Meridian Tout

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Another main theme of the 541, as evidenced by the cockpit stools and the galley, is to create social gathering points. This carries through to the salon on the main deck, raised up from the galley and dinette. The area is set up like a circular living room, with light-color carpet and upholstery. What look like movable furniture pieces are actually molded fiberglass components that are part of the deck and dressed to look like a conventional couch and chair. The only difference is they’ll hold fast under way. Meridian keeps the whole area cool with air-conditioning plenums built into the overhead, which allow cool air to fall evenly throughout the main deck.

The spacious full-beam master stateroom sits amidships and has a diagonally positioned queen berth. It has a full set of shelves and hanging lockers, with the option for a desk and chair on the starboard side. Its 6 feet 5 inches of headroom should make most people feel anything but confined below. The master suite has a private head with a tile floor, granite countertop and circular stand-up shower stall.

The forward guest head is equally well appointed, with private access from the guest stateroom in the bow. The third stateroom sits opposite the guest head to starboard and features over/under bunks capable of sleeping guests who are up to 6 feet 5 inches tall.

Here’s where things get more interesting. The 541 is Meridian’s first boat designed from the bottom up to run with pod-drives. Pod-drives are well known for their close-quarters maneuvering, but the additional benefits compared with straight-shaft inboards include improved fuel economy and space. The extra room afforded by the twin Zeus drives not only allows for the spacious three-stateroom configuration on a 50-footer but also leaves room for an additional area below the galley. Our test boat had it set up as a utility room, with access to the 16 batteries in the bank, and with stowage to load up for an extended cruise. Meridian also offers the option to configure it as a crew’s quarters.

 

However, no one is gravitating to pod-drives solely for the extra space. At the helm on the bridge, Higgins, a seasoned captain, showed what the twin Zeus drives bring to the table. A boat with this high profile is especially susceptible to wind at slow speeds, particularly around the dock. By constantly keeping the joystick actuated, even with just the slightest touch, Higgins used directed thrust to keep the 541 steady while sliding her into and out of the slip.