Mikelson 70 Sportsfisher

When he invited me to sea trial the 70ft Mikelson, yachtbroker Dusty Sullivan told me the owner of the Maverick was a rancher and an avid Texas Hold'em poker player.

When he suggested that I'd better bring a lot of money with me, I sensed that perhaps I was being drawn into the kind of trap I remember from so many of those old western movies. Was this trip being organised just to get some fresh meat to the poker table?

Nonetheless, the chance to return to La Paz to sea trial a new Mikelson 70 Sportfisher was very appealing for several reasons. Firstly, I'd fished out of the bustling coastal city while testing the 65 Salthouse just a few months earlier and had fallen in love with Baja California's capital city, those extraordinary offshore islands its broad bay opens onto, and the productive waters of the Sea of Cortez beyond.

The whole Tom Fexas mystique was another reason I was anxious to spend some time getting to know a big Mikelson yachtfisher up close and personal. Could such an iconoclastic yacht designer draw up a practical sportsfishing machine? Serious time onboard would answer some questions that the brief walkthroughs had never cleared up for me.

Moreover, I had seen the new Maverick, on the end-tie just down the dock from the 65 Saltie, and had already met Enrique 'Ricky' Lieras, who was justifiably proud of his recently arrived responsibility, and its ability to catch fish.

Dusty was good enough to ask his clients Richard and Suzy Hewitson to accommodate me for a couple of days of fishing and a couple of nights onboard, and they were hospitable enough to approve.

So... return to La Paz, fish on a big yachtfisher for a couple of days, get to know some new fishermen. The trip sounded very attractive except for the poker part - I hadn't played the wretched game in over 30 years, and had never played Texas Hold'em. And hey, they don't pay us big bucks to write these stories either, so I didn't have much dough to lose!

POKERFACED IN LA PAZ
I flew into La Paz with Dusty and his delightful wife Bebe, and after several additional references to the serious nature of the poker games aboard Maverick, I was more than a little reserved about the affable boat owner with the firm handshake who picked us up at the airport.

Richard and Dusty fell quickly into the kind of conversation one often hears between a new boat owner and his broker as we drove under darkened skies through a light, misting rain along the malecon to the Club de Yates Palmira Marina. It was clear they were good friends with a very positive owner/broker relationship, developed over the long period between deciding to buy and taking delivery of a boat of this magnitude.

The rain was depressing and it raised my trepidation a notch. I had preconceived photos of the statuesque 70 Mikelson in picturesque bays, and leaping blue marlin just off the transom. The weather report made the photography iffy, and Richard's fishing prognosis was not a lot better. Other than a few dorado (mahi mahi), there hadn't been much action in the days prior to our arrival.

Onboard we were met warmly by Richard's vivacious wife of 42 years, Suzy. After lunch at the marina, when it became clear that the rain was going to provide a perfect reason to break out the bourbon and deal some cards, I opted for the old "I took the redeye flight and I'm exhausted" routine. After Suzy showed me to the comfortable guest cabin forward, I copped out and took a nap.

I won my first bet of the trip when I rose from my nap as the afternoon turned into evening. Dusty had bet I was down for the night. I actually got up partly because it was clear that I'd better study this boisterous, seemingly convoluted card game the two couples were now deeply involved in.

That first poker game went well past the dinner hour, and most of the players left the table exhausted and went right to bed. The plan was to head out toward Cerralvo Island at first light the next morning.

BACK TO THE BOAT
Mikelson Yachts is definitely not what you'd call a large-volume production yachtbuilder, and virtually every one of its vessels is uniquely customised and notably different from its sisterships of the same length.

Richard spent countless hours going through two other 70s before detailing a layout and outfitting plan that would suit his and Suzy's needs. Then they travelled to Taiwan with Dusty when the boat was about a month and a half from completion, and there the Hewitsons made still more changes.

"We'd tell them what we wanted, then go to lunch; and by the time we got back, it was done exactly as we wanted it," Suzy recalled. "There was almost never any hesitation to make the changes we thought we needed, and with 70-plus people working on the boat they made those changes immediately so we could modify them further if we wanted."

