By Chris Knauss, Mariner Editor

  Of all the boats at this year’s Fishing Expo and Boat Show in Timonium, the new Palmer Defiance pilothouse caught my eye the most. With cold, icy conditions leaving most of us anglers inside dreaming about warmer weather, the Defiance 260 offers a chance to enjoy Bay fishing anytime of the year.
  Tom Rudloff, sales manager for Rudy Marine, said he was going to take the boat out the following week and wanted to know if I was interested in coming along. I said sure, comfortable boating in January not something I’m accustomed to. And new experiences are always something hard for me to resist.
  Along with the warm enclosed cabin, the boat’s solid lines and sleek style was what attracted me at first. I also liked the ample walk-around space and the overall free field of vision from the cockpit.
  The boat ride also didn’t disappoint. Barely finding enough clear water to launch at the John E. Barbiarz Public Boat Ramp in Wilmington, I climbed aboard at the Up the Creek Restaurant pier at the mouth of the frozen Brandywine. Mike Hoyer, of Rudy Marine, motored us out the Christiana and into the choppy Delaware.
  The Defiance has what Palmer Marine calls a "Stable Trak" hull design. The design features a full-length reverse chine that gives the boat great stability and helps it get on plane quickly. The dead rise, or angle of the hull at the transom, is 22 degrees, allowing it to slice through large chop with ease. It developed very little bow rise and visibility was good during all phases of driving.

  The one we took out featured a white hull but optional colors include black, blue, red and forest green. Top grade 316 stainless steel hardware and all-metal through-hull fittings are used throughout.
  Palmer Marine uses a state of the art construction technique called "Vacuum Infusion." It’s a technique used by many mega-yacht manufacturers and is just now starting to make its way into the smaller boat market. In this process, all of the fiberglass fabrics and coring materials are laid into the mold dry. Then a vacuum bag is installed and seals the fabric inside of the mold. Resin is then injected into the glass and then a vacuum is used to pull the resin through the fabric, resulting in essentially an air free laminate. The core that is used is a urethane foam composite that will never rot or deteriorate. Except for decorative trim, all of Palmer Marine’s boats are 100 percent wood free.
  The Palmer Defiance 260 has a beam of 8’6" so it is trailerable and easy to launch and load. If you do plan to moor your boat, a vinyl-ester barrier coat helps prevent water blisters that can occur from storing in the water for extended periods.
  If you haven’t heard of Palmer Marine before, it’s probably because they are new to the East Coast. Palmer boats are built in Port Orchard, Washington about one hour from Seattle. Palmer also manufactures a line of smaller walk-around cuddy cabin boats ranging in size from 17 to 20 feet.
  Rudy Marine is Palmer Marine’s first East Coast dealer. Palmer’s full line can be seen on Rudy Marine’s website at www.rudymarine.com. 

Once again, Sea Ray has staked a claim in the Convertible market with the development of its new 550 Sedan Bridge which combines functional design, sophisticated appointments and world class hull design. From the moment you step aboard, the ordinary is left behind. From her broad 16' beam and large salon windows offering panoramic vistas, to her fine use of space and impressive appointments, the 550 is a luxurious way to enjoy the freedom of big water cruising.
Sea Ray designers pushed the limits on this yacht, and by the looks of the shearline styling and the innovative sweeping execution of the fly-bridge structure, this yacht has the kind of charm and character that make an excellent first impression.
The commanding bridge of the 550 features a new, standard hardtop with fluent aluminum supports and an overhead console with engine monitoring gauges for heads-up viewing. The new helm design is nothing short of an ergonomic sculpture. From the bridge, integrated fiberglass steps lead to a large, functional cockpit and an integrated swim platform that includes abundant built-in stowage for deck gear. The wide foredeck access is flanked by upgraded stainless steel bow rails with welded stanchions.
Enter the cabin through the stainless steel framed sliding glass doors and you'll find yourself in a spacious salon with lavish fabrics, wood accents, solid surface countertops, wood flooring, and generous windows that present panoramic views from salon and dinette seating. For those relaxing nights on the hook, other built-in comforts include a roomy beam-to-beam mid-master stateroom with new large port lights and a 30-inch flat screen TV in a salon that is destined to be the focus of family life. To further customize the 550 Sedan Bridge you can choose from many options including blue hull gelcoat and transom davit.
For those discerning owners who want to reach big water in comfort and speed, the standard 765 horsepower MAN 2848LE4 V-8 diesel inboards coupled to ZF 325A marine transmissions should be more than ample to meet their needs.
The 550 Sedan Bridge is a yacht designed for serious cruising in unabashed comfort. As with every 2004 Sea Ray, the 550 Sedan Bridge comes with a full membership in the Sea Ray Owners Club(tm) where members receive discounts on travel, hotels, dining, boating insurance and more.

Specifications:
550 Sedan Bridge
Overall Length
W/std. Swim platform 58'7"
Beam 16'0" 4.88 m
Draft 51" 129.54 cm
Dry Weight 53,000 lbs. 24,041 kg
Fuel Capacity 700 gal 2,649.5 L
Dead Rise 17°
www.searay.com