Home on the Long Range

"I love fishing, but my preference is to fish while we cruise," says Frank Aries about My Mary Lou, his new Mikelson 64' Long Range Sportfisher. "This boat is perfect for both." And what does the captain of My Mary Lou think about the new yacht? "You're talkin' to him," says Aries, who runs the boat himself.

Designed by Tom Fexas, the Mikelson line of sportfishers have carved a niche with their unique styling, easily driven hulls, and cleverly arranged layouts. Once primarily a West Coast builder, Mikelsons are now found worldwide and, in fact, My Mary Lou homeports in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

"We fish for mahi-mahi, wahoo and tuna, which we eat," says Aries. "Sometimes we get lucky and catch a marlin in season, but I'm not a big fan of sailfish." Like most Mikelsons, My Mary Lou is completely rigged for sportfishing from the two immense baitwells in the cockpit to the luxurious bridge with dual helms.

The two identifying features of Mikelsons are the surprisingly wide beam (19 feet on a 64 feet hull) and the low profile silhouette that gives these yachts a much lower center of gravity than most convertibles. That not only translates into less windage and a lower roll rate at sea, but a more comfortable ride and a very stable platform for fishing. Since West Coast fishermen like Aries often cast from the bow, stability is a prime requisite for any boat.

My Mary Lou deviates from the standard arrangement of the 64 with an extended salon that reduces the width of the normal "lanai deck" to the size of a walkway overlooking the cockpit. "It just didn't suit my purposes," says Aries, who also replaced the exterior ladder from the cockpit to the bridge with a circular staircase in the salon. With the standard arrangement, the lanai deck is wide enough for guests to use as a gallery for watching the fishing action, yet remain out of the way.

The wide beam of the 64 translates to a spacious main salon that seems sized for a much larger yacht. An L-shaped settee faces aft, giving a view of the cockpit as well as of the large entertainment center to starboard. Forward and up two steps is comfortable dinette to starboard and the well-equipped U-shaped galley to port. With the large side windows and the open layout from lanai deck to galley, the 64 has many of the attributes of the Mikelson 78-footer.

Power for My Mary Lou comes from a pair of Caterpillar 3412 diesels of 1300 horsepower each, giving a top speed of 32 knots. With 1500 gallons of fuel, the 64 has the long legs needed to range up and down the West Coast, where fuel stops can be far between. That's particularly important for Aries, because he has cruising plans for the new yacht. "We'll spend this summer in Alaska," he says, "doing a little fishing and a lot of cruising. Next year, we plan to head for the Mediterranean."

Not only does the Mikelson 64 have the seaworthiness and range to make such plans, but Aries has fitted out his yacht with some added features. "I've been a sailor all my life," he says, "so I rigged this boat with plenty of battery power. We can run off the inverters (a pair of 2500 watt units) for nine hours so, at night, we can power two freezers, a 30-cubic-feet refrigerator/freezer, and two bar refrigerators and we don't even dent the batteries. I have a pair of 20KW generators, but we like to anchor in silence, and I don't know of another powerboat that can do this."

The accommodations aboard My Mary Lou are sumptuous, with a master suite that makes full use of the wide beam to provide a centerline king bed, spacious head with twin sinks and a shower, and a walk-in closet. A VIP stateroom with a double berth is to port with a private head and shower, and the forward cabin, with a pair of singles, also has a private head that isn't shared because the 64 has an on-deck day head accessible to both cockpit and salon.

The bridge is the "living room" of the 64 and it is oversized and beautifully arranged for cruising, fishing or entertaining. The primary helm is forward with four angled consoles filled with an array of electronics. A wet bar with refrigerator is to port, and a J-shaped settee around a large table is to starboard. Just behind the lounge is a second helm with a pedestal chair that gives a great view of the cockpit for control while fishing.

"I've had 20 boats, and this Mikelson is by far the best experience I've ever had," says Aries. "I had a Mikelson 50 and liked it so much I took the first 64 and I wasn't a bit concerned. The Mikelson people are the best, and they stand behind the boat completely."

"Besides," he added, "they're good guys." Among fishermen, that's just about the highest accolade you can bestow.

Mikelson 64 Long Range Luxury Sportfisher