Pama 62 Pilothouse

Rite of passage

Mention the word pilothouse to motor-cruising buffs and it's like waving a red rag at a bull. There's a stomp of hooves, lines are cast, and then a charge. After all, a pilothouse is a feature found in a comfortable cruising conveyance designed for dashing headlong over the horizon in any weather.

Though this is not usually achieved with a sudden burst of speed, modern pilothouse boats do tend to offer the option of planing these days. In fact, a good pilothouse will reel in the sea miles economically but also have the horses to hightail it home when circumstances permit.

So it is with the Pama 62, a new player in the far-reaching pilothouse market. Though we never really went anywhere much at all, the Pama 62 has a pair of puissant Caterpillar 715hp C12 common rail diesel engines for 20-knot cruise speed and, I'm told, up to 28kts top speed when she's race ready.

Moreover, the 62 comes with a huge inventory so you can charge along the coast, range interstate, and take a look over the horizon. For the most part, this won't be achieved at breakneck speed but while clocking up sea miles in comfort, luxury and economy. But as I said, there is the option of going fast if time is a concern and your pockets are deep enough.

But given the mighty standard equipment list, you need to think of the Pama 62 Pilothouse as more than just a boat - it's a real home-away-from-home. Dream up a destination, make a waypoint, engage the autopilot, kick back in the high-backed Stidd leather helm chair, and enjoy the journey in the pilothouse.

A great part of this is that your crew are seated comfortably alongside - or whipping up something delicious in the nearby galley - as you move the whole kit and caboodle to a new locale. Such are the joys of passage making in a pilothouse where journey can be as enjoyable as the ultimate destination.

PAMA HISTORY
Popular with Americans with a penchant for passagemaking, Pama Yachts is a collaboration between third-generation Taiwanese boatbuilder Philip Wang and American naval architect and marine engineer Howard Apollonio who, among other things, designed boats for the US Coast Guard.

But Google Apollonio and you will find the designer has a hand in many long-range pleasure cruisers from other well-respected Asian yards. Among the established is Pama, which has been building boats in Hong Kong since 1992.

How the Pamas sailed to the Antipodes owes something to our cruising friends across The Ditch. In 2007, New Zealand boating entity Don Salthouse and two experienced local owners of pilothouse launches, Peter McDonald and Roger Kaskell, went searching for a new craft in Asia. The story goes that they toured 15 different boatyards in China and Taiwan before returning to Pama where they placed subsequent orders for new pilothouse cruisers to range about their stellar waterways.

The NZ team worked closely with the Hong Kong factory to refine the boats and fit them with time-proven gear with local backing and warranties. As a consequence, you will find a lot of Kiwi kit on the 62 we drove and future Pama boats Down Under.

But amid a range of Pama-built boats that includes express or lobster boats, flybridge cruisers and motoryachts from 35 to 85ft, the pilothouse models really stand out. The 62, which has long been a big hit in America, measures up as a perfect owner/driver boat - it's big but not unwieldy and berths shouldn't be too hard to find.

COOL KIT
While we thrilled to the drive and immersed ourselves in the potential of this boat, we began our journey in the bilges and engineroom to appreciate the build quality and loaded inventory. It's here that Pama gets off on the right foot, with impressive layup, engineering that goes beyond the production-boat norm, and systems that have been tried and tested. As touched on, a lot of the gear is supplied by Kiwi companies and, as such, well supported.

Construction involves a solid-fibreglass hull bottom with vacuum-bagged balsa-cored sides and deck. Floors and bulkheads are Nida-Core sandwich, the stringers are foam filled, and there is a watertight collision bulkhead. The saloon and pilothouse windows are fixed and flush, while all exterior deck fittings are 316-grade stainless steel, of course.

We're told the Pamas meet (American) ABYC, (European) CE, (Italian) RINA and, with minor adjustments, NSW Maritime survey standards. In fact, there is a Pama in survey on Sydney Harbour. The boats would make neat champagne cruisers.

But with 3785lt of fuel in aluminium tanks with sight gauges and 1324lt of water in stainless steel tanks - together with a Wemar tank-watch monitor - the 62 should be considered a long-range boat above all else. She displaces 28,600kg (dry), so she's not overly heavy for her length.

The rakish, albeit angular lines, and a low-profile flybridge assist with the surefooted ride. The beam is a relatively modest 5.33m. But while stabilisers are an option, they weren't missed during our sea trials. She does nothing untoward.

ENGINEROOM EAR CANDY
Although a day hatch is provided, the best access to the standing-height engineroom is via the watertight pantographic door in the transom that leads into the huge lazarette, which is perfect for storing victuals, provisions or fitting out as crew quarters.

It's here that I noticed all the through-hulls were labelled and the boat had a clever common plumbing line system. The upgraded 80,000BTUs of Cruisair air-con and upgraded 20kW Northern Lights generator are also mounted back in the lazarette, well away from the living areas and accommodation, thereby keeping operating noise to a minimum. I'm betting you can sleep on this boat with the air and gennie running.

The full-length engine mounts ensure the Caterpillars and hull work as one, the Aquamet shafts measure an impressive 2.75in, there are dripless shaft seals from Kiwi company Chatfield Engineering, solid bronze sea strainers, and dual Racor fuel filters for each engine.

