Blending many of the same components for the main deck and cabin as the 92, including continuous side windows, NorthStar has managed to create an entirely new semi-custom vessel that reflects the Huzyaks' personal boating style.

Blending many of the same components for the main deck and cabin as the 92, including continuous side windows, NorthStar has managed to create an entirely new semi-custom vessel that reflects the Huzyaks' personal boating style.



The launch of a new motoryacht is always a festive occasion for the lucky owner and his or her guests — and the celebration surrounding the christening of the new NorthStar 100 Besame in Kalama, Washington was no exception. However, this occasion was also a landmark for the building crew, and much of the population of this small Columbia River town that has watched NorthStar Yachts grow into a major player in the big boat market in just four years.

Keith and Sally Huzyak, the owners of Besame, certainly appreciated this, because it was their decision to add a cockpit extension to their previous yacht, a 61-footer, that had led to the formation of NorthStar Yachts in 1998. This experience proved two things to Keith Huzyak: that you could still find American craftsmen with a true work ethic, and that a few extra feet can make a world of difference — even to a proven design like his Tollycraft 61.

Two years later, NorthStar was ready to start production of its first custom design. NorthStar turned to Washington naval architect Jack Sarin for a seaworthy "90 foot Series" motoryacht, with the potential to be extended to over 100 feet. (These qualities were proven by tank testing at the University of British Columbia.)

The first hull out of the mold was a 92-footer, which was launched last spring (featured in Sea's July issue). At one point, that boat had almost been the Huzyaks, but the thought of what they could do with a few extra feet of length had tempted them to wait a little longer for their cruising dreams to become reality.

The result is Besame, (which means "kiss me" in Spanish). By looks alone, it was well worth the wait.

Eight feet of additional length might not sound like a lot when you're talking about a 100-footer, but the result is an eye-opener. Blending many of the same components for the main deck and cabin as the 92, including continuous side windows, NorthStar has managed to create an entirely new semi-custom vessel that reflects the Huzyaks' personal boating style.

That extra 8 feet really opens up the stern, and has allowed a 6-foot-long cockpit to be inserted between the spacious aft deck and the swim step. So, no matter what their guests' interests might be, there is a place for them to enjoy a full range of activities — from relaxing to sportfishing to scuba diving.

Other changes are not so visible, but they are just as well thought out. Examples include the power winches hidden inside the transom corners, the passarelle tucked neatly under the main deck (for use in regions where "Med mooring" is the norm) and the removable stanchions on the swim step for added security.

A Quiet Ride

When our sea trial began, I was actually standing on the aft end of the upper deck, observing the aforementioned details. As we pulled away from the dock, I waited for the typical surge of noise and vibration as we picked up speed — but the loudest sound I could hear was the wake, and the vibration of the deck seemed no greater than at idle.

I walked forward to the upper helm station and checked the speed. It was 12 knots, with the boat's twin 1,485 hp Detroit Diesel/MTU 12V-2000 powerplants running at 1,500 rpm.

Down in the saloon, I could pick out a distant sound, but it felt more like a generator running than a pair of high-speed diesels. The same was true in the owner's stateroom. This is the result of a concerted effort at sound abatement and vibration proofing, explained NorthStar's sales manager, Rick Baker.

The company has employed a whole arsenal of techniques and materials to suppress noise — starting with high-quality engine mounts and vibration-free supports for the exhaust system. Construction also utilizes SoundDown engineering and sound abatement products and materials applied to the overhead and bulkheads.

New engineering techniques include sound absorption tiles strategically located throughout the hull to minimize water noise. Wiring and plumbing systems are harnessed and well insulated to prevent vibration and sound transmission.

Another valuable advance has been the computer balancing of the vessel's Nibral five-blade propellers — and extraordinary attention has been paid to the installation and alignment of the entire drive train.

Even more than noise, motion is the factor most likely to spoil a day on the water. For that reason, the NorthStar 100 uses a pair of Naiad hydraulically driven stabilizers that can counteract the effects of head seas or large Pacific swells.

Sarin's hull form, with a pronounced spray chine (or "knocker") that runs from the bow back to amidships about 3 feet above the waterline, works to reduce pitching and keeps the foredeck dry under almost any condition short of a gale. From midships aft, the hull features a more-conventional V-bottom, with deep prop tunnels and a skeg keel.

