vicem yachts review

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85 Vicem Motoryacht Walkthrough [Boat Review + Video]

Take an extensive tour of the 85 vicem motoryacht [essence of cayman] in west palm beach, florida with paul denton..

This article is a transcription of the 85 Vicem video from Denison’s YouTube Channel . Tune in daily to discover the latest yacht video walkthroughs from the world’s largest yacht video collection. Watch the full video below:

Hey guys, my name’s Paul Denton . Today, I want to welcome you aboard an 85 Vicem . Today while we’re on board this 85 Vicem, I want to point out three features. One of them being the great exterior dining space located on the aft deck for nice cruises down the intercostal or underway. Second being where we sit now, one of the two salons that this boat has to offer. Lastly, just the profile looks of the boat, giving it that down East classic feel.

Some of my favorite features about this salon and interior space is the great woodwork throughout the boat. Also the great windows spaces, so you can see openly the port to starboard take in all the views. I love the exterior of this boat because the great woodwork through the teak decking. Also the beautiful blue paint, so whenever you see this thing coming by, it is a showpiece. I love the aft deck seating. You can convert it to be a dining area, cocktail area, or just taking in all the scenery with 180 degrees unobstructed views.

Starting today’s walkthrough off, we will start exterior aft deck. Favorite features back here are the L-Shape sheeting on both port and starboard side. Great cooler storage over here for all your soft drinks. Also a wet bar equipped with a sink and all you need to serve your cocktails. Stepping down even further aft into the aft deck seating. You can tell there’s great space here for accommodating 12/15 guests enjoying a great social hour.

Stepping all the way back after you’ll come onto the swim platform where you can stow a tender jet ski, whatever toy you desire.

Stepping all the way forward on the starboard bow here. You can really appreciate all the woodwork put into this boat. Also, a great sunroof that allows natural lighting into the second salon of this vessel. Lastly, a great bowel seating area for your guests to take in all the natural sunlight and enjoy the atmosphere. Here all the way forward, we’ll find the dual anchor windlasses. Underneath our feet is also great dry storage for all your tender’s lines or anything you need to stow away while the guests are on board. Finishing up on this massive bow seating area. Great space for the guests. We are now walking back aft down the port side. Full walk around, plenty of space, great hand rails for either side, for safety, and we’re going to step interior and take a look.

Stepping interior, we can immediately appreciate all the beautiful woodwork. One out of two salons I will show you today. Also, the great fabric finishes bringing out the nautical feel of the boat and great 360 views all the way throughout the boat with large windows on either side. It’s great seating area in the salon number one that can accommodate up to eight comfortable or remove the chairs and socialize to port or starboard of the boat.

Stepping forward all the way to the main helm station, the captain will have everything he needs up here from dual plotters, VHF valve thrusters, depth sounders, autopilots, trim tabs, and electronic controls for the MAN engines. Off to the port side, you’ll find a great settee where the guest can sit up here and play Captain.

Moving all the way forward past salon, number one in the helm station into salon number two, my personal favorite space of this vessel. Number one, taking in the beautiful natural lighting that comes in and really works well against this woodwork in here. Another great dining space for guests. And lastly, a great cocktail space just somewhere to nice. Sit down, read a book, and enjoy the.

Finishing up in salon number two, we are going to head down towards center ship and into the two state rooms richer sister deport and starboard side. In the first state room, we will see two twin guest beds with their own featured en suite, as well as the same beautiful wood treatment found throughout the vessel. Walking to the Starboard state room, you will see basically an identical room with the two twin beds, an en suite and beautiful woodwork throughout. Stepping back out of the starboard state room in the companion way, we’ll find a full washer dryer, a nice day head. And then finally, a quick peek into the engine room powered with MAN 12v diesels.

Leaving the state rooms passing through my favorite room of the boat. Salon number two, with the natural lighting. We’ll step all the way into the galley here. We’ll find everything you need from an oven, stove, top convectional, microwave, dishwasher, dual basin sink, full fridge freezer. Also, plenty of dry storage underneath our feet here for all your dry goods.

All the way forward this vessel will find a crew state room and then another right off to the starboard side. This boat can sleep for a crew. They have their own showers to teak, but we’re going to let them sleep today while we carry on through our walkthrough.

Leaving the forward bow area. Now walking through salon number one and we’re going to finish off in the master state room, which is located aft. Private access full beam. Let’s go take a look. Walking into the master, we can appreciate our king size state room. Full walkthrough en suite, great seating area on both port and starboard. The nice vanity and a walk-in closet. Located all the way after this vessel is going to be the master on suite, equipped with a his and her style dual vanity. This is a full walkthrough shower equipped with a his and hart style vanity. So if you want your privacy, keep the wife on one side. And you have your personal space on the other.

