New Boat Report: Mystique 48 CC

This custom Carolina center console is breaking the mold when it comes to speed and styling.

By Gary Caputi

December 5, 2022

Mystique is a new custom builder that’s set to make a big splash. Its first project is a 48-foot center console that combines North Carolina boatbuilding heritage and styling with modern design, technology and outboard power.

The hull design comes from the mind of Jim Luxton, co-creator of Jarrett Bay Boatworks, who has more than four decades of boatbuilding and engineering experience. The variable deadrise hull he created for this boat is an example of thinking outside the Carolina box. Luxton said he started with a 19-degree deadrise at the transom and increased it incrementally going forward but did not exceed 24 degrees. The hull is configured to work in conjunction with a gyroscopic stabilizer to cancel out roll at rest and trolling speeds. The overall design will take full advantage of the speed and power provided by quad 600-hp Mercury outboards.

“Ultimately, my goal was to design a boat that is both very fast and comfortable,” said Luxton. “I believe we have accomplished that with the 48.”

The hull plug and mold were recently completed and will be used to create the hull forms for the production boats to follow. Each boat will be custom-built using the latest composite, lamination and resin-infusion technology. This phase of the project falls under the purview of company president Keith Stevens, whose background includes many years as production manager of a high-end fish boat brand.

The initial Mystique 48 is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2023, and it will be followed by three more vessels before the end of the year. The production schedule beyond that will sit at six boats per year, each one being customized according to the client’s wishes.

Make no mistake, this is a big boat. It has an LOA of 48 feet, a beam of 15 feet and an estimated dry weight of 25,000 pounds. Standard fuel capacity is 600 gallons with an optional 150 gallons available. Hull number one will be powered by four Mercury V-12 outboards for a total of 2,400 hp. The lines of the boat are sleek with a proud Carolina bow, a broken sheer and a curvy tumblehome that helps support the engine platform. It will feature a large helm station bristling with electronics forward of triple helm seats backed up with an aft-facing mezzanine style bench seat that all nestles under an oversized hardtop. The layout includes an air-conditioned cabin below deck with a queen-size berth, sofa, galley and a full head. On-deck features include an array of rod holders, tackle storage, twin 40-gallon live wells and a 200-gallon insulated fish box.