krogen express - quality and performance cruising yachts ...krogen express 49 was launched in 1996,...

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The Trawler & Ocean Motorboat Magazine

Krogen Express 52

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Reprinted with permission. ©2008, Dominion Enterprises All Rights Reserved. (888.487.2953) www.passagemaker.com

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Iwas recently invited to spend a few daysaboard the newly reintroduced KrogenExpress 52. Betsie and John Tegtmeyer,owners of Krogen Express Yachts, werekeen to show me the lovely watersaround Hilton Head, their South

Carolina home base, as well as nearby Charlestonand Beaufort. In addition to sampling the pristineand charming southern coastal waterways, the tripwould give me a good liveaboard experience on aboat that characterizes an alternative to thetraditional trawler lifestyle.

The history of the Krogen Express goes back tothe early 1990s, when Kurt Krogen asked his father,the late designer Jim Krogen, to draw a commuter-style cruiser that would take the efficient, slim hullof the 1920s-era commuter yacht and create from ita thoroughly modern yacht with all the comfort andcompetence today’s couples demand. The firstKrogen Express 49 was launched in 1996, and atotal of 16 yachts were built.

Ever since its introduction, the Krogen Expressoperation has remained separate from Kadey-Krogen Yachts, builders of the familiar and populardisplacement trawlers that have made the nameKrogen synonymous with liveaboard comfort andcompetence.

Cruising TheLow CountryAboard This Commuter-StyleCruiserBY BILL PARLATORE

Krogen E

xpress



SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEWThe Krogen Express story is a

particularly interesting one, as ithighlights the trend of many coupleswho want higher cruising speeds in afuel-efficient hull that is also acomfortable cruising motorboat. Whilethe full-displacement, long-range,trawler-style passagemaker remains thecornerstone of our lifestyle, many folkshave recognized their dreams at slightlyhigher speeds that allow for longercruises on a schedule.

A perfect example of this development, John andBetsie Tegtmeyer once owned a Kadey-Krogen 42, aclassic trawler that took them on many adventureswith their growing family. Intrigued by the higherperformance level of the Krogen Express 49,however, which retained the quality and feel of theKrogen brand, they purchased Krogen ExpressYachts and, working with Kurt Krogen, retooled theboat’s molds to offer it as the Krogen Express 52with subtle detail changes. Built at the same AsiaHarbor yard in Taiwan as the Kadey-Krogen line,

John told me the new 52 has all the“Krogenesque” qualities folks have cometo appreciate, but in a commuter-styleefficient cruising boat.

Incorporating changes or upgradessuggested by owners of the original49-footer, the new boat is dimensionallylarger, with a more traditional interiorand higher-quality equipment andfixtures than on the original. And theTegtmeyers have committed to makingeach KE52 better and better, improvingthe one model rather than expanding the

line with more models. And their turnkey approachis to sell a complete yacht, fully equipped with thebest of the best, an attractive approach that differsfrom many yacht companies.

The tranquil early-morning calm on the docks ofWindmill Harbour Marina on Hilton Head was theperfect setting to begin our mini cruise. Johnplanned to run Daystar out in the Atlantic, up thecoast to Charleston, giving me a sense of the boat atsea. After a brief visit to Charleston, a town whosecharm has lured many a sailor with its numerous


Krogen Express 52

The early-morning calm ofWindmill Harbour Marina on Hilton Head, home of theSouth Carolina Yacht Club.


Krogen Express 52

attractions, we would ramble down the ICW toBeaufort, South Carolina, and eventually back toHilton Head. This float plan mixed up the underwayroutine, providing a good overall feel of the boat.The Krogen Express is intended for just this sort ofadventure—not cheating death around the Horn, butcivilized cruising with some fun people.

One thing that struck me right away about theKrogen Express is that it is a boat intended for onecouple, much like my own Growler. But its overalllength of 52 feet 6 inches allows for some greatlyexpanded living spaces for a husband and wife.While there is a guest cabin, its main purpose is asan office for the owners.

And many “Krogenesque” touches are visible justwalking up to the boat. There is a sturdy rubrailjust inches above the water, and it extends forward15 feet from the stern. It is a feature I don’t see onmany boats, but one I believe is critical for a boatgoing cruising, essentially going into harm’s way,playing bumper pool with pilings and fuel docks.A second stainless-steel-covered rail rings the boat,standing proud off the caprail to provide evengreater protection.

Also typical of the Krogen approach to boats arethe port and starboard side doors some 40 inchesforward of the stern. These doors are 18 inches wideand 30 inches tall, 26 inches off the water, so realpeople can fit through them. A swim platform alsoprovides access to the cockpit from a floating dockor dinghy. And for even more flexibility in boardingoptions, there are hinged stanchion gates justforward of the pilothouse doors that put side deckaccess a full 64 inches off the water. All verycivilized, and very “Krogenesque.” Tidal ranges arenot a problem.

