PURSUING THE PERFECT BOAT
Virginia Beach Couple Committed to Their Boating Future
Not a day goes by that we don’t spend time on our boat— even if it doesn’t leave the dock,” Tony Nahitchevansky begins. For Tony and his wife Carson, the boat is an escape from the home office and the hustle and bustle of everyday life. An evening together in the cockpit enjoying one another’s company and a glass of wine, or perhaps watching the evening news in the salon, is a mandatory rendezvous each evening for the couple.
The boat in question: a perfectly kept and low hour Ocean 53—a boat that took two years of searching and clawing to find. Tony recalls, “I was up in New York looking at another boat, ready to put an offer on it. This one showed up right in our backyard and was perfect.” Their backyard: Virginia Beach and the Lynnhaven River. Two years to find a boat may sound like an eternity to some, but this boat was meant to serve many purposes and satisfy the needs of an avid fisherman of over 40 years and the cruising desires of a former championship fox hunter. Wait, what? Yes, you read that right, Carson Nahitchevansky is a former championship fox hunter and now enjoys breeding Himalayan cats as she nears retirement. Tony is a former Navy Seal Special Ops with Mark V diving certifications and experience, plus literally hundreds of parachute jumps. His career of sportfish ownership began with a Bertram 31 Bahia Mar edition that was eventually replaced by a Bertram 35 cleverly named Sea Fox, combining the hobbies and passions of both he and his wife. This Bertram not only fished the Mid-Atlantic, but was the birth of their cruising lifestyle and nightly boat rendezvous. Looking to retire soon and have live aboard space, the couple started to research larger boats.
Their search for the perfect solution began with Bluewater’s Scott James at boat shows and involved all the major sportfish brands. Tony has maintained a relationship with Earle Hall for many years, so the decision to enlist the help of Bluewater was a nobrainer. James was instrumental in helping the Nahitchevanskys find their dream boat, and Tony notes that he proved incredibly patient and helpful throughout the process. “Earle Hall has always been a top shelf kind of guy, and after working with Scott James it is clear he only hires top shelf guys,” says Tony. “Scott was so accommodating with us in our search and was always available to answer questions and coordinate boat showings. He was also instrumental in selling our old boat.”
Their diligence and patience in pursuit of the perfect fit paid off immensely. Their Ocean 53, named Sea Hunter is a single owner 1999 model which had only 800 hours on her pampered Detroit Diesel engines at purchase. Tony explains the boat spent a great deal of time docked for parties and gatherings but was always maintained to the highest standard with a no-expense-spared attitude.
“We take her out every chance we get,” Tony explains. “We get a couple friends together, or when family is in town and go for a little wine and cheese cruise, or what I like to call ‘5 knots to nowhere.’” Tony and Carson greatly look forward to the Bluewater Summer Cruise in St. Michaels and the opportunity to christen Sea Hunter among friends. Tony also plans to spend plenty of time in the summer fishing for tuna, mahi and the occasional billfish. Sea Hunter just experienced a rework of her main helm and the installation of larger screens, including FLIR with night vision. Tony prefers the second set of eyes the FLIR provides, while still using the Furuno radar as a pair of binoculars looking far and wide.
Over the next two years Tony and Carson plan to hone their equipment and skill set in preparation for a larger dream—a full year of live-aboard cruising. By the summer of 2018, they plan to take a measured and relaxing journey down the east coast, stopping and exploring along the way. From South Florida they’ll depart to the Bahamas, through the out islands and southwest to the Dominican Republic and perhaps Puerto Rico. On the return trip, maybe a visit to Havana now that it’s an option, and then back into the U.S. via the Florida Keys. From there, well, who knows where the adventure will take them next, but Bluewater is happy to have played an important role in their journey!
