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Boat International: Sizzler

Coeur Custom > Blog > Boat International: Sizzler

Hagadone’s brief for the 60-footer was beguilingly simple. He wanted a boat on which he could go sailing on a whim, either single-handedly or entertaining friends. Above all, she would be easy to use (at one point he even considered building a voice-activated vessel) and be highly accessible for those less mobile to board comfortably.

The successful newspaperman and five-star resort owner knows a thing of two about boats. One of his companies, The Resort Boat Shop (a division of Hagadone Marine Group) builds exquisitely crafted lake motor-launches, and the owner himself travels daily from his lakeside home to his waterfront headquarters in an African mahogany commuter boat. Coeur d’Alene itself is a hotbed of wooden boat building – it hosts an annual festival that draws some 80 exhibitors.

Realizing the project would take a special set of skills, and desiring a unique design, Hagadone approached Richard Hein – the architect and builder of Lady Lola. Hein in turn contacted noted marine designer Tony Castro to commence the exploration of the brief.

Castro – who made a special visit to the 30-mile-long lake to fully understand its conditions before commencing the project – was truly enthusiastic. However, when he went looking for builders around the world who might execute a vessel which – in Hein’s words – had plenty of “sizzle,” they came up short. Then it dawned on Castro. The obvious place to build the vessel was right in the clients own backyard, at The Resort Boat Shop – even though the company had never thought about sailboats before, let alone built a customized 60-footer.

“I knew there was already a boat culture there,” says Castro. If they were ready to learn, he would guide them through the project from scratch, using the materials they knew best, “Good old-fashioned wood – with a little help from modern epoxy glues and a fair amount of carbon fiber to keep the weight within reasonable limits,” he said. Within 30 days, a shed had been constructed and Castro had begun to introduce the wooden boat craftsmen (under the direction of Hagadone Marine Group General Manager Craig Brosenne and Project Manager Jim Brown) to working with carbon fiber, managing vacuum tables and a host of other materials and techniques. Almost every single component had to either be custom built in-house or ordered from Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Germany or the Pacific Northwest.

No small challenge.

“It was like climbing Everest,” says Castro, who suggested that the freedom bestowed by the client was key. “There were no fixed ideas about where we should be going. It grew from analyzing what he wanted to do with the boat. And we all went from there.” After five years in planning, 18 months and 30,000 man hours in building, Sizzler finally emerged. Sleep and sexy, she exudes a synergy of craftsmanship honed over generations with te latest in marine technologies.

Ultimately, the proof is to take her sailing.

Aboard, one is immediately struck by the sheer simplicity of her design. There are no protrusions. All deck rigging, cleats, winches, sheet ends and other usual paraphernalia – even the mooring lines – are cleverly recessed. The focus of her generous cockpit – its 14 ft beam is large enough to host two four-seat Chesterfields – are the twin helms aft. Overall, though, the waterline beam is kept to a minimum in order to reduce resistance and to maximize performance in light downwind conditions.

Balancing her sleek form is her all-carbon Southern Spars rig, which supports and total of 2,853 square feet of sail, including jib, “Code 0” asymmetric cruising sail, and mainsail (which unfurls automatically from her seductively sculpted carbon fiber boom), all by North Sails, America’s Cup veteran Giorgio Cecchinato was hired by Hagadone Marine to oversee most of the build process on site, particularly in his role as a carbon fiber specialist.

Below deck, much of the forward and stern sections are given over state-of-the-art hydraulics – the heart of her complex sailing system by Italy’s Cariboni Giovanni. Magic Trim systems port and starboard tack and fine-tune the jib. The tech room houses hydraulic pumps and the main halyard winch, run by a dedicated Lewmar Captive Reel winch system. Notably absent is any anchor or chain – a reflection of the vessel’s point-to-point purpose.

Constructed in the traditional manner, Sizzler’s keel was laid first, then the ribs and a first layer of Western cedar planks, followed by three more layers of mahogany laid on diagonally – before 24 coats of painstakingly applied Alexseal with four coats of blue tint built into the epoxy layers. Below decks, the ribs were left exposed, emphasizing the beauty of the wood and paying tribute to the superlative craftsmanship.

While there are no overnight accommodations, the vessel is not in any way lacking for daytime creature comforts. Her very compact but well-furnished cabin contains a carbon fiver galley with refrigerator, freezer, ice-maker and sink – and microwave for making the owner’s favorite popcorn snacks. An X-light Carbon head is to port, along with a gear closet and a small banquette.

