Here's a preview of something we will publish on our regional magazine
on May 10. Usually disclaimers apply- if you are going to be upset by
the mention of a vessel available for sale please consider yourself
warned and move on to the next thread. Thanks.

49-Feet of Integrity


There's no mystery surrounding the process of building a fiberglass
boat. Layers of woven "glass" mat roving are laid into a mold, with
a chemical resin applied between layers to convert the individual
layers into a laminated solid. Many people assert, and with ample
justification, that the choice of materials used in the laminating
procedure and the degree of skill among the shipwrights performing the
layup will make a critical difference between a very good boat and
something substantially less desirable.

We believe most boaters will find it easy to form an opinion that this
month's Sea Trial vessel, (a 49-foot Integrity 496 CE from Northwest
Yachts in Anacortes), easily belongs in the "very good boat"
category- but not solely because of the high quality materials used or
the exceptional fit and finish evident in all compartments. The 496 CE
was certainly built into a mold, but perhaps more significantly for
boaters in the Pacific NW it was very obviously built around a concept.
One has to wonder whether naval architect John Anderson (of Kingston,
WA) managed to interview several hundred Pacific NW boaters and asked,
"What features and attributes would you like to see on a long range
coastal cruiser?" Had the 496CE been drawn to such a consensus, the
results wouldn't have differed much from the finished boat we enjoyed
one April day in Guemes Channel. The Integrity 496CE might be a new
name, but the boat should do a splendid job of meeting some long
established and perpetual standards for Pacific NW cruising.

Design and Construction:

The Integrity 496 CE ("Coastal Express") is a classic pilothouse
trawler with a raked stem, pronounced flare, a Portuguese bridge, high
profile pilothouse, and a long aft cabin with an overhanging boat deck.
The semi-displacement hull has a deep forefoot, moderating to a
16-degree deadrise at the transom. Expect a dry ride; the raked stem
and the flare of the foredeck should punch through gnarly head seas and
deflect aside all but wind-driven traces of spray. The "wide body"
design favors passage between the fore and aft decks along the
starboard side. While it is customary for the sheltering overhang to
terminate aft of the pilothouse doors on many boats, on the 496 CE
protection from our soggy coastal climate extends around the pilothouse
to include the Portuguese bridge.

The hull is laid up in the Jinghua Marine shipyard in China. Jinghua
has been building boats since 1981, producing commercial craft,
passenger ferries, and patrol boats for the Chinese customs authority
in addition to some easily recognized brands of pleasure boats. The
hull is a solid laminate below the waterline, and includes layers of
Kevlar to maximize strength. The superstructure, the deck, and the hull
above the waterline are vacuum bagged, foam cored, FRP. Vacuum bagging
produces fiberglass components with two "finished" sides, and we
couldn't find any rough surfaces in even the most remote locations
aboard. Stabilizers aren't standard on the boat, but a possible
majority of buyers may want to consider adding hydraulic fins and the
496 CE includes reinforced mounting pads to simplify installation.


Dimensions, Propulsion, and Specifications:

LOA: 49'6"
LWL: 43' 6"
Draft: 4'9"
Beam: 15' 3"
Displacement: 50,000 lb. (fully laden)
Fuel capacity: 940 USG
Water capacity: 240 USG
Holding tank: 97 USG

The Integrity 496 CE is a single screw configuration, powered by a
525-HP John Deere 6125AFM. The engine is mounted on Lo-Rez engine
mounts, and employs a large diameter Lo-Rez shaft coupler as well. A
3-inch Aquamet shaft with a P.Y.I. dripless shaft seal turns a 40 X
32" 4-bladed prop. The 496 CE uses a keel cooler rather than a heat
exchanger, but is not dry stacked so a dedicated pump cools the exhaust
hose with seawater. The same pump is pre-rigged to serve as an
emergency bilge pump should a breach in the hull result in severe
flooding. The practical experience incorporated in the vessel's
design is also evident in the easily serviced sea chest that minimizes
the number of through hulls below the waterline. A remote control fuel
shut off valve can be activated with a lever under the steps between
the salon and the pilothouse, (so that in the event of a runaway engine
or a fire in the engine room there will be no need to risk entry to
shut off the flow of diesel from the tanks). A 12.5kW Westerbeke
generator produces AC power.


Walkthrough:

One can step aboard the Integrity 496 CE through a transom door, a
midships door through the starboard bulwark, or a door on the port side
of the cockpit. A spacious lazarette below the cockpit contains the
vessel's batteries, (a thoughtful touch that must have been included
by somebody experienced in attempting to drag large batteries through
the interior of a boat while avoiding damage). Decks are a nonskid FRP,
and even the caprails are fiberglass for easy care. The 496 CE is
literally a wash and wear boat. Deckhands will appreciate the wide
starboard side deck, with nearly waist high bulwarks providing a
secure, "contained" workspace in grumpy seas.