I got to know Maverick starting from my forepeak guestroom, which sported a nearly full-sized berth to port and a smaller, higher berth to starboard. There was tonnes of storage space, including a full-height hanging closet and a spacious ensuite with shower.

Moving aft down a long hallway to starboard, lined with expansive vertical-grain teak cabinetry outboard, one quickly appreciates that Fexas has created a unique multilevel internal layout that delivers impressive interior space.

The next stateroom aft of mine was almost as big as the gargantuan owner's suite, which is located immediately aft of the guest suite; and which runs full beam amidships.

Both suites feature full king-sized pedestal berths in the centre, as well as spacious cabinetry and closet space. The master suite is practically insulated from the engineroom by its ensuite and a walk-in closet located along that separating bulkhead. It also includes laundry facilities, right where they are most useful.

I'd been in the master suite of two other 70 Mikelsons and always came away impressed by the spaciousness of these rooms. They feel like those on a much larger motoryacht. Well done, Tom Fexas.

TOUCH OF THE ORIENT
The Hewitsons opted for Japanese-style shoji windows with ricepaper-like opaque screens in teak grilled sliders.

The idea of this was to filter the light coming in through the portholes along the portside of the master and guest suites, and to provide the privacy of draperies without the bulk, care and fixtures that drapes require. This custom touch is perfect, and gives both rooms a bright, open feel. It also highlights the burnished teak finishes nicely.

That first morning and every subsequent one, ascending aft out of the long hallway, up the half-spiral steps to the galley deck level, my senses were assailed by the great smells of a Southern Californian ranch breakfast, with Baja touches. Suzy was always up early, and there was bacon sizzling, eggs and potatoes frying, tortillas warming, bread toasting, fresh-squeezed orange juice, salsa, coffee brewing... the works.

And standing in the middle of it all, surrounded by her spacious, custom-configured galley/domain, was the mistress of the vessel, known to many friends as Maverick Mama. She always had a big smile on her face, and proffered the kind of welcome that you could feel in your soul, like you were a long-time member of her family.

The galley is decidedly 'up' on this Mikelson 70; in fact, it's the highest interior cabin on the boat's accommodations level, and the amount of open space provided could easily double as a dance floor. Note to Suzy: next time I'm onboard, how's about a quick waltz to test this theory?

The layout on Maverick (per Suzy's specifications) includes the sink with disposal, a dishwasher, trash compactor, and lots of practical storage cabinetry below, forward of and above the counter, under the forward brow of the cabin/house. To starboard she added a practical stub counter, separating the galley from the built-in dinette on the galley level to starboard.

On the aft galley wall are the refrigerator, stove with Jennaire rangehood, an oven and more storage. All countertops are finished in a dark granite that nicely complements the satin finish teak joinery throughout.

LIVING LARGE
Aft of the galley/dining level, down three steps is another level change into the saloon/lounge/living room. The standard bar area to starboard has been customised with another stub counter and custom glass racks, added during the Taiwan factory visit.

The area also includes cabinet storage and a bar fridge, an icemaker and a wine chiller.

Just aft of the bar is the entertainment centre with a 36in flatscreen TV and louvered cabinetry for the many pieces of required modern audio-visual equipment (there is a SeaTel antenna for satellite reception to all the TVs on the boat). Adjacent to that cabinetry, just inside the cabin door, is one of the vessel's tidy electrical switch panels.

The rest of this comfortable living area includes an L-shaped suede leather settee across the forward and port walls, a large coffee table (where many poker games are won and lost) and an easychair with ottoman. In the aft port corner of this space is the nicest spiral staircase I've seen on a vessel of this size.

Comfortably large teak steps and a burlwood insert in the spiral edge - both functional and a work of art.

The saloon opens through an aluminium sliding door onto what Mikelson and others now refer to as the 'lanai deck', using the Hawaiian word for porch/veranda/balcony. This raised back porch includes fore and aft-facing seating and a big dinette table, and doubles as a great place to watch the cockpit below, eat a meal or nap under the shade of the bridge overhang.

Tucked under the ladder to the bridge is the Eskimo icemaker that provides the ice for fishboxes and to cool the beer. There is also a tackle closet.

