Westport's NEW 130' Trideck Motoryacht

From Continuous Ingenuity, Excellence Emerges

by YF Publisher Carl Camper

When does a ready-made, full size “Production Yacht” rate a reputation to make it
the favorite of yacht lovers by the dozens? And the envy of builders worldwide? The answer
is Westport’s 130’ Tri-Deck. With 28 delivered since 2001, this handsome design displays
as more striking than ever, amplifying its growing list of delighted owners.

The popularity of a yacht design registers an explicit influence for future owners. Throughout the yachting fraternity, while sparkling new one-offs garner strong applause – with good reason – a few excellent and imaginative duplicate models gain followers year after year. Here, seemingly miscast as a “production yacht,” its buyers - yachtsmen and women - are excited about their choice, without waiting two or more years for slightly differing custom designs. “Classics” in any venue, go on forever, sporting universal appeal. This near impossible recipe is never easy to predict, but almost immediately recognized. This is sacred stuff. This is the Westport 130' Tri-Deck.

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In addition to its ready availability, the W-130’s proven hull, designed by William Garden, delivers a smooth, comfortable ride. And it’s fast! With a top speed of 29, she’ll cruise at 20-25 knots. At 11.5 knots, she boasts a range of 2,300 nautical miles. This isn't dad's displacement hull, bobbing in the Bering Sea, but a planing hull with enough entry to soak up the swells on a Marsh Harbor run. Keeping the weight down is why owners of these yachts appreciate Westport’s proven fiberglass lamination process, a partially automated system that lays down woven while saturating it with resin. This laminate, which is solid for all structurally strategic areas, is based on Airex PVC foam, then vacuum bagged to deliver a light weight, void free structure that is further strengthened through the use of carbon fiber in key areas for rigidity. And finally, it will be faired and sprayed with a proprietary Westport white polyurethane. Yes, it’s old-school and laborious, but the results are often mistaken for Gelcoat just out of the mold. It’s that good.

If the finish is a reflection on what lies beneath, then close your eyes and listen to the silence. Westport has developed a complete sound/insulation program to reduce vibration and minimize noise. Sound is controlled in several ways, including the use of Sound Down absorbent materials and reflective barriers. Components that transmit vibration are soft mounted using 'sound tight' methods, such as floating joinery techniques, bulkheads with acoustic insulation or soft-mounting pipes that may transmit noise. With well over 100 yachts delivered, Westport has continually refined an already excellent product. Their long run began in 1964 as a multi-vessel shipyard for commercial fishers and fast ferries. As the U.S. largest builder, they now focus on motoryachts, stressing fuel economy with a comfortable ride, proven engineering and most importantly; great value!

Dedicated to entertaining and comfortable cruising, this bow photo shows off not only the W-130's anchoring gear and ship's bell, but the most obvious reiteration of the breed, an all-new forward veranda with multiple seating areas, granting direct access to the bow from any level. In a very novel, but seldom employed usage, cozy observation nooks are placed high and low for taking in the wonderful view at cruise, or spectacular sunsets while anchored in a quiet cove. Bow riders, unite!

A close-up view commands the attention paid to cruising/anchor comforts, on the seamless, natural teak decks. With a well padded couch arrangement for lounging or seating, this sheltered area is right forward of the wide, tinted bridge windows. The center mounted pedestal table can be raised for dining or lowered for drinks.

Another close-up of the bow seating demonstrates how W-130’s designers’ artistic sense lights up seemingly utilitarian touches. Smooth molded fiberglass and splashes of vibrant color bring comfy life to each especial locale. Note the stainless stanchions, which taper to a point where they meet the rail. Compared to Westport’s Flagship sister, the W-164, she bears some remarkable family similarities, as a walk-through divines many close proportions, despite the larger numbers.

