PORT TOWNSEND — Sometime around 2 p.m. on Saturday the Cielo Mare, a 127-foot sport fishing yacht that has taken over three years to build, will take its first dip into the water — that is if weather permits.
“If there is too much of a breeze, we won’t be able to do it,” said Paul Zeusche, chief executive officer of Townsend Bay Marine.
“It’s in one big bay, and those doors won’t open if the wind is blowing too much, but yes, weather permitting, we will put it in the water on Saturday.”
The vessel, said to be the third largest sport fishing vessel in the world, is also the largest constructed by Port Townsend Bay Marine.
With measurements of 127 feet from bow to stern, and an out-of-water height of 45 feet to the top of the mast, the giant yacht is a mechanical marvel.
“It’s not just one thing that makes this vessel exceptional,” Zeusche said. “It’s a very complex boat and it’s been a long time coming.
Fishing vessel and yacht
“This boat is just impressive with the way it is a fishing vessel and a yacht,” Zeusche said.
“It can stay out in the ocean for extended periods as a fishing vessel and still have all of the comforts of home.”
The boat announces a home harbor of Jaluit, Marshall Islands on its stern, but Port Townsend Bay Marine is keeping all other specifics quiet.
The price of the boat and the owners are both unknown.
“It costs a lot and the owners are American,” Zeusche said. “Other than that, no one will ever know.”
Spacious interior
The boat’s interior alone is more impressive than most homes, with a large main room, full kitchen and dining room, master bedroom, three guest quarters and an extensive crew quarters that can house four individuals.
The entire boat is lined with custom woodwork from the walls to the floors, marble counters and tabletops and pictures of dolphins etched into the glass shower doors.
Technologically speaking, the vessel boasts 10 television screens, multiple media servers with 17 terabytes of storage for movies and music, streaming data capability throughout the ship, ipod docks in each room, a full public address system and security cameras, all strung together with over 12 miles of cable.
“The technology put into this is very impressive,” said Dan Owen, an electrician with Port Townsend Bay Marine.
“You can store a ton of movies on the servers and just scroll right through them in any room with no need for disks. It’s amazing what has gone in here.”
Outside on the deck, the Ceilo Mare has more than 50 holding locations for sea fishing poles, multiple decks, an outdoor barbecue, an outdoor dining area and three locations to pilot the boat besides the captain house.
“We started on the boat in May of 2006,” Zeusche said.
“It took some extra time than usual, because it’s a very spacious luxury vessel.
“We started from scratch in here and, over the years, used over 45 different contractors to help with some parts of the work, most local.
Zeusche said the last time a boat this size came out of the marina was in 1993 when Admiral Marine launched the 162-foot yacht Evviva.
If the weather cooperates, the Cielo Mare will exit Port Townsend Bay Marine’s hanger at about 8 a.m. via the large haul-out, and be on display until 2 p.m. while crews finish final details.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.