Burger's "Top Times"

by Carl Camper

Burger Boat Company explores un-chartered waters with a big bow boat that’s an ice-breaker in yacht design. Expedition yachts are all the rage with a “form-follows-function” philosophy. With Top Times, form and function collide and sink the notion that bold can’t be beautiful.

The result is a spectacular motor yacht that is turning out to be… the shape of things to come. Join us as we take a short trip on a Burger designed for long passages. Top Times represents Burger's first expedition yacht and the first full displacement hull in the company's modern day history. It features a classic, yet contemporary interior to complement her bold expedition, luxury yacht exterior. Top Times is the perfect complement to Burger’s well-established niche of tri-deck, flush deck, raised pilothouse and semi-displacement yachts

Burger's Chief Naval Architect has designed a round bilge, full displacement hull that is ideally suited for long passages with low fuel consumption. Due to a computer controlled, Zero-Speed Stabilization system, the hull offers exceptional stability in heavy seas or at rest. Top Times received a lot of press preceding her build and with good reason. It’s a fantastic looking new yacht from a company known for building... fantastic yachts.

Aft quarter running shot... Burger Boat Company has struck a brilliant balance of function, style and class. They have successfully shaped a design that has become a new standard in the yachting community. There is simply is no bad angle from which to view this yacht. If you weren’t an Expedition fan previously, Top Times would make you a die-hard.

The Aft Deck is fully covered and sports a built-in dining table with seating. There is also a wet-bar with fastened stools. The aft deck is the most popular entertainment area on any boat and Top Times provides more than ample room for friends, as well as uninvited guests. For the latter, two exit doors are provided to the transom.

The Portuguese Walk forward of the bridge incorporates dual settees for open-air bow banter. Short of a crow’s nest, it also provides a good vantage point to keep watch over cold-chunks gone astray.

The Sky-Deck includes a sun deck with wrap around seating. The aft mounted hot tub integrates everything from head-rests to drink holders. In the off-season, these tubs can double as a good storage compartment too.

The Bridge features a trio of reclining captain’s chairs. The burl wood instrument panel is faceted towards center, allowing full helm monitoring from any of the seated positions. About the only analogue instrument in the cluster is the compass, which is merely a back-up to the digital information on display. The bridge also has an elevated settee located just aft of the helm for backseat drivers.

The Foyer in the skylounge is out of this world… literally. It’s a simulation of stars and space with a SuperNova casting a single concentrated beam on a globe of the earth. The many stars that make up the overhead lighting contribute to a soft illumination of the staircase. Leave it to the craftsmen at Burger to create a representation of the heavens above, utilizing materials found on earth.

The Skylounge is rich in all the comforts of home, with ottomans free to float around the room as needed. The lounge provides a 270 degree view aft, that is only obstructed by something even more fun to look at… water toys on the aft deck.

The spiral Staircase illustrates wood-bending that is borderline… mind-bending. If you follow the curvature of the staircase support, from the main deck to the skylounge, you will see a 180 degree twist in the laminated planks over a distance of less than 8 feet. This challenge would cause even the most talented carpenters to skip the bid.

Redundancy abounds in the Galley with not just one, but two ovens and two sinks, each at opposing ends of the galley to make double duty of cooking and cleaning. Stainless appliances are nestled among granite countertops and Burger’s legendary joinery. Personally, I like the marble floors. They ensure quick clean ups for clumsy cooks!

The Salon reflects classic and understated elegance. Whenever you’re onboard a Burger, the lineage is undeniable... just wonderful woodwork and a sense of comfort that Burger manages to capture and repeat with each vessel built.

The Aft Salon shows the attention to detail by the interior designer... the furnishings look as though they were carved from the same timber that dresses the rest of the room.

A built-in hutch to port puts the china and crystal close at hand. To starboard, a full service bar is integrated. Forward of the dining area, the staircase and foyer feature sliding doors that close-off the salon for quiet dining.

Top Times boasts a full width, main deck, Master Suite. With a beam of 25 feet, this is not your average bedroom-on-a-boat. It’s the size of a salon on most boats and its located on the same level!

VIP stateroom is simply elegant. In classic Burger tradition, it is straightforward with little to encumber movement about the cabin.