Up top, on the generous sun deck, there is plenty of room for basking in the sun, as well as quiet conversations under the half roof. Bright stainless steel railings encase lightly tinted plexi-panels to keep buffeting minimized without obstructing the view from up top. Notice the multiple, folded safety life rafts attached port and starboard to the aft deck railing; out of traffic, unassuming, but accessible. A winding staircase at aft port leads down to the sky lounge deck. And there in plain view, a pair of PWC's just itching to romp and play.

On the Upper Lounge aftdeck, we see two cradled Honda AquaTrax PWC's, as well as an 18’ Nautica wide-body tender with a custom painted, color matching outboard claiming T/T to Miss Michelle. Because PWC's manufacturers have lost sight of the "light and nimble" concept, a 3000 lbs. Nautical Structures crane stands ready to assist in lugging these behemoths off the deck. Notice the elliptical, sliding cover over the aftdeck staircase. Along with an entry door, it seals off the main deck below when the weather turns foul.

The new W-130 sports a massive hard top, very similar to the folding top found on the W-164, complete with smoked sun panels on the leading edge. Looking forward, the added length of the revised sundeck becomes apparent, nearly doubling the square footage found on the previous 130' model. Wicker wrapped, Danish design outdoor furniture is spread about to complete the ensemble.

Looking aft on W-130’s Sundeck, the comfort levels of yacht life are obvious, but it's the details you don't see that count. For example, notice the cleverly matching teak table. Its ovoid shape – rounded corners - is even more appreciated in a rolling sea. In another example, this close-up view showcases the stainless supports for the hardtop that double as hand-holds for the hot tub.

Down the main curved staircase from the Upper Lounge, aft-deck dining is always in fashion, at a decorative table, seating eight. With heavily padded cedar chairs in a slatted mode, white coverings sport a gayly patterned motif that adds to party time. An interesting design exercise that serves a utilitarian purpose is the smoked Plexiglas windscreens that extend aft from the superstructure supports. They effectively block wind without obstructing the view.

Even on the long beam passages, designers have taken the time to add artistic thought to her side rails, decking and overhangs. Notice the matte finish on the ceiling overhang to deflect glare from the water. Speaking of deflecting water; tempered glass, frameless windows are bonded to the structure with an adhesive system that meets ABS standards and will laugh at washdowns for a lifetime.

Here we see one of a complete set of auxiliary controls, located along each beam, for docking in close quarters. This simple addition removes a large burden of angst from the skipper for close quarter landings in crowded marinas. Not shown here is the a lock-down fiberglass lid that covers the controls, protecting them from the elements and maintaining the clean lines of the superstructure caprail.

In true Westport fashion, the wheelhouse is well-conceived. A fully professional and functional layout, her 5 broad Nauticomp displays cover every aspect of a cruising yacht, as well as internal concerns which bear monitoring. Two leather Stidd helm chairs face a traditional wood wheel, while just aft an elevated settee with a leather couch gives rise to an offset table for onlookers to rally. Among an extensive list of the latest equipment, the W-130 is equipped with navigation and communications systems that are suitable for worldwide voyaging, including satellite based position and speed, gyroscopic and magnetic heading data, radar, electronic plotting and depth finding. Comm systems span an array of transmission methods. A detailed list of equipment is included at the end of this review.

A sumptuous marble-topped bar is merely one outstanding feature in her skylounge, but it's the woodwork that steals the show. Trimmed in Pommele Sapele panels with Mahogany edges - a theme carried throughout - we begin the tour of Westport's wonderful woodwork. In a massive 60,000 square foot building that backs to the Port Angeles airport, Westport's carpentry and cabinet shop employs 240 people and runs 24/7 manufacturing ALL of the pieces that make up the puzzle, ranging from staircases to bookcases. The wood cutting process is highly automated, but the final-finish, i.e. sanding, staining and spraying, is where Westport's artisans strut their stuff. It's a labor intensive process that takes tens of thousands of man hours for each yacht, but the final result is nothing short of spectacular.