There is a generous use of 1.25" stainless steel railing everywhere
on the exterior, including a useful looking rail atop the Portuguese
bridge. A stylish venturi on the flybridge cowling will help deflect
the last droplets of any wind driven spray, and a non-nonsense mast and
boom with electric winches on the boat deck stands ready to haul or
launch a shoreboat. There is a low-profile Lofrans windlass on the
foredeck, rigged with an anchor, 400-feet of chain, and a chain
counter. While walking the decks, evaluating the design, and inspecting
the fittings it is easy to conclude that somebody with a lot of sea
time in their log book was very involved or influential in the design
of this boat.

The impression of a salty pedigree continues as a visitor enters the
aft cabin salon through a dogged, offshore style door. Should a
ridiculous following sea ever poop the high transom, the concerned
skipper of a 496CE won't need to additionally worry whether a six or
eight foot wide section of deck to deck "safety glass" will
withstand the impact.

An abundance of headroom and light greets the visitor entering the
salon. Settees to port and starboard are trimmed in an ultrasuede-type
material, and gas struts support the hinged seats and settee backs to
allow easy access to stowage lockers below the cushions. Two interiors
are available on the 496CE. One features teak veneers on all cabin
bulkheads, and the other, (as on our test boat), is referred to as a
"Herreshoff style" interior combining both teak veneers and white
painted or clad surfaces. The Herreshoff style interior reflects
additional light and fosters the illusion of greater space within the
compartments. The salon is carpeted, and the installation includes a
thick pad to assist in sound attenuation. One of the two accesses to
the engine room is through a hatch in the cabin sole of the salon.

The galley is in the port forequarter of the main cabin, separated from
the salon by a run of athwartship joinery. There is enough room for two
cooks to prepare a meal without necessarily becoming intimately
acquainted. Stowage is everywhere, with louvered doors on both upper
and lower lockers and very high quality, full extension hardware on the
drawers. The galley work surface is Dupont Corian (tm), with a double
stainless steel sink. Cooking is handled by a 3-burner propane stove
with a conventional oven, cold storage is provided by a 9 cubic foot
NovaKool refrigerator/freezer, and garbage is reduced to a more
manageable volume by a Broan compactor. Steam and odors can be whisked
away through a power vent system, and a teak and holly sole will make
cleanup a very easy chore. The galley serves as a microcosm for the
entire 496 CE concept. There isn't a long inventory of glitzy dual
and triple function appliances. The joinery hasn't been configured
around perhaps only temporarily available or fashionable "built in"
toasters, coffeepots, or computer activated electric corkscrews. There
aren't miles of "rope lights" or other visual gimmicks, but there
is a good looking, solid feeling, workable and practical space designed
and executed for practical and enjoyable food preparation.

The master stateroom is under the pilothouse, and reached through a
companionway immediately inboard from the galley. Consistent with the
rest of our test boat, this compartment was enhanced by some white
bulkheads combined with the prevailing teak. While it has become
fashionable for most builders to include oversized TV screens in every
stateroom, and often become almost pretentiously silly with grandiose,
"imperial" decor in disproportionately large master staterooms, the
pleasant and cozy stateroom on the 496 CE features an elegant
simplicity that will age gracefully. The island queen berth, cedar
lined hanging locker, warm carpet underfoot, and teak built-ins create
a private space where owners can retire in comfort. The ensuite head in
the master stateroom is the head most convenient to the salon, which
depending on an owner's personal preferences and entertainment plans
may or may not raise some practical concerns about privacy.

The guest stateroom is in the forepeak, reached via a necessarily steep
set of curved steps from the pilothouse. There are two configurations
for the guest stateroom, with accommodations for three in the
over/under V berth configuration of our test boat (a double berth is to
port, slightly elevated above a single berth to starboard) or
accommodations for two with an island queen berth against the forward
bulkhead. There is an ensuite head for the guest stateroom.

The pilothouse can be referred to as the "second salon", with an
L-shaped settee in the aft port quarter and a teak dining table. This
is where family and guests will routinely assemble when the vessel is
underway, unless especially inviting weather lures everyone up onto the
flybridge. The settee converts to a double berth, creating capacity for
an almost unthinkable number of people to spend the night aboard,
(especially if the settees in the salon are employed as well). A 26"
diameter destroyer wheel is on centerline, with a large area available
to port for those of us who enjoy having room for paper charts. The
Portuguese bridge is steps away through dogged down, Dutch style, port
and starboard pilothouse doors and the upper helm is quickly and easily
attained up a short flight of steps from the pilothouse. There was no
"electronics package" pre installed on our test boat, but the
hinged console panel above the wheel will make the task easy to
accomplish when the new owner decides on his or her personally favorite
brand and configuration of electronic navigation aids. The John Deere
engine does include a very informative digital engine diagnostic
system, which we relied upon for fuel consumption figures as we
conducted our sea trials.

Underway:

Peter Whiting, President of Northwest Yachts, as well as Northwest
Yachts brokers Steve Luther and Dave Cox joined us for the trial. We
ran the boat from the pilothouse, with a handheld GPS used to calculate
speed over ground.