All right guys. Thank you for joining me today on the walkthrough aboard the 85 Vicem. If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. Look forward to seeing you on the docks.

Inquire About the 85 Vicem Motoryacht:

Paul denton.

• Email: [email protected]
• Cell: 386.295.4668
• Office: 561.253.2457
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sagharborskip Senior Member

A client is ready to move up and was impressed w/ Vicem at the Miami Show... Anyone have insight into build quality, reputation for after purchase customer support, etc.? Also, the Vicems are epoxy sealed, cold molded mahogany - any thoughts? I got a nice look at both the 75 Classic Flybridge and the 78 Cruiser after the show and was pretty impressed with what I saw but am not familiar w/ anyone actually owning one or having hands on experience. Thanks, Dan

Capt Bill11 Senior Member

Interesting. That is the same impression I and my current boat's owner came away with a few years ago after doing the same type of inspection but at the Lauderdale show. He and his partner here in Costa Rica build cold molded boats. So he is very familiar and comfortable with that process. I'd be interested in hearing any first hand comments as well.

After coming away from Azimut, Lazarra, and Allied Marine, I was amazed by both build quality and practical nuances carried throughout. The lighter color, brighter modern interior offered was refreshing as well...

Loren Schweizer YF Associate Writer

The Vicem folks took a bunch of us for an evening cruise last summer on their 90-ish (I forget the exact size) foot motoryacht. We went out in the ocean, which was a little lumpy, not rough. The ride was comfy, the boat was dry. The interior joinery was exemplary. I've been down in the guts of these boats in the past few years. Once you wrap your head around the notion of seeing wooden ribs and other scantlings, the construction is fairly robust.

morbert New Member

sagharborskip said: A client is ready to move up and was impressed w/ Vicem at the Miami Show... Anyone have insight into build quality, reputation for after purchase customer support, etc.? Also, the Vicems are epoxy sealed, cold molded mahogany - any thoughts? I got a nice look at both the 75 Classic Flybridge and the 78 Cruiser after the show and was pretty impressed with what I saw but am not familiar w/ anyone actually owning one or having hands on experience. Thanks, Dan Click to expand...

ayachtguy Senior Member

Don't worry about cold-molded..it's a great process, esp. when used by Vicem with modern epoxies. In WWII, British Mosquito fighter-bombers were cold-molded and beloved by the crews for taking incredible combat damage and still getting home. Vicem has a long and distinguished career and, with new management, is on a roll. Great boats.

Capt J Senior Member

I have no worries about Cold-molded construction either. Many of the premier custom sportfish builders have been using Cold molded for a long time. I agree the Vicem sportfish misses the boat in many ways, mainly cruise speed.......it cruises at 25 knots or so in a world where your average production sportfish cruises 30-35knots. I was just at ACY- American Custom Yachts where they are currently building a 90' SF cold molded. It has 3 sheets of 5/8" plywood, laminated to a 3" thick foam coring material, with fiberglass (I believe) on both the outside and inside of the plywood and foam coring material on the hull. The build was very impressive as was the craftsmanship. They expect it to be done in the Spring of 2012, and acheive 55 knots top end. It has twin MTU 4600hp engines with v-drives. They also had Sandancer (70' Jim Smith) and a 68' Spencer there that they did/are finishing refits on.......A very very nice yard.

jdarius New Member

Vicem Insight I purchased my Vicem 58' classic 5 yrs ago. I have 1300 hrs at the helm, about 70% in open water between Bahamas and Maine. It was a bit of a leap of faith on my part back then because Vicem was still in its infancy, but now that both my boat and the builder are time tested, I can say with confidence that I made a great decision. It is one thing for boat to be beautiful to the eye but when you are out there getting beaten up on the nose you better have the real thing under you. My wife and I hope to have a Vicem 72' in my near future. Good luck to you.

Jorge Lang Senior Member

Capt. J, I assume you mean 16v2000, M94 2600hp unless they are going with 16v4000s. Can you please clarify. Thanks,

bernd1972 Senior Member

One nice thing is that the Vicem yard laminates the hull from thick mahogany veneers instead of plywood. And yes, the quality is pretty respectable.

Jorge Lang said: Capt. J, I assume you mean 16v2000, M94 2600hp unless they are going with 16v4000s. Can you please clarify. Thanks, Click to expand...

oceantopo New Member

So what is the rub with the vicem sportfish models. I have seen a lot of negativity about them but no reasons. I have been through them and they seem like beautiful boats. So what gives?

