Cockpit
- Full Beam Fiberglass Swim Platform
- (3) Lumishore multi-color LED Underwater lights with multi-function controller
- Waist tall Stainless Steel Swim Platform Rails, removable
- Port transom doom door, Heavy Duty w/ stainless recessed Stern Cleats and Hawse pipes
- Transom Fishbox, plumbed as a Livewell with (2) Livewell Pumps and light
- Folding Rigging Table mounted to the Transom Box
- Teak Decking
- (2) In-Deck Fishboxes (Eskimo Ice Machine dumps into the port box)
- (1) In-Deck Bait Box with Aluminum Bait Tray
- (2) XL Engine Hatches, electrically actuated
- (1) Engine room hatch, located along the center line, with ladder into engine room.
- Multiple Cockpit Tackle Storage Boxes located aft in the cockpit
- Tackle Storage Cabinet, located forward in the cockpit (the top is at Seating Height, perfect for watching Trolled Baits
- Garmin VHF200
- Garmin 8612 full color MFD
- Garmin "eyeball style" cockpit camera
- Port forward tall compartment suitable for hanging rain gear or stand-up rod/reel combos with door.
- Stbd side cockpit control station, electronic engine controls and Bow Thruster Control (with custom cover)
- (6) Flush mounted gunwhale rod holders
- (23) rod rocket Launcher (stainless steel)
- (2) LED cockpit spreader lights
- Overhang from flybridge for shade from the sun or protection from the rain
- LED lights and fusion speakers mounted in the overhang
- Stairway up to the flying bridge
- Lockable Salon door
- 50-amp shore power connection and cord
- Fiberglass Outriggers
- Cockpit electrical sub panel: Cockpit light switch, engine room light switch, Courtesy light switch, Baitwell light switch, (2) individual Baitwell pump switches.
- 110volt outlet with weatherproof cover
Flying Bridge
A molded-in 8 step stairway, with Teak Treads, make getting to the Flybridge very easy, in any type of sea conditions.
- A stainless-steel safety gate, protects from accidental falls down the stairs
- Fiberglass Hardtop on a stainless-steel frame
- Crystal clear-full 4-sided EZ2CY enclose (recently replaced)
- Stbd side sofa style seating with storage beneath
- Norcold flybridge refrigerator
- Fusion stereo speakers
- (2) Stidd helm chairs, fully adjustable with folding footrests
- Carpeted flooring for the flybridge
- Brightly finished Maple dining table on a hi/Low stainless-steel pedestal
- Sleeping cushions for the flybridge table (when in a down position)
- U-shaped sofa, a very large, located aft of the Stidd Chairs (near perfect condition)
- All of the flybridge upholstery is white with tan piping
- (2) Garmin XHD2 6-foot open array digital radar antenna, full color with plotter overlay
- Garmin VHF200
- Garmin Autopilot (integrated with plotters)
- GRID (Garmin remote interface device) for updating software
- Bennett Trim Tabs
- (2) Cummins smart craft gauges
- Maxwell anchor windlass control panel
- Side power bow thruster control
- Stainless steel 5 spoke steering wheel
- Glendinning fully electronic engine controls (3 stations), with sync and warm functions
- Ritchie Power damp compass
- Freshwater sink
- Chart table
- Dometic 27k btu heat/air conditioning system for the bridge
- Overhead lighting in the hardtop
- Aft flybridge docking station with engine controls, steering, (1) Smart Craft engine screen, Bow thruster control, engine start/stop, horn button
- Very large rear bench seat
- (6) step ladder up through an overhead glass and stainless hatch in the hardtop to the observation deck
- Observation deck with seat and back rest
- VHF antennas, radar antenna, sat tv antenna, all mounted to the hardtop giving clean/unobstructed side decks.
Salon and Galley
The Salon is very wide, bathed in natural light from all the front side and rear windows (all slightly tinted to cut down on the heat gain). There are pull down shades for the side windows. The galley is located aft, with a full-size refrigerator/freezer, granite counter tops and upscale appliances. Leather upholstery for the opposing sofas, flat screen TV in the stbd aft corner, Bose surround speakers with sub. (2) zones of heat/air conditioning for the salon, plus a "basement" space.
