Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht (2015) - Not in Production

Brief Summary

The Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht is ruggedly-built for serious long-distance cruising almost anywhere in the world. She is not intended to be a French Riviera glitter-bug dashing from marina to beach and back again at 35-knots, nor is she a ponderous, lead-mine shackled to slow displacement speeds. Rather, she is a versatile motoryacht built in the best traditions of blue water naval architecture both to travel the seven seas and to entertain royally at home in tasteful, luxurious surroundings.

Key Features

• Hydraulic steering system
• Foldable teak and stainless swim ladder
• Bow sun pad
• Dometic chilled water system air conditioning
• Master stateroom king-sized berth with independently coiled his & her
  
  sections
• Wood paneling and cabinetry in diamond wood grain
  
  pattern
• 30'' Jenn-Air dishwasher
• Wood dinette table

Specifications

Length Overall	92' 5-1/4'' / 28.17 m
Beam	22’ 5'' 6.83 m
Dry Weight	209,000 lbs. 94,800 kg
Draft Up	5’ 6'' 1.68 m
Draft Down	6' 5'' 1.96 m
Deadrise/Transom	N/A
Max Headroom	N/A
Bridge Clearance	N/A
Fuel Capacity	3,000 gal. 11,356 L
Water Capacity	650 gal. 2,461 L

Engine Options

Tested Engine	Currently no test numbers
Std. Power	2 x 1600-hp MTU 10V2000
Opt. Power	2 x 1920-hp MTU 12V2000

Snapshot Preview--

While most boats are a compromise, the Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht is a vessel that seems to have precious few of them. In fact, we are impressed by the practicality and functionality in virtually every area of this large motoryacht. The drawings and photographs below will begin to explain what sets this vessel apart from other production boats in her class on the market. Subsequent installments will go into more detail. For those who appreciate fine, large motoryachts, stay tuned.

The Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht has a beam of 22'5" (6.83 m) and at 209,000 lbs. (94,800 kgs.) is the heaviest boat in class -- two important reasons why she can handle bigger seas in more comfort than most other boats her size. Note the high bulwarks forward. This boat is built for world-wide cruising as well as elegant entertaining close to home.

Her flying bridge and boat deck are as large as any in class. Red arrows point to hatches leading to stairways below. Note that the table seats 8. We like the fact that two companions can join the captain at the helm, something that is rarely seen even on a boat this large.

"A" marks the optional Jacuzzi and sun pad. The bar with 6 stools includes sink, refrigerator and icemaker. A grill with hood can be seen at the aft end of the bar. Look closely and a sun shade can be seen over the boat deck. With the tender launched this becomes a lounging area. We can't think of anything we would add to this deck -- it has it all, plus a hardtop that is not shown.

One of the big advantages to a flushdeck motoryacht such as the Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht is that on the main deck there is room for a spacious and formal dining area, in this case with a table that seats 8. Likewise, the table on the aft deck also seats 8, something that is hard to find even in this class of yacht. Also, note the bar on the aft deck. This is a thoughtful feature and somewhat unusual on any boat under 125' (38 m).

Forward is a "country kitchen" which Americans will like and Europeans are beginning to accept. More traditional yachtsmen might choose to put a door between the galley and dining area to better separate the galley from the formal guest area. Note the lower helm adjacent to the dinette. Every motoryacht this size should have a day head on the main deck, and this yacht does. It is handy to the helm and adjacent to the galley.

The accommodations deck has four staterooms each with their own private head. Note that they all have separate shower stalls. Some owners might choose to put bunks or a Pullman in the starboard guest stateroom to open up the deck space and create some added sleeping options.

The crew's quarters has two private sleeping cabins. One of the great treats of buying a boat of this size and quality is that Ocean Alexander will be happy to modify the accommodations plan to suit the needs of an individual owner, so long as it does not require moving a structural bulkhead.

The Boat's 22'5" (6.83 m) Beam -- one of the widest in class -- pays off all over the boat, but nowhere is it more obviously important than in the guest staterooms.

The salon is as big as any in class and we like this U-shaped, custom-made sofa. The two barrel chairs are a good idea because they can be moved around to suit the occasion. The most unusual aspect of the Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht, in this picture, is window treatments. Note how wide they are and how narrow the mullions are. This is one of the major details that sets this motoryacht apart.

Ocean Alexander prides itself on the quality of its joinery work and that can be seen in this image. Note the matchbook treatment of the veneers on the credenza at right and the wet bar at left. An important detail is above the window valances -- note there is no visible grill for air conditioning.

While there are just 6 chairs around the table in this image, the table and space can actually handle 8 people. We like the size and shape of the soffit above, which mirrors the size of the tables. Customers of a yacht in this class can order any carpet made on earth and have it installed by Ocean Alexander.

This is the "country kitchen" part of the galley, a cozy place to have coffee in the morning. Aboard formal yachts where guests and crew are more separated, this might be used for crew dining. Note the hardwood deck. A bit of the lower helm can be seen at right.

The lower helm comes standard with a Stidd helm chair and a watertight, pantograph side door. This helm has particularly good visibility forward because the mullions are kept narrow. We like the flat surface of the helm console where everything is easy to see and handle when standing. This is the way a helm is designed on large ships of all sorts. The raised horizontal pod for the navigation screens is unusual and we think it is attractive. Obviously, owners can position this at any height they desire. Short captains might want it lower.

