A whole lotta yacht

Jeff Benson

With an asking price of $4.2 million, the 86-foot, dual-deck Ocean

Alexander “Jelly Bean” motor yacht was the most expensive vessel for

sale at the 26th Annual Lido Yacht Expo over the weekend -- and for

good reason.

It wasn’t just the custom build, the twin 1480-horsepower Detroit

diesel engines, the stabilizer system, the carbon fiber reinforcement

and the four designated steering areas. With a spacious California

deck, six LCD flat screens, Burmese teak and burl wood paneling and

original sculptured artwork, it was the crown jewel of the show.

Many of the estimated 15,000 who attended the Lido Yacht Expo

Thursday through Sunday wanted to tour the fully furnished 2003 boat,

and many were turned away. Broker Orange Coast Yachts gave some of

the most interested parties 15-minute tours, and by appointment only,

because of the overwhelming demand to step aboard. The waiting list

was as long as two hours, first mate Lisa Burnside said.

“We’ve given tours to at least 100 people, but they weren’t

necessarily the most interested buyers,” Burnside said. “It’s the

biggest boat here, and people are waiting to see it, which is nice.”

Orange Coast Yachts salesman Paul Enghauser said there’s a good

chance that someone will buy the boat after seeing it in the Lido

show.

“The reaction I get the most is ‘Wow,’” he said. “There’s no doubt

it’s the nicest in the show. There’ve been some very serious talks.

The difference between “Jelly Bean” and other boats is that there’s

no competition with “Jelly Bean.” It’s not like you think about

buying it and have to come back.”

In addition, the boat’s main salon, galley, dining area and four

staterooms are supported by two heating and air conditioning

generators, and six bathrooms -- each with recessed lighting.

But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Every room on the boat

weaves together custom-made, exotic, rounded-wood paneling; brass

accents, doorknobs and lighting fixtures; and several mirrors that

make the rooms seem even larger than they are. The granite sinks,

floors and tabletops compare with those of a dream home.

Burnside said the boat’s wheelhouse alone can seat up to 15 guests

and uses two radar systems, a global-positioning system, sonar, night

vision and a video-monitoring system. The wheelhouse’s windows look

out on an upper deck and a 16-foot Boston whaler that can be lowered

into the water by using an on-board crane, she said.

The yacht’s owner, Dave Parker of Palos Verdes, is replacing it

with a 98-footer, which will surpass “The Jelly Bean” as the largest

custom yacht Ocean Alexander has ever made, Enghauser said. Parker,

who also owns watertight-flashlight-maker Pelican Products, used the

yacht to entertain guests with cocktail parties during biweekly trips

to Catalina Island, Burnside said.

“It’s a luxurious boat but also a very comfortable boat,” Burnside

said. “Dave pretty much tricked it out to be perfect. He’s been a

mariner his whole life, he knows about different systems, and he’s

only put the best in this one.”

Lido Yacht Expo spokesman Don Franken said Sunday was the busiest

day for the show, at which private owners and larger companies showed

off older yachts and the 2005 models. Franken believed Sunday’s boom

came because it was the local public’s last chance to buy a newer

model this year.

But attendance wasn’t the only number that grew over years past.

“We had more big boats than ever this year, and a lot over 60

feet, Franken said. “About 40 or 50% are interested in buying, and a

lot of them are young, upscale people who’ve had success in the

business world.”

Boat sales were down compared to years past because of a state

sales-tax exemption that expired Sept. 30, the first day of the show,

said Duncan McIntosh, the show’s founder. Several sets of keys

switched hands before the show even started, so prospective buyers

could avoid the 7.75% state tax, he said.

* JEFF BENSON is the news assistant and may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at [email protected].