Vicem SF The boats are not that good looking. The hull is boxy The lines are not cohesive. Also, they are not set up functionally for fishing. Yes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So to each his own. I will tell you this. They have not sold many so maybe there is something to my opinion. I will also say the interiors are gorgeous!

morbert said: The boats are not that good looking. The hull is boxy The lines are not cohesive. Also, they are not set up functionally for fishing. Yes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So to each his own. I will tell you this. They have not sold many so maybe there is something to my opinion. I will also say the interiors are gorgeous! Click to expand...

nilo Senior Member

vicem i own a vicem since 2001, all is working well. no problems with the hull. you can see the pictures in the following post; http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/g...ts-hinckley-san-juan-etc.html?highlight=vicem i may give you more info in your private msgs if you wish to know more and have any specific questions. fyg, i am turkish and know the company since their start. i've no personal attachments other than being an owner.

KevinT New Member

Vicem present onwer for 4-5 years I purchased a Viem 54' over four years ago. I had been looking at Vicem's for years and had been on several at various boat shows. When I found my dream boat, a Vicem 54', selling used I jumped on it. I had no trouble with buying a cold molded boat as I had done some homework on it over the years. They actually make cold molded sails boats in my home town of Duxbury, MA. It's actually a plus and for many reasons you probably already know. But, an additional reason often over looked is the less noise you would tipically get from a fiberglass boat. When first purchasing the boat, I must say that I got exceptional services from both Vicem and the brocker, Dave Mallach. I am a little hands on as to the care of the boat. Last season I got in to every part of every bilge and cleaned them dry myself. I wanted to see the bilge and how the standing water was or was not effecting the wood. I found noting to comment on. That made me most happy, but not at all surprised.Only one negative comment is that this was Hull#1 and I still haven't found a brochure in English for the Bose microwave/convection oven. I assume this to be no problem today.

KevinT said: Only one negative comment is that this was Hull#1 and I still haven't found a brochure in English for the Bose microwave/convection oven. I assume this to be no problem today. Click to expand...

bliss Senior Member

Anyone seriously considering a Vicem/ Windsor Craft product should research Windsor Craft Sales, LLC V Vicem, etc. This is a MN case that Vicem lost. The argument was over quality and the surveys of the delivered yachts are not positive. If you read about this case you might wonder if you still want to hand over seven figure money to Vicem. Caveat Emptor!

marco8 New Member

nilo said: ↑ vicem i own a vicem since 2001, all is working well. no problems with the hull. you can see the pictures in the following post; http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/g...ts-hinckley-san-juan-etc.html?highlight=vicem i may give you more info in your private msgs if you wish to know more and have any specific questions. fyg, i am turkish and know the company since their start. i've no personal attachments other than being an owner. Click to expand...

Have someone there having an eye on the whole Produktion oft the boat doesn't harm, but I would not worry about the quality the yard is capable of.

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VICEM WINDSOR CRAFT 36 HARDTOP

• Year : 2009
• Price : us$269,000 *
• Location annapolis, md, united states
• Length : 36'

ADDITIONAL SPECS, EQUIPMENT AND INFORMATION:

• Docking lines
• Fenders: 6 fenders total. 4 of them have cloth cover on them. All in very good condition.
• Ice maker(s): 110V at wet bar, U-Line.
• Telephone/Cable inlet
• Transom shower
• Anchor wash down
• Cockpit Cushions
• Cockpit table
• Life Raft Coastal Commander 6 Man
• Epirb ACR 406
• Delta Stainless Anchor
• Chain anchor rode +/- 150’
• Lofrans Electric windlass
• Onan 5 KW Gen set (low hours)
• Air conditioning Cruisair 10k BTU Salon 16’, 12,000 BTU Helm deck 16’
• Tecma Head (FWF)
• Wet Head Shower
• Isotemp water heater
• H/C Pressure Water
• Helm Deck Bar
• Stainless Steel Sink
• Kenyon Grill
• U-Line Icemaker
• H/C Pressure water
• Stove, Kenyon ceramic single burner
• Refrigerator, Isotherm, with freezer
• Stainless Steel sink
• Sharp Microwave
• Built in coffee maker
• Poly Planer stereo, helm and salon
• JL Audio speakers throughout
• Samsung Flat screen TV built-in
• Underwater lights
• Bow thruster
• Blade type trim tabs
• Bow cushions for the foredeck
• Freshwater washdown hose

