In the MJM 40z, Down East tradition meets high-tech and a good turn of speed.
By Jeanne Craig
With Mary, his wife of 53 years, beside him in the cockpit of his new Down East yacht, Bob Johnstone talks about a conundrum in the mature stage of a marriage. "You reach a point in life when you want to spend more time doing what brings you joy," he says. "But it's not always the same thing your spouse has a passion for. A friend of mine told me his golf game had gone to hell and his wife quit the garden club. So I gave him the keys to a boat. He called me a month later to say they used it for 30 straight days and had a great time with each other. That story made my day."
The Johnstones want to make it easier for couples to enjoy boats and boating together. That wish fueled the creation of the latest model from the company Bob founded seven years ago, MJM Yachts.
Now, MJM (aka Mary Johnstone's Motorboat) is an encore performance of sorts for the man who is best known as the co-founder of J/Boats inc., a leading international brand of performance sailboats. Bob is quick to note his life experiences often influence his business decisions. So, about 13 years ago, when he realized he and Mary were spending more time together on a Dyer 29 than hanging out on sailboats, he started to think about building the ultimate motorboat. He and Mary had a number of friends who were also progressing from racing sailboats to cruising designs and then onto powerboats, so he knew there was a market for something new. "But it had to be unique, and it had to be beautiful," says Bob. "if I couldn't get excited about it, I wasn't going there. I didn't need another boat company."
His vision of the ultimate powerboat came to life in the MJM 34z in 2002, which was followed by the 29z. The company recently launched the 40z, which I've come to sea trial with the Johnstones in Hutchinson island, Florida.
On this March morning, the wind is blowing 20 knots and the temperature is brisk, but we're warm and comfortable in the pilothouse that's protected by a hardtop and strataglass curtains. This porchlike area is a distinctive feature on all MJM models, and it's just one characteristic the 40z has in common with its siblings. Doug Zurn designed it as well (thus the "z"). Zurn is one of New England's leading designers — his first major powerboat was the 38 Shelter Island Runabout he dreamed up for Billy Joel.
Also like other MJM models, Boston Boatworks built the 40z; the firm is renowned for its expertise with exotic racing sailboats. They employed a high-tech epoxy prepreg/Kevlar/E-glass composite to reduce weight and increase strength and speed. "Speed is important if you don't want to get caught in weather," says Bob. And with a quick boat, he adds, you can get from one great port to the next without feeling like you've been confined to the cockpit all day. "You have more time to explore ashore," says Mary, who lists walking as a favorite hobby.
The boat's beam is key too. Relatively slim at 12 feet, the 40z can be shipped at normal trucking rates. "It's easy and less expensive to get this boat from Maine to Florida," says Bob, "and that's a real plus. The ICW is fun to do, but just once or twice."
Because the 40z is designed for a couple, it has to be easy to handle. That's one reason this model is offered with optional pod drives and joystick steering. (Diesel inboards or stern-drives are standard.) Pod drives also make for great speed and efficiency with fewer horses. The test boat has Volvo's iPs 500s with 370 hp each. With these engines, it hits a top end of almost 38 knots. As for fuel consumption, the 40z should get about 1.3 nmpg at 25 knots.
To demonstrate the boat's sea manners, Bob takes control at the big ship's wheel and bears hard off the wind without easing the throttles. In response, the boat smoothly leans into the turns without a lurch. During our short run, the 40z runs dry too, probably due to twin lifting strakes and chines in the modified deep-V hull. The 40z presents itself as a tough, take-any-seas yacht, a design with roots in traditional New England lobster boats.
The pilothouse is a great place to drive from or just hang out with friends. Couple the space under the hardtop with the square footage in the cockpit and there's room for 15 people, says Bob. To which Mary counters: "Don't exaggerate. Twelve is more like it."
For overnighting, there's a master stateroom in the forward cabin, a head with separate shower, a galley and a settee that serves as a dinette by day and a berth by night. "The grandkids will love this," says Bob, who converts the settee to a pair of bunks and climbs into the top one to prove it's sized for an adult too. Mary stretches out on the berth below him. I've tested many boats over the years, but this is the first time I've seen the company president and his wife go this far to emphasize the benefits of a boat's accommodations. The Johnstones are obviously very comfortable on the 40z, and they think other cruising couples will feel the same way about this boat. The 40z is indeed high-tech, seaworthy and timeless in style, although it has a look all its own. says Bob, "You won't be able to find anything else like it."
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