What exactly is a "Yachtfisher"?

Hello gals and guys,
Wondering if someone could enlighten me on "Yachtfisher"? I have noticed a couple of these boats. I originally thought that Yachtfisher was the manufacturere, but now I am realizing that it is more of a style, I believe. Are they Trawlers? My idea of a trawler includes full displacement and good on fuel.
Is it that they have a large fishing cockpit and a fishtank on board? What's the story? Anyone here know?
I've also noticed that they seem to have a 3rd level wheelhouse, which I love. Is this true to the style?

Thanks for any helpful input.

I guess you could say they can be trawlers or power sf's. here's an example of the Nordhavn 75 EYF which is an full displacement trawler, and then there is the viking 82 which is an sf. I have know the sf's with the 3 level style, as California style bridge. We have some 100+ sf California style in Port Everglades, one was powered by jets.

GalaxyGirl said:

Wondering if someone could enlighten me on "Yachtfisher"? .

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My first big boat (to me) was a 48' Offshore Yacht Fisher. She was a 10 knot boat, tons of room, a full beam stateroom, California deck and a small cockpit with access from the aft stateroom or stairs from the California deck.

I would classify her as a Recreational Trawler. (using today's buzz words)

Hatteras used the term for their 53 and 58 aft cabin/sundeck with cockpit and flybridge boats (both planing). So did Ocean Alexander (semiplaning)and I believe Offshore (mentioned above). I always liked the lines of this boat, which is actually a 53 motoryacht converted by an owner to a 58 "Yachtfish" spec by adding the cockpit. Much prettier than the factory 58 yachtfish.

Thanks for the replies.
What is a california style bridge? and what is a power sf?
So, I gather the main feature of a "yachtfisher" is the cockpit.
It's interesting that the hat is a "yachtfisher" I never would have guessed that.

sf means sportfisherman. California style bridge is just what I call it and what I've heard from others, I guess yacht fisherman is the proper word.

GalaxyGirl said:

What is a california style bridge?

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Maybe this will help.

Hmm I thought camano was referring to that third level bridge as a California style bridge Walt? I've never heard the term.

I wouldn't say no if anyone wants to buy me that nordhaven yf.

Pineapple Girl said:

Hmm I thought camano was referring to that third level bridge as a California style bridge Walt? I've never heard the term.

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A lot of people refer to that deck as a "Sun Deck" but Offshore (early in the game) referred to it as a "California Deck." It was the first big boat I ever bought and we really didn't know what we had. Knowing what I know now, (13 years later) I wish I still had her. It had a pair of 200hp Perkins and the "softest ride on the water." (Their marketing lingo.)

The earliest Yacht fishermen that I know of was the Hatteras 58 Yacht Fisherman which was introduced in 1970. It was based on the Hatteras 53 Motor Yacht with the addition of a 5-foot cockpit extension. Since then many builders that stretched a Motor Yacht by adding a cockpit on the rear called them Yacht Fisherman (Uniflite 1972, Trojan 1979, HiStar 1986) and some shortened it to Yachtfisher (Offshore 1985, DeFever 1986, Marine Trader 1987). The one thing that all Yachtfisher's and Yacht Fisherman's have in common is they have a cockpit in the back for fishing.

Most everyone who finds I've a boat asks if I fish. No, I do not. Being on the water is sufficient. (Al FlyWright, that doesn't mean I'd refuse a filet from your grill.) I refer fishing-interested locals to the Predator, available for charter.

In the old days, pre-the 58'Hatt YF, such boats were called Cockpit Motor Yachts, CPMY. I had a '58 65' Trumpy that was a CPMY. The style is the same, as noted before, a traditional MY with a cockpit added. The cockpit was usually too small to be a real SF cockpit, most even too small to put a chair. Had to be standup fishing.

The definition of a YF that I grew up with was (and is) a vessel that is either a pilothouse or aft cabin model with the following:

• A cockpit with room to install a fighting chair and bait tank
• cockpit steering and throtle controls
• cockpit door for bringing the "big one" onboard

The same models sans the above are classified yachts.

SeaHorse II said:

Maybe this will help.

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Kind of funny ... traditionally, the open deck just below and aft of the pilothouse is called the "Texas Deck."

Great info everyone!!! Thanks.

Would you say that these boats are typically fuel effecient like trawlers and travel at slow speeds or are they more like motor yachts and not very effecient, but faster? or does it vary?

Our YF is very efficient at hull speeds or lower, and can pick up and make tracks at 22+ knots if needed/desired.

Yachtfish is a deckhouse style. The hull types vary all over the place. A 58' Hatteras is a planing hull with humungous 2 stroke Detroit V8 diesels....won't find efficiency there. The 58' Hatteras LRC is basically a cpmy with a displacement hull....efficient for it's size and considering the old tech Detroits (4 or 6 cylinder). Most of the hulls folks here talk about are semi-displacement...middle of the road efficiency. I believe Defever built a full displacement 47-ish trawler style sundeck with a cockpit...probably the best efficiency you'll find in that configuration under 50 feet. You might want to search yachtfish(er) or cpmy (cockpit motor yacht) on the Yachtworld site and then check out the tech data on the various models/brands.

All of the "yachtfish" ( I was on a Pacemaker 48' Yachtfisher today) boats I have been on had an aft stateroom and a cockpit large enough for a fighting chair. A "sportfisher" would be the same thing without the aft cabin.
John