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Forbes Horton Yachts

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Jabin's Yacht Yard 7344 Edgewood Rd Annapolis, MD 21403

Ph: 443-254-2337 Fx: 410-268-0198

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Lady Caroline

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“ After casting off near the Clevaland Aquarium we went to Lake Erie for most of the cruise which was very enjoyable. ” in 8 reviews

“ Went on a lunch cruise today , nice cruise, very informative and awesome customer service. ” in 2 reviews

“ We had a wonderful work outing on the Nautica Queen a couple of weeks ago. ” in 10 reviews

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Lady Caroline is Cleveland's premier dining cruise. She docks and boards on the Flats West Bank in Cleveland. Ohio. We offer Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Brunch Cruises and private charters. Our season runs from April through New Year's Eve. Hours listed are office hours. Ship's cruising schedule varies, offering both weekday evening cruises and weekend cruises. …

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It was a fun cruise on a beautiful day. Service was good. Food was good. Ship is larger than others so you could walk and explore. Definitely will go again

Dinner on the Lady Caroline. Plus a Royal Caribbean Travel Agent event Our hostess Kathy Vesely Killen BDM for RCC invited us. myself and a few coworkers from AAA Travel Agency.. So classy, the ship had engine trouble and we never left the dock. Better to be stuck here then out in the lake. She asked us to stay have dinner and we'll do over another time. She gave a presentation on the new ships for Royal Caribbean Cruise she has been out business manager for years. If interested in a 3-4 day fun cruise call me! Overall the servers did well seeing the ship never left dock. Our Hostess was amazing. The food was ok- banquet food, our problem was tables in order to get you own dish by 1-20 and we were at Table 19. Beautiful evening thanks to the Cleveland skyline.....at the dock :)

See all photos from Rhonda R. for Lady Caroline

Lady Caroline has replaced the Nautica Queen that is retired. It's spacious. Four floors are used for large group entertainment. We went with a large group. First floor is walk in, and has tables and a baby grand piano. Second floor was dining. Very nice heavy hors-d'oeruvres were dinner. Specially drinks were delicious. Service was excellent. Third floor was a large dance floor with seating, and a bar. Fourth floor was the open top with spectacular views of the city. Our cruise on Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River was about two hours, and docked for an hour. We were there from 5-8 p.m. I would go again.

See all photos from Debra V. for Lady Caroline

First of all, the boat/ship was extremely Hot and intolerable. I asked for accommodation if a fan was available and was told no. Furthermore my table and guest were seated next to the engine room vent, which was giving off more heat. The waitress that had our table looked tired from all the running around that she forgot to bring beverage orders to the table. The food was tasteless, bland and dry. I was bothered by the fact that the menu was short and limited with 1 or 2 options available for vegan diets. I walked around to access just how hot the ship was and the 1st floor which primarily had senior citizens. Everybody was fanning themselves with the menu. The second floor had air completely and the 3rd level was humid with the windows open. Why introduce a new ship that is sub-standard to the Nautica. Nautica was way better, services were great, food was good with many options, even for vegans. The price does not equate to the level of service and quality that was given. I am very disappointed with cruise and just want anyone else deciding to take this cruise to please be aware. If this is considered an upgrade to the Nautica, then everyone run. One concerning thing, I noticed is that I never saw any AED station on the walls on each floor. For the hundreds of dollars I just spent on this floppy cruise is disturbing, unacceptable, and poses a safety issue due to the temperatures, lazi fair attitudes of service staff. Refunding me on half of this cruise would be the courtesy thing to do, to make this right.

I had a group of 50 guests We were on the oldies luncheon cruise. The staff was very pleasant. The place was beautiful, but the food that they served us was horrible. It did not even look appetizing and it had no taste whatsoever. I was advised that they did not have a catering company, but that they had a chef that prepared the food , and I'm sure he tasted the food he would not have served that that particular day the fish was awful and tasteless as well as the macaroni and cheese and the potatoes which were mashed potatoes, corn out of the can tasteless the head of chicken patty that was not edible at all in my opinion And the worst was the stuffed cabbage. It looked disgusting and with all of that on a plate actually felt like out of the window however, the salad was delicious and so was the bread. The iced tea was good, but my entire party was so disgusted with the food we all admitted that as soon as we left there, we had to go to other restaurants And fast food places to try to eat something because we were hungry. The food was just awful and my opinion and the opinion of many of my other guest $60 is a hefty price for awful food these days .. I really can't see myself returning to that establishment. The boat was beautiful. and the staff was very nice and accommodating, but the chef needs to step his game up.

