Using the term trawler yacht to describe the latest generation of luxury navetta-style GRP liveaboards can feel a bit jarring.
So the new Sea Ranger MMS 55 provides the perfect antidote for serious cruisers. A trawler yacht in the true sense of the word, it borrows not just its looks and hull shape from a genuine North Sea trawler but also its bulletproof build quality and heavy-weather seakeeping.
Built at a commercial shipyard in Hull from 7mm thick plate steel and weighing a mighty 60 tonnes, it has the kind of offshore integrity which most GRP craft can only dream of.
Twin 180hp heavy duty cycle John Deere diesels designed to run for 5,000 hours a year and a Category A-rated hull with a towering bow and decks littered with scuppers, should allow it to push through seas which would send most craft running for home. And thanks to a fuel capacity of 6,400 litres it will keep on plodding at 8 knots for over 1,500nm.
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Deep bilge keels combined with fin stabilisers keep roll under control, while bow and stern thrusters help with low speed manoeuvring.
In true trawler style a relatively compact main deck saloon leads to a raised wheelhouse with side doors to port and starboard.
The stainless steel galley and dinette are below decks with a water-tight door giving access to the three cabins; a double owner’s cabin and two guest cabins with traditional bunks and a shared bathroom.
The master double is to port with its own ensuite bathroom
The large engineroom has been fitted out to full commercial spec with twin 21kW generators and a fresh water maker serving twin 500 litre tanks.
One thousand litres of grey and 500 litres of black water capacity further enhance its offshore cruising capability. A six-person Zodiac with 15hp outboard is housed on the foredeck next to a launch crane and liferaft.
The MMS 55 is the brainchild of company owner Rob Langton, who has long dreamt of building a leisure boat with the cruising legs and robust build of the yard’s famously sturdy commercial craft.
Sea Ranger MMS 55 specification
LOA: 59ft 1in (18.0m)
Beam: 17ft 9in (5.40m)
Fuel capacity: 6,400l
Engines: Twin 180hp John Deere
Top speed: 10 knots
Cruising speed: 8 knots
Cruising range: 1,500nm
RCD category: A
Starting price: £3 million (ex. VAT)