- Locking salon door
- Port aft galley location
- Granite counter tops with cherry border
- Large stainless steel undermount sink with combination faucet/sprayer and soap dispenser
- Cherry Cabinetry
- Fisher & paykel full-sized stainless-steel refrigerator/freezer
- Sharp Carousel convection/microwave oven
- Princess gourmet 3 burner Glass top stove
- (2) Bar stools
- Port forward very large leather sofa with storage beneath
- XL maple dining table on twin stainless steel hi/low pedestals (with cushion for sleeping here)
- Tray style ceiling with led lighting and cherry border
- (2) Salon HVAC units each with their own control panels, upper air supply cherry louvers boxes for spreading the air evenly across the room
- Stbd side, just inside of the salon door, cabinet houses engine hatch switches, Lumishore LED underwater light controller (multi-function Wi-Fi enabled), Tank tender gauge for fuel and water tanks, domestic Eskimo line machine control panel, magnum energy inverter/charger control panel, Onan generator control panel
- Main AC/DC breaker panel
- Vizio flat screen HDTV 39-inch display
- Bose surround sound speakers with Subwoofer
- Fusion marine stereo (model MSUD750) AM/FM/Bluetooth/SiriusXM/Pandora
- Samsung DVD player
- DirecTV receiver
- Stbd side salon sofa, leather upholstery with storage beneath
- Carpeted flooring
"Basement" Storage Space Beneath the Salon
Easy access to this surprisingly large storage and mechanical space. Lift up the second step as you go down from the salon into the lower accommodations space to get into the basement.
- Well lit
- Main and back up freshwater pumps conveniently located here for easy servicing
- Water heater
- Top loading deep freezer: Avanti Chest Freezer, model CF10016PE, easy to access from the salon (beneath one of the Sofa Cushions)
- Fresh water filtration system
- Splendide 2100xl automatic washing machine with vented dryer
- Magnum MS2012 inverter: 2 kw continuous power, 3.3kw surge power
- NewMar phase three, 3 stage smart battery charger, model PT-40U
- Flybridge table sleeper cushions stored here
- Volumes of storage space located here
Guest Head and Shower
Located at the bottom of the companionway stairs, on the stbd side you will find the guest head.
- Cherry Cabinetry and framework
- Granite Countertop
- Stainless steel undermount sink with designer faucet and soap dispenser
- Overhead hatch with screen, cherry trim
- Stand-up shower with safety glass enclosure and safety glass door
- Jabsco electric flushing toilet with Y-Valve for overboard discharge
Master Stateroom and Ensuite
Located forward in the boat you will find the master stateroom. Adorned with beautiful teak cabinetry, mirrored headboard with overhead lighting and subtle courtesy lighting.
- Queen sized pedestal bed, 3 sided walkaround with excellent headroom
- (2) hull side operable port lights
- Overhead hatch with screen and Cherry Trim
- 24-inch ProScan flat screen TV/ built DVD player
- (2) Hull side portlights (operable)
- (2) reading lamps
- (2) Cedar lined hanging lockers (closets) with lights, one closet is significantly larger than the other
- (6) Storage drawers located beneath the Bed Pedestal
Ensuite Head and Shower: located on the stbd side of the Master Stateroom you will find this space.
- Granite countertops
- Stand-up shower with safety glass enclosure and door, cherry trimmed
- Medicine cabinet with mirrored face
- Overhead hatch with screen, cherry trim
- Jabsco electric flushing toilet with y-valve for overboard discharge.
Deck and Equipment
- Stainless steel handrails along both sides of the house
- "West Coast Style" stainless steel bow and side deck railing
- Molded non-skid walking surfaces with molded in Toe Railing
- Brower System WC800 "bow crane" for loading and launching a dinghy, 800 lb capacity, full functional wireless remote
- Stainless steel dinghy cradle
- Stainless steel D-Ring tie downs for dinghy, mounted to the foredeck
- Thru Stem Anchor Windlass by Maxwell (Chain Gypsy and horizontal capstan), with foredeck foot pedal style controls and Helm controls
- Galvanized steel "Plow Style" anchor with chain
- Raw water washdown in anchor locker
- Fresh water washdown in anchor locker
- (2) Heavy duty 12-inch stainless bow cleats
- (2) Heavy duty 12-inch stainless mid-ship cleats
- Waist high stainless "casting pulpit" over top of the anchor locker
- (1) LED Foredeck spreader light
- Garmin XHD2 6' open array digital radar antenna, mounted to hardtop
- KVH TV5 dome sat Tv Antenna, mounted to hardtop
- (2) VHF antennas, mounted to hardtop. This arrangement leaves the side decks uncluttered.
