2006 Custom Seakindly Marine Tucker 52

Melodeon is a custom motorsailer built in 2006 to a design based on the Tucker 43 hull form, expanded to 52 feet overall. The steel hull, deck, and superstructure were constructed to Lloyd's and ABS standards by certified welders, with professional architects and engineers involved throughout. The design prioritizes reliability and minimal maintenance in systems commonly subject to wear or failure on pleasure boats.

The engineering reflects this philosophy throughout. Seawater enters through a standpipe above the waterline for exhaust cooling only, eliminating conventional through-hull fittings. Engine cooling uses an enclosed keel system with antifreeze circulation, requiring no seawater intake and functioning even when the boat is hauled. The steering system features dual hydraulic variable-displacement pumps—one in the pilothouse and one on the aft deck—that work independently and can be isolated individually while maintaining function. The rudder is massively constructed, balanced, and fully protected by the keel. Custom bronze bearings and lip-type seals with waterproof grease replace conventional cutlass bearings and packing glands, with no reported water leaks or wear. A custom 1,800-pound thrust bearing transfers engine thrust directly to the hull through a rigid engine bed isolated from vibration, with a short driveshaft and universal joints separating transmission from propeller shaft.

The junk rig features 10-inch aluminum fore and main masts mounted inside welded steel pipes, unstayed to leave the deck clear, sealed and wire-free. The mizzen mast is aluminum, stayed, and carries wiring for navigation lights and SSB radio antenna. Sails are individually battened with 25 percent balance forward of the mast, controlled by continuous sheets that terminate at the pilothouse for adjustment without going forward. All booms and yards carry spare battens internally. Custom shell blocks and belaying pins require no maintenance.

The boat is fitted with two heads and powered by a 200-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel engine.