Access to the forward accommodations is through a staircase descending from the pilothouse. Hockelberg and Bright worked with Oviatt on tweaking the plan on a previous 75 and created a luxurious, yet functional space. The full-beam master stateroom is amidships and incorporates a little Asian flair. Shoji screens conceal the ports, while burl and golden teak work together to provide a semi-formal atmosphere. Since the owners plan to run a business while cruising, a desk is on the port side with the necessary outlets.
Though they expect to use the desk area a fair amount of time, the couple decided not to turn a stateroom into a dedicated office. Instead, the 77 has two guest staterooms, as well as a utility room fitted with a freezer, washer and dryer, and even more stowage, a great asset on a liveaboard. No longer will washday overtake the entire vessel.
Not only did Hockelberg and Bright devote time to the appointments of Five Star, but they were careful to ensure that the equipment met their goals for long-distance cruising. Two Trace inverters allow them to anchor out without using one of two Northern Lights generators. The 250-amp Balmar alternator will feed the battery bank of 12 8Ds.
They also like the 800 hp Caterpillars and generally prefer to cruise at around 10 knots instead of in the low teens. At this speed, the Alaskan 77 sips about 10 gallons per hour, making her well suited for extended island hopping.
One thing an owner won't have to think about is optional equipment. Oviatt wanted to make sure each build includes items often listed as extras on other boats. Highlights include stabilizers, a bowthruster, dual generators and a davit.
Oviatt seemed almost apologetic that the 77 costs less than $3 million. I can see his point. A good value is often viewed with suspect eyes, and a buyer's natural question is, "What's the catch? There really is none, except that Oviatt is both the dealer and the builder. This removes a layer in the money trail, giving owners the benefit of dealing directly with one person.
