Holy smokes!” I exclaimed while pouring the coal to San Juan’s 48 Motor Yacht, a sleek, blue beauty with the styling machismo of a Maine lobster boat, the fit and finish of a jet-set Italian villa, and the engineering subtleties of a BMW 7-Series sedan. Did this baby perform or what? She was virtually leaping on plane!
In seconds the boat was swooping across the choppy surface like a low-flying fighter plane, with whitecaps blurring past, in the background as her Series 60 MTUs purr away like big, contented 825-hp kittens. Top speed: 38 knots or thereabouts. I could hardly believe my eyes. Already? The sense of control I enjoyed—and the tranquil ambiance at the helm—were indicative of a much gentler pace even as she races across the ocean in Beast Mode.
A rousing turn seemed in order. With an index finger I rotated the destroyer-type wheel to starboard tentatively, then (quite satisfied with the result) spun it with a vengeance, ultimately carving a tight, foaming white crescent in the cold, blue waters of the bay. For the pure livin’ heck of it, I then carved two more hard-over crescents and a half-dozen compact figure-eights, every one a joy. Such wholehearted agility, enlivened by a constant sense of seamless solidity underfoot, was more fun than a barrel of boat-show tickets, of course, but it was also evocative of a strong, integrated approach to construction. (Power & Motor Yacht Magazine, San Juan 48 - Boat Test)
Dragonfly IV is moored undercover in Vancouver, BC. Mechanical service is current. She a fine example of San Juan Yacht's flagship model. Her classic styling, ahead of her time construction, and superior performance, establishes her as an iconic boat to own for many years to come.
The 48’s propulsion system plays a major role in her performance. Rather than the waterjets and computerized joystick-type engine controls that hallmark boats from competing companies, San Juan opts for a straight forward approach: inboard diesels routed through close-coupled V-drives to straight shafts, with big props in tunnels and big rudders for lots of steering control, especially in following seas. Single-lever DDEC electronic sticks at the helm put the finishing touches on the package.
Drivetrain simplicity alone has little to do with the smoothness of the 48’s open-water ride or her cornering agility, however. Instead, the key is the savvy way the system was designed, built, and installed. Consider, for example, the 7’5″ breadth between the props, as well as the rudders, a design element that boosts turning leverage and maneuvering oomph big-time. And then, not only does the boat’s Marol rotary-actuated hydraulics make steering fingertip easy, the system mechanically blocks rudder chatter from the helm and obviates wheel creep, in turns as well as on the straightaway. To further enhance smoothness, rudder stocks are stabilized in gutsy stainless steel fabrications bolted into stainless steel plates that are laminated into massive hull foundations during the infusion process.
Her twin MTU Series 60's cruise her at a exhilarating 22-24 knots, burning an economical 36 gallons per hour or 1.5 gallons per mile. Her top speed is near 40 knots!
The 48’s interior layout is as elegantly simple as everything else onboard. There’s a full wet bar on the bridge deck abaft the helm seat with 2022 U-Line refrigerator/ice maker, a U-shape settee and table opposite of here, wide sun lounges aft, and a bench seat across the transom. Below decks, the owner's stateroom is ample as well as comfortable, a separate stall shower in the en-suite head and a SeaLand “direct fall” MSD, meaning both it and the MSD in the day head across the hall open directly into the holding tank below—no macerators, sanitary runs, or other complicating factors are installed between bowl and tank. The guest stateroom, with a queen berth and fold-down pilot berth rendered private by pocket doors, is opposite the U-shape galley and is the real showpiece of the teak-trimmed accommodation area. With doors retracted and the berth converted to a couch-potato-friendly lounge strategically positioned in view of flat-screen TV, it does double duty as an entertainment area.
The machinery spaces were masterfully done too, with standard-issue equipment in profusion. It’s not every day you come across two 22,000-Btu, chilled-water air-conditioning systems from Marine Air (either one of which will fully cool or heat the boat), a 12-kW Northern Lights genset (1100 hours), a Sleipner/Side Power bow thruster and stern thruster, and a 600-gpd Village Marine water maker.
The San Juan 48 is composed of just four basic parts: hull, deck, interior liner, and superstructure. All are vacuum-infused using pricey E-glass, CoreCell coring, a high-end hybrid epoxy-vinylester resin, and in the hull alone, lots of impact-resistant Kevlar. Combine such a highly technical, lightweight assemblage into a single, unibody chunk, add four, cored-glass, watertight structural bulkheads, a PVC foam-filled E-glass stringer grid, and a box-type hull-to-deck joint, both chemically bonded and mechanically fastened, and what results is a sensation of pure, velvet-gloved brawn underway, despite the boat having a mere 32,000-pound displacement.
Important Disclaimer:
For Vessels: The details of this vessel presented herein are based exclusively on representations made to us by the seller and are solely related to the vessel and not ancillary items such as moorage. While we are not aware of any reason to believe these representations are inaccurate in any material way, we have not conducted independent investigation or diligence to verify same. As a result, it is the express responsibility of, and we highly recommend that, interested parties perform such investigations and diligence as required to confirm all material terms of the listing. Furthermore, interested parties are responsible for engaging such parties as are required to complete its confirmatory investigations, including but not limited to a purchase agent, legal counsel, inspectors, mechanics, and surveyors. Final terms and conditions related to the sale of vessel will be contained in an agreement of purchase and sale, which agreement shall contain all representations, warranties and covenants of the parties related to the vessel and specifically supplant the details presented in this listing. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.
For boathouses, boat sheds, moorage slips and docks: The details of this [boathouse, boat shed, moorage slip or dock] presented herein are based exclusively on representations made to us by the seller and are solely related to the [boathouse, boat shed, moorage slip or dock] and not ancillary items such as moorage, tenancy rights of any party or live aboard rights. In addition, no representation or warranty is made in respect of physical condition. As a result, it is the express responsibility of, and we highly recommend that, interested parties perform such investigations and diligence as required to confirm all material terms of the listing. Furthermore, interested parties are responsible for engaging such parties as are required to complete its confirmatory investigations, including but not limited to a purchase agent, legal counsel, inspectors, mechanics, and surveyors. In addition, we make no representations as to the transferability of the moorage, the price of moorage, any terms of the moorage or existing tenants and the legitimacy of any tenants. We highly recommend that potential buyers speak with the marina, tenants or owner directly in order to gain a full understanding of any details important to the buyer prior to inspection. This boathouse, boat shed, moorage slip or dock is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.
Details
ManufacturerSan Juan Composites
Model48' Sedan
Year (Build / Refit)2005
Length14.6m
Total Power825 hp
Beam4.7m
Specifications
Dimensions
Length14.6m
Beam4.7m
Hull
MaterialComposite
Accommodation
Guest Cabins2
Bathrooms2
Features
Windlass
Propulsion
Engine 1
Engine MakeMTU
Engine ModelSeries 60
Engine Hours1275
Engine TypeInboard
Drive TypeInboard V-Drive
Fuel TypeDiesel
Power825 hp
Year2005
Listing details on this page are provided by Freedom Marine Yacht Sales as marketing material. Please contact the broker directly for full details.