Engine Room
Easily accessed by the way of three large deck hatches. Two of these hatches are very large and open via electrical rams with individual switches.
- Twin Cummins common rail QSC8.3 600 hp, inboard engines in a V-drive configuration, 1000 hrs
- Dual shift-on-the-fly Racor Primary fuel filters (2 for each of the engines)
- Tides dripless shaft seals, with spare seals and crossover hose
- Eskimo ice machine, 600 lb capacity, model E1600SC-D-230, dumps into port in-deck Fishbox
- Cummins Onan diesel powered marine generator, in sound shield. Model MDKDW2110060, 13.5 kw, 80 hrs (New in 2022)
- Guest charge Pro 10/20 20-amp dual bank smart charger, dedicated to generator battery bank
- Fecteau Yacht Watermaker (currently pickeled)
- Aluminum diamond plate engine room floor
- All sea cocks are labeled and easy to reach
- Garmin "eyeball style" engine room camera
Power & Motoryacht Magazine: Test Report
It's hard not to see a smattering of another famous Fexas design, the Midnight Lace, within the profile of the Mikelson M50. The frameless windows and flared bow have pleasing similarities to the Lace.
Our primary market for Mikelson Yachts is anglers requiring long-range capabilities; about 70 percent of our customers are previous owners, said Vice President Patrick Sullivan.
Originally the Sportfisher was sold as a 48 Sedan, evolving into a 50 with hull number 19. In the 1990s, the hull mold was redesigned, and the integral swim platform deleted.
"Usually, conditions on the trip north have us running into a horrible 5-foot, head-sea chop", said Mikelson Captain Paul Fecteau, describing the typical 850-mile or so run back from Cabo San Lucas. Many larger boats with hard chines and flatter bottoms can't make the speed we can on this 50-footer.
The solid ride is the result of the hull design as well as the placement of the engines and fuel tanks. V-drives allow Mikelson to mount the engines under the cockpit sole. Our test boat had a pair of the now-standard 600-horsepower Cummins QSC 8.3 engines. The common-rail diesels and the Centek underwater exhausts, with surge-tube design and idle by-pass, provide a quiet and smoke-free environment.
The engines are accessible via a centerline day-hatch in the cockpit sole and, when needed, two huge, 12-volt activated hatches expose the entire diamond-plated engine room. The optional water maker and air compressor for refilling dive tanks are housed here as well. A bank of fuel/water separators are on the forward engine room bulkhead.
Three fuel tanks, a large one on centerline and two others outboard, are situated deep in the hull, creating a low center of gravity. A manifold system allows the engines to draw and return from/to any tank; the tanks are cross-connected and gravity-fed. The 1,000-gallon capacity provides an impressive range, approximately 900 miles at 9.6 knots and 450 at close to 19 knots.
Fecteau eased the M50 out of her slip without even contemplating touching the bow thruster toggle switch. As we passed a large channel marker in San Diego Harbor, it was quiet enough on the bridge to hear barking harbor seals vying for a position in the sun.
Behind the gelcoat facade is a weight-saving, Divinycell-cored hull. The bulkheads are constructed of marine ply and the stringers of foam-cored fiberglass; both heavily built. It was easy to feel her rigid construction and seakeeping capabilities even in calm seas. The bow lifted slightly as we powered from idle to wide-open throttle. She planed off at 2100 rpm and found her comfort zone at 2600. At that rpm the engines were at 75-percent load, fuel burn was 44 gallons per hour, and the GPS displayed 22 knots.
The 50-footer truly impressed in a simulated fish-fighting exercise. She proved nimble, quick, and vibration-free when backing down, and was equally impressive spinning in slightly more than one boat length.
It's an easy climb, via six molded-in steps, to the full-beam flying bridge. The console is huge with sufficient space for large screen displays. All of the remotes, switches, breaker panel toggles, and gauges are unencumbered. Air conditioning is optional, as are the Stidd helm chairs. A semi-circlular settee with table, a small sink portside behind the Venturi windshield, a chart flat, and a refrigerator are all nice cruising features. There is an aft station on the bridge, maybe a little overkill since there is also a cockpit station and tower controls.
