New Yacht Concept Draws on Tuna Clipper Paradigm

Intercontinental sportfishing capabilities, exploration and top-end luxury develops around aesthetics, practicality of San Diego Tuna Clipper serving as mother ship to fast,
42’ tournament sportfisher & toys.

San Diego, California, U.S.A., November 14, 2006. Douglas Sharp Yacht Design, Inc., known throughout the yachting industry as Sharp Design, has developed a fresh concept for yachtsmen interested in sportfishing on an international scale. “The new concept is really a system that builds on the strengths of two special purpose vessels whose combination provides superior sportfishing capabilities with the ability to voyage anywhere in the world in complete luxury”, explains Doug Sharp, Principal Naval Architect at Sharp Design. “This concept occurred to me after our office completed two recent projects—a 127 foot [38.7m, ed.] sportfisherman and a 300 foot [91m] expedition yacht—both done for clients whose fundamental interest was fishing”, Sharp continues.

Sharp’s office has been designing innovative, long-range sportfishermen for 25 years and exploration-style yachts for almost 20 years. In that time, typical sportfisher commissions have grown from 70 feet [21.3m] to over 136 feet [41.4m] and expedition-style yachts, typically around 130 feet [39.6m], are now over 300 feet [91.4m]. Those startling increases in size, and the reasons for it, are what motivated Sharp to re-examine both types looking for a new, simpler concept that would provide superb fishing abilities, exploration capabilities, yachting luxury and world-wide voyaging in a compact package. Sharp believes there are smarter ways to address current desires for more in fishing-oriented yachts besides just making them larger and then, like Noah’s Arc, putting “two of everything in them until you fill up all available space.”

Sharp, a third generation San Diegan and 45 year observer of San Diego’s active fishing and sportfishing fleets, found his fresh concept in a famous San Diego design paradigm; the Tuna Clipper. Sharp notes that, “Tuna Clippers have sexy, sleek lines that are universally liked, their speed is good and seaworthiness is excellent. They have the ability to carry and handle large deck loads and have always served as a mother ship to small boats and aircraft and everyone knows what they do best – fish.” Tuna Clippers traditionally carried a seaplane or helicopter for spotting and following schools of fish on the pilothouse roof. This has not escaped Sharp’s attention and he relates that; “Although we have shown a spa and sun deck on the pilothouse in our initial concept, the design can easily support aircraft operations too. In fact, we think we can support the aircraft handling and spa/sun deck capabilities in a convertible configuration and still look really good as a yacht.” Mr. Sharp reports that his new Tuna Clipper yacht concept has been enthusiastically received by yachtsmen and yacht brokers.

His office plans to develop several variations on the concept with each design illustrating additional strengths inherent in the type. As to the potential of his concept, Sharp claims that, “fabulous fishing abilities will be provided by a very fast tournament sportfisher in the 40-50 foot range carried on the aft deck. With the clipper yacht acting as mother ship, and should an owner employ a small helicopter as a spotter aircraft, the fishing capabilities will be absolutely phenomenal.”

About Sharp Design: Sharp Design has successfully designed custom and production motor yachts of all sizes, materials and styles for 25 years including international design award winners such as Andiamo (Feadship, Holland) and Gallant Lady (Delta Marine, U.S.A). Production designs as small as 42 feet (12.8m) and custom luxury yachts as large as 300 feet (91m) have been produced this far by the firm in both English and Metric measurement systems. Designs in steel, FRP, aluminum and composites have been built from Sharp Design plans in Europe, China, Taiwan, the United States, Turkey, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Italy, Holland and Germany. Prestigious builders of Sharp Design custom yachts include Feadship (Holland), Trinity Yachts (USA), Sensation Yachts (New Zealand) and Delta Marine (USA). Production designs have been executed by Performance Offshore Cruisers, Intercontinental Yachts, Tania Yachts, Fleming Yachts, Shanghai DeFever Yacht Company, Heritage East Yachts and Cabrillo Yachts. For additional information, visit the company’s website at… www.sharpdesign-na.com.

Preliminary specifications for the Tuna Clipper yacht concept as given by Sharp Design:

Measurements:

Length Over All (LOA) 138’ (42m)
Length on Waterline (LWL) 122’ (37.2m)
Beam 29’-6” (9m)
Draft (Max.) 8’-10” (2.69m)

Power Plant:

Propulsion Power 2 x Caterpillar 3512B @ 1,300 bhp (969.4KW)
Generating Power 2 x Northern Lights 130KW, M1066A1
Stabilizers: Quantum OnAnchor with QIS-160 Powerpack

Tankage and Capabilities:

Fuel (U.S. Gallons) 5,500 Gal. (20,820 Liters)
Fresh Water (U.S. Gallons) 16,250 Gal. (61,513 Liters)
Watermakers 2 x Sea Recovery Aqua Whisper
AW1800-2 @1,800 GPH
Cruising Speed 17 Knots
Maximum Speed (Half Load) 19 Knots

Accommodations:

Guest Suites 3 with Ensuite Baths
Owner’s Staterooms 1 with Adjacent Ensuite Baths
Crew Cabins 4
Galleys 2
Day Heads 2
Salons, Entertainment Areas and Bars 3