The benefits of excellent sound insulation in the engine room and the
Low-Rez engine mounts were evident the moment the engine started,
(instantly). At idle, there was no question that the engine was running
but there was a surprising absence of vibration and sound levels were
very pleasant. We cast off the lines and backed into the fairway at Cap
Sante Marina in Anacortes, where Peter Whiting demonstrated the first
of many surprising handling characteristics. The Integrity 496 CE has a
large rudder, and combined with the 40-inch prop a skilled boat handler
can turn the boat within its own length almost as effortlessly as if it
were fit with twin engines. A Wesmar bow thruster stood ready at the
helm and could have been employed if required, but once again we
observed the benefits of practical design. Conditions were relatively
calm, but few single screw boats in the 50-foot category would have
handled as neatly as the 496 CE.

We motored out of the marina, pausing briefly so Barb Saleeby of
Northwest Yachts could take some photographs. (If our publisher uses a
picture of the Integrity 496 CE on this issue's cover, it is one of
Barb's pictures taken from shore during this event).

As we motored around Fidalgo Bay and up and down Guemes Channel, we
came to realize that the Integrity 496 CE is an extremely versatile
vessel with a performance spectrum so broad that it seemed like there
were really two different boats, and both were enjoyable.

Boaters prioritizing extended cruising ranges and willing to saunter
along at a traditional trawler pace should be very pleased with the
slow and moderate RPM observations.
At an idle, the Integrity logged 5.5-kts, at a fuel consumption of just
1.4 gph. At better than 3 nmpg and with 940 gallons of fuel aboard, the
slowest available engine speed would enable a potential range well in
excess of 2000 nm, with prudent reserves.

At 1050 RPM, we were making 8 knots and still realizing better than
2-nmpg fuel economy at 3.5 gph. With prudent reserves, a 1500 nm range
is realistic at the 8-knot speed.

Fuel consumption was a modest 5 gph at 8.7 kt (1200-RPM) and we
maintained better than 1 nmpg performance with a 7.4-gph burn at 9 kt
(1375-RPM). At 1500-RPM we were making 10.2 kt, and were at
essentially 1 nmpg economy consuming 10 gph.

At all the speeds up through 1500-RPM, the experience aboard the
Integrity 496 CE was similar to what one might expect on a larger boat:
a much, much larger boat- perhaps a BC ferry. The amazing lack of noise
and vibration from the engine room created the impression of a vast
distance between the pilothouse and the machinery. We coasted along
smoothly, solidly, and confidently. As Peter Whiting observed,
"Somewhere around 10 knots or so is the 'sweet spot' on this
boat."

Boaters in a hurry can throttle up to 1700-RPM, and gain 0.8 knots to
reach an 11-kt pace. This 8% increase in speed from the 1500-RPM
setting is achieved while increasing fuel burn by 40%. Opened up to
2150 RPM, the big John Deere diesel will propel the Integrity 496 CE at
14.5 kt, but fuel consumption is about 27 gph.

At the faster running speeds, the Integrity 496 CE performed as one
would expect most boats to perform. There was some sense that the boat
was "working" to maintain speeds of 11-14 knots, while at 10.2
knots and below the sensation was more of a remarkably smooth and
refined motoryacht. We had to agree with Peter Whiting, unless in a
hurry to make port before dark or running ahead of a storm the most
enjoyable speeds on the Integrity 496 are somewhere near the 1500-RPM
level. It's reassuring to know the extra speed is there when needed,
but more boaters prepared to appreciate the characteristics of the 496
CE are probably more likely to cruise routinely at 10 knots than at
12-14.

The big rudder brings the Integrity around almost too quickly when
thrown over hard to port or starboard. Dodging drift in our local
waters should be easy with this boat, it responds very quickly indeed
to any input from the wheel. We completed a 360-degree turn in a radius
of about two boat lengths, and that was at something above 9 knots.

Our test boat was lightly laden, with fuel and water tanks less than ¼
full. Speeds would probably be somewhat slower with a full load of fuel
and water,

Conclusion:

There's much to admire and little to criticize about the Integrity
496 CE. Everywhere one cares to look, there is evidence that
experienced regional cruisers designed this extremely attractive and
practical boat. Lack of gratuitous glitz and gimmicky gee-gaws may
dissuade some prospects from considering this vessel, but the
straightforward, sensible, and thoughtful applications for the
realities of regional cruising should have significant appeal for those
experienced boaters most likely to be happy with a long range coastal
cruiser.

We found a lot of "content" on the 496 CE; a lot of salty stuff
that probably wouldn't impress an inexperienced boater but will
inspire veteran NW cruisers to smile and nod in a knowing and wistful
manner. Prospects for a new coastal cruising trawler in the 50-foot
category should add the Integrity 496 to the list of boats to inspect
before making a decision. Our test boat was priced at $744,600.

Prospects for an "almost new" vessel, completely outfit with
electronics and other amenities, may want to consider a nearly
identical vessel also in stock at Northwest Yachts. The slightly
experienced boat was ordered by a couple who used it for one cruise to
Alaska and decided that they were head over heels in love with the
boat- if only it were just a little smaller. "They realized that with
their age and health considerations, they probably bit off a heavier
boat than they should try to handle alone," said Peter, "so they
have asked us to sell this one and they have ordered a smaller version
instead." The "turn key" 2005 model is available for just
$569,000.