Alaska 45 Sedan

We looked pretty dapper cruising around the busy harbour in the Alaska 45 Sedan. A Grand Banks kind of classic motoryacht, the Alaska has poise and performance but a lesser pricetag than many of its competitors.

The pitch - or rather contributing to a lack of pitch - are the single-level entertaining, helm, cockpit and walkaround decks.

Everything you do by day is up top, with the accommodation down below.

Little wonder, then, that this was the 24th Alaska to be sold here in 30 months. While there are flybridge versions in the range, the Sedans such as this sell two-to-one.

Ranging from 42–60ft, the Alaskas are popular in America and built to ABS and demanding RENA specifications, using woven rovings and balsa-cored construction, with foam sandwich for the decks.

Bulkheads are foam-cored and the deck to hull joint is throughbolted, glued and glassed.

EASY ENGINEERING
As with many boats built by big Asian yards - in this case the amusingly-named Double Happiness Yacht Company in Shanghai - the engineering is a highlight.

There was plenty of room around the twin Cummins QSB5.9 380hp electronic diesel engines. The straight sixes with common-rail injection were fitted with the latest Twin Disk electronic shifts with Synchro, Cruise 1 and 2, Slow Idle and +/-RPM buttons.

 Engine room access was through an accommodating deck hatch. I noted that the motors were a long way forward, but shaft angles were about 14 degrees, which isn't quit as flat as I expected. Also forward were the raw-water intakes with glass sea-strainer ports, while the fuel filters were trusty Racors.

I liked that the air intakes were inboard of the bulwarks, which should keep the engines breathing clean air. And it is good to see a watertight aft bulkhead and a generous lazerette for storing summer accessories. There's even a remote tiller in case the hydraulic system fails.

The boat had stainless-steel tanks for the fuel and water, really good stainless work on the deck and heavy-duty saloon door frames, and an eight-kW generator as standard. But considering the Cummins engines the generator should have been an Onan not a Kohler. Trifling point.

INTERIOR LAYOUT
By any measure, a lot of good gear is packed with the Alaska 45: reverse-cycle air-con, bowthruster and teak decks. In fact, all that's left wanting on the standard packaged seen here were electronics, which are always a personal choice, and an entertainment system like a Bose boat (read home) theatre.

There is a choice of layouts with the Alaska 45 Sedan: this was the two-cabin boat with a full-length longitudinal galley. You can also get a three-cabin layout with galley aft or forward. The third cab has transverse beds.

However, this two-cabin layout is the most open-plan of the options. And with the galley extending aft it will suit al fresco dining and casual entertaining.

 There is plenty of cockpit space for a table and chairs or for more active pursuits such as fishing. The boat also has a handy boarding platform, opening aft gate, hot-cold deck shower, outdoor sink and icebox.

The demo boat was fitted out with abundant US cherrywood and the joinery was of an acceptably high standard. The boat's opening windows deliver plenty of fresh air to the saloon and the starboard side dinette for four. Curtains are provided for at-dock privacy.

Among the galley amenities were a four-burner stove, Novakool fridge and a small freezer. A microwave oven and invertor is an option, but the boat had an icemaker and Corian food-prep counters. You could leave the food out for a buffet lunch. The timber floors will be easy to keep clean.

Down below I found the master cabin in the bow with a generous queen-sized bed and a salty ambience derived from the big timber finish. Timber which flanks the bed, with timeless soft furnishings and warm lighting adding to the mood.

The ensuite has a separate shower stall and there is a vacuflush loo, with a smaller shower and loo in the dayhead conveniently near the companionway. A simple Y-valve lets you discharge overboard and there were extractor fans as well as opening ports.

Guests are treated to a portside cabin with twin single beds. All cabins have hanging lockers, teak and holy flooring, opening portholes and reading lights. Headroom is a highpoint.

LONG-RANGE CRUISING
I found the helm to port very obliging, with a good views out the helm door back along the starboard side to the bow or stern. This, walkaround decks and a bowthruster make for an easy boat or couples to moor and park.

With three-quarters of a tank of fuel, the boat needed a touch of trim tab to keep the bow down so as to present optimum vision ahead. But it seemed quite efficient planning at 10.7kt at 1720rpm and holding a 14kt rough-weather cruise at 2060rpm.

 Ideal cruise speed was dignified rather than dashing - some 16.8kt at 2320rpm. At this speed, both motors consume just 77lt/h for a safe and far-reaching coastal cruising range of 450nm. That's Sydney to the Gold Coast.

Maximum continuous speed was about 21.6kt at 2760rpm and top speed was clocked at 25.7kt, but you'll use over 150lt/h and the range drops to 350nm if you run flat-out.

The boat cut through the at-times confronting weekend boat wake, throwing the water wide of its big windscreen, and the three-quarter-length keel seemed to help with tracking. The boat responded nicely to the wheel and its hydraulic steering system. And I didn't think it was noisy.

So don't dismiss the Alaska 45 Sedan as just a smart harbour dayboat. The massive 756lt of water and 2270lt of fuel, teamed with the miserly electronic Cummins motors, will give you terrific cruising range and self sufficiency. Very timely.