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area resembled the deck of a home, somewhere that you'd feel comfortable entertaining. Located next to the cockpit were the primary winches, which are not necessarily always in close proximity to the ship's helm. On a standard sailboat, the primary winches are cranked manually in order to adjust the mainsails, however the winches on Oceanis 55 are electric. This feature allows one to adjust the sails with the push of a button right from the cockpit, making the 55-footer easily sailable by two people. DOCK&GO, another unique feature, is an intuitive system that allows one to pivot the boat with a joystick, ideal for effortlessly maneuvering the giant in the harbor. Once at sea, the ship offers additional peace of mind with its programmed autopilot system and a keel fabricated in iron, that will force the yacht to roll itself back to its upright position should it be knocked over by a 40-foot wave. With the classic mainsail towering above us, we then descended into the ship's interior. What caught my eye about the interior was how bright it was despite the overcast skies outside. The lighting can be attributed to the ship's four hull portholes, two long deck windows, and two ceiling hatches. The yacht's interior designer, Nauta Design, utilizes a modern style that includes Alpi mahogany and tons of white space. With headroom at about 6-feet-6-inches, Nauta's layouts for the Oceanis 55 are also extremely flexible. The designs vary in order to accommodate three cabins and two heads (bathrooms) to as many as five cabins and four heads. This particular model accommodates a three cabin and three head layout because the owners chose to convert the would be crew cabins to lockers. The three cabin yacht, which comfortably sleeps six, included all of the household essentials one could think of such as an icemaker, stove, air conditioning, and washer/dryer, to name a few. In order to run these utilities off electricity, the boat generates its own power by pumping raw water (almost like a car radiator but instead of air it's pumping water). Below deck, one can also sync an iPad to change the chartplotter and/ or install a dedicated Sat-Fi phone (an aftermarket add-on). "It's a lifestyle," Andrew told me. "It's like having your home go anywhere, and nothing beats traveling without airport security." Depending on aftermarket add-ons, the Oceanis 55 can cost around a $1 million, but you're getting more than just a boat. You're getting a home, one that's free from the concrete foundations that beset your landlocked residence. If all you lack is the skill, Great Hudson Sailing offers training with a captain in addition to other services such as concierge to reserve docking space and flexible financing options. While there are some popular local sailing destinations (Martha's Vineyard, Long Island Sound, Block Island, etc), Larry indicated that for someone who loves sailing, "It's not the destination that's important, it's the trip." VUE ON LIFESTYLE FA L L | W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 78

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