Irish Eyes is a 2004 Meridian 411 which we purchased in 2010. The LOA (Length Overall- includes swim platform, bowsprit) is 46′ and has a beam of 14.2.
It has 2 staterooms, 2 heads and best of all, the galley has 360 degree views. How I hated twisting my head to look out the port hole in our previous Irish Eyes galley. Just as at home, you spend a good bit of time in food prep and clean up and the view I have now is a delight! In the galley we have a microwave/convection oven, an electric cooktop and a small refrigerator. We like the safety of using the instapot, and get good use from the grill which is mounted on the swim platform.
master stateroom 
salon/galley 
guest stateroom 
from cockpit to the bridge 
on the bridge 
breakfast in the cockpit
Irish Eyes is powered by twin Cummings 6BTA 5.9 litre diesels with 370hp. Our cruising speed is generally 18 knots. The engine room also holds an Onan 11.5kw generator, a 150 gallon water tank and a 55 gallon septic tank. We carry 400 gallons of fuel. On the bridge we run with a Garmin 8612 and Reactor 40 Autopilot. We appreciate using Navionics & Nebo.
Jim grew up with a 16′ run-about family boat . It gave him an introduction to boat handling, and the waterways of the Metedeconk River and Barnegat Bay. He taught me to waterski on the Metedeconk when we were teenagers.
Around 30 years ago we acquired two sunfish and puttered around with them on Round Valley Reservoir. About 5 years later decided we would like a power boat that we could sleep on with the 4 kids. Our first Irish Eyes was a 38′ Bayliner. We took the Power Squadron Boat safety course (as did our kids). Our second year we took a two week cruise to the Chesapeake. Over the past 25 years we have cruised the Chesapeake and Long Island Sound several times. Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Newport, Cutty Hunk, Kent Narrows, the Solomons and many wonderful smaller stops in between.
The Loop sounded like an interesting idea but our first introduction to it was that people sold their home and lived aboard their boat for a year. Selling my ‘home sweet home’ was not for me! However, the idea still intrigued us. The more we delved into it, joined AGLCA (America’s Great Loop Cruising Association) and explored their comprehensive resources, we realized that it is very common to do the Loop in pieces. Which is what we have decided to do.
Eyes On The Horizon 