BY GEORGE DAY, CRUISING ODYSSEYÂ
The Northwest Yachts brand has been around for quite a while but when the pandemic hit and their factory in China closed, owner Peter Whiting, who owns Seattle Yachts, moth-balled the line.
Following the pandemic, the boat market was strong and the opportunity arose for Whiting to re-launch Northwest and renew its offerings. He turned to legendary trawler and motor yacht designer Steve Seaton who drew three models from 52 to 58 feet.
The 55 that was introduced at this year’s Seattle Boat Show. It is hull number one and makes a solid statement about where Whiting and Northwest are headed. That’s expedition-style, long haul cruising.
The three hulls all have 17-foot beams and similar layouts in the pilot houses which are up several steps from the salon and galley. The difference between the models is in the salons and flybridge spaces.
The 55 has a three-cabin, two-head accommodation plan with the master cabin aft, the VIP guest cabin forward and a twin cabin in between. But, owners can work with the builder to customize these spaces.
An interesting feature not seen on anything smaller than a mega yacht is the heated floors in the galley and heads. If you are headed to Alaska or Newfoundland, having warm feet will be a game-changing experience.
