52 Cockpit Motor Yacht

We've been searching, looking at photos, looking at floor plan layouts. We're getting closer. Seems like we're moving toward the 52 Cockpit Motor Yacht. The cockpit satisfies our big requirement of being able to step from the dinghy or floating dock onto the swim platform, into a cockpit and maybe a couple of steps up to the aft deck without needing big steps from a dock or climbing a ladder. It also has the overall elbow room of an aft cabin, which is important to us.

Anyone have one and willing to comment on it, advantages and drawbacks? Anyone know anything interesting about the history of that model, the design, etc?

It appears engine room access is gained by lifting the stairs that go from the salon down to the galley/dinette. Is this true? And then what, there are a couple of additional steps into the engine room? Is it stand up height (I'm 5' 10") or close to it?

Thanks for any details.

John

Not stand up for sure.

More like 4 foot

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Originally Posted by Boatsb

More like 4 foot

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Sounds like the engine room is a tight fit.

John, have you looked at the 58 yacht fish, or the 53 yacht Fish? Seems like it would check a lot of your boxes and has walk around and stand up engine rooms. Also three staterooms and three heads. We love ours.

I'm pretty sure the 52 cockpit MY engine room is plenty high enough to walk around in. My 1982 48
MY has an engine room that most folks can stand in. I'm 6'6" and all I need to do is kind of stoop over
a bit and it works fine. It is defiantly not a hands and knees situation. I think there may be some
pictures in the brochures section of this forum. Check out the ER's in the Series 2 48 MY and the 52
cockpit MY (same as 48 with a cockpit). I believe the early 2000's 50' sundeck is also the same basic
boat. IMO the 52 cockpit MY is a very practical design that most of us would enjoy. Go aboard one,
then decide for yourself.

Walt

I have worked on a 52cmy many times. The ER is tight. You cannot stand up completely in the center. Personally, I really don't like that model.

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Originally Posted by SKYCHENEY

I have worked on a 52cmy many times. The ER is tight. You cannot stand up completely in the center. Personally, I really don't like that model.

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Well, since I haven't been in a 52 CMY's ER, I can't argue that, but on my 1982 Series I 48 MY I can
almost stand up and I'm 6'6". I guess they made the later Series 2 ER's smaller than the Series I.
I would still suggest checking one out for oneself.

Walt

Found the answer to one question in the magazine article by Bill Pike when the 52 was introduced. He said the engine room was "without standing headroom." But he also said it had "wide open" spaces in the engine room and was easy to move around. Good to know.

He also included some fuel burn charts for the 8v92s in that boat. Hitting 9.1 knots or 10.4 mph at only 900 rpms. Geez, that's barely off of idle! And at that speed, it was only burning a respectable 11.8 gallons per hour. For big engines, that's pretty impressive.

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Originally Posted by Walter P

I'm pretty sure the 52 cockpit MY engine room is plenty high enough to walk around in. My 1982 48
MY has an engine room that most folks can stand in. I'm 6'6" and all I need to do is kind of stoop over
a bit and it works fine. It is defiantly not a hands and knees situation. I think there may be some
pictures in the brochures section of this forum. Check out the ER's in the Series 2 48 MY and the 52
cockpit MY (same as 48 with a cockpit). I believe the early 2000's 50' sundeck is also the same basic
boat. IMO the 52 cockpit MY is a very practical design that most of us would enjoy. Go aboard one,
then decide for yourself.

Walt

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Walt, you own a Series I 48MY and the 52CMY is based off the SeriesII 48MY.

Have you considered a 53 Yacht Fish Series II with its weather protected lower steering station. On those less than perfect days on the water a truly protected steering station is a joy.

BTW, I have not and never will own any of the models under discussion so there is no bias involved. Just years of running from a canvas enclosed bridge versus a weather protected steering station with decent visibility. Not to mention AC/heat on the really ugly days.

Pete

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Originally Posted by Pete

Have you considered a 53 Yacht Fish

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Hi Pete,

No, we really haven't. Many of the Yacht Fish models seem to be run more like fishing boats (flat out for extended distances) rather than hull-speed cruising. Tends to dramatically shorten the life span, from what we've read.

Yachtfish is a deceiving term for these boats by todays standards. A Yachtfish like the 53 or 58 are literally a Motor Yacht with a cockpit, they could also be called a Cockpit Motor Yacht just like the 52 that you are writing about.

I have a lot of time on a 52 Cockpit Motor Yacht with twin 3406 Cats and the engine room is pretty spacious for this style boat. I am 5'7" and can just barely stand up fully in the centerline and I am able to access all sides of the engines with relative ease. The 3406 Cats in this boat really move it and fuel economy at the speeds you are talking about is incredible. I believe we idle at 7 knots.

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Originally Posted by Nightingale

Yachtfish is a deceiving term for these boats by todays standards. A Yachtfish like the 53 or 58 are literally a Motor Yacht with a cockpit, they could also be called a Cockpit Motor Yacht just like the 52 that you are writing about.

I have a lot of time on a 52 Cockpit Motor Yacht with twin 3406 Cats and the engine room is pretty spacious for this style boat. I am 5'7" and can just barely stand up fully in the centerline and I am able to access all sides of the engines with relative ease. The 3406 Cats in this boat really move it and fuel economy at the speeds you are talking about is incredible. I believe we idle at 7 knots.

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Good to know, Nightingale. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Nightingale

Yachtfish is a deceiving term for these boats by todays standards. A Yachtfish like the 53 or 58 are literally a Motor Yacht with a cockpit, they could also be called a Cockpit Motor Yacht just like the 52 that you are writing about.

I have a lot of time on a 52 Cockpit Motor Yacht with twin 3406 Cats and the engine room is pretty spacious for this style boat. I am 5'7" and can just barely stand up fully in the centerline and I am able to access all sides of the engines with relative ease. The 3406 Cats in this boat really move it and fuel economy at the speeds you are talking about is incredible. I believe we idle at 7 knots.

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The hull of the 52 is much different from the 53/58. The 52 is more of a deep V and has lift rails. It is squirrely in tight quarters. The bow will fall off in a blow where the 53 tends to track straight with the keel and semi-displacement hull.

The 52 is much faster and meant to run on plane. The 53/58 will be slower and runs well at hull speed and will probably have stabilizers.

These are two very different boats.

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Originally Posted by SKYCHENEY

The hull of the 52 is much different from the 53/58. The 52 is more of a deep V and has lift rails. It is squirrely in tight quarters. The bow will fall off in a blow where the 53 tends to track straight with the keel and semi-displacement hull.

The 52 is much faster and meant to run on plane. The 53/58 will be slower and runs well at hull speed and will probably have stabilizers.

These are two very different boats.

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That's a really good point and a useful analysis, Skycheney. Thanks. Since we tend to run at displacement speeds, it's sounding like a 52 isn't the boat for us.