Castro met the challenge of merging exterior form and interior function by means of a dramatic, circular, segmented cabin skylight with three carbon fiber braces bonded from the mast to the hull. The Lexan panel not only allows plenty of natural light in below, but also integrates the sleek exterior and mast base with the interior’s rich mahogany, warm cedar and edgy carbon tones, a mix of the traditional exotic.

Under the cockpit aft, even though unseen, the extremely high level of finish is continued, with even the stainless-steel water fuel tanks highly polished. Here are most of the mainsail workings, including the Magic Trim-run main sheet that retracts through the deck. Unusually, the sail drive (which runs a Gori folding propeller) also operates by hydraulics, while the Volvo Penta auxiliary engine is housed here as well. Stored aft also is the hydraulic Cram teak and-stainless steel passerelle, which allows flush access from stern to dock.

Sailing this boat is a sailor’s dream, with pushbutton commands for every task and clear digital readout (on large screens on the cabin bulkhead) of the Brookes and Gatehouse instrument systems, macro-detailing vessel and wind speeds, as well as a myriad of other data. Even the gentles breeze can allow the boat the flex her muscles. But the lake can also produce some serious south-westerlies, which is when Sizzler really lives up to her name.

Under full sail, she can rack at the push of a couple of buttons and her trim features mean that maximizing even the slightest wind is a cinch. However, she also displays an intimate and very tactile responsiveness to her wheel – thanks to a traditional steering quadrant connected to the high aspect ratio rudder – deliberately just about the only component not automated.

Sizzler’s Captain David Kilmer says the boat’s beauty, simplicity and ease of use never cease to amaze. “She sails like a dream. It’s incredible to have 60 feet and 42,000 pounds of boat literally responding by fingertip.”

At dockside, the captain is assisted by Maxpower bow and stern thrusters as well as self0retracting mooring lines.

“My sailing buddies like to give me a hard time about running this boat,” he says with a smile. “They claim I’ve gone soft and all that’s left is a little callus on the end of my finger. But I also notice they’re always begging for a ride.”

He’s already seen plenty of time on Sizzler and knows the lake’s preponderance for producing a stiff evening offshore breeze – known as the Wolf Lodge Express – that brings the boat to life.

While Sizzler’s daytime persona is a knife-sharp, dark sailed silhouette – accented by her gently raked now and overhanging stern – at night she literally shines. Blue up-lights on her boom illuminate a good part of her carbon fiber main, along with 1- lights below the waterline that create a luminescent aura around her. On deck, recessed courtesy bulbs below the seats provide just enough light to move around, and halogen work lights on the underside of her boom illuminate her entire cockpit when needed. Mr. Hagadone is thrilled with his dream that has turned into reality, and particularly with the manner in which it was achieved.

“She exceeded all my expectations – and we’ve already has some great times on her. She’s an unbelievable boat. Tony (Castro) absolutely nailed it. I never realized there were so many wooden sailboats built – including many of the early America’s Cup boats. And we have some of the finest wood craftsmen in the world right here in Coeur d’Alene. I’m very proud. What they did here is pretty special.”

Says Kilmer, “When we’re under way in the dark, with the rail down, absolutely flying along, and the moon comes up over the mountains… Well, as Mr. Hagadone likes to say… it’s simply as good as it gets.”

Published: Boat International ( PDF )

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‘A bigger difference and a better difference’: Duane Hagadone guided CdA from mining, logging to tourism

Coeur d’Alene hasn’t always been known as a resort town.

Before the famous hotel and iconic golf course, the name Coeur d’Alene was more synonymous with logging or mining than it was with tourism and relaxation.

But as logging and mining’s fortunes faded throughout the mid-1900s, the area needed to foster a new industry in order to stay prosperous. Duane Hagadone, probably more than anyone else, was the man who guided the region’s transition.

“(We) needed to make some changes,” former Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem said. “He was foremost in saying tourism could get us where we wanted to be.”

Hagadone, the megamillionaire developer and media mogul, died Saturday at his winter home in Palm Desert, California . He was 88.

A North Idaho native, Hagadone started his business career young as a newspaper delivery boy at his father’s paper, the Coeur d’Alene Press. He dropped out of college at the University of Idaho to come back to the Press and sell subscriptions and advertising.

Hagadone eventually became publisher of the Press after his father died of cancer at 49. Hagadone’s media company owned over a dozen papers and media organizations.

But Hagadone’s flagship business was probably the Coeur d’Alene Resort. Hagadone marketed the business aggressively, building it up into one of the premier resort destinations in America. The resort’s famous floating green on the 14th hole was Hagadone’s idea.

People who knew Hagadone said Coeur d’Alene would be a dramatically different place without the real estate giant’s influence.

“Duane was the most creative man I’ve ever known,” said Bloem, who has known Hagadone her entire life. “He could dream bigger and he just knew how to make those dreams come true.”

