Sabre 42 Salon Express

If you talk in knots instead of miles per hour, admire Downeaster styling trends and consider yourself a yachtsman, not a weekend warrior, it’s quite likely the Sabre 42 Salon Express will resonate with your tastes.

Traditional values remain, such as a Stazo wooden steering wheel, elegant interiors, fine craftsmanship and great looks; however, Sabre is dramatically embracing new technology below the surface, including an owner’s choice of Volvo or Cummins pod propulsion and joystick piloting.

“Sabre owners with a lifelong attraction to the water are surprised this model has a sports car feel with all the luxury and comfort they find in their cars and homes,” notes Bay Marine’s Mark Felhofer, a second-generation Sabre Yacht dealer in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (baymarine.net; 920-743-6526).

Couples who enjoy sharing time at the helm have identical standard Stidd 500N chairs that maximize seating and can be swiveled to face the conversation in the salon. An L-settee to port with an inlaid, folding salon table faces a two-person settee to starboard. Bi-fold stainless steel-framed doors open up the view aft, complemented by the drop-down port and starboard windows. An optional helm side door is a must for easy single-handed operation.

Two short steps below is the mid-level galley that keeps the cook in the conversation.

A convection microwave oven, a ceramic two-burner cooktop and a two-drawer stainless steel fridge AC/DC with separate freezer compartment make this an ideal vessel for dockside entertaining, that two week vacation to Door County or perhaps the lifelong dream Great Loop cruise.

A queen-size island bed highlights the master stateroom, while the guest cabin features a cozier sleeping arrangement; an upper dinette converts into a berth that is a sure hit for the grandkids. LED televisions are standard in both cabins. This is a single-head yacht with private access from the master.

For those lingering twilight hours of entertainment or alfresco dining, cockpit seating accommodates six adults.

Sabre excels at customizing interiors: Most yachts are on a 12-month build schedule. However, the attention to detail is well worth the wait.