At more than 74 feet long and weighing in at roughly 235,000 pounds – with a top speed of 14 knots – Nordhavn's 75 Expedition Yacht Fisher is hardly what most people think of when they envision a sportfisher. Rather, it's an experiment: part trawler, part megayacht and all about getting to out-of-reach fishing grounds.

Long a leader in building long-range luxury trawlers, Nordhavn has stepped out of its traditional realm and into the world of sport fishing with the advent of the 75EYF. Nordhavn officials emphasize the advantages of a full-displacement fishing craft with greater stability to enable long passages, increase safety and minimize fatigue so the captain can still fight the big one after a long journey. The boat is also outfitted with enough features to make any angler drool.

The 75 Expedition Yacht Fisher is the only full-displacement sportfisherman on the market and its development is a bit of a gamble, especially with the base price tag of $4.12 million. Only time will tell if other builders will follow suit to serve an untapped market of anglers who want to go slower but farther to catch elusive big game.

NORDHAVNThe aft fishing cockpit is enormous with two prep stations with 60-gallon livewells that have windows and lighting and are large enough for expensive bait to have room to swim.Certainly, even at top speed, the 75EYF won't be a tournament boat, but it might just start a tournament of its own. Maybe something like the Billfish Royal Slam – where you have a lifetime to catch all nine varieties of billfish but must travel the world to do so.

DESIGN AND PROPULSION

Nordhavn representatives say they were inspired to build what is essentially a fishing trawler when a Nordhavn 40 undertook a circumnavigation in 2001 and 2002. During that trip a team of company representatives covered 24,000 nautical miles in less than 20 months, and talk turned to the design of a go-anywhere fishing boat that could globe trot like the rest of the Nordhavn fleet. (Nordhavn owners are known for their far-flung excursions, including trans-oceanic rallies and circumnavigating islands like Tasmania.)

The 75EYF is built for the roughest conditions on any ocean, but designers intended to depart from the workboat lines of a trawler. Thus, the 75EYF – sometimes called a "sexy trawler" – offers a fine entry and a reverse or "powderhorn" sheer that straightens as it runs aft and wraps around the cockpit. The entry widens out into a powerful midships section, 13,000 pounds of internal lead ballast, and a full keel.

The wheelhouse, Portuguese bridge, saloon and bulwarks separate from an advanced multi-part mold in one piece for a bulletproof structure free of joints and potential leaks and cracks. The hull-to-deck joint is bonded with stainless steel bolts on six-inch centers and 3M 5200 bonding. Four watertight bulkheads, including one behind the chain locker, add to the sturdy, no nonsense build.

There is a two-level superstructure with an excellent view from the pilothouse through raked back windows. The trademark Nordhavn Portuguese bridge gives the 75EYF a distinctive appearance and excellent access to the foredeck from the wheelhouse.

On deck there are twin Maxwell VWC 4500 windlasses with dual station controls and a 180-gpm anchor wash system built into the bowsprit. Aft are two Maxwell VC 3000 power winches for use with docking or hauling anything aboard. And, there is a fire-suppression system with 90 feet of hose that can run from the foredeck back to the engine room along the outside of the boat, away from the fire. A fuel hose extends out from the Portuguese bridge to provide 50 gallons of gas to dinghies or PWCs on deck or alongside the yacht.

The boat's 22-foot beam permits a new standard for Nordhavn – twin screws. Two 740-hp MTU Series 60 engines burn 12 to 15 gallons per hour, a tremendous reduction from the typical sportfishing boat, which can guzzle more than 100 gallons per hour. Four separate fuel tanks totaling 4,300 gallons provide a range of 4,000 miles at 8 knots or 1,240 miles at the maximum cruising speed of 13.5 knots. Top speed is around 14 knots.

The twin 42-inch Hung Shen props rest in their own semi-tunnels, which allow for efficient shallow shaft angles. A main center skeg is balanced by twin prop skegs, which provide protection for both the props and keel-hung rudders. No, this hull won't plane, but it will be safe in just about any seas.

The walk-in engine room is a work of art with complete access to the engines and sight gauges for fuel monitoring. A wet-exhaust system is standard, as is the Alfa Laval MIB 303 centrifugal fuel separator to provide clean fuel, even from the questionable sources one encounters around the world.

