Impressions – L590 Express
Thursday 1500 eastern, I called Rusty Higgins to meet for lunch the next day; The first thing he says is he is taking a boat from Merritt Island up to Palm Coast Florida and wondered if I would like to come along. Work or go boating with Mr. Higgins – hard decision. Friday 0600 Eastern, coffee and doughnuts in hand walking with Rusty and Gene through the Sikes Creek Plant to the adjoining docks. Gene has been with Sea Ray right at 30 years; and after several lengthy conversations with him it is quite evident he has humbly forgotten more about the boats than most of us will know in a lifetime. Outside now at the docks and floating in front of us with the engines running is the first new L590 Express. Did I say engines running? How about the new Cummins Zeus; not two but three of them in the hull… And quiet but not invisible; one can silently hear, no, make that feel the 18 cylinders pulsing; it was quite “ergonomically pleasing”.
On board now and we are going through the boat checking the systems and bring up the charts. I immediately go below to the engine room and survey the layout and immerse myself in that beautiful symphony. There are two hatches into the engine room, one from the Saloon and one aft of the engines. The main hatch from the Saloon provides easy access to the roomy and well laid out machinery area. As you step to the bottom of the gain way you are greeted with the fronts of three engines and with easy access to the generator, AC units, batteries, and fuel filtration. But that’s not all, forward of the gain way is the gyroscopic stabilizer which I think was a Seakeeper unit; I’ve heard of these and being in the aerospace biz am familiar with the theory of operation but seeing one is another level of impression. Curious about access to the service items around the engines I found this layout is just as accessible as any other yacht of this class; the center engine is staggered forward of the two others which looks to be about a foot. The aft hatch to the engine room allows egress to the three Zeus units; I didn’t get a chance to access back there but should have….Out of the engine room and hatch closed the mechanical noise all but went away; It was little more noisy than sitting in my living room; again noticeably impressive. The Saloon is elegant and European; fine woodwork and upholstery throughout; in fashion are angular corners and defined transitions to each feature, be it the floor, seating, galley, or helm; headroom is suitable for a NBA forward….
Ok we’ve cast off and making our way out of the narrow passage from the plant to the Barge Canal which is the principal waterway between the Indian River Lagoon, the Banana River and the Cape Canaveral Locks. Once in the Barge canal Rusty and Gene decided to get the stabilizer running and left the helm to me. So, well, what do I say? The helm is completely fly by wire and the integration is impressive. Managing the two large MFD’s is but a reach to a controller in the console next to your right arm-rest between the two throttle sticks and the Zeus joystick. Forward of the throttle sticks is the autopilot control console. The first thing I tried to get my head around is two sticks for three engines; but again everything is controlled by software logic and pulling one to neutral the boat reacts as if it was a two engine drive system. Another thing of interest is the steering is one turn lock to lock. Rusty equates the system to a jet boat where the propulsion is the direction; no rudders, turn the propulsion. I guess an IO is similar but limited in angular direction where the pods can turn 360 degrees. At the entrance to the Canaveral Locks and waiting for the West lock to open I moved the boat around using the steering wheel, the throttles, and the joy stick. Moving the boat around with the steering wheel is immediate, precise and predictive. Turning the boat with the throttles is alike a standard V-drive or straight drive however without the authority of turning big wheels. The joy stick was a completely new adventure for me and I found it quite amazing and curious how the system could position the pods which are aft to track the boat perfectly sideways. Moving the joy stick is proportional where moving forward the boat moves forward and further forward the engine RPM comes up to suit. The locks are open and I move the boat in; Rusty wants me to bring Gene who is managing the port mid line right into the cleat without having him to move. New boat, new controls, I’m slow, real slow, to the point the lock master is surely wondering what is going on. But the wonder of that Zeus joystick allowed me to track that 70,000 pound boat right to the fenders and all Gene had to do is reach the line over the cleat. The first thing I think the good news is these boats are now within the technical capability of just about anybody but, that is also the bad news in retrospect.
Ok, out of the locks and eastward through the port and out to the Atlantic and northward. Seas were solid 2 to 3’s and moving from the west / northwest. In my 400 the ride would have been rocky and not entirely comfortable but this is where that stabilizer really showed its wares. The boat didn’t rock; I would say that all three of us were quite pleased if not amazed how stable the boat was and how well it tracked. Another feature I found to be neat was the auto trim tabs; with the auto trim turned on and coming off idle and moving up on plane the bow rise was strictly controlled and minimally noticeable; again an impressive integration of control. Moving northward along the Kennedy Space Center coastline I set the engines to about 80 percent load and noticed about 26 miles per hour with about 68 gallons per hour burn; all very impressive for a 60 foot floating condo. Another impressive aspect is the three of us conversed normally; it’s a very quiet ride…
In Ponce Inlet now and going South for a bit to pick up the Halifax river and then North up to Daytona; The traffic was normal to slightly heavy with quite a few larger boats and sail boats. The big Sea Ray easily maneuvered around and past the traffic. More than once Rusty had to remind me of the behemoth wake but this boat felt no different in handling than my now “small” 400DA. OK, I’ll slow down…. Then “come on, get this thing moving I’ve got to be home at 5”…. Geez….
Rusty took the helm and maneuvered the boat into the tight slip at the Palm Coast plant. There lined up in the water were three L650 Flys swarming with people finishing them up. Friday is an off day for Sea Ray and they were running full tilt getting the product on the road.
Ok, well, I’ve rambled enough about the experience. Last but certainly not least thank you Rusty and thank you Gene; a memorable experience….