The marlin tower is accessed through a hatch in the hardtop and is a great perch for spotting bustin' fish. Lee double-spreader outriggers are affixed to the bridge sides. A 12-station rocket launcher holds plenty of weapons.
The M50 Sportfisher doesn't taper aft so the cockpit is full beam. It takes a little time to get used to the height of the sole off the water due to the clearance necessary for the engines below. But in short order, the high freeboard actually had a nice secure feel to it.
The cockpit is all West Coast-style. Rails are constructed of stainless steel, rather than aluminum. It's a sharp look. The baitwells are large capacity, lighted with windows. The fishboxes were minimal on hull 88; however, the boxes can be expanded and chilled on this semi-custom boat. A hanging locker to port can be customized for additional rod stowage or a dayhead. The transom door opens to a platform secured by a waist-high rail, perfect for fighting a fish under the right conditions and on/off access for dive enthusiasts.
The side decks are snug, yet very secure,nonskid underfoot and tall rails and handholds make the trek forward in most seas comfortable. The optional bow pulpit with rail is pitch-bait heaven; it's rock solid, no springy, diving-board construction here. The windlass is mounted below a hatch to keep the bow obstruction-free. The lower position of the anchor rode makes for better anchoring, according to Sullivan.
The M50 is user-friendly from bow to stern and in between. The cockpit door opens into a huge cherry-finished saloon, the size of which is not usually found on a 50-footer. The boats near 17-foot beam becomes very apparent here. Mikelson used a satin finish on the flat surfaces and high gloss finishes on the joinery caps; the look crisply accents the quality workmanship.
Behind the first cabinet door to starboard are various gauges and stop/starts for the water maker, genset, satellite TV, tank tender, and inverter. This is smart positioning for quick access. To port is the aft-located galley, complete with stowage galore for those long offshore runs. And there's a four-burner Kenyon cooktop that can actually fit four pans, though it had no fiddles. The cored-granite countertops are lightweight, and have sufficient surface area, enough so the builder could eliminate the split matching sink covers.
Cold air flows evenly over the colossal U-shaped dinette and opposite ultra-leather settee via handcrafted valences that are likely to be efficient even in the hottest climes. Light switches are easily found within custom strike plates.
Below a hatch in the saloon sole is a compartment that houses a hot water heater, battery charger, and inverter. It's here that long-range provisions can be stowed alongside a washer and dryer. There's plenty of space for separate units. In the saloon proper, there are three overhead hatches in the headliner that provide access to a functional rod locker, not an afterthought. A bevy of 50-pound-class rods (or even larger) could be nicely secured in the fabricated mounts.
The master is forward with a centerline queen, twin hanging lockers, and a private head. Mikelson can accommodate most owner requests for alterations; that's the beauty of a semi-custom build.
The guest cabin has a unique pullman-style berth that an adult can comfortably fit on. The berth follows the line of the hull and is wider at the head, tapering slightly at the foot.
The bulk of Mikelson Yachts, production hangs on the left coast. But given my recent experiences onboard the fast, far-ranging, and capable M50 Sportfisher, I think there may be a few East Coasters who'll be tempted to make that trip through the Panama Canal they always wanted to do.
Mikelson M50 Sportfisher - layout diagram
Optional Equipment
NOTEWORTHY OPTIONS: Village Marine Water Maker ST-800W ($10,440); Oceanus Air Compressor ($5,100); Brower System WC 800 Davit ($8,925); Bow Plank w/ Rail ($4,000).
Other Specification
Generator: 1/13.5 kW Cummins Onan
The Test
Conditions During Boat Test
Air temperature: 75°F; humidity: 75%; seas: flat
Load During Boat Test
150 gal. fuel, 200 gal. water, 3 persons, and 200 lb. gear.
Test Boat Specifications
Test Engine: 2/ 600-hp Cummins QSC 8.3 diesels
Transmission/Ratio: ZF 286 IV/2:1
Props: 30 X 27.5, 5-Blade Nibral
RPM Speed/KTS GPH RANGE
610 4.3 1 3870
900 6.2 2.2 2536
1200 8.0 4.4 1636
1500 9.6 9.5 909
1800 10.9 18.3 536
2100 14.5 28.0 466
2400 18.8 37.1 456
2700 22.5 48.5 420
3000 25.6 65.0 354
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