Multiple elected officials and leaders said Hagadone was a uniquely creative businessman.

“Duane was a tremendous visionary and an incredibly savvy business person,” Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer told The Spokesman-Review in a statement. “He could have chosen to invest anywhere. But he chose to invest in his hometown of 88 years because he loved Coeur d’Alene.”

Not only did Hagadone change Coeur d’Alene’s image, he also created jobs in the region.

Coeur d’Alene Resort employed thousands of residents throughout the years. David Kilmer, who captains Hagadone’s sailboat Sizzler, said in a Facebook post honoring Hagadone that it often seemed almost like everyone in town worked at the resort at one time or another.

Tony Stewart, a longtime human rights activist who was a professor and tennis coach at North Idaho College, said Hagadone was both a talented tennis player and a prodigious philanthropist.

For 17 years, Hagadone went nearly undefeated at the annual Kootenai County Closed Tournament, Stewart said. And Hagadone helped pay for two new courts that allowed the tournament to run more quickly.

Hagadone may have been famous in part due to his incredible wealth – one of his Coeur d’Alene homes was once on the market for $27.5 million – but those who knew him said he was far from a miser.

The Boys and Girls Club in Coeur d’Alene is named after Hagadone and his wife, Lola, whose $2 million donation helped the project come to frutition. Hagadone gave widely to a variety of causes, especially in education. Bloem noted that Hagadone frequently paid for local fireworks displays that light up the 4th of July and the Thanksgiving weekend.

Hagadone was also a vocal critic of white supremacy and Northern Idaho’s Aryan Nations movement. In 1999, he gave the city of ] Coeur d’Alene $20,000 in matching funds to pay a lawyer to draft new city ordinances that would make it more difficult for neo-Nazis to hold parades in the city. Hagadone threatened to sue the city if there was another Aryan Nations parade.

Coeur d’Alene residents didn’t always support Hagadone’s development proposals. Hagadone and local governments clashed often over building projects throughout the decades.

Still, Hagadone deserves a large share of the credit for Coeur d’Alene’s current status as a resort town, Coeur d’Alene City Councilman Dan English said. But claims of backroom deals and pressure campaigns from the multimillionaire are exaggerated, English said.

“There was never, ever the least bit of contact, off the books for something,” English said.

“When you look at the big picture, there’s no question that he’s been a huge asset to this town,” the councilman said.

Stewart said Hagadone rarely steamrolled those who opposed him. At different times in the early 2000s, Hagadone withdrew proposals for a flower garden and new hotel tower on Sherman Avenue due to strong public resistance.

Mary Lou Reed, a former Democratic state senator from 1984 to 1996 who pushed for land use reform and environmental conservation with her late husband, Scott, said she found herself at odds sometimes with Hagadone.

“Duane always loved his hometown and its economy,” Reed said.

She recalled one winter when Hagadone cleared the iced-over surface of Coeur d’Alene Lake near the beach so kids could skate.

“It’s sort of one of those visuals that stays with you,” Reed said.

Stewart said he admired Hagadone for not attacking his critics in the press, even though he owned many media outlets.

“I never saw Duane ever come back in the media and personally attack any individual,” Stewart said.

Bloem said Hagadone helped reinvent Coeur d’Alene.

“His investment in the community in so many ways has made the community what it is today,” Bloem said. “I don’t know of anyone that has made a bigger difference and a better difference than Duane has.”

Staff writer Kip Hill contributed to this story.

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The Hagadone Corporation

THE HAGADONE CORPORATION

Hagadone Corp. promotes six executives

COEUR d’ALENE — The man who built The Hagadone Corporation into one of the largest privately held companies in the Inland Northwest isn’t as visible as he used to be.

But as chief executive officer and chairman of the board, Duane B. Hagadone is still very much involved.

Hagadone, 84, announced six executive promotions and other corporate news Thursday, moves he said will position the company well for continued growth.

“These men are going to have more responsibility and more opportunity,” Hagadone said. “I’m very proud of them. They all have long track records of excellence here. To me, that shows the strength of the company.”

Each of the people being promoted will report directly to Hagadone.

In addition to the promotions, Hagadone also announced the retirement of Hagadone Hospitality President Jerald J. Jaeger, effective Oct. 1. Jaeger has been in the hospitality industry since 1970 and for many years has been an Idaho hospitality leader.

“I consider Jerry Jaeger to be Mr. Hospitality himself,” said Craig Brosenne, who was named president of Hagadone Marine Group. “He’s a lifelong mentor and a born leader in this industry. The new structure is bittersweet since I consider Jerry not just a boss, but a friend.”

