In late August, Glacier Bay Catamarans new 3470 Ocean Runner completed the 8,400-mile Grand Americas Tour. On this ambitious coastal journey, the first 34- footer off the line at the Monroe, Wash., factory traveled from Seattle to the Baja, followed the Gulf Coast around the Florida its debut, the power catamaran made 22 stops in 55 days.Afterwards, the owner took delivery in Rhode Island.

"This trip shows that Glacier Bay’s commitment to quality is such that President Larry Graf personally skippered the boat on most of the tour," said Tom McCarthy of Bluewater Yacht Sales, a Glacier Bay dealer in Bricktown, New Jersey. "There isn’t anyone else in the industry who would take the first boat on an 8,400-mile journey!"

Powered by twin, 225 hp Honda 4-stroke, outboard engines and equipped with the latest electronics, the big "cat" arrived on schedule at dealer receptions hosted around the country. Designed to meet owner demand for cruiser/sport-fisher, the 3470 impressed thousands on its premier coastal adventure.

"This has to be the longest shakedown cruise in the world of a boat this size by the owner of the company," said McCarthy. "Larry wants to make the best boat he can and future owners can only benefit from the tweaking that results from this amazing undertaking."

On its maiden voyage, the 3470 Ocean Runner performed impressively on autopilot even through 16-foot seas. The latest, big screen, electronics suite, guided the vessel through dense fog and on overnight runs as safely and surely as it helped negotiate entrances into dozens of hamlets and harbors all along the coast. The electronics complement included products by SIMRAD, C-Map and SeaKey.

In Cabo San Lucas in July, Grant Hartman of Baja Anglers guided celebrity anglers from on board the new 34-footer during the Mercury Light Line & Flyfishing World Championship. He currently operates three, center console, 22 and 26-foot Glacier Bay cats as part of his renowned, guided fishing business.

"The 3470 is a great riding boat, very comfortable and with lots of space," said Hartman. "Sure, I would love to have one. It’s a well thought-out boat with a nice rigging area. It will be excellent for the cruiser-fisherman!"