Salad first with only one type of dressing. Balsamic. Buffet offered: green beans with carrots-Al dente. Mashed potatoes with chives, chicken breast, meat loaf, crab cakes and rolls also pound cake with whipped cream and strawberries. Very pleasant. Waitress needed to be friendly but other waitresses assisted where she fell short. DJ was good. Atmosphere was noisy until guests went to dance. Not a bad lunch affair. Caterer could work on flavors though!

Buffet plate

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I have been disappointed by them twice! The ship never sailed! Yet they charged full price! Beautiful ship and good food but the purpose of the outing was to cruise not just eat!

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Born with a Wooden Heart

• By George Sass Jr.
• Updated: October 28, 2011

Vicem’s captain waits patiently, giving deliberate commands with a soft-spoken, direct delivery. The boating traffic around us in the old port of Cannes is abuzz and slightly chaotic, yet the mood on board the new Vicem 75 is serene. We maneuver the yacht around in a continuous rotation trying to free ourselves from the eager tentacles cast by the various ground tackle that’s grabbed our anchor. There is no yelling or frantic movement by the captain. He simply shrugs his shoulders and grins, possessing an unflappable confidence in his ability and the craft beneath his bare feet.

After 30 minutes we’re free and we head out to the open Mediterranean for an early-evening sea trial. It seems wildly appropriate that I’m testing the latest Vicem in the south of France — a region that constantly overwhelms the senses. This yacht’s classically inspired design complements the backdrop and golden light. Only Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly sipping champagne on the bow as their head scarves blow in the evening breeze are missing as we point our bow toward Monaco.

I take the wheel and palm the purposefully designed electronic engine controls, pushing the throttles forward. I’m taken aback by what I don’t hear. There’s no protest from below, no whining of turbos kicking in (even in the salon), no excessive vibration — nothing but the sound of rushing water and casual conversation from the 12 people on board.

The wind climbs to 15 knots and the waves are stirred by the heavy boat traffic. Accelerating to a top speed of 30 knots, I head into confused seas, and yet again, I smile as nothing happens. No pounding, no spray, no loud noises, nothing but a soft easy landing like cotton falling onto carpet. At 1900 rpm, the 1,550 hp MAN V-12 diesels provide a cruising speed of 23 knots, representing about an 80 percent load. If longer range is desired, take her all the way back to 1200 rpm and 11.5 knots to achieve an approximate 870-mile range. Throughout the speed curve the 75 is sure-footed and solid. I didn’t expect her to be such a fun boat to drive, and there is also the immense satisfaction of knowing that the ride under your feet is predictable and true. I’m starting to understand the captain’s calm demeanor.

While maneuvering over the wake of a passing ferry, I’m reminded of a byproduct of cold-molded construction — natural insulation and a great ride. It’s no wonder that many of the top custom sport-fish builders in south Florida and North Carolina prefer cold-molded construction for designs that are intended to perform in a variety of conditions at high speeds. This building method also results in less tooling and therefore more development flexibility. Vicem uses multiple skins of laminated mahogany (from managed forests) to create the hull. The practice of laying up the wood in a multidirectional grid adds to the strength and integrity of the hull. And Vicem, based in Turkey, benefits from generations of native boatbuilders who have perfected their craft for centuries. The end result is a yacht with an easy to maintain, strong finish and noteworthy performance.

Vicem Yachts was founded in 1991, and the Vintage line, which includes the 75, now goes up to 100 feet. In 2012, the boating public will see the yard’s entry into the megayacht market with the launch of a 46-meter, a 35-meter trideck and a 32-meter raised pilothouse, all built with composites.

I tested my first Vicem nearly 10 years ago and was impressed by the flawless, old-world mahogany joinery, reminiscent of a London gentlemen’s club. So I was surprised when I stepped aboard the 75 — which features the same traditional exterior styling as all Vicems in the Vintage line — to find a thoroughly contemporary interior fit and finish. The light anigre wood is complemented by wenge accents and trim along with a dark iroko sole. The combination works, and instead of jarring the senses, the interior is soothing, providing a canvas that will not compete with the scenery beyond the salon windows.

The 75 features a lower helm station that benefits from a good line of sight forward. I would move the opening transom door to the port side to allow the helmsman to naturally look over his left shoulder and see the platform through the opened door while backing down. The helm is finished in hand-stitched leather, and the design places the engine’s analog gauges in the line of sight of the helmsman. An opening door at the helm brings in air and allows easy access to the deck. This is the station I would choose while docking, an activity aided by Side-Power bow and stern thrusters.

