MERRITT 77

Hull No. 108 from Merritt’s Boat & Engine Works in Pompano Beach, Florida, is the second 77-footer for the storied builder. Wychmere features sleek, racy styling along with a hull running surface that is the culmination of Roy Merritt’s decades of boatbuilding experience and the consulting and integration of design and architecture of the bottom from the well-known firm of Michael Peters Yacht Design. We tested the boat on a sloppy day with 20 knots of northeast wind, and the boat performed incredibly well. In fact, I would put it up against any other boat of its class without hesitation. This Merritt can run, and she’s got head-turning good looks with hull, house and bridge proportions looking just right from all angles.

Much like the negative snubs that circulate about engine