WHERE IT ALL HAPPENS
Two staircases, to port and starboard, lead down four steps aft into the spacious cockpit. The forward bulkhead of the cockpit space includes access to the engineroom and crew's quarters, a rigging area, rocket launchers, tackle storage cabinets and a world-class gas barbecue grill.

The transom includes a transom gate, tuna tubes and a large divided circulating bait well with glass front and lighting. The cockpit also has plenty of room for the full-sized Scopinich fighting chair.

In the cockpit workstation is a door into the engineroom and several ingeniously fitted compartments, including a comfortable captain's quarters, a workroom with bench, an additional freezer and the main electrical panel. The standard configuration here has room for separate captain's and crew's quarters, but the Hewitsons have reconfigured that space very effectively.

The enclosed flybridge is accessed two ways: up the spiral staircase from the lounge, or up a ladder from the lanai deck. Outside the enclosed bridge is a second lanai deck with a spacious aft-facing lounge seat and a vessel control station to starboard.

Inside the bridge is both functional and comfortable, with a well-laid-out helm station, tonnes of room for the extensive electronics in nicely moulded console faces, a proper chart table with chart storage, a couple of Stidd helm chairs, an office desk and computer workstation to port, and a spacious lounge with hi-lo table to starboard, which converts to a big berth.

Richard asked that the bridge windshield be modified to add more glass, and that change has resulted in significantly improved visibility from his enclosed helm station.

Above the flybridge on Maverick is a unique deck that I'll describe here as the tower station, although it had little in common with most tuna towers I've experienced, other than full controls and electronics. On Maverick, the upper station includes a spacious lounge forward, a helm seat that comfortably accommodates four, and the most expansive view onboard, all shaded by a large fibreglass hardtop and surrounded by stainless steel railings.

The engineroom space, even with the pair of Cat 3412 engines in it, is spacious, bright, functional and well laid out; and separate machinery space in the lazarette houses the twin 25kW Northern Lights gensets in hush boxes. One of those gensets is enough to run everything on the boat, so their use is rotated.

MAKES AN IMPRESSION
We were generally quite impressed by the big Mikelson. It seemed to be well designed, laid out, engineered and built; and it rode and manoeuvred well.

We liked the quality joinery and finishes throughout, too, and were impressed by the wire looming, clearly labelled plumbing, machinery installations (from the davit to the power plant) and the hidden anchoring hardware in the bow.

Our only reservations about the boat were that some of the ergonomics and hardware could be improved. We found both bridge ladders to be too steep and some of the backrests on the various lounge seating was also too vertical to be comfortable. Other than a few cabinet and drawer latches that were missing, and some stainless steel hardware we'd like to see upgraded, that's about all we could fault.

"We chose Mikelson partly because it is not a hardcore fishing boat," said Richard. "We don't chase the tournament circuit; we like cruising almost as much as we like fishing. This is our home when we are away from the ranch, and sometimes we go out for two to three weeks at a time, so we moved up to the bigger boat mostly because we wanted more space."

Suzy later pointed out that the additional space makes it easier for them to accommodate their son, his wife and their two grandsons; and to support whoever is onboard when they cruise further afield to Costa Rica and Panama.

Space is the other thing the big Mikelson sports: lots of practical stowage, living space and workspace everywhere you turn. It's big, comfortable, and ready to accommodate everything necessary for extended periods at sea; and to keep the family onboard comfortable at the same time.

A TESTING EXPERIENCE
The best place to run Maverick when you're fishing it is from the upper station. There, with a clear view of the horizon all around, and an excellent view of the entire cockpit, it's easiest to find the action and run the boat when fighting fish.

Ricky's lifetime of connections in the local fishing fleet led him to have a pretty good idea of where the fish were, so we went straight to Bonanza Bay that first morning and got right into some small dorado. Richard and Ricky soon decided to go hunting and see if there was something bigger available.

Richard set the autopilot to take us past Cerralvo Island, and we headed for the '88 Spot' - a famously productive 88-fathom pinnacle off Baja's East Cape.