Two straight settees are abaft the helm. I called up all my reserve willpower in order to avoid lying down here for a snooze while offshore with the double doors open to the cockpit. A table in the salon will accommodate smaller meals, and a huge L-shape settee in the cockpit is well suited for large family gatherings.

Down four steps from the salon is the spacious galley with an upright Sub-Zero refrigerator and two drawer-style refrigerator/freezers beneath. Our test boat was equipped with high-end appliances, including a dishwasher, oven, cooktop, microwave and ice maker. There is plenty of stowage to provision for an extended cruise off the beaten path.

The master is to starboard and includes an athwartships king island berth, plenty of light streaming through the hull window and ports, two hanging lockers and shelves. I would find it difficult to leave this cabin in the morning, so it’s a good thing the large window above the headboard will show me what I’m missing outside.

Two twin-berth staterooms are forward and share a head, while the large third guest stateroom is in the bow with an en suite head, island berth, overhead hatch and two hanging lockers. For owners looking to host the occasional crew, accommodations are aft and below the cockpit.

Exploring the staterooms at cruising speed with a sound meter, the benefit of cold-molded construction once again reveals itself. The decibels never register more than 71. Considering the level of normal conversation is 64, this is impressive.

The reduction in boat speed as we return to Cannes lures me back to the flybridge. Since a tender will be carried on the swim platform, the space here is dedicated to relaxing and entertaining. The U-shape settee and table flank the bar unit with grill. I like the clever extension on the double helm seat to port, which folds out to allow two guests to lie back and enjoy the sights. A stainless rail surrounds the venturi. If the venturi height were reduced by half an inch, the rail could also serve as a perfectly placed handhold for anyone standing around the helm.

After we Med-moor, with the same ease in which we departed, I must force myself to leave the 75. I don’t want to be that guest who doesn’t get the message that the party is over. Yet walking around the wide teak decks, and looking at the varnished cap rail and blue hull set against old Cannes, I want to savor as much of the moment as I can. It’s been said before: There is something about a wooden boat, even one layered in epoxy, that soothes the soul and captures the heart. And isn’t that what yachting is all about?

LOA: 80’4″ BEAM: 18’5″ DRAFT: 5’7″ DISPL.: 102,500 lb. FUEL: 1,744 gal. WATER: 344 gal. TRANSOM DEADRISE: 17 degrees ENGINES TESTED: 2 x 1,550 hp MAN V-12 diesels BASE PRICE: $3,845,000

Vicem Yachts , 954-713-0737

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How did divers manage to blow up the Nord Stream pipeline? We went down to the spot to find out

German network ard chartered yacht and divers to see how sabotage occurred.

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It was an event that rocked Europe and shook world affairs. 

Early in the morning on Sept. 26, 2022, a series of powerful undersea explosions damaged pipelines under the Baltic Sea near Denmark that carried Russian natural gas to Germany. 

Fingers were immediately pointed at Ukraine, which had been at war with Russia since the latter invaded in February of that year. Ukraine denied involvement, and in the absence of reliable information, conspiracy theories proliferated about who attacked the Nord Stream pipeline.

Did a Russian submarine intentionally destroy it in order to cut off the gas supply to Germany, a country allied with Ukraine? Was it the CIA, as famed U.S. investigative journalist Seymour Hersh wrote? 

The German government has been tightlipped about the affair for two years, but this week, German media outlets ARD, Sueddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit jointly reported that federal prosecutors obtained an arrest warrant against a Ukrainian man. A Polish government spokesperson confirmed it.

The German reports identified the man as Volodymyr Z., a diving instructor who last resided in Poland. In a brief telephone conversation on Tuesday with reporters from ARD, Sueddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit, Volodymyr Z. expressed surprise at the accusations and denied involvement.

A report this week by the Wall Street Journal also pointed to Ukraine, suggesting the operation was carried out by Ukrainian soldiers and civilians with diving expertise and under the direction of Ukraine's then-commander-in-chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

Journalists at ARD, Germany's public broadcaster, have been hot on the trail since the shocking explosions took place. I was one of the reporters who was part of the team that spent months piecing together what may have occurred. 

To understand what happened to the Nord Stream pipeline that day, ARD chartered the very yacht the perpetrators allegedly used and sent divers into the roiling waters of the Baltic Sea to see how the pipeline might have been attacked.

Group chartered sailing yacht

Several outlets have reported that in early September 2022, a sailing yacht called Andromeda set sail from the port of Hohe Düne in Rostock, Germany. According to the ARD investigation, the commando that was to destroy the pipelines was on board the Andromeda. The group is said to have consisted of six people — five men and one woman. Among them, it is suspected, was Volodymyr Z.

