The F&S 72, Bandolera’s, expansive mezzanine accents the boat’s lines with gracefully sweeping curves. To starboard, a reclining lounge seat allows the owner to fish, watch the baits and relax in total comfort. Each of the four large refrigerated boxes concealed under the teak and cushioned seating doubles as a deep freezer or chill box.
A well-known boatbuilding friend of mine marveled at the close tolerances of the teak-covered deck hatches, which have both camber and cant. It is just too hard to do this in mass production, he said. True, the stylish curves are complicated and expensive to build, but they sure look great. I especially liked the bridge layout: a Palm Beach-style helm on a lovely and functional, centrally located console that provides access on either side to the bridge’s forward lounge seating.
The owner requested three luxurious, oversize, side-by-side helm seats, positioning the seats slightly farther forward and, consequently, reducing the ability of a short or average-height skipper to see the fighting chair while fighting a fish. (But, of course, being a custom boat, the owner can have whatever he wants and put the chairs where he likes.)
Builder Jimmy Floyd credits Steve French’s Applied Concepts Unleashed design group with the modern, stylish appearance of the boat. French and Floyd have worked together on several boats, and French says: “Bandolera is the prettiest boat we have helped create so far. It takes a team – a good designer, a good builder and a good owner – all working together.”
Capt. Peter B. Wright, Marlin Magazine