Marlow 70E MKII

If you Google the word “customize,” the first definition that appears is to “modify (something) to suit a particular individual or task.”

In that case, when you apply customization to a yacht, it should reflect what an owner wants due to their taste or cruising needs.

Some boatbuilders will let you “customize” your new yacht if it can be done within their limitations. Understand that no yacht builder is going to change the hull shape or significantly modify bulkheads for obvious reasons, but customization needs to be more than just picking out fabrics, bedding and hull color. Why get shoehorned into what a builder wants to sell. Like Henry Ford used to say, and I’ll paraphrase, “You can have a Model T in any color as long as it’s black.”

Enter the new 2022 Marlow Yachts 70E MKII. This second-generation (MKII) model was introduced a couple of years ago, although this 70E is a unique setup that exemplifies the ability and desire for the Marlow team to deliver what the prospective owner wants and needs. It truly is customized beyond standard features to accommodate the owner’s specific requirements, as this yacht will be extensively cruised.

Fit for purpose

I don’t recall ever seeing a build spec sheet with so many items marked “Upgraded, Upgraded, Custom, Custom….” You get the idea. And here’s the need: The owners enthusiastically told me they plan to “Cruise a great deal!” This is not a weekender yacht, or one destined to do the east coast “milk run” from Florida to New England and back, but she could easily.

No, the list of destinations for this couple is to check out the Bahamas and Caribbean, then head to the Panama Canal for some U.S. west coast cruising. Next stop, Alaska for the summer then back to California for provisioning before heading across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. While in that part of the world, they plan a jump to Christmas Island and the islands of Fiji. From there, it’s anyone’s guess. These owners like to cruise without a calendar, as “It can be restricting or force us to travel on bad weather days.”

This itinerary is not for the faint of heart, but for a seasoned yachtsman (and woman!) who are great planners and know what they want. With an extensive spreadsheet of yachting needs and desires they compiled over the years, this couple got just what they wanted.

When asked about customizing their new 70E, the owners said it’s about redundancies. “Two is one, one is none,” referring to the old adage about having a backup, be it plans or parts or safety items.

Comforts abound

Having added systems didn’t mean they had to sell out on creature comforts. Designed for three staterooms with three heads, the midship owner’s cabin is full beam (19 feet, 8 inches) with a king berth, Jack/Jill private heads with a large center shower stall and tons of room. Opting for more storage space for clothing, there are full port and starboard drawers, closets and lockers. While many yachts have a desk in the main cabin, the owner had a custom office built into the aft of the command bridge. Why get stuck below when you can be anywhere else in the yacht?

Adding to the accommodations is a twin bunk guest stateroom and a forward VIP, both with heads with shower stalls, storage and TVs. Below the flooring is a mechanical room with hot water heaters (in close proximity to the showers for fast hot water), pumps and more storage space.

Two full-length sofas covered in white Ultraleather fill out the custom salon, complemented by a custom teak coffee table with two ottomans featuring cushioned tops that flip to trays and storage in the bases. A hide-away 65-inch LED TV has a satellite connection. The aft deck offers a swim platform and side boarding gates, a large teak dining table and a transom bench. The foredeck sports a Portuguese bridge with access doors from the side decks and a center seat that doubles as fender storage.

Operation is from the fully enclosed command bridge, appointed with a separate office and day head. With long-range cruising comes nighttime travel. To keep the owners in close proximity, the teak table lowers to become a berth, so help is just a pillow throw away. An extensive array of Garmin navigation electronics will guide the way while the custom lighting package with white, red and blue lights keeps the night vision sharp.

Three hydraulic crash pumps are at the ready, able to ship 240 GPM overboard in an emergency. When asked why choose a glass hull versus steel, the owners related to the safe design but also that “We will be cruising in warm weather and waters” so they’re not concerned about ice.

Cook and they will come

For extensive cruising, there will be a lot of time spent on the hook, so meal prep is mandatory and a working galley is essential. The forward galley runs along the starboard side with a logical layout. Prep and wash food at the modular sink station, move to the stovetop with pot holders, and plate on the aft counter with undercounter fridge/freezer drawers (six total). The center island is amply sized and topped with customer-chosen granite countertops. Appliances are upgraded, including the overhead microwave, lower oven, two dishwashers and pantry space everywhere. Note that all cabinets have pull-out shelves to reach items in the back.

Forward is an L-settee with teak table nestled under the forward windshield. Side windows and a port deck door add light and offer access for provisioning or grabbing forward docklines.

As for docklines, “He” handles those when docking as “She” is on the controls when pulling into slips. Having seven boats together over 20 years (including a Marlow 62 for five years) — him with a captain’s license and she is getting hers — this couple knows what they are getting into but, more importantly, what they have.

Love at first sight

“We got on a Marlow yacht at the 2005 St. Petersburg boat show and we fell in love,” he says.

They did their homework and checked out all the other brands, but always compared them to Marlows. Impressed with the fine craftsmanship within the structure, joinery, wood finish and overall style, there was more than one could see.

“The Kevlar construction and the strut keels were big selling points — very safe”, he adds. To note, Marlow uses their own patented Velocijet Strut Keels that not only protect the propellers but encase the twin shafts and reduce drag.

Planning to cross some big water, the owners wanted a few more upgrades and custom items. Fuel capacity was increased to a usable 3,700 gallons, thanks to the custom fiberglass tanks. Twin MAN V8 diesel engines deliver 1,200 hp each and showed me a 25.6 knot wide open speed (this before final commissioning and tuning). Dial back to 8 knots and the 70E delivers 3,000 nm range, plenty to cover an open ocean crossing with fuel to spare. Making it easy for oil changes, Marlow custom-built two 55-gallon containers for fresh oil and used oil. No more lugging jugs in and out of the engine room, as oil changes can be done as needed, anywhere.

Able to get around the engines for fuel filters and ancillary system access, there’s plenty of room for the twin upgraded 24kW Kohler generators, an upgraded Fireboy fire and safety control system (yes, alert strobes and sirens included), and Yacht Controller remote engine controls. Stability and control is from the custom hydraulic ABT TRAC system with oversized stabilizer fins, 50-hp bow and stern thrusters, and windlass.

There’s nothing better for a builder than when a client espouses the virtues of their yacht.

“It was such a positive experience through the build process. The Marlow is an exceptional value for the buck. We would buy another!