Uniesse has launched a new yacht series called Exuma, named for the islands in the Bahamas. The first model is the express-style 54-foot Exuma HTC5. HTC stands for "hardtop cruiser." It's based on the builder's earlier 48-footer, and is penned to be a multifunctional,customizable craft for cruising, fishing, diving, gunkholing, exploring or just relaxing. The HTC5 feels larger than its 54-foot-7-inch length overall, and it's not a boat meant for mass production. Fit-and-finish is first-rate, right down to the polished flat screws. The Pisa, Italy-based yard intends to build about 20 to 30 of the boats per year within the next five to seven years, a plan that should help owners when it comes to resale value. Freeboard forward is generous with a sleek sheerline and a raked house, making the HTC5 look like a sprinter in the starting blocks. The HTC5 is also an exercise in form and function. The hydraulic swim platform is suitable for stowing personal watercraft or other toys, while the two-piece transom door has a pantograph hinge. When the transom is closed, it melds into the rest of the exterior design for pleasing aesthetics.The cockpit's dining table and L-shaped settee are great for dining under the stars, and the table lowers to create a sun pad with filler cushions. For protection during peak heat, a telescoping sunshade extends from the hardtop fully aft. Like the transom door, the sunshade tucks away when not in use. Forward in the cockpit are a sink, grill and ice maker to port, and a fridge and stowage are to starboard for alfresco meals and sundowners with friends. Uniesse finished Hull No. 1 with PlasDeck Eco Series nonslip, a recycled faux-wood material that costs less than traditional teak. Access to the salon is via a sliding glass door flanked by glass panels for clear visibility aft. The salon feels open and airy, helped by 6-foot-7-inch headroom, the yacht's 15-foot-2-inch beam, a single-pane windshield, unobstructed side windows and a hardtop glass ceiling (with shades). A wood sole, faux-leather furnishings,polished grab rails and strategically positioned LED lighting create a chic ambience. A U-shaped settee to port has an electric high-low table that converts to a berth. Across from it is a 42-inch pop-up LCD TV for rainy-day movie time on the hook.Twin 17-inch Garmin GPSMap 8617 glass multifunction displays are the center of the HTC5's yacht-management system. They display Uniesse's monitoring data, which means touchscreen control of all yacht functions and navigation needs. The helm also has twin pedestal-mounted seats with built-in footrests that should help to reduce fatigue during long runs.Designing a second social area is tricky on a 54-footer, but the HTC5 has a galley and lounge a few steps down from the salon. The galley has a stainless-steel microwave, induction cooktop, full-size fridge and freezer, sink, and stowage. Natural light streams in from the skylight and hullside windows. If desired, the HTC5 can be fitted out with a washer-dryer combo under the staircase.The TVs in the lounge-as well as in the master stateroom-are mounted on "floating" panels with recessed lighting. Uniesse could have hard-mounted them on the bulkheads, but the builder says it wanted eachfeature on board to bespecial. Additional features include a foredeck sun pad for three to five people, angled deck rails, a low-profile radar arch, a Humphree Interceptor trim system, 50,000-Btu chilled-water air conditioning, and an 11.5 kW Cummins Onan generator. Owners can personalize the HTC5's hull, deck and interior colors. Uniesse is a semicustom builder with yachts that catch the eye, are ready to dispatch sloppy seas, and can be tailored for how owners will use them. The Uniesse Exuma HTC5 embodies these traits in a thoughtfully designed way. And stay tuned: There are more hardtop as well as open Exuma models on the way, focused on fishing and cruising.
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