ON THE DRAWING BOARD
Xcelerator Boatworks 64
The company’s crown jewel is the largest build to date
Although Xcelerator Boatworks may be a relative newcomer to the list of Carolina boatbuilders, the company’s new 64-footer is drawing lots of attention. Joel Kauffman, the 31-year-old owner of Xcelerator, and his team are changing the normal approach to boatbuilding by integrating technology into every aspect of the design and construction of their builds with the help of naval architect Jesse Rhodes. In doing so, they are creating opportunities for owners to become even more involved in the build process, as well as allowing potential owners to envision the final product long before the first board is cut. Kauffman says, “I feel that taking advantage of technology is one thing that gives us a fighting chance at getting people to take a second look at our product.”
Kauffman believes the build of the 64 perfectly suits the new generation of customers who appreciate and have come to expect the same level of details in their boats as they see in their homes and cars. But in doing so, he also realizes that not all buyers fully understand the benefits of the intricate process that goes into conceptualizing, designing and, finally, building a boat with CAD software and computer models until they have experienced it themselves.
The 64-footer will be the second boat Kauffman and his team have built for this particular owner. “The first boat was a much smaller 22-foot bay boat, but that project allowed the clients to experience how we did things — our business style, our customer service — throughout the entire process and to gain confidence in us to take on a bigger project. So when they did decide to build a bigger boat, they gave us a chance. And one of the coolest things about this build is how interactive and involved they are, says Kauffman. “The customer’s wife handles a bunch of interior design for their other businesses, and she has done a great job putting together the interior of this boat to give it a truly personal touch.”
The owners designed the boat to be a traveling operation, and they are planning to fish her from Bermuda to Mexico and all points in between. The four staterooms and three heads will provide plenty of accommodations when underway. “One thing that makes the 64 unique is the efficiency of space in both the interior and exterior of the boat. To my knowledge, this will be the first custom boat of its size with two staterooms and two bunkrooms: The forward VIP will have a full-size queen berth rather than a V-berth bunk,” says Kauffman.
The boat will be powered by a pair of 1,800 hp MAN diesels and will also feature a set of 21.5 kW Northern Lights gensets. The owners opted for a full suite of Garmin electronics at the helm on the bridge, as well as in the control center in the full tower. Technology is found throughout the boat, including the crew stateroom that will have a 24-inch screen for monitoring onboard cameras, as well as an interface for onboard systems and for operating the boat’s digital switching. The 64 is expected to splash in early 2018 and debut at the Palm Beach Boat Show in Florida.