As luck would have it, I was late joining Capt. Rusty Higgins for our run from Savannah, Georgia, to Charleston, South Carolina, on the new Sea Ray L650 Fly. By the time I reached the docks where he waited patiently, watching the ebbing tide drain the Savannah River of its best depths, I was probably pretty high on his list of irritations. We set off right away, and for the next hour, Higgins scanned the channel markers and kept a hawk’s eye on the depth sounder, precisely guiding the yacht to the deeper waters of the Intracoastal Waterway. At Tybee Light, Higgins punched in a waypoint for the Charleston Entrance Lighted Buoy and handed over the helm. For the next 100-plus nautical miles, I enjoyed the ride of the L650 Fly immensely, maintaining about 26 knots with the 1,150-horsepower Caterpillar C18A diesels operating at 82 percent load and burning about 87 gph. We were blessed that day with temperatures in the low 90s and 15- to 20-knot winds from the west-southwest, producing 3- to 4-foot seas on the stern quarter. The ride was fabulous. We abandoned the flybridge for the comforts of the air-conditioned salon, and even though the generator was running and the twin Seakeeper gyrostabilizers were spinning and engaged, the sound levels in the salon were low, perfect for conversation. Higgins spent 2½ months delivering this yacht to gala events from Tampa Bay, Florida, to Cohasset Harbor, Massachusetts, and back to Merritt Island, Florida. I envy his every nautical mile.
“Luxury is the ease of a T-shirt in a very expensive dress,” the renowned designer Karl Lagerfeld once said. The distinction between what is acceptable and what is desirable resonates in those words, a distinction between those who might not realize the difference and those who understand perfectly the significance of what price, quality and luxury command.
So imagine receiving an invitation to an unexpected gala event, the launch of an exclusive new line of yachts from a builder long known for its commitment to craftsmanship and excellent performance in production boats. The address is a desirable waterfront location not far from where you live and boat, and the focus is on the much-anticipated Sea Ray L650 Fly, a new model and class of yacht from the trusted builder here and abroad. It is an invitation you cannot resist.
You pull up to an opulent residence late in the afternoon and, after entrusting your keys to the valet, make the short stroll up a flag-lined walkway to the home’s entrance. Parked out front, you discover and gaze longingly at a select array of Aston Martin luxury automobiles, which more than set the scene for what awaits. After checking in with the L-Class concierge and finding out when you can schedule a test drive with an Aston Martin representative, you take a flute from a proffered tray of Champagne Thiénot and walk in to meet the Sea Ray executive team.
Seeing the gleaming superstructure at the end of the beautifully lit dock, you steer a course for the pool deck, where live music accompanies you down to the yacht. Her strikingly handsome lines reaffirm the heritage of a company with a history of taking cues from European and American designers and blending them into appealing, must-have yachts — in this case, into a sleek and sophisticated look that will be easy on the eyes at the end of your own dock for years to come.
With an abundance of salon windows, as well as a layout that is a gracious fusion of textures, colors and contemporary lines, the interior impresses you immediately. The four-stateroom layout mirrors the care taken with creation of environments that are at once soothing and visually pleasing throughout the yacht.
“The L650 Fly epitomizes the new L-Class,” says Tim Schiek, president of Sea Ray. “However, the introduction of L-Class is more than merely the launch of a new yacht; it’s a new approach to the market, executed at a level that only Sea Ray and our unparalleled network of dealers can pull off. The L-Class represents the best of everything Sea Ray has to offer.”
L-Class owners will have a Sea Ray sales concierge to optimize the purchasing process, dedicated customer-service phone lines with rapid response times, prioritized remote service teams, vessel orientation by a Sea Ray captain and a class-leading standard, three-year, bow-to-stern warranty (including engines and components), among other exclusive benefits.
After your tour, you stroll back to the main house, sample the Glenfiddich single malt, walk out on the deck, light a Montecristo Espada and let your eyes rest on the L650 Fly. Very comfortable, very expensive and very worth it.
Sea Ray, 865-582-2200; searay.com
| Specifications | Builder Supplied Numbers |
|---|---|
| LOA | 65 ft. 1 in. (19.84 m) |
| Beam | 17 ft. 2 in. (5.23 m) |
| Dry Weight | 80,500 lbs. (36,514 kg) |
| Fuel Capacity | 1,030 gal. (3,899 l) |
| Water Capacity | 280 gal. (1,060 l) |
| Holding Tank | 100 gal. (378 l) |
| Deadrise | 16 degrees |
| Draft | 61 in. |
| Staterooms | 4 |
