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The Sopranos vs. the Classics
by Matt Gurnsey
The Sabreline 36 is an express cruiser -- but not like you’re thinking …
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Outside, the wind blows a gale as the clouds cover the stars and the moon. The streetlights struggle, and manage to bathe the street in a gray colorless fog. Long shadows fall across doorways, and decent people scurry for home, having no business being out on a night like this.
Inside, the restaurant is filled with the sounds of couples dining, silverware clinking on plates, whispered secrets being shared, gentle laughter like a musical counterpoint. Down a dark hallway is a private dining area, where the rich, or the powerful may sequester themselves separate from the more common patrons out front.
Standing at the entrance to the hallway are two well-tailored suits hung on muscular frames -- expensive suits that almost hide the bulges under these men’s arms, as they stand silent as statues. Their eyes betray their humanity, as they flicker left and right in search of danger.
Walking past them finds Mr. B eating his pasta dish, waving his fork for emphasis, and getting tomato sauce on the table linens, and the pictures before him. He swallows his large mouthful, and finally glares at me, fork pointing.
“Whuddami looking at?” He snarls. “I send you out to get me information about this Sabreline 36 Express Cruiser my boys are talking about cutting into our action, and you bring me pictures of this old-style whatever it is!”
Obviously, if I expect to get paid my fee, I’m going to have to explain to the big man what he’s looking at.
I reach over and shuffle the photos into a cohesive order. Using them as visual aids, and talking in small words, I explain to Mr. B. that this is the 36 Express by Sabreline. The company has built sailboats for years, and in 1989 decided to expand into the powerboat market. And like other sailboat builders, they developed a trawler style of boat with classic styling and features.
But they added one wrinkle. Instead of the usual 8-to-10-knot trawler speeds, Sabreline developed modern underwater running surfaces giving their trawlers planing boat cruise speeds. Mr. B. gulps more wine, and I continue, knowing that I have his full attention.
What the Hull Is That?
As he looks at the top photo, showing the 36 Express at its cruising speed of 20 knots, he can’t stop staring at the Sabreline’s colored hull. It’s obvious it will stand out in the sea of white boats around the marina. Plus, the dark hull and lighter topsides gives the boat a solid look, and appears to be more deeply set in the water. While Sabreline offers the 36 with a white hull, the deep blues and greens have been very popular.
The Downeast styling influence ends at the waterline, where a hard chine modified-V hull with nearly full-length skeg and 14 degrees of transom deadrise gives the performance of “modern” boats. What Mr. B. can’t see is the use of coring in the hull to save weight, and the use of isophthalic resins in the hull to prevent blistering.
“How come my guys haven’t told me about this stuff?”
I pull out my calculator and show him how much more expensive the isophthalic resin is. Mr. B. gets quiet. In a large operation like his, every $100 bill counts. Mr. B points to the profile shot of the boat. “Where’s the radar arch?” he demands.
Instead of the radar arch, Sabreline uses a radar mast. The mast can be folded down to decrease the boat’s height, and it doesn’t interfere with visibility from the helm. In addition, the tall glass windshield has much less curvature and longer side wings for less distortion for the skipper, as well as eliminating the piece of isinglass between the Bimini and the windshield top as found on most express cruisers, including Mr. B’s.
While these details may not be as sexy as some of the current Euro-style express boats, they combine with the Downeast lobster boat-inspired lines and trunk cabin for a very pleasing appearance. The windshield will allow the captain, whether seated or standing an excellent view forward and to either side.
The darker deck color helps prevent glare on sunny days, and aggressive non skid and wide sidedecks coupled with the high side rails make line handling and going forward very secure. The bow rail continues back almost to the cockpit, and has a second life rail incorporated into it -- safe, secure, and still stylish.
This also eliminates the need to open up the canvas to crawl through the windshield keeping the helm dry, and avoiding a trip forward over sloped cabin tops. The trunk cabin also has grab rails along both sides of the cabin top for added security.
I point out to Mr. B. that while the styling is classic, the 36 Express incorporates many features found on the most modern designs, including side exit exhausts, transom door and deep guttered and gasketed hatches. The two-level cockpit has the same skid-resistant surface as the side decks, with an option for teak at the helm and/or the cockpit. The helm console features room for flush mounting electronics, a tilt wheel and Teleflex controls, as well as an excellent view of the instruments.
The Business End of a 36
The engine room is large enough to service the engines, as well as having an aft watertight bulkhead. Straight diesel inboards (300 hp Cummins in early models, 315 hp Yanmars in the last few years) have diamond tread plating between them, and have soft-mount supports, which are in turn bolted to the stringers. Basic maintenance and fluid checks can be done from the centerline. Teleflex hydraulic steering and Bennett trim tab mechanicals will be found down here, as well.
Mr. B. paws at the photos. “Where’s the second stateroom?” he leers at me. “What kinda express boat don’t have no second stateroom?” I point out that he has models this size without the aft stateroom, and that this is a design choice.
The straight inboards eliminate the space that many manufacturers tuck a second stateroom into. But Sabreline felt that the improved performance and longevity of inboards vs. stern drives or even V-drives, and the cave-like size of most of these “staterooms” made the elimination of this space a good design choice.
Most Sabreline owners won’t be bringing guests, so an expanded galley to port and large dinette to starboard (which can sleep two if needed) makes more sense. The large, bright cabin is finished in varnished cherry (teak in early models) and is comfortable and well lit thanks to generous portlights and a large overhead hatch. The galley has plenty of countertop workspace, a large under-cabinet refrigerator, a deep stainless steel Scandvik sink as well as cooktop options -- with and without stoves.
The head forward to port can be entered from the saloon or the stateroom, and is roomy with a built in shower pan. A separate stall shower is not available, one of the few comforts that are missing from this design. The stateroom has a large hanging locker, and can be ordered with island queen, or the more traditional V-berth arrangements.
Mr. B. looks at me for a long moment. Just as I begin to wonder if I’m going to get paid for this work, he pulls out a stack of bills. As he tosses me the bills, his fork is pointing at my face again.
“But why” he asks, “would anyone want to buy one of these Sabrelines instead of one of my sexy, modern-looking Euro-style boats?”
I’m not sure he really wants an answer, but as I pull my coat on, I turn and tell him.
“It’s like the new Ford T-Bird or Volkswagen Beetle. They have a certain traditional charm and style, but updated for today’s customers. The 36 Express is like that -- with traditional boating looks, updated with some of the most modern construction, power plants and performance available.”
There are even options for additional teak trim, decks and windshield. Styling sets it apart from the rest of the field. There’s even an optional hardtop -- perfect for Northwest boaters.
Besides, I tell him, Marilyn Monroe is still sexy 40 years after her passing, and the Sabreline has the same timeless quality.
As I walk past the tailored statues, I can hear Mr. B. on the phone with his chief stylist. “We gotta offer a colored hull on our express cruisers” he says.
I pull my collar up around me and step into the night’s fresh air, realizing that some people just don’t understand.
Matt Gurnsey is moderator of the Power Boating Forum on goboatingamerica.com. He is an active boater in the Seattle area and owns a classic Chris-Craft Commander 35 Sport Sedan.
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This article first appeared in the March 2003 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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