After stops in Rügen, Bornholm and Christiansø in Denmark, Sandhamn in Sweden and Kołobrzeg in Poland, the boat returned to Rostock. 

At some point during the trip, investigators believe the crew dove from the yacht down to the seabed and, in the darkness of the Baltic Sea, attached the explosive devices to the pipeline at a depth of around 80 metres. 

What happened later is well-known. At 2:03 a.m. local time on Sept. 26, 2022, the first explosion damaged Nord Stream 2. Approximately 16 hours later, three other explosions damaged Nord Stream 1. Investigators later found residue of the explosive HMX, also known as octogen, on board the Andromeda.

• Germany issued arrest warrant for Ukrainian diver in Nord Stream pipeline attack
• Denmark, like Sweden before them, ends probe into Nord Stream pipeline 'sabotage'

During our investigation, we wondered just how hard it would have been to carry out such a mission. 

The Andromeda is a charter yacht. Anyone can rent it — so we rented it, too, and took three divers with us.  

As with many charter yachts, the Andromeda was not in the best condition — our skipper called it "one of the worst boats I've ever sailed with." 

He said several electrical components were broken and that the yacht didn't move well in the waves. Then there was the swim platform, which the divers would need to get on and off the boat. If the swell is high, the platform moves up and down, punching into the sea. A diver trying to get back on the boat could be slammed on the head by the platform, causing serious injury. For us, this risk was too high. 

So we returned the Andromeda and chartered a professional diving vessel with a crew that usually recovers Second World War explosives from the bed of the Baltic Sea. 

We then drove to the exact spot where the first explosion happened — 120 kilometres off the German coast, with the Danish island Bornholm in sight.

Trained divers required

We arrived at 6 a.m. to witness a symbolic moment in the Baltic Sea. 

A Russian military ship appeared. Through our radio, we heard, "Russian warship delta echo, U.S. warship Yankee." The U.S. Navy was trying to make contact with the Russian Navy right before our eyes. How could a sabotage operation have gone on undetected in this environment?

The burst pipeline lay almost 80 metres beneath us, a depth not every diver could handle. 

You need to be trained as a tech diver. At that depth, you have to breathe a special mixture of oxygen, helium and nitrogen, and that means carrying about 220 pounds of equipment. 

It is also pitch black at the bottom of the sea. The multiple scuba tanks gave the divers about 40 minutes to find the pipeline, which means they needed to know precisely where to look. A sonar device was required to locate the pipeline beforehand. The Andromeda did not have this kind of device on board, but our new vessel did. 

Our tech divers found the burst pipeline on their second try and filmed it. 

The difficult part for the divers was returning to the surface. The pressure is so intense that if the ascent is not done correctly, divers could experience serious symptoms like paralysis or damage to their lungs. Doing proper decompression from such a depth — which requires divers to switch to a different gas mix — takes about two hours. 

Conducting a complex mission like that from the Andromeda would have been difficult and dangerous. According to the German investigation, it's plausible Volodymyr Z. was trained for dives like that.

Everyone who has examined the Andromeda agrees it's not the vessel anyone would choose to secure a mission. 

As our tech diver Derk Remmers put it: "I would use the Andromeda for a vacation, but not a sabotage mission."

Yet this could be precisely why the saboteurs used it. To stay undetected and unaccountable — which they managed to do until the charges were made public this week.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lea Struckmeier is an investigative journalist and presenter at ARD, Germany's public broadcaster. She is currently spending her Arthur F. Burns Fellowship with CBC.

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This is L.A.’s next great place to slurp Thai boat noodles

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Thinking about Thai noodle dishes in Los Angeles feels like climbing one of Escher’s impossible staircases while playing an endless game of connect-the-dots. One bowl leads to another, ad infinitum.

The best noodle for Holy Basil’s pad see ew

For this week’s review, I wrote about Wedchayan “Deau” Arpapornnopparat and Tongkamal “Joy” Yuon’s second location of Holy Basil , ensconced between two buildings along Glendale Boulevard in Atwater Village. Look for the row of always-filled tables covered in red, checkered oil cloth.

I most admire the experimental direction in which Arpapornnopparat takes his cooking, which fundamentally looks to Bangkok-style street foods for inspiration. Recently he’s been serving fried soft-shell crab and shrimp in a wild, shooting star of a sauce that incorporates salted egg yolk, shrimp paste, shrimp oil, scallion oil and cooking wine.

