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Navigator 5400
by Holly Simpson
Upgrades and new technology bring big-boat luxury to mid-size vessel
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Navigators are a mainstay in the West Coast boating lifestyle. They’re everywhere, from British Columbia to Baja California.
Upgrades
My test of the company’s new 5400 took place on a chilly but sunny morning in San Diego, with Will MacIntyre and Brendan Dooney of H&S Yacht Sales. It had been awhile since Sea had been aboard one of these boats, so MacIntyre pointed out the 5400’s finer features -- “many in response to customer feedback,” he said -- and more important, told me what we missed over the past couple of incarnations.
The key changes are a combination of technological advances and upgraded comforts: a beautiful full-size bathtub with a shower in the master head (as opposed to simply a stall); flush, frameless windows as well as power windows, which offer protection against leaks and eliminate the task of cleaning the frames; an opened-up pilothouse, achieved by placing the galley’s SubZero freezer and refrigerator beneath the counter; a fully adjustable Flexsteel swivel helm seat that felt more like reclining in a La-Z-Boy; a SeaKey satellite communication and security system, which nicely complements the Volvo D-9 engines; and general attention paid to targeting and upgrading the systems that could improve the boat’s overall performance.
In fact, the engines are a point that I think the ticked-off owner I encountered might be interested in hearing about. Volvo has taken great strides toward cutting the amount of noise, vibration and noticeable exhaust from its engines. The engines are designed so that the exhaust is filtered underwater and away from the boat, so you can breathe easier while enjoying the aft deck.
“The engine manufacturers have gotten much more sophisticated in the ways they’re reducing the smoke and smell, and increasing fuel economy,” MacIntyre said, citing the amount of work onboard computers are doing, making it easier for people to handle the boat. “When it was time to go forward from the old technology to the new, Navigator stepped up and made its boats faster and more powerful.”
Other than keeping up with the competition, though, adding these kinds of bells and whistles provides another clear advantage: increased safety. Redundancy is apparent throughout the vessel, with multiple alarms that are easy to read and clearly indicate if and where there might be a problem.
On the “cooler” side of the spectrum, the 5400 comes with Raymarine’s E-Series electronics, which MacIntyre explained can be “plumbed” into the flat-screen TV system so you can watch the radar, the GPS or even the fish finder from the salon if you are so inclined. Incidentally, Navigator will work with you to customize the boat as needed; if you indeed want to do some fishing from this motoryacht, the company can rig your ride as needed, from bait tanks to tackle storage.
Running
So did all of this technology make any difference in the way the new generation of Navigators will perform?
For me, the true test is spending time not only on the flybridge but also in the onboard living spaces while under way. As I made my way down the interior steps from the bridge, I was pleased with the degree of stability I felt as the boat made her way through the choppy bay waters. I took decibel readings in the salon and in the master stateroom and noted that they did not register much higher than 76 dB, which I find to be quite acceptable.
From the vibration standpoint, again, I think Navigator has corrected the issues that customers have brought to its attention over the years. I’ve felt nearly seasick before on “shaky” boats; noise and vibration, as you know, are key elements in bringing on fatigue and frustration for skippers and their guests. But we clipped along without discomfort; into the wind, the top speed at about 2,500 rpm was 24.1 knots; optimal cruise speed was 15.2 knots at about 1,800 rpm.
It’s What’s Inside ...
Outside, the 5400 featured walk-around sidedecks (with a starboard-side door leading out from the pilothouse for easy access) -- and freeboard, freeboard, freeboard! On me (5 feet, 6 inches tall), the rail around the sidedeck was chest-high near the pilothouse.
The flybridge features a grill, a refrigerator, a wet bar, a sink and a barbecue, plus custom upholstery packages and an optional Bimini top.
In general, the 5400’s profile differed from previous Navigator models in that she was more rounded with fewer hard angles, creating a more modern and sleeker appearance. The foredeck also has been raised, which gives the interior more volume and greater headroom in the forward stateroom.
But the heart of a Navigator’s popularity is the amenities and big-boat features that are normally reserved for yachts in the 70-plus-foot range. There are plenty of opportunities to customize the interior; for example, you could modify cabinetry in the salon to include a desk with a built-in ice machine beneath. Our test boat had a flat-screen TV that recessed into an angled cabinet in the aft starboard corner of the salon. The wood was a natural cherry -- not stained -- and included a high-gloss finish that created a warm, homelike atmosphere.
Moving forward, the galley includes all the standard appliances: a flat-top three-burner stove, a two-sided sink and a microwave -- but what I liked throughout the main living space were the small touches, such as the ornate fixtures.
A flight of stairs forward and starboard of the pilothouse leads down to the overnight accommodations; the possibilities are almost limitless when it comes to the customization available. As mentioned earlier, the head in the amidships master stateroom features a full-size bathtub -- a customer request Navigator honored -- with beautiful shower doors; again, I admired the fixtures, such as the pewter-finish faucet. The 5400 features two additional staterooms, and that third one isn’t just a space-filling afterthought: spacious bunks, a huge hanging locker and breathing room that won’t make anyone feel claustrophobic.
The guest head is a mildly scaled-down version of the master; it has essentially the same blend of aesthetic and practical characteristics, just with a stall shower instead of a bathtub.
The VIP stateroom is forward, with four huge drawers up the side of the queen-size berth, a cedar-lined hanging locker, six more cabinet doors over the berth for more storage and, as promised, more headroom: about 7 feet!
Family Affair
Navigator is a family-owned business based in Perris, California, where company founder Jule Marshall and his sons, Gil and Steve, continue their 46-year tradition of building fiberglass boats. With a company as well-established as this one, it’s nice to see in the new 5400 a will to keep growing the business and expand beyond its comfort zone: by asking for and listening to customer input, and actually implementing changes.
CONTACT: Navigator Yachts, Perris, CA; (951) 657-2117; www.navyachts.com
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This article first appeared in the July 2006 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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