LIFESTYLE - Grey Navy with Integrity

Like our highways, Australian waters are seeing a growing surge in roaming retirees — the Grey Navy — taking to the water, content to plod along at displacement speeds in affordable, fuel-efficient passagemakers.

Annie and John Sullivan fit the mould pursuing life’s great adventures that only owning a boat can provide.

To undertake the journey, a lot of planning and consideration was given to the type of boat that would ensure the voyage was a safe and comfortable one. And the reason the couple decided on the affordable Integrity 350 displacement passagemaker from the team of Integrity Motor Yachts Australia at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast.

That model, they said, would provide them the most reliable and comfortable passage for their trip, plus the benefits of long-range and single-engine fuel-efficient performance.

The Sullivan’s trip north took them through some of the most spectacular waters in Australia, from the Great Sandy Straits to Hinchinbrook Passage to Lizard Island and beyond. They enjoyed the wonderful sights, sounds and experiences along the way, catching mud crabs and fish, exploring the many islands, and undertaking a game or two of beach golf.

VALUE 350
“We chose the Integrity 350 as it was the best-value boat of this style on the market, offering all that we required”, said John.

“The wide walkaround sidedecks provide a very safe level of access to all areas of the boat for ease of berthing and anchoring, and the roomy undercover cockpit is a great spot to fish or just sit and relax.

“The team from Integrity allowed us to make some changes to the saloon and galley layout, which better suited our needs. Having a full queen-size bed and heaps of storage in the master cabin was essential, too, considering we would be spending so much time aboard.

“The boat offers exceptional range at a cruising speed of 8kts and we encountered some pretty rough seas, which the boat handled with ease. Integrity Yachts can definitely stand behind their name,” said John.

Visit www.tradeaboat.com.au for John Zammit’s boat test of the Integrity 350 Mk II that featured on the cover of our magazine (issue 401) in May.

Integrity Yachts are distributed across Australia and NZ by Brett Flanagan and Peter Hill, offering displacement cruisers from 35 to 60 feet, starting from $449,000.

For further information, phone (07) 5577 9626

FAST FACTS
INTEGRITY 350
 Black Label

MATERIAL: GRP
TYPE: Displacement monohull
LENGTH: 35ft6in
BEAM: 13ft6in
DRAFT: 3ft8in
WEIGHT: 22,000lb
FUEL: 1135lt
WATER: 530lt
ENGINE:
Cummins B-series turbo-diesel
RATED HP: 220
SPEED: 12kts (max); 8kts (cruising)

Photos: Black Label handling 2.5m seas with ease: This is the life! Annie, John and Ralf do sundowners; Beach golf; The Grey Navy fleet caught late in the afternoon from South Percy Island.