NORDHAVNThe walk-in engine room is a work of art with complete access to the engines and sight gauges for fuel monitoring.Two Onan generators, a 40 kilowatt and a backup 21.5 kilowatt, provide power, along with the engine-mounted alternators. There are also twin 4-kilowatt inverters installed in series and a 24-volt DC house battery bank that provides 765 amp hours. A ShorPower frequency converter assures that the 75EYF will be able to plug in anywhere in the world.

A separate machinery space is aft behind the engine room and below the fishing cockpit. The 2,000 gallons per day Village Marine watermaker shares this space with a freezer, dive tanks, compressor and additional batteries. The 75EYF is fully stabilized with the Arcturus Marine TRAC 370 Digital Stabilizer System with 16-square-foot fins, and 38-horsepower bow and stern thrusters in 12-inch tunnels should make her easy to manage in tight spaces.

LIVING ABOARD

The standard four-cabin, four-head layout is dedicated to comfortable cruising. Larger than many urban apartments, the 75EYF interior leaves no detail unaddressed. A spacious and comfortable saloon features terrific views via many windows. It's a large, open space with a dinette on starboard and a lounge on port with subtle but plentiful lighting. This greatroom flows forward to a counter with stools, which opens onto a spacious galley. Forward-facing windows add light to the galley, which features granite counters, a Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer and stainless appliances, including an electric range, microwave, trash compactor and dishwasher.

A small area to starboard and across from the galley can be left open to provide visibility forward or can be made into a pantry, an office or a general utility room. Because the 75EYF is a semi-custom vessel, the details of how to use the immense interior space is left up to the owners.

Steps next to the galley lead down to the master stateroom with a centerline island bed, extensive storage, a large and beautifully detailed head, and a separate sitting room with a settee or desk and chair. Below the sole of this room is a 120-bottle crawl-in wine storage area, which then continues down to a stand-up workshop with a bench and seemingly endless storage. Additional access to this lower area is via a doorway from the curved steps that lead down from the master stateroom level to the other three cabins, all with en suite heads. Any one of these guest cabins would make the Marriott proud. A Maytag stacked washer and dryer and a central vacuum system are also included.

NORDHAVNOn deck there are twin Maxwell VWC 4500 windlasses with dual station controls and a 180-gpm anchor wash system built into the bowsprit.Up in the roomy pilothouse are two Stidd chairs that overlook an expansive dash to house a comprehensive array of optional electronics and instruments. To starboard is a separate seat, desk, bookcase and a door leading to an open deck aft with additional engine controls outside. On the port side of the pilothouse is a table and settee for guests and just aft of that is a separate cabin for the captain or crew with yet another head.

AND FISHING, TOO

At its heart, the 75EYF is a fishing boat, and as such it has few compromises. The aft fishing cockpit is enormous with two prep stations with 60-gallon livewells that have windows and lighting and are large enough to give expensive bait room to swim. There are hinged fishboxes below the cockpit sole and a 35-cubic-foot deep freeze in the lazarette.

The lower deck is open and continuous so you can fight a fish all the way around the boat, and there is even a small livewell on the foredeck in case you want to cast off the bow. Gear storage is plentiful with tackle drawers in the prep stations and a rocket launcher rack for 12 rods.

A raised stainless rail runs across the entire beam aft to protect the teak-topped caprail from being nicked by fishing lines, and the megayacht-style safety rails on the swim step are removable so nothing gets in the way of a good fish fight.

There is a deck plate to mount an optional (and removable) fighting chair, and the cockpit drains through six freeing ports, or large scuppers, to keep things dry. The traditional flybridge can be laid out like a tuna tower, and there are elevated controls to starboard fore and aft of the pilothouse, where the skipper can monitor the action below. The lowest trolling speed will be about 2 knots.

For those preferring to watch, the upper aft cockpit off the saloon provides an excellent view and a lounge with furniture, a mini-fridge and yet another head (the sixth if you are counting). A recessed six-rod holder is in the cockpit ceiling. Overall, there is little an angler or members of his party will miss, and the deck layout shows Nordhavn's attention to what anglers find important.

Thouhg Nordhavn's slogan for the boat is "No fishing grounds too far," fishing is not all this boat can do. You can always load it up with dive or photography gear and set off for remote adventures that have nothing to do with fishing. The platform is versatile and can do anything other Nordhavns have done – but perhaps with a bit more style. Regardless of where you choose to go with the 75EYF, it will get you there in luxury.