As we got closer, Ricky was scanning the horizon with binoculars when he caught a glimpse of something that made him mad. What he saw a purse-seiner racing toward a helicopter, which told him they were probably fishing.

In that area, the purse-seiner was less than 20 miles from one of Mexico's most famous sportsfishing destinations, meaning the commercial operation was competing directly with the Baja sportsfishing fleet for the same fish, on one of their most favoured grounds.

We altered course and observed this renegade vessel set its massive purse net on a school of dolphins. I'd read about this, seen pictures of it and even toured the bowels of one of these mighty ocean rapists, but I'd never previously seen a complete set and recovery.

The net-set happens remarkably fast, and it's pandemonium - speedboats race about, the helicopter dips so low it throws spray in the air, and everyone focuses on surrounding the school.

When the net was closed, it was clear that a substantial pod of dolphins had been trapped. We opted to give up the best part of our fishing day to observe the net recovery, guessing that if all us gringos in the fancy yacht with the cameras were hanging around, the crew would do the right thing and release the dolphins.

Maybe they would have done so without our being there, but it was certainly a great relief to see all those dolphins revive from an apparent torpor after swimming aimlessly around inside the closed net for over an hour, and bound away when the mesh wall was finally dropped to free them. Everyone aboard Maverick cheered as those dolphins swam free.

We circled the scene for a couple of hours, until the last of the big net was recovered, and we were somewhat relieved to see that the entire catch of that intensely sophisticated operation turned out to be a single hapless manta ray, which was returned to the sea. According to what Ricky had previously heard, only about two sets in 10 result in an appreciable tuna catch.

NATURAL HIGHS AND OTHERWISE
High on the day, the camaraderie and the shared experience, Richard headed us back into one of Baja's many superb anchorages for the evening. We rounded Punta Perico at sunset and motored into the Bahia de Los Muertos, where some incredible million-dollar homes have been built and the placid bay makes for a perfect anchorage.

We shared this lovely spot with only one other fishing boat, just offshore of the Giggling Marlin Restaurant.

We were up early for photos and fished our way back out toward the 88 Spot. When the fishing proved to be a non-event and didn't look like it would improve - and with the weather rather desultory - we headed back up north between the island of Espiritu Santo and the Baja mainland toward the productive dorado grounds located between Punta Bonanza and Punta Dispensa.

Livebait fishing delivered just one more dorado, despite positive signs provided by the presence of many circling frigate birds. After giving it the old college try well into the afternoon, we moved on around Punta Dispensa and Maverick motored into one arm of picturesque San Gabriel Bay.

We dropped anchor parallel to a spectacular cliff that alternated from pink to red in colour as the light changed, while providing numerous niches for pelicans, boobies and other seabirds between their feeding forays into the massive schools of sardines darkening parts of the bay.

That night, after the first full sunset we'd see in two days of threatening weather, a sea of sardines churned and sparkled in the underwater light from Maverick's transom, while Richard performed his culinary wizardry on the cockpit barbecue. He masterfully grilled slabs of lightly marinated tender ranch beef alongside zucchini, potatoes, carrots and sweet onions.

PICTURE PERFECTO
The next morning dawned relatively clear, and as I positioned myself in the dinghy to capture some photos of the Maverick alongside that spectacular pinkish-red cliff, a rainbow formed; partial at first, then arcing fully over the anchored vessel. Nice... very nice!

Baja does that kind of thing often enough to keep those who have experienced its beauty coming back, which is why Richard and Suzy Hewitson have been returning to fish and cruise these waters for three decades. Their boat ownership started with a locally-made Super Panga, then grew through a 50 Mikelson into the lovely new 70-footer they took delivery of in the spring of 2004.

I was right about wanting to return to La Paz and Baja, and right to be curious about this big Mikelson, and right to trust Dusty's intuition that I'd hit it off with everyone onboard. In the end we were fast friends.

Did Richard trounce me in Texas Hold'em poker? You bet he did - me and almost everyone else. But I did hold my own long enough not to be too embarrassed, and found the game to be an excellent way to get to know the players.

At the end of the day, the poker game was not some kind of a Western trap - it was actually a great way to get to know a new family. I'm really looking forward to the possibility of fishing and playing with them all again!