Anchoring gear is ready to go cruising. The large Freeman hatchis watertight and allows crew to get inside the chain locker.

Top: Clean side decksand clever relocation ofhardware is a reallygood idea. Note thehandholds and greatsecurity this layoutoffers, even whenyou’re moving aroundthe boat under way.Right: The side doorsare wide and deep,and ease boardingfrom some docks. The cast scuff plate is a nice touch.

Photos by Bill Parlatore



The covered aft cockpit is 8 feet longand 13 feet wide and is one of two areasthat are decked in teak. Headroom in the area is 6 feet 9 inches, and thesurrounding bulwarks provide 32-inchsecurity for those in the cockpit. A teakcaprail rings the perimeter of the cockpit.

Teak-surfaced steps from the cockpitlead up to the 17-inch-wide side decks.The stainless-steel railing is 37 incheshigh for solid holding-on while movingabout. Another nice feature of the new52 is that all cleats are off the deck anddifficult to snag or scrape against, yetthey remain easily accessible. The broadforedeck leads to the real-worldanchoring gear, with a large Freemanhatch into the chain locker. The boat’sbow is 8 feet off the water.

A ROOM WITH A VIEWThe new Krogen Express really opens

up the interior space, at least as much ascan be had with a 15-foot-5-inch beam.Rather than squeezing maximumaccommodations into the slender hull,the opposite approach is taken, leavingthe living spaces open and uncluttered.The saloon, for example, measures 8 feetlong by 11 feet wide, and there are largeopening windows that bring in light andprovide a view of the world outside.While there is a traditional L-shaped

settee on the starboard sideof the saloon, it is a full7 feet long and would be agreat place to snuggle upwith a book on a rainy day.On the port side of thesaloon, no furniture is builtin, allowing for a couple ofcomfortable freestandingchairs, such as those comfyEkornes chairs.

Krogen Express 52

Top: The relaxed saloon is ideal for living aboard. Note the large windows and thedouble door to the aft cockpit. Left: The classic Krogen galleysets the standard in utility andgood design.



Krogen Express 52

The galley is a U-shaped, traditional Krogengalley—complete, efficient and well suited for mealpreparation. Go aboard any Krogen Express orKadey-Krogen yacht, and you’ll see a great galley.The new Krogen Express 52 is no exception.Daystar has a full-size refrigerator/freezer, amicrowave, a three-burner stove, an oven and largecounters. There are many lockers and storage spacesthroughout the cherry-trimmed galley and salooninterior. Another signature Krogen touch is the shelfunit located across from the galley on the port side,with practical cabinets for storing all sorts ofprovisions, bottles and books.

Three steps up from the galley will get you to the pilothouse, which measures 11 feet long by11 feet wide and has 6 feet 7 inches of headroom.Two pilothouse Dutch doors provide access to theside decks.

The helm has excellent sight lines forward and tothe sides, and it was designed with enough physicalspace to permit a Stidd helm chair at the wheelwhile allowing freedom of movement around the

pilothouse. On many boats, it takes effort, if it’s evenpossible, to slip past the back of the helm chair andthe table mounted at the raised settee behind thehelm, especially for those with generous waistlines.This settee is long enough to serve as a watch berthand also converts to a double berth when necessary.There is storage beneath.

The pilothouse has a chart table with drawers fornav tools and charts, and it showcases the Krogenexpertise in pilothouse design. One outstandingfeature on this boat is the inside access to theflybridge. Gone are the days of vertical ladders fromaft cockpit to boat deck. The Krogen Express hitsthe mark with this particular feature, one of the bestI’ve seen anywhere. While the steps could berelaxed a bit to increase the ergonomic friendlinessby extending the base of the steps out a foot or so,I’m still a big fan of this flybridge access.

As we entered the gentle swells of the Atlantic,I noted numerous handholds throughout the boat,all where they need to be. It is nice to see them evenon a pleasure-seeking express cruiser like the 52.

Above left: Betsie whipped up a great low-carb lunch for a hungry crew. Above right: Steps up to the pilothouse and the signatureKrogen storage on the port side. The cherry interior is a nice change from darker teak and adds to the contemporary feel.




After all, not all seas are calm all the time, andsometimes the uphill slog into head seas will haveany boat really dancing.

As John turned the boat on a northerly coursetowards Charleston, I joined him on the flybridge,where the only faint vibration came from thefluttering bimini straps. There was no sense ofmachinery charging us ahead at almost 17 knots.The efficient hull shape produces the smallest ofwakes, unlike boats that push a huge wall of wateras they attempt such speed. The Aquadrive thrustbearing removes much of the normal vibration andcontrolled chaos coming from twin Yanmar 440hpdiesel engines.

