4,000 NAUTICAL MILES
MAXIMUM CRUISING RANGE AT 12 KNOTS
tion for holding value made strong impressions. So too did Thom Conboy, Heesen’s director of sales for North America, Mexico, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Conboy is the one who introduced the Books to Project Ruya, the yard’s in-build name. Since she was nearly finished, she would be ready for the summer season. ¶ Project Ruya also had the technical features Book insisted upon. He wanted big MTU engines, for instance, along with a welllaid-out engine room. “I was always spending time with my engineer or captain, learning what could go wrong,” he says. The yacht’s 4,000-nautical-mile range was the same as the transatlantic figure he had in mind too. ¶ Despite the smaller LOA than originally planned, Book Ends provides several good spaces inside and out for the Books and their family, which includes grandchildren. The sun deck is a favorite spot for entertaining big groups, while the bow seating is preferred for quieter moments. ¶ Given that there were mere weeks to go before the yacht’s delivery at the time of the contract signing, you might assume Book Ends is the same as she was when Bob Book first laid eyes on her, save for a few throw pillows. Not so. “We knew we could make enough cosmetic changes to the interior of the boat that we could really put our signature on it,” he says. ¶ The couple installed LED lighting on the main deck for ambience. Several additional TVs needed installation, out on deck and inside. The sky lounge underwent the most alterations. The family wanted a larger television and a games table. A bar that was already in place, forward to starboard, required changes as well. The original design, by Bannenberg & Rowell, concealed the bar behind doors. The Books wanted it out in the open. The colorful nature of the liquor bottles on display is reminiscent of the owners’ art collection. ¶ “There are no perfect boats,” Book says. “Nothing is ever 100 percent, but if you get to 70 or 80 percent, I think that’s pretty darn good.” ¶ On a scale of one to 10, he ranks Book Ends “a strong seven” and credits Heesen with embracing a philosophy he’s lived by as a consumer and as a businessman: “If you want to be successful, listen to what the customer says.” ¶ And he is already a future customer for the yard too. “While I feel really comfortable and have nice volume on the boat, I think I’d be better off with a Heesen 55-meter or 60-meter. So, here I go again,” he says with a laugh. ¶ Come June 2020, the Books are scheduled to take delivery of a yacht in the yard’s 55-meter steel class. ¶ “Since I am early in the build,” he says, “this boat will be a nine out of 10.”