A new breed of semi-custom yachts has hit the marketplace with Cavileer’s new 53 Sport Yacht.

According to the company, the story of Cavileer actually dates back to the 1700’s in a small town of Lower Bank, N.J. where a man by the name of John Cavileer started building boats. As legend has it, George Washington used one of Cavileer’s boats to cross the Delaware because he was so impressed by the construction.

Current owner, John DiDonato believes in keeping the philosophy of premium construction by selecting the finest materials that go into each Cavileer.

Classic good looks, a proven hull design by renowned naval architect Donald Blount & Associates, and dependable Caterpillar diesel power make this battlewagon a formidable contender on the fishing circuit. Her Carolina bow flare makes her pretty to look at and dry.

Cavileer builds into the space. At 145 square feet, she has a large cockpit with plenty of room to fight a trophy fish or simply to entertain. The Cavileer will conform to whatever you would like to use her for. For example, she has a very large flying bridge that can easily seat eight people, which makes a nice place for your party during a cocktail cruise.

When it comes to sportfishing the 53 is tournament ready. Her fishing amenities include a pair of hinged fish boxes with macerator, a live baitwell with recirculation pump, four rod holders, fresh and sea water washdowns, port and starboard side stowage lockers, and a tackle center with sink, sprayer, storage, and refrigerator/freezer.

Stepping inside the main salon you will notice quality carpeting underfoot and, and high polished wood wherever you turn. The salon features an L-shape sofa with storage below, an entertainment center with television, VCR, and stereo with CD and DVD, and dinette area. There are also good overhead sea rails to help you handle getting around in less than agreeable conditions.

The master stateroom takes full advantage of the 53’s 16-foot, 6-inch beam. This comfortable and spacious room has plenty of storage space, a pair of night tables with reading lamps, an overhead storage area, a 13-inch television with VCR, and its own in-suite head.

The guest stateroom offers a walk-around queen berth with large drawers under the bed. A hanging locker is cedar lined and there’s plenty of lighting in addition to that overhead hatch with screen and sunshade. The second guest stateroom has upper and lower berths, a cedar lined closet, storage drawers and reading lights.



Up on the flying bridge there’s plenty of room for a party with a U-shaped lounge area that has storage below. The console has a locker and there’s a pedestal seat for the helmsman and a companion. The bridge also offers good lines of visibility from all directions.

At the helm there’s an array of electronics, gauges, and Caterpillar displays. Controlled by an electronic control module, which is the heart of the Caterpillar electronic engine system, this state-of-the-art computer is the result of years of intensive research and development. The result is a better performing engine that is ready to deliver the power where and when you want it.

When it came to her performance the 53 had a best cruise of 20.2 mph at 1500 rpm and a top speed of 38.0 mph at 2300 rpm. With 850 gallons of fuel, you can probably expect to get 593 miles at cruising speed.

In looking over the list of standard items on this boat, a number of things caught our eye, such as; an oil change system for engines and the generator, dual ram trim tabs, stainless steel water tanks, central vacuum system, keyless ignition switches, and Awl grip engine room with Dry-Deck sole. Options that we’d opt for include: cockpit coaming padding, emergency bilge-valve pump out, freshwater washdown on the foredeck, and 24v fuel-priming pump.

A word about her basic hull layup: we like it. Here’s why: Cavileer uses Vinyl-Ester Resin and End-Grain Balsa Core above the waterline only. Below the waterline it is solid glass and resin. Despite this, at 52,500 lbs. displacement the boat is on the light end of the scale.

• Top speed for the Cavileer 53 Convertible is 38.0 mph (61.2 kph), burning 82.0 gallons per hour (gph) or 310.37 liters per hour (lph).


• Best cruise for the Cavileer 53 Convertible is 20.2 mph (32.5 kph), and the boat gets 0.78 miles per gallon (mpg) or 0.33 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 593 miles (954.34 kilometers).


• Tested power is 2 x 800-hp Caterpillar 3406E diesel inboards.