The Atwater Village menu is always changing and currently lists a lone noodle dish: wok-fried pad see ew made with vermicelli, a nostalgic choice that Arpapornnopparat loved when he was growing up. I liked the filigreed texture of the super-fine strands, but remembered being keener on the version using flat rice noodles at the original Holy Basil downtown. I returned there before settling down to write the review and, sure enough, the DTLA version was superior. The wide noodles better absorb the searing smokiness of the wok, tossed in a combination of soy sauce and XO sauce for umami bass notes and chopped Chinese broccoli tumbling through for its green crunch.

As I slurped away, my brain reeled off a roster of other superior Thai noodle dishes around the city. The khao soi at Northern Thai Food Club (also known as Amphai Northern Thai Food), which I like to spike with chile oil and lime juice to cut the richness of the coconut cream. The famous jade noodles at Sapp Coffee Shop , tangling pork and crab meat, and the strongly competing version on the menu at Luv2Eat two miles away. Anajak Thai’s silky-chewy drunken noodles. And for boat noodles …

Well, Pa Ord has been a standard-setter for the dish. Also known as kuay teow rua, the combination of deeply spiced broth, sweet-sour flavors and condiments like crisped pork rinds likely traces its origins to the community of Chinese laborers hired by Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) to dig the Rangsit canal through central Thailand in the 1890s. The waterway literally helped pave the way for the global city that Bangkok would become.

Then I remembered I hadn’t yet been to an L.A. newcomer for boat noodles: Mae Malai Thai House of Noodles in Hollywood.

A new destination for boat noodles

Malai Data began serving her version of boat noodles — a recipe gleaned from her mother-in-law, who’s made the dish professionally in Bangkok for decades — and other dishes from a stand in front of Silom Supermarket in Thai Town in early 2023. By year’s end she had a lease for a space two blocks away, in the shopping complex at Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue anchored by Ralph’s and Ross Dress for Less.

My first time in Mae Malai’s dining room, among its traffic-cone orange walls, I relied on old habits: I drag-raced through the menu. I crunched lovely, shattering egg rolls, a basil leaf wound carefully around the fillings of glass noodles and garlicky ground chicken. There were the traditional boat noodles, and a soy sauce-spackled dry version scattered with ground peanuts, and tom yum, herbal and limey, also in brothy and dry versions, and kanom tuay (tiny cups of steamed pandan-scented coconut milk custards set using tapioca) for dessert. The restaurant’s pad see ew nails the requisite twang and contrasts, though it lacked the smoky wok hei like the one at Holy Basil.

It was all roundly satisfying, but by the time I reached home I knew I should have pared down my choices to more thoughtfully concentrate on Data’s signature.

Two days later, I’m alone at Mae Malai’s counter, ordering one bowl of boat noodles, which costs $8.49. The servings are small, as is customary: In Bangkok part of the fun is going from stall to stall, tasting each cook’s individual style and tweaks. I ask for thin rice noodles among five options, as the server recommends, and pork over beef, and “spicy,” rather than “Thai spicy,” because I am past the phase where I tolerate my unacclimated system being obliterated by capsicums for the brief endorphin thrill-ride.

At this level, the chile heat races across the taste buds as a first sensation and then backs off, balancing with sweetness (rock sugar is a common ingredient) and a vinegary thwack. Spices like star anise and white pepper flicker in the background. Green onions and fried, battery crumbles of pork skin rustle and crunch against the teeth, and bites of the bowl’s single pork meatball bounce around the palate. The noodles feel squiggly, and they’re gone quickly, until I’m sipping only the broth, which is tingly and nearly the color of black coffee.

A splash of beef blood is a common thickening agent, and a staffer acknowledges its presence before shooing off my nosiness.

“I can’t tell you anything more,” she says. “Family secrets.”

No matter. I’m already convinced this is a stellar addition to L.A.’s constellation of Thai noodle dishes.

Mae Malai Thai House of Noodles, 5445 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 652-2935, instagram.com/malai_noodles

• Who can resist this Jenn Harris headline: “I’m melting. This cold, creamy tofu is the only thing I want to eat right now.” She’s talking about Morihiro Onadera’s handiwork at his standout restaurant that’s also located in Atwater Village .

• Danielle Dorsey has a fresh guide to West Adams , with plenty of restaurant recommendations.
• We compiled a list of 19 family-friendly dining options from the annual guide to 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles.

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Bill Addison is the restaurant critic of the Los Angeles Times. He is recipient of the 2023 Craig Claiborne Distinguished Restaurant Review Award from the James Beard Foundation, among numerous other accolades. Addison was previously national critic for Eater and held food critic positions at the San Francisco Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News and Atlanta magazine.

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