The promotions and new titles include:

BRAD HAGADONE

The Hagadone Corp.

Now overseeing the entire corporation and reporting to his father, Brad joined The Hagadone Corp. as chief photographer at the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell, Mont., in 1981. A Brooks Institute of Photography graduate, he started Quicksilver Studios in Coeur d’Alene in 1986.

In 2002, Brad became president of the Hagadone Investment Company, and in 2007, he was promoted to president of the Hagadone Newspaper Company. His responsibilities in that position included Hagadone Directories, Hagadone Printing Company, This Week magazines, Quicksilver Studios, Blue541 and the Hagadone Communication Company, which is comprised of daily and weekly newspapers from Beloit, Wis., to Moses Lake, Wash. The Coeur d’Alene Press is the company’s flagship newspaper.

MONT GARMAN

Chief Financial Officer

While former CFO Doug Magnuson will continue as corporate treasurer, Garman is taking on more responsibility. He started with the company in 1986 in accounting and moved up to assistant controller in 1989. In 2006, Garman was named controller of the hospitality division, as well as serving as tax manager.

Of his promotion Thursday, Garman offered thanks and paid special tribute to Magnuson.

“It is with gracious humility that I thank all those who paved the way to this special opportunity, and especially he who immediately preceded me, for he was and still is my advisor, my mentor, my friend,” Garman said.

CRAIG BROSENNE

Hagadone Marine Group

With a diverse background in the U.S. Navy and an engineering education, Brosenne joined Hagadone Hospitality in 1997 as director of facilities at the Coeur d’Alene Resort. Since 2000, he’s managed the Silver Beach and Boardwalk marinas, and in 2004, his responsibilities were expanded to include general manager of the Yacht Club Sales and Service and the Resort Boat Shop.

In 2008 he took on the role of Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises general manager, and since 2010 he’s been general manager of the Hagadone Marine Group, which includes all of the above plus Blackwell Island Marina, Hagadone Boat Storage, Hagadone Marine Center, Resort Boat Shop and Coeur d’Alene Custom Boats.

“Duane Hagadone’s vision, leadership and work ethic has been amazing to witness since the day I joined the company 20 years ago,” Brosenne said. “Under his guidance we have extended that excellence in hospitality to our boating customers, creating something special. Duane and Jerry are two people who inspire me and my team to give 110 percent every single day.”

BILL REAGAN

Coeur d’Alene Resort

A Coeur d’Alene native, Reagan joined the company in 1985 as assistant general manager of the University Inn in Moscow. Just one year later, he earned a promotion to assistant manager of The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

In 1988, Reagan was named general manager of The Resort, a job he held for 11 years before taking over as general manager of the Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn. In 2003, he returned to The Resort as GM, a title he held until Thursday.

Like the others impacted by Duane Hagadone and Jerry Jaeger, Reagan expressed gratitude to them both.

“Jerry Jaeger has had a huge positive impact on me, serving as my mentor since I was in high school,” Reagan said. “I can’t be more excited for him and Ellen as they start this new chapter of their life.

“The future of The Coeur d’Alene Resort is extremely bright, as we prepare to begin a major renovation program. Our management team is strong and Mr. Hagadone has given us the tools to continue to take the Resort to another level. I am very excited about the remainder of 2017 and beyond.”

JASON “J.J.” JAEGER

Best Western Plus

Coeur d’Alene Inn

J.J. has worked in hospitality for the past 22 years, first with Hilton Hotels and then Hagadone Hospitality. He was a sales manager and director of sales and marketing at The Coeur d’Alene Resort, then was promoted to general manager at the Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn.

Like his father and his colleague, Bill Reagan, J.J. has served in a number of major hospitality leadership roles. He’s a past chair of the Idaho Travel Council and, like Reagan, also served as chair of the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce board of directors. J.J. and Reagan both earned bachelor’s degrees at Washington State University before going on to earn MBAs.

“I am very humbled, excited and thankful for this wonderful opportunity from the Hagadone family,” J.J. said. “I also know this would not have happened were it not for all of the hard work from the outstanding team of hospitality professionals I have the privilege of working with every day along with the support we receive from all of our wonderful guests.”

BOB NUTTELMAN

Golf Course

Bob Nuttelman is now in his 27th year with The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course and 33rd overall in the golf industry. From 1990 to 2006 he was head golf professional for Hagadone before transitioning to director of golf.

A Coeur d’Alene High, North Idaho College and Boise State University grad, Nuttelman and his team have earned numerous awards for managing one of the top resort golf clubs in the nation. His responsibilities include managing The Resort Logo Shop in the lobby of The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

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