Cummins/Pacific Expediton Yachts Press Release for Ft Lauderdale Boat Show

Pacific Expedition Yachts Completes Sea Trial of CMD Zeus-Powered Expedition Cat

Astoria, Ore. – Pacific Expedition Yachts and Cummins MerCruiser Diesel announce the successful completion of initial sea trials for the new Pacific Expedition model, the PE60 Expedition Class Power Catamaran with CMD Zeus technology.

The first Pacific Expedition Yachts PE60, powered by the award-winning Cummins MerCruiser Diesel Zeus^® propulsion system, is now completing its construction in Astoria, Ore. The PE60, equipped with twin Zeus 3000 series pods coupled to QSC8.3-liter 600-hp engines, uses the intuitive joystick for docking and other slow-speed maneuvers, fundamentally changing the ability to control the large power catamaran with safety and confidence in the most challenging conditions. From offshore running to slow speed docking in crowded marinas, the Zeus system provides tremendous confidence and control to the owners of these large luxury yachts. It all but eliminates the fear and potential for damage that often accompanies operating a yacht with conventional inboard engines in tight quarters. The system also offers unmatched speed and economy in a vessel of its size.

Pacific Expedition Yachts recently launched its new line of Expedition Class Power Catamarans and has quickly captured the imagination of mariners new and old who are searching for that rare balance where space and luxury meet stability and economy. The company builds its custom yachts in Astoria, Ore., where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Known for having one of the most challenging bar crossings in the world, this location is the perfect testing grounds for Pacific Expedition’s go-anywhere yachts.

Cummins MerCruiser Diesel introduced the revolutionary Zeus propulsion system to the boating world in 2006. The Zeus joystick control system takes away much of the stress and worry typically associated with docking a boat. The Zeus system has received critical acclaim throughout the marine industry, earning Motor Boating magazine’s 2007 Best of the Year Award for Advanced Technology.

“We’re thrilled that PEY has reached the sea trial milestone in the development of the new PE60,” said CMD Director of Sales Richard Newman. “Cummins MerCruiser Diesel got involved with PEY because we knew that this new model would be a great fit for Zeus, and introduce our product to new category of vessels. We can’t wait to see this yacht finished and in the hands of its proud new owners.”

“From the first few minutes in the water with the Zeus system from CMD we knew it was a winner,” said John Shaw, founder of Pacific Expedition Yachts. “The Zeus system really complements the PE60 Expedition Catamaran and allows clients of all experience levels confidence and control they need in such a large boat. The resulting speed and efficiency we are seeing with the Zeus package honestly is exceeding our expectations.

“We could not be happier and the new owners of this PE60 are thrilled with the choice and results”.

For more information about the PE60 Zeus vessel, and a blog about its development and deployment, visit www.pacificexpedition.com and pacificexpedition.blogspot.com.

CMD will be exhibiting its full range of propulsion systems, including Zeus, at the 2010 Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) International Boat Show, Oct. 28 through Nov. 1, at the Bahia Mar in the Engine Tent.

About CMD

Based in Charleston, South Carolina (USA), Cummins MerCruiser Diesel is responsible for designing, manufacturing and providing reliable after-sales support worldwide for marine propulsion products. It offers a broad range of power, with available ratings from 115-715 hp for recreational applications and 150-715 hp for commercial use. Cummins MerCruiser Diesel is a joint venture between Cummins Inc. and Mercury Marine and can be found on the internet at www.cmdmarine.com.

For further information, contact Clay Gaillard, Public Relations Manager, at 850-596-8271 or clay.gaillard@cummins.com

High resolution photography can be downloaded from the CMD FTP site: www.cmdmarine.com/ftp/index.html.

About PEY

Based in Astoria, Oregon (USA), Pacific Expedition Yachts designs, builds and markets a range of Expedition Class Power Catamarans designed for long-range world travel in luxury and comfort. Class Power Catamarans offer unmatched interior spaces in a platform that is safe, stable and very economical to operate. PEY can be found on the internet at www.pacificexpedition.com

For more information, contact John Shaw via email at john@pacificexpedition.com.

Sea Trial PE60 Huge Success!

Hi all

The PE60 with Zeus Drives has completed it's initial sea trials in Oregon. It has performed far beyond our expectations. Even the stoic (and awesome) Team Cummins cracked a smile....or two...

We were only sorry the wonderful owners could not attend.

The PE60 will be in the water several more days for final tests and data before she comes out for final fittings.

She is nothing short of a magic carpet ride, even with strong Oregon weather blowing in.... very fast, very stable, and very efficient. Tracks and turns fantastic, flat and confident. Stable and secure. Certainly the ultimate family yacht that is both very fun to drive for the captain and also a breeze to be on board for everyone else, even for those less sea-worthy among us.

