Full Circle Aboard the Bahama Boatworks 37

After testing the waters with various models, luxury home builder Sebastian Smallegange returns to the fine craftsmanship and perfect layout of a center console from Bahama Boatworks

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Sebastian Smallegange finally found his perfect fit—the Bahama 37 from Bahama Boatworks. Photo by George LaBonte
Sebastian Smallegange finally found his perfect fit—the Bahama 37 from Bahama Boatworks. Photo by George LaBonte

For a person with a reputation for building the finest quality custom luxury homes in Palm Beach and Martin counties, it’s the small details that separate the good from the exceptional. Back in 1998, when the luxury center console market wasn’t even a thing yet, Sebastian Smallegange of Turtle Beach Construction bought an old Pathfinder bay boat that had been completely transformed and tricked out by Scott Henley, including everything from rigging, wiring, and systems to all cosmetic finish work. The final product left an indelible mark on him.

Sebastian Smallegange finds that the Bahama 37 offers everything he needs. Photo by George LaBonte
Sebastian Smallegange finds that the Bahama 37 offers everything he needs. Photo by George LaBonte

Some years later, when contemplating his options for the purchase of a larger center console, Smallegange would again cross paths with Henley, who was now a partner at Bahama Boatworks. Smallegange found that the perfectionist attitude Henley had brought to the table years before on his Pathfinder rebuild had been leveled up significantly in the company’s new Bahama 31 model. The fine finish work and attention to detail was evident at every turn, and Smallegange signed on the dotted line.

Ample seating for passengers. Photo by George LaBonte
Ample seating for passengers. Photo by George LaBonte

An opportunity came up for Smallegange to purchase an even larger boat at a substantial discount—one that is widely considered a premier luxury model. He pulled the trigger and brought the new boat home to his dock in Jupiter. But after more than a year spent putting the vessel through its paces between Jupiter and the Bahamas, disappointment started to set in.

The Bahama 37 has the ability to handle any weather at various speeds. Photo by George LaBonte
The Bahama 37 has the ability to handle any weather at various speeds. Photo by George LaBonte

He uncovered design flaws and questionable finish work on his new boat, discovering that many shortcuts had been taken during the construction process. He also noticed that the model’s step-hull design that is so popular these days didn’t suit him. The nature of a step-hull design typically requires the hull to be moving at a high rate of speed to perform efficiently. After spending much time at sea getting wet and punished in conditions rough enough to force any boat to slow down, it became clear to Smallegange that a traditional bottom design that would stay on plane at lower speeds would be more to his liking.

Photo by George LaBonte
Photo by George LaBonte

That’s when he settled on the 37-foot model from Bahama Boatworks. Smallegange finds that this vessel’s ability to handle any weather at various speeds, abundance of space for passengers, storage for provisioning extended Bahama excursions, and meticulous attention to detail from top to bottom offers everything he needs. He can’t promise this will be his last “perfect” boat, but after trying other models, he can confidently say that from here on out he’ll “always have a Bahama.”

Enjoy meticulous attention to detail in its build. Photo by George LaBonte
Enjoy meticulous attention to detail in its build. Photo by George LaBonte

Power File

Length: 38 feet, 1 inch

Beam: 11 feet

Draft: 2 feet, 4 inches

Weight: 8,000 pounds

Fuel: 475 gallons

Max HP: 1,200

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