Concepts Realized

Mussel Ridge lobster yachts are a fan favorite among commercial fishermen, known for their wide beams, quality construction and proven seagoing performance. They hail from Hutchinson Composites in Cushing, Maine, where Albert Hutchinson has carved out a niche for himself building bare hulls and decks for primarily commercial fishing vessels, which are usually finished by other boatyards around Maine. But while the massive, open cockpit on Pretti Rose, a Mussel Ridge 54, reflects her commercial lineage, this Down Easter is anything but a rugged fishing boat. She is a trimmed-out recreational vessel, and her plain cockpit belies her comfortable interior designed by Newport Yacht Builders.

The boat’s owner, Eli Dana, calls his “brainchild.” Having grown up on his family’s two wooden lobster boats, he has always had an affinity for Down East vessels, and went on to own a Holland 38 as an adult. While he loved that boat, an idea was brewing in his head to build a bigger