The flybridge is a compact yet comfortablecommand station. A centerline Pompanette helmchair is located behind the raised fiberglass helmconsole, and an L-shaped settee provides additionalseating, with storage lockers under the cushions.The flybridge sole is covered in teak.

There is a 7-foot-long area behind the bridge thatis safely encircled with a stainless-steel railing. Aft of

this is where one stores the ship’s tender, completewith Nautical Structures crane.

The seas were glassy-calm this morning, and wehad little company besides a pod of whales anddozens of playful dolphins that followed us for miles.So I walked down to see the rest of the boat whileDaystar powered along the oily seas.

Four steps down from the pilothouse lead to thestaterooms. At the bottom of the steps is theguest/day head on the port side, complete with aseparate shower. Across from the head is the office,with built-in desk and file cabinet. An L-shapedsettee slides out to become a double berth, and aPullman berth swings out over the desk foradditional berthing.

Most of the time, this space will remain an office,and with the door open, the office space adds to theoverall openness of the accommodation footprint,almost as a foyer to the master stateroom forward.

Krogen owners must be big people, as I found6 feet 8 inches of headroom as I walked forward intothe master stateroom. The combination of opening

Krogen Express 52

A view from the flybridge, several miles offshore. Out here, it seemed, it was just us and the dolphins!



Krogen Express 52

ports and overhead hatches, along with thecontemporary cherry treatment, makes thisstateroom an inviting and bright cabin. The islandqueen is surrounded by lockers, shelves and cabinetsfor storing a full wardrobe. A large mirror ismounted over the bureau across from the foot of theberth. This is a very nice stateroom, and it clearlyworks. Camping it is not.

The longer I spent on the boat, the more storagespaces I found, as if someone at Krogen was taskedwith creating a virtual storage facility using all thenooks and crannies on the boat. Even lifting theisland mattress reveals storage. You want storage?Look around the boat, under seats, behind cushions,under mattresses. It is an amazing accomplishmentof superior storage utilization.

I then walked around the boat taking soundmeasurements, and at 16-plus knots, engines at80-percent load at 2700 rpm, the noise level in thepilothouse measured 77dBA; the master stateroom,

72dBA with the door closed; the guest stateroom,also 72dBA; and the saloon, 77dBA. While theselevels are certainly reasonable, I would commentthat the folks at Asia Harbor are accustomed tobuilding displacement trawlers with engines thatbarely tick over to get to a 7-knot cruising speed.Building a faster express cruiser with high-output,high-revving diesel engines creates a differentscenario entirely and perhaps requires a differentapproach to sound deadening, especially with thehigh-pitched whine of turbochargers. There havebeen a lot of improvements in insulation productsand technology, and I think it is a great opportunityto marry Asia Harbor’s excellent construction withthe newest sound-control technology. Conqueringnoise is the next frontier of boatbuilding.

Satisfied with my initial tour of the KrogenExpress, I returned to the sunshine on the flybridgeas Betsie served lunch while we continued to glidenorth on the Atlantic. The morning melted into

Left: The settee in the guest stateroom pulls out and converts to a double berth. The Pullman bed tucked away above the deskadds further options for overnight guests. Right: The master stateroom is open and bright, and it has almost unlimited storage forliving aboard. It is a very comfortable stateroom.




afternoon, and we made the run of 75nm in justunder 4-1/2 hours.

After we tied up at Ashley Marina in Charleston,John explained his philosophy of equipping the

boats with top-quality hardware and equipment,such as Kahlenburg horns, Exalto wipers, Simradchart plotter and autopilot, Northern Lights genset,American Bow Thruster, Icom radios, Nautical

Structures dinghy crane, Coriancounters, VacuFlush toilets, Maxwellwindlass, and Force 10 stove. Eventhe Avon center-console tenderis standard.

After a walk around old Charlestonand an early dinner, I retired in theguest cabin, converting the settee intoa berth. I found it a simple task, andI had more than enough room for myshort stay. While this would be lessappropriate for more-regular guests,the arrangement works great for theway many use their boats.

The next morning I explored the engine room, now cooled downfrom yesterday’s run. Just outside the guest stateroom/office door is the 18-inch-by-64-inch access doorinto the engine space, complete with a 7-inch port for visual inspection.While the door seemed a bit narrow

Krogen Express 52

A commercial trawler heads in from offshore, surrounded by birds looking for an easy lunch. The Charleston waterfront is hometo many such working trawlers, which add immensely to the charm of the Low Country, not to mention some fabulous seafood!

Betsie and friend relax in the pilothouse as we come into Charleston Harbor.Note the rugged Dutch door is off the deck, so even driving rain or standingwater on the side deck won’t drain inside the boat, as on some other trawlers.