A 240V blower system and inboard intakes or vents ensure the engines breathe clean air and deeply, while a 3.3kW Xantrex inverter is fitted as standard. There are both 24V and 12V battery chargers, too.

Colour-coded copper piping is used throughout for fuel, hydraulic oil, salt and freshwater plumbing. The boat has twin water heaters, oil-change pump, and engine-driven hydraulic steering. A bowthruster is bundled with the boat. The manuals are like tomes.

About the only options remaining were sternthruster, watermaker (plumbed for one) and stabilisers, which I'm told will all be fitted to another Pama 62 on order. By the way, a 54 is coming later this year.

DECKED OUT
Another nice thing about a boat like this are the walkaround decks for bow to stern access. Half-height bulwarks backed by stainless steel rails and solid stanchions will help keep the kiddies, crew and pet pooch contained. The heavy-duty Muir windlass, 80m of chain, upgraded stainless steel Bruce anchor and chain counter are good tackle.

The cockpit is spared the midday sun by the moulded bridge overhang, with scope for fitting clears for all-weather entertaining. Seating is by way of a U-shaped lounge for eight around a Madrona burl table that, with folding chairs, will house a dozen for a repast.

There are solid pantograph ship's doors leading from the sidedecks into the pilothouse, but the big saloon door is what brings the outdoors back indoors.

And deep picture windows ensure you can enjoy the views from the plush lounges and tub chairs.

The lower dinette is on a high/low gas riser so as to double as a drinks table, opposite is a pop-up 105cm Sony flatscreen television with zoned Bose Lifestyle system, and the dedicated wine fridge an arm's reach away. Joinery is cherrywoord and more Madrona burl for the tabletops.

A reasonably steep set of stairs leads up to the pilothouse with raised galley for cooking on the hop. The downside will be passing platters back to the masses, but with walkaround decks you can duck around to the cockpit without having to go via the saloon.

The U-shaped galley is deserving of some ink, traced by granite counters, with a decent SubZero fridge with icemaker and twin freezer drawers, plus the latest Sharp three-in-one cooking hob with trick microwave drawer, and garbage compactor, dishwasher, range hood and more. See what I mean about home-away-from-home?

PILOTHOUSE AND BRIDGE
So now we have turned full circle and returned to the pilothouse, which is more than just a helm. Besides the $10,000 Stidd skipper's chair there is provision for a half dozen guests to travel on a forward-facing lounge set around a table that couples will consider perfect for doing breakfast on the go.

Nothing was spared in the electronics department, with the latest Raymarine G series 3D electronics package including open scanner digital radar, colour fishfinder and chartplotter system, Satcom dome, twin keyboards, autopilot, ST70 backup sounder, speedo, VHF radio and more. There was also CCTV with cockpit plus two engineroom cameras. Oh, and there are red night lights.

Internal and external ladders lead to the flybridge. Up top you will find L-shaped seating for six, a sunpad forward of the dash, another plush central helm chair before the dash with repeater electronics, and an amenities centre with electric griddle, sink, fridge/icemaker.

The rear entertaining or tender deck was equipped with a 400kg-lift davit, so you can tote a decent RIB, something that's big enough for picking up guests without having to leave your anchorage. Incidentally, the ZF controls were upgraded to a third station with plug-in remote in the cockpit. It will be welcomed for shorthanded berthing.

SLEEP CITY
The 62 has a generous three-cabin and two-head layout that doesn't compromise space, instead leaning towards placating the supersized American market. The wide companionways and quasi foyer with display cabinet really open things up. But it's the double doors that make the full-beam stateroom open planned and, well, doubly inviting.

A separate washer and dryer flank the entrance to the stateroom where there are king-sized bed on the centreline, vanity, bookshelf and drawers, walk-in wardrobe with plenty of hanging space, settee for two, and opening ports for natural ventilation. Headroom is a high point.

The owner's en suite and communal head forward are both graced with giant shower stalls and multi-spray Grohe roses, granite counters and top-shelf Tecma quiet-flush loos with either fresh or saltwater supply.

The amidships cabin boasts decent single beds, but the VIP guest's cabin has an island bed forward. Separate entertainment systems are spread throughout the accommodation. The only subdued thing was the dim low-power LED lighting.

The boat feels seaworthy in open water, where hull speed of about 10kts sees both Caterpillar C12s consume about 50lt/h in total according to their electronic panels. Thus, from 90 per cent of the 3790lt fuel supply, your safe range is about 700nm. Sydney to Gold Coast and return!

Then a southerly hit, sending us scurrying back indoors. In my haste I failed to note the top speed. But I do know I was cruising at about 20kts under about 75 per cent load. I reckon we must have hit mid-20kts with the pegs to the pilothouse; local Pama agent, Pacific Marine Imports, says it has seen 28kts.

With the wipers running and the doors closed, engine noise was a distant murmur, conversation flowed, and the weather didn't have a drop of influence on our comfort factor.

Suffice to say, Salthouse and crew knows how to kit out a boat for serious cruising. The Pama 62 demonstrator we drove, which was launched last year, is now a steal at $1.9 million as tested. I recommend you weigh up this slippery 62 against the competing fleet. The boat is loaded, high-quality and a value buy.

LOWS