All that translates to impressive performance for a 100-footer. With the boat's 1,485 hp diesels wide open at 2,350 rpm, the NorthStar 100 topped out at 22.75 knots — still tossing spray aside nonchalantly.

Ready to Cruise

Having put 30,000 miles on their previous boat, Besame's new owners intend to spend up to half the year cruising in their NorthStar 100. Mexico will be their first destination, followed by the East Coast of the United States and the Mediterranean.

With all-weather passage-making capability in mind, their NorthStar 100 is fitted with a hardtop over the flying bridge. It's a feature that blends in well on a yacht of this length.

When it's time to come in out of the sun, the interior offers the richness of cherry wood, with doors paneled in madrona burl.

"We had to reject a few shipments, but we've finally convinced our supplier that we simply won't take anything but the highest quality hardwoods," Baker said. This dedication is shared by the company's woodworkers, who put their decades of experience to work to create whatever interior an owner and his or her designer can imagine.

In Besame?s interior, elegant wood joinerwork is seemingly everywhere. In the pilothouse, it accents the latest in computer-linked navigational aids. Throughout the entire lower deck, it is used to add a look of traditional luxury — even in the comfortable crew's quarters, forward.

The captain gets his own cabin with a head and shower, and there's a separate cabin for the crew — plus a crew lounge and a galley with an entertainment center, and a washer/dryer.

The guests' staterooms are situated abaft the companionway. Each comes with a large, en suite head and shower. The owners' full-width suite, forward, offers a spacious master stateroom to port and a large walk-in closet (it's just too big to call a "hanging locker") to starboard.

Sally Huzyak paid particular attention to the galley's appointments, since she and her husband enjoy sharing multi-day cruises with close friends, and occasionally hosting social gatherings aboard. She specified a full-size Maytag oven and range, and a holding-plate freezer and refrigerator with abundant space. Additionally, there are ice-makers at the bar and the aft deck, with a complete mini-kitchen for outdoor barbecuing on the boat deck.

Whether or not the Huzyaks are on board, they can check on their vessel's position and status via the latest in electronic technology: the Aurora Sentinel monitor and security system (a proprietary NorthStar feature). The system can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

The system's onboard computer can be programmed to telephone the harbormaster, captain and/or owner in the event of an emergency. This is likely to become a popular feature on future NorthStar yachts, because it allows owners to have the same peace of mind they enjoy when aboard, even when they are far from the boat.

NorthStar 100 Specifications
Length100
Beam22'10"
Draft5'11"
Weight (unladen)230,000 pounds (unladen)
Fuel capacity4,500 gallons
Water capacity640 gallons
Maximum powertwo 1,485-hp engines 
Propellers44" x 42" nibral five-blade
Price as tested with twin 1485-hp Detroit Diesel/MTU 12V-2000 engines$7.45 million
Base price$6.7 million

Performance
Top speed23 knots
Cruising speed19 knots
Miles per gallon at 19-knot cruising speed.33
Estimated fuel cost for 100 miles$454.54**
Range at 19-knot cruising speed2000 nautical miles
Sound level at cruising speed63 dB

(Estimated fuel cost based on fuel price of $1.50 per gallon.)

Standard Features

Four control stations; Sea Recovery 1,200 gallon per day water-maker; Nautica 15 foot tender with 50 hp outboard; Stidd helm seats; cherry hardwood joinery; SeaTel 2100R sat com system; SeaTel 2494 satellite television system; Brookes & Gatehouse Hydra-2 Cruise Pack; Simrad autopilots; Furuno 2115 96 nm radar; Furuno 1942 64 nm radar; Furuno FCV 1200 depth sounder; Furuno SC 60 GPS; Gyrocompass; Northern Lights 40 kw and 12 kw auxiliary generators; Naiad stabilizers.

Options

Hull extensions; electronics packages.

Construction

NorthStar hulls are laminated to ABS standards with uni-directional fiberglass, 1.5 inch Core-Cell A550 foam on the bottom and 1 inch Core-Cell A550 on the hull sides. Four watertight bulkheads are bonded to the hull and seven separate bilge areas.

For More Information

NorthStar Yachts, Kalama, WA
Rick Baker, West Coast Representative; (949) 589-9116
www.northstaryachts.com