Krogen Express 52

for my shoulders, once inside it’s a whole newdeal. There is 5 feet 9 inches of headroom for7 feet aft from the door into the engine room. As the engines are in that area, it is a terrificfeature.

The two Yanmars sit 58 inches apart, crank tocrank, and the passage between them is a full28 inches. The large raw-water strainers are easilyaccessible, as are the two pairs of switchableRacor 1000 fuel filters for the main engines anddual Racors for the genset. Nice.

The two water tanks have sight gauges, as dothe fuel tanks, both outboard of the engines andAquadrive gear and shafts. The Northern Lightsgenset sits inboard of the dripless stuffing boxes.

A common practice I want to highlight is thatthe master battery switches are in the engineroom, another thing we’re trying to get changed.In the event of a fire, especially an electrical fire,it is vital to shut those switches off to kill allelectrical power. But entering a smoke-filledengine room with toxic fumes is a deadly andunnecessarily risky endeavor. Modern thinking isto install these master switches out of the engineroom, where they can be reached and switchedoff quickly and safely. On the Krogen Express,this will be an easy fix.

Overall, the Krogen Express engineroom supports the task of beingreligious about maintenanceschedules. Lighting is terrific, andthere is plenty of room for spare partsand tools. And one can easily bespoiled by that headroom!

The following day we meandereddown the Intracoastal Waterway toBeaufort, the southern belle townnestled in South Carolina’s lowcountry. The Municipal Marina wasalready full of trawlers, most headingsouth for the winter. In no time, I wasamong PMM readers, all interested inwhat each other had planned for theseason and the future. Trawler peopleare like that, sharing a commonpassion for the good life.

As Daystar made way at 8 knots forthe trip back to Hilton Head, I took

Left: The pilothouse settee is raised for great visibility under way. Note the terrificstorage under the cushions. Right: Looking aft from the master stateroom doorway,you’ll see the engine-room access door and the steps leading up to the pilothouse.

Right: Steps up to the flybridge are terrific solution,although it is easy to see the base extending out anotherfoot or so without cluttering the floor plan.




another set of sound level measure-ments, as the Yanmars were running at just 1000 rpm. The sound level in thepilothouse was a quiet 64dBA; in themaster stateroom, it was 60dBA; theguest stateroom, 58dBA; and the saloon,62dBA. At trawler speeds, it seems, the Krogen Express is quieter thanmost trawlers.

The gray day seemed as mellow asour speed, and it took us 2 hours tocover the distance back to Hilton Head.We’d covered a lot of ground in these3 days, a major point of boats like theKrogen Express. Unshackled fromdisplacement speeds, we could chooseto go fast or slow, and either way, wewere comfortable. The reasons whypeople look at a cruising boat that iscapable of operating in the midteenswere again validated on this trip.

Along the ICW, we passed a wholelot of sailboats motoring south at4 knots. The faces of those sitting

Krogen Express 52

The engine room allows for great maintenance access, and all major elementsare within reach of the almost standing headroom portion of the space.

John drives the boat from the pilothouse on the ICW.Light rain forced us off theflybridge, but visibility isalmost as good from theStidd chair.



Krogen Express 52

hunched over in the cockpits had that look of quiettoleration. I bet we’ll see them at a TrawlerPortevent one of these days. Such hardship just doesn’tmake sense in light of the alternatives now available.

John and Betsie Tegtmeyer are moving ahead withtheir project and hope their enthusiasm and pride

for the new Krogen Express 52 will create a newfamily of Krogenites who also appreciate the“Krogenesque” touches that set these boats apart.I can envision this cruising boat doing well in thePacific Northwest, at anchor in the Bahamas orcrossing the Gulf of Maine en route to Nova Scotia.The Great Circle? No problem. The Krogen heritageensures it is a fine sea boat, and it also looks prettysharp among the sea of white fiberglass.

Check out this new commuter-style cruiser, andsee if it’s time to bring the straw hat and whiteblazer back into your life. Maybe your own cruisealong the low country might start something special.The magic of southern hospitality is like that.

John gives Daystar a quick washdown after our return from our cruise. The profile is nicely proportioned, another Krogen winner.

LOA 57' 6"LWL 51' 4"BEAM 15' 5"DRAFT 4'DISPLACEMENT 44,480 LBS.FUEL CAPACITY 650 U.S. GAL.WATER CAPACITY 370 U.S. GAL.FOR MORE INFORMATION:866.4.KROGEN, KROGENEXPRESS.COM,[email protected]

KROGEN EXPRESS 52


Reprinted from PassageMaker® Magazine courtesy of the publisher, Dominion Enterprises. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.www.passagemaker.com


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krogen express - quality and performance cruising yachts ...krogen express 49 was launched in 1996,...

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