the salon. A watertight door to the starboard side deck allows crew to serve guests or handle lines. A day head is just off the cockpit.
Just forward of here, I expected to see a dinette but instead found a master stateroom with a king-size, walkaround berth and the same book-matched teak found in the salon. The ensuite head, two steps up, runs full beam and has extra privacy.
Belowdecks, I was surprised by a true second master stateroom: a full-beam amidships affair. There are three more en suite staterooms on this level, including a VIP with a queen berth and a flanking pair of staterooms with twin berths. In the companionway is a convenience station, with a built-in espresso machine and refrigerator for morning coffee or midnight snacking.
The fully enclosed command bridge, accessed via a staircase in the forward end of the salon, caters to a discerning captain. At the centerline helm, a trio of Garmin multifunction displays is backed by twin Fununo units, all with dedicated radar sensor units on the hardtop. Seating here includes a dinette/chart table and a convertible settee. The after section of the bridge has a skipper’s berth and head, with an additional head just outside the cabin so guests don’t trample through the captain’s quarters.
Atop the bridge is an open flybridge, but before I went up, I studied the oversized davit on the boat deck. This boat’s owners requested a unit capable of launching a tender and other water toys to port, starboard or aft. The 3,500-pound-capacity MarQuipt has a boom extension that can accommodate their needs.
After ascending the ladder, I sat in the Stidd helm seat and was basically at the same height above the water as my previous perch on the sportfisherman’s tuna tower, with the same unobstructed views. A double companion seat to port has a spot to keep the helmsman company, and there’s a sunpad abaft the hardtop for two.
According to the captain, the boat’s owners, who moved up from a Marlow 70, chose the builder again not only for the level of customization available but also for the go-anywhere, do-anything, fleet-footed reputation of the Voyager line. At 97 feet and more than 102 tons, the boat is a lithe performer, capable of crossing oceans at displacement speeds and blitzing across the water. The 90V cruises faster than 20 knots and can top 25 knots with her current power suite. With larger engines, the builder estimates a top speed approaching 30 knots. At 9 knots, estimated range is 3,500 nautical miles with a 10 percent reserve.
Construction includes Marlow’s Full Stack Infusion process that uses Kevlar and carbon fiber for an optimal strength-to-weight ratio. The center of gravity is enhanced with lightweight carbon fiber in the command bridge and hardtop over the flybridge.
Once back on her main deck, I took a spin around the walkaround side decks, and I ran my hand along the side rails and grab rail on the high bulwarks. I was hesitant to leave. Perhaps I was a bit green with envy.
Marlow 90V Specifications:
LOA: 97ft.
Beam: 22ft. 6in.
Draft: 5ft. 4in.
Displacement: 205,000 lbs.
Fuel: 6,000 gal.
Water: 500 gal.
Power: 2x 2,000-hp Cat C32B
Info: marlowyachts.com