The full-beam master stateroom has several elements that differentiate this yacht from others in class. For example, the three large vertical windows port and starboard are of a regular shape which will always be in style. The cabinets under the TV screen add much-needed added storage. We like the double doors to the master, which makes this stateroom seem even more grand. Note the attractive wood work on the base of the bed which is shaped inward at the bottom to make it seem less obtrusive.

The Master Head. No, we are not looking into a mirror. Rather, this picture was taken in the port head looking through the glass doors to the double-wide shower and into the starboard head compartment. We like the brown marble counter and high backsplash. The deck is contrasting light-colored marble. Look closely in the background and note the opaque screen over the large vertical portlight. When at sea the shade can be opened, giving this area a view rarely seen on any size yacht from the head.

To us, few things on earth are as beautiful as a large motoryacht gliding along at sunset. Two things make the Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht's exterior special: 1) Her huge flying bridge/boat deck; and, 2) her classic nautical styling, without glitzy design affectations that tend to make a vessel like this obsolete when the flavor-of-the- month changes. (Well, isn’t that the idea?) Note the vertical window for the master head just abaft the three windows in the hull side.

Flying Bridge. Because of the boat's 22'5" (6.83 m) beam, everything aboard the boat is bigger, including her flying bridge. This is a versatile entertaining space both day and night. By day there is space on the boat deck for chaise lounge chairs for sunning, in addition to the sun pad by the Jacuzzi.

In the evening, it is not difficult to picture a cocktail party here both underway and at anchor. With the tender launched there are four venues for guests to enjoy -- the bar, the settee by the table, the open area aft on the boat deck, and the Jacuzzi.

The upper helm is laid out in a similar fashion to the lower helm, only it is a bit larger. Three seats face forward which means two guests can join in the fun of piloting the vessel. The instrument console is a dark gray which will cut down on glare.

A Real Flying Bridge. Most important -- and most distinguishing -- is the height of the bulwarks around both the helm and the sitting and bar area of the flying bridge. This design not only provides protection from wind and weather, keeps people safe in choppy conditions, but it also makes the Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht look like a substantial motoryacht. This flying bridge is not just one big sun pad with toad stools for helm seats as seen on some Italian yachts this size.

All engine rooms have become more compact these days and this boat is no exception. However, it has full standing headroom and access outboard to the generators thanks to the 22'5" (6.83 m) beam. The fuel tank is behind the bulkhead upon which the electrical boxes and fuel filters are mounted. The red arrows indicate the sight gauges for each of the two, military-spec aluminum fuel tanks. The engines are twin MTU 10V2000s rated at 1600-hp each.

Sky Lounge. The Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht also comes in a Sky Lounge version. Typically, with the enclosed pilothouse on the third deck the lower helm is eliminated, thus freeing up room there for a larger galley or a companionway below. We like the sky lounge concept because it creates more four-season living space for very little extra cost. A Jacuzzi or dinette can still be placed on the flying bridge between the enclosed lounge and the boat deck.

Observations

We are intimately familiar with 90' (27.4 m) motoryachts and can say with a high degree of confidence that the Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht is ruggedly-built for serious long-distance cruising almost anywhere in the world. She is not intended to be a French Riviera glitter-bug dashing from marina to beach and back again at 35-knots (to impress friends) in a single day. Nor is she a ponderous, displacement-speed only lead-mine that is little more than a boat-shaped sea buoy. Rather, she is a versatile motoryacht built in the best traditions of naval architecture. She is practical, functional, and can serve most any need.

Long Ranger. By powering this semi-displacement motoryacht with twin MTU 10V2000s with 1600-hp, this 90-footer -- in all likelihood (we haven't tested her) -- has a WOT speed over well over 20 knots and a comfortable cruising speed in the 17-knot range. When wanting to make long passages, at speeds of 8 to 9 knots she undoubtedly can travel over 1,500 nautical miles without re-fueling her 3,000 gallon (11,356 L) tanks. This gives her tremendous versatility, something many yachts in this size range simply don't have.

Comparison. We have compared her with six other semi-displacement models in class built by well-known brands, and we find that there is only one other yacht in class that comes near her beam of 22'5’’ (6.83 m). When it comes to displacement, the Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht is the greatest at 209,000 lbs. (94,800 kgs.). This means that she is probably the most comfortable in a sloppy seaway, and is built to rigorous standards that error on the side of proven strength. For example, her hull is solid fiberglass below the waterline.

Big Tankage Pays. Only one other yacht in class rivals her 3,000-gallon (11,365 L) fuel capacity and about half are below 2,000 gallons (7,571 L), indicating that they are intended more for gin-palace work. When planning a summer of short cruises, the Ocean Alexander 90 Motoryacht can carry a light fuel load just like others. But when a long voyage is planned, she has the capacity that most others don't.

Water tankage capacity is a key indicator about a yacht's intended function. With 8 guests aboard showering, fresh-water flush heads, a clothes washer, and dishwasher all going at once, low water capacity tanks on motoryachts of this sort can become empty in very short order. Most of the other boats this size have half the fresh water tankage capacity.

Fit-and-Finish. We have not been aboard this particular model so must reserve comment. However, for years we have inspected other Ocean Alexander yachts and have found their quality of materials and joiner work to be first-rate, and generally as good or better than anything put out by Italian production boat yards. There are at least two primary reasons for this: 1) 60% of Ocean Alexander's craftsmen have been working there for over 10 years and 20% have been there since the company was founded over 35 years ago. 2) Because labor rates are somewhat lower in the Far East, Ocean Alexander can afford to put more man-hours into making the finished product look exceptional.