And the space is amazing. We had 8-10 aboard much of the time and you would have never known. This is a boat that can soak up 15-20 plus people and have lots of room to spare.

See some video here....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFWxWWP1Uhs

Thanks

PEY Crew

www.pacificexpedition.com

Out for a walk with the PE60...

Just doing some moving and got a shot of a PE60 out in the sunlight.

This model here has the optional captains berth which adds a full queen berth at the forward upper boat deck behind the pilothouse. It is a huge space with a wet head that serves as a day head for the lower helm, FB and boat deck - super for entertaining...

The flybridge side becomes elongated and it all tucks away nicely.

You might note this is a Zeus drive model as well. Configured as QSC600 with the large Zeus Pods. Standard is QSB480s and shaft drive. Both excellent choices.

Thanks

The PEY Crew....

Hunt for Red October....

Hi all

Some shots of getting the Zeus drives online and talking to each other... amazing tech.

The Cummins team was in for review and back in a few days for some further final tech work.

Temp flybridge helm is shown in one shot with the Skyhook station holding and Joystick controls. The counter rotating blades where made custom for our platform and consist of a five blade and four blade stacked combination...run silent, run deep.... ;)

Also some have asked how wide is a PE60 (or PE50 for that matter). We did a short move over the weekend at the shop. You can see one of the 60's on a trailer...a full size semi trailer! She's a big lady! You can see the Zeus drives in place in that shot as well.

You can also see the great aft swim step lift up access. (steps removed at that time). This boat just in primer by the way. Still some fairing and full paint to come!

Thanks

PEY Crew

Who's turn at the ramp? Someone get us a bigger trailer!

Hi all

We took the opportunity recently to show how the big cats can be set on their own keels very safely. Thanks to the owner of a custom 45 at the shop, we let one settle on the ramp as the tide went out. These cats are certainly “beachable” and we see it as a great “capability” of the boat. It really adds to an owners options whether for a quick bit of maint, checking the running gear or just confidence in the bottom/ability to deal with shallow draft areas.

In both shots the cat is sitting on the hard directly on it's deep strong full length keels.

You can also get some perspective on the SUV sized tunnel that you have with even a 45'er.

Thanks

PEY Crew

Woodwork and the Commercial Fisherman Festival Visits Shop

Hi all

The first PE60 will have a full standup bar for the owners to entertain guests in the skylounge which is adjacent to the lower helm. The bar has beautiful woodwork, a bit of which you can seen above in the rounded end. (excuse the dust) The bar is designed to hold a top made from translucent Lumicor which will be back-lit with LEDs. Hence the "shadow box" like design.

Images of the Lumicor attached as well. The clients selected a mix of recycled bottle glass suspended in the Lumicor panels. Many commercial bars in high end locations use Lumicor so we know it will serve the clients well and be a highlight of this PE60.

More on Lumicor here, www.lumicor.com

Also, this weekend the Commercial Fisherman Festival visited our location.

http://astoriasundaymarket.com/cff/

Right outside we have thousands of visitors, the Coast Guard doing drills and several of the captain and crew from Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch series on hand signing things like books.... and well, tarter sauce and what have you.... The Deadliest Catch crew from the Time Bandit drew quite a crown. Many of these commercial guys have their boats in Oregon during the off season.

Also the Axe Men of TV fame were there as well.... or as we around here refer to them as "local loggers"... ;)

Pics taken from the roof of the Pacific Expedition Yachts shop.

You might notice one of the Custom 45' Cats is seen attracting a crowd. Also seen in the foreground on one of the shots of the festival is a 50' custom sailing cat finished some time ago.

Thanks

Pat and John

www.pacificexpedition.com

PE60 - 12' Aft Door Install and Zeus Pod Install with Team Cummins

Hi all

Slowly catching up from being behind in updates. Here are some images of the Zeus Pod install that happened some time ago.

A Cummins team comprised of techs from both coasts descended on our facility to assist in the install of the Zeus Pods in the PE60. Since this was the first install of it's kind it was a busy week.

Sorting the electronics, checking tolerances and hooking up the "plug n play".... and we use that term loosely.... ;)

We came through with flying colors and both sides learned a great deal.

The main controls for the two station system were set up on temporary helm stations.

A Sincere "Thank You" to Cummins for all the great support of Pacific Expedition Yachts.

Lift up aft swim step stairs allow outstanding access to the engine area as well as a forward door.
The swim step stairs were just roughed in for these shots and are moving on to receive gutters and seals.

The Zeus option moves you from QSB480's up to QSC600's. Even with the larger engines you can see the outstanding engine room spaces.

So as to reduce the number of emails I have also attached a few shots of the beautiful aft door which the clients selected as an option to the standard aft door. Seen just past the door is the full size Sub Zero in the very large galley. The galley is approximately 15' long by 9' wide by the way. Super space to cook and entertain in. Nearly 60 sq ft of countertop space. Now that is luxury!