Tom
Thursday 1500 eastern, I called Rusty Higgins to meet for lunch the next day; The first thing he says is he is taking a boat from Merritt Island up to Palm Coast Florida and wondered if I would like to come along. Work or go boating with Mr. Higgins – hard decision. Friday 0600 Eastern, coffee and doughnuts in hand walking with Rusty and Gene through the Sikes Creek Plant to the adjoining docks. Gene has been with Sea Ray right at 30 years; and after several lengthy conversations with him it is quite evident he has humbly forgotten more about the boats than most of us will know in a lifetime. Outside now at the docks and floating in front of us with the engines running is the first new L590 Express. Did I say engines running? How about the new Cummins Zeus; not two but three of them in the hull… And quiet but not invisible; one can silently hear, no, make that feel the 18 cylinders pulsing; it was quite “ergonomically pleasing”.
On board now and we are going through the boat checking the systems and bring up the charts. I immediately go below to the engine room and survey the layout and immerse myself in that beautiful symphony. There are two hatches into the engine room, one from the Saloon and one aft of the engines. The main hatch from the Saloon provides easy access to the roomy and well laid out machinery area. As you step to the bottom of the gain way you are greeted with the fronts of three engines and with easy access to the generator, AC units, batteries, and fuel filtration. But that’s not all, forward of the gain way is the gyroscopic stabilizer which I think was a Seakeeper unit; I’ve heard of these and being in the aerospace biz am familiar with the theory of operation but seeing one is another level of impression. Curious about access to the service items around the engines I found this layout is just as accessible as any other yacht of this class; the center engine is staggered forward of the two others which looks to be about a foot. The aft hatch to the engine room allows egress to the three Zeus units; I didn’t get a chance to access back there but should have….Out of the engine room and hatch closed the mechanical noise all but went away; It was little more noisy than sitting in my living room; again noticeably impressive. The Saloon is elegant and European; fine woodwork and upholstery throughout; in fashion are angular corners and defined transitions to each feature, be it the floor, seating, galley, or helm; headroom is suitable for a NBA forward….
Ok we’ve cast off and making our way out of the narrow passage from the plant to the Barge Canal which is the principal waterway between the Indian River Lagoon, the Banana River and the Cape Canaveral Locks. Once in the Barge canal Rusty and Gene decided to get the stabilizer running and left the helm to me. So, well, what do I say? The helm is completely fly by wire and the integration is impressive. Managing the two large MFD’s is but a reach to a controller in the console next to your right arm-rest between the two throttle sticks and the Zeus joystick. Forward of the throttle sticks is the autopilot control console. The first thing I tried to get my head around is two sticks for three engines; but again everything is controlled by software logic and pulling one to neutral the boat reacts as if it was a two engine drive system. Another thing of interest is the steering is one turn lock to lock. Rusty equates the system to a jet boat where the propulsion is the direction; no rudders, turn the propulsion. I guess an IO is similar but limited in angular direction where the pods can turn 360 degrees. At the entrance to the Canaveral Locks and waiting for the West lock to open I moved the boat around using the steering wheel, the throttles, and the joy stick. Moving the boat around with the steering wheel is immediate, precise and predictive. Turning the boat with the throttles is alike a standard V-drive or straight drive however without the authority of turning big wheels. The joy stick was a completely new adventure for me and I found it quite amazing and curious how the system could position the pods which are aft to track the boat perfectly sideways. Moving the joy stick is proportional where moving forward the boat moves forward and further forward the engine RPM comes up to suit. The locks are open and I move the boat in; Rusty wants me to bring Gene who is managing the port mid line right into the cleat without having him to move. New boat, new controls, I’m slow, real slow, to the point the lock master is surely wondering what is going on. But the wonder of that Zeus joystick allowed me to track that 70,000 pound boat right to the fenders and all Gene had to do is reach the line over the cleat. The first thing I think the good news is these boats are now within the technical capability of just about anybody but, that is also the bad news in retrospect.
Ok, out of the locks and eastward through the port and out to the Atlantic and northward. Seas were solid 2 to 3’s and moving from the west / northwest. In my 400 the ride would have been rocky and not entirely comfortable but this is where that stabilizer really showed its wares. The boat didn’t rock; I would say that all three of us were quite pleased if not amazed how stable the boat was and how well it tracked. Another feature I found to be neat was the auto trim tabs; with the auto trim turned on and coming off idle and moving up on plane the bow rise was strictly controlled and minimally noticeable; again an impressive integration of control. Moving northward along the Kennedy Space Center coastline I set the engines to about 80 percent load and noticed about 26 miles per hour with about 68 gallons per hour burn; all very impressive for a 60 foot floating condo. Another impressive aspect is the three of us conversed normally; it’s a very quiet ride…
In Ponce Inlet now and going South for a bit to pick up the Halifax river and then North up to Daytona; The traffic was normal to slightly heavy with quite a few larger boats and sail boats. The big Sea Ray easily maneuvered around and past the traffic. More than once Rusty had to remind me of the behemoth wake but this boat felt no different in handling than my now “small” 400DA. OK, I’ll slow down…. Then “come on, get this thing moving I’ve got to be home at 5”…. Geez….
Rusty took the helm and maneuvered the boat into the tight slip at the Palm Coast plant. There lined up in the water were three L650 Flys swarming with people finishing them up. Friday is an off day for Sea Ray and they were running full tilt getting the product on the road.
Ok, well, I’ve rambled enough about the experience. Last but certainly not least thank you Rusty and thank you Gene; a memorable experience….
Tom
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