Maine boat builder Lyman-Morse announced this week that hull number one of their new Chris Hood-design cruisers has been launched and sea trialed. The 42 LM joins the 44 and 46-foot sisters ships in the builder’s line of bespoke semi-custom yachts.
In an era when power cruisers are becoming ever-more futuristic with angular lines, odd geometric hull glazing, folding cockpit bulkheads and giant swim platforms now called beach clubs, Hood and Lyman Morse are preserving the classic look of Maine-built boats.
The new 42 evoke working lobster boats that have plied this coast for generations and have aways proven to be seaworthy, comfortable, dry and fast. With a flybridge added, the boat also has a dash of sport-fisherman in her and a purposeful “let’s head to sea” look.
Driven by twin Volvo 44-horsepower D6 motors with Volvo DPI drives (stern drives), the 42 is sportier than her traditional looks would suggest. It will have cruising speeds in the mid 30s and a top end of 39 knots.
The Hood-designed hulls have plenty of flare in the bows so the decks will stay dry even when punching into a square chop. The shear is springy and flows neatly in the cockpit bulwarks. Aft, the stern has a touch of tumblehome to add to its classic good looks.
The exterior has many special details such as the highly varnished mahogany cabin sides and flybridge and the bronze deck fittings and brass latches and drawer pulls. The open cockpit has room for a teak table and folding chairs. Up top, there is a neat lounge and the upper helm all covered by a T-top.
The 42 is built with Lymnan-Morse’s cold-molded process with alternating layers of Douglas fir and red cedar. Thios is then sealed with a layer of epoxy and E-glass before the final hull coatings are spayed on. Cold-molded hulls offer great heat and sound insulation.
Sound dampening is a serious theme with the builder since they are experienced cruisers –circumnavigators—and know what it is like to live aboard while swinging on the anchor for days and weeks on end. The engine room and utility space is sheathed with SoundDown insulation to reduce engine noise to a minimum.
To eliminate the need for a generator and the noise it makes, they have added high-output alternators to the two engines that top up the huge lithium house battery bank. The boat has been engineered so the battery capacity will run all house functions in full silent mode through the night.
The salon has the galley along the port side, the dinette across from it and the helm forward to port. And there is a two-person copilot seat next to the helm. The view from the helm through the large salon windows offers a full 360-degree perspective.
Down two steps you enter the cabin which has a centerline double berth with drawers underneath, an enclosed head and a separate shower.
The fit and finish of all Lyman Morse boats of any size is always driven by traditional Maine craftsmanship and a commitment to building heirloom quality yachts. Hull number one has a mahogany interior which is sained quite dark and given a lustrous varnish finish. Since the boats are built on a semi-custom basis, each owner has plenty of leeway to create a layout and a style and color palette all their own, within reason, of course.
The new Hood 42 LM will be an aspirational boat for most cruisers and sets the bar very high for all in the Maine-built market.