The aft door itself is one of the best marine slider designs in the world. It is fully solid polished stainless and dark marine glass. Note that the stainless is still covered in the protective tape for these shots.

The door is 12' wide overall with a 6' opening with the doors retracted. The two center moving doors are a counter-pull design which allows each doors weight and movement to offset the other. This means nearly no movement of the door as the boat moves while the doors are open. Each doors weight offsetting the other. Very safe and secure.

Pat and John

A Power Trip w/ Video!

Hi all

Yes we have lots to post soon.

Here are a couple shots of a wonderful clients boat. This is a custom project which is a 45' power cat. You can see it is a different boat design than the Pacific Expedition range but we thought you might like to see some running shots.

John and the client brought the boat about 150 miles up the coast this weekend. She did great crossing several Oregon bars including the famous Columbia River Bar. The "Graveyard of the Pacific" as the Columbia Bar is called. Approach and crossing the bar is show on the SPOT image attached. Stout boat and a great owner.

John reports that the trip went super, boat really felt great, went through some lumps but not really very wild.

"Really nice and quick in the bow. Running about 10 knots going up hill, up the coast several miles offshore. Wind and current on the nose Sat from North Northwest.

Left Newport at 1:00 PM and shot up into Tillamook. No problems working in across that bar and good to see how nice she handled that entrance.

Spent the night and left Sun AM, little lump and rain early but was really calm mid day and crossed the Columbia bar at Noon. It was 3-5' but real long swell and really not an issue outside getting a path through the commercial boats. Got around the corner and ran 12 knots for a while. Did some up and back on the current to get prop data and likely need a slight prop pitch adjustment. She will push up to 16-17 with smaller Cummins 330's - plus a bit more with the the prop tuning. "

Then it was in through the Columbia Bar early afternoon for some well deserved rest for John and crew.

She had burn at 1.5-2 gph average. Still looking at pinning the sweet spots but all good.

CLICK FOR VIDEOS BELOW

Video #1

Video #2

More PE60 Pacific Expedition updates:

Zeus/Cummins engines and pods are in the first PE60 along with all the new Zeus aft hull work and keels to complement them. Cabinetry and mechanical going in as well.

Second PE60 coming along nicely.

Shots shortly....

Thanks and more coming soon.

Pat and John
www.pacificexpedition.com

PE60 Pilothouse/Skylounge Space - A huge 21' wide by 11' deep interior

Hi all

Here are several requested shots of the interior of a PE60 pilothouse/helm/skylounge space. This elevated space allows for easy communication between the helm space and skylounge seating/entertainment area. It retains a safe separation between the professional and casual spaces while still allowing great visibility and entertainment options.

Helm is up the starboard stairs and skylounge space is to port.

The actual helm position (not shown yet) is adjusted toward the center of the boat for easy sight lines and control. You can make out the opening for the pilot house door as well in one of the shots.

You can see the lower hall that separates the helm and skylounge to lounge space. This hall leads forward from the salon/galley to the master stateroom. Of course there will be a door at the end of the hall for full privacy. You can just see down the hall into the master....just to orient you.

The top of the "hall" doubles as a countertop above so as to add more entertainment uses. These images might help the 3D images online make more sense. You will notice that both sets of stairs run fore and aft now as well - this allows better space and flow on both the PE50 and the PE60

This elevated area plus the galley/salon below, combine for just short of 600 sq feet of living space in these areas alone. Not including the master, two VIP staterooms and three private heads. Further, there is an option for a captn's berth and 4th day head that serves the captn's berth as well.

Finally, keep in mind that the PE50 and PE60 have the same general interior layouts with the same width of spaces. The differences between the PE50 and the PE60 show up in the length of the rooms and overall boats of course.

Thanks!

Pat and John
www.pacificexpedition.com
Pacific Expedition Yachts

Pacific Expedition PE60 Pilothouse Profile shots

Here are a couple profile shots of the new PE60

Thanks

Pat and John
www.pacificexpedition.com

Aft PE60 door arrives

Swedish stainless, dark glass and Italian hardware combine for an awesome 12' aft counterpull slider for the PE60. Still inspecting and uncrating.

More (and better) pics soon of the door.

Wall panels starting to arrive

Hi all

We are starting to pre-stage some wall panels for fitment into the PE60. These are beautiful Sepele or African Mahogany which is our standard interior.

Thanks

Pat and John
www.pacificexpedition.com

Here come the lids...

Starting to close in the PE60. Really nice to see these great interior spaces unfold.

Here we are cover the salon and galley which measures 17' x 21' alone...

Another section will partially cover the aft deck as well.

For perspective, that is a full 12 foot opening in the aft wall that will hold a full marine counterpull sliding door.

Thanks

Pat and John
www.pacificexpedition.com