Bearing a rich-green hull, Sea Owl slowly made her way from one of Burger Boat Company’s build sheds and into the waters of Lake Michigan in July.
The 142-footer was commissioned by an American family that has previous cruising experience, aboard yachts bearing the same name. However, this Sea Owl represents their largest yacht to date. In fact, the prior Sea Owl, built in 1999 (and which they’re presently selling, for $10.5 million), measures 124 feet.
The new tri-deck Burger bears several stand-out features. First, the exterior styling is quite traditional in nature. It’s from the drawing boards of Andrew Winch Designs, marking the first time that the British design firm and Burger have worked together. Not so for Burger’s collaboration with Vripack on the naval architecture, however. Vripack previously worked with Burger on the 153-foot Ingot, a technically complex project.
Andrew Winch Designs is also responsible for Sea Owl’s interior. The firm describes it as being reminiscent of “the relaxed atmosphere of a summer in the Hamptons.” A further idea was to have the decor echo the classic appeal of the exterior. To those points, there’s teak flooring and wall paneling throughout nearly every room. (The teak paneling even extends to the captain’s cabin and the four crew staterooms.) If you’re ever invited onboard, keep an eye out for what’s sure to be intricately detailed hand carvings of wildlife above several doorways.
Other highlights include a curving staircase rising from the lower deck to the skylounge, crowned by a skylight. Eight guests are accommodated on the lower deck, and the owners have a private suite on the main deck. They can indulge in alfresco dining or lounge in the sun aboard cushy sunpads, too.
After delivery in a few weeks, the owners of Sea Owl plan to embark on world cruising.
