Whether they're willing to admit it or not, every business experiences growing pains. And that's a good thing; after all, who ever learned anything without being challenged?

The 153-foot Ingot is, in my opinion, one of the best examples in the marine world of what can be accomplished when faced with difficulty. Four years ago, Burger Boat Company signed a contract with an experienced American yachtsman for a megayacht that would not only be its largest to date, but also allow the American yard to be more competitive in the global market. The project, to be named Time for Us, was to be Burger's most complex engineering-wise and design-wise. To meet the challenges, Burger doubled its workforce during the early stages, brought in new machinery, and had its craftsmen learn new skills, among other things. Adding to the tests, there was a seven-hour time-zone difference between Vripack, which handled both naval architecture and interior design, and Burger's Wisconsin headquarters. Consider that previously, most of Burger's projects were engineered and designed literally steps away from the fabrication floor.

Unfortunately, partly through construction, the owner and Burger parted ways, and work stopped for a while. But Burger's chairman, Howard Meyers, decided to finish the boat to show what the craftsmen were capable of. It was a risky move, to be sure. But having toured Ingot, the name he and his wife christened her with, I can safely say it was the right move.

One smart engineering feature: incorporating the cranes for the tenders, stowed on the aft deck, into the bulwarks. The flush design means you don't see them unless you know they're there. The rescue tender is kept on the main aft deck, too--another smart move, for it's easier to launch from this location than higher up. A pair of PWCs with their own Nautical Structures knuckle-boom crane is kept on the foredeck. All of this additionally frees up the bridge deck and sundeck for relaxation.

Speaking of freeing up, take a look at this engine room. Pretty spacious, right? Trust me when I say the photo doesn't do it justice--it's actually one of the most cavernous engine rooms I've ever seen on a yacht this size. The twin Caterpillar 3508s are practically swallowed up, and I estimated a good three to four feet of overhead clearance for each. Doug Borys, the project manager, explained that access to both primary as well as secondary equipment was a priority. As is customary on many megayachts, there's also a soundproof, air-conditioned monitoring room just inside the entrance to the engine room. But on Ingot, there's a twist: Instead of having just one entrance/exit, it has an additional door forward, yielding direct access to one of the Northern Lights gensets.

Smart features like this abound aboard Ingot. I was particularly impressed with the recessed handrail along the staircase that rises through all four decks (next to a wheelchair-accessible elevator, to boot). Most owners, designers, and yards employ traditional handrails on staircases, and while there's nothing wrong with that approach, from an aesthetic standpoint, recessing it yields a cleaner look. I also personally believe you feel a bit safer, given that your hand is somewhat cupped inside the recess. It's interesting to note that from an execution standpoint, it's far more labor-intensive, thereby helping Burger better show what its craftsmen can do.

Ingot shows off their joinery skills on many levels. There are curved, molded, and radiused Honduras mahogany panels throughout, as seen above in the master, and though I didn't count them myself, Burger says there are 104 custom pillars, each with maple burl inlays. I noticed where raised panels were used, their grains aligned perfectly with those of the rest of the wood; oftentimes they're instead fashioned at an angle, so the positioning aboard Ingot is once again an example of a more time-consuming approach.

Other eye-catching details abound, like the backlit onyx panels overhead in the saloon (above) and dining area (below), king-size berths in each of the four guest staterooms below decks, and a walk-in refrigerator/freezer in the generous-size crew mess. The crew gets four double staterooms with en suite facilities, but they're also given assistance in the everyday aspects of their jobs. There's a service door leading to the guest stateroom lobby, a staircase leading to the galley, and another stairway from the galley to the pantry adjacent to the skylounge.

The biggest hit of the tour, however, was the gloss-teak bar and general layout of the sundeck (below). Accompanying me were a few representatives from another American shipyard (yes, they all check out each other's boats), and they raved about the design. The bar is built into the mast, as is a day head. A bimini can extend from the bar aft to the Jacuzzi, which is surrounded by sunpads, but not the way you'd expect. There's full walk-around access between the two, so the crew can serve anyone anywhere--and no one needs to climb over a friend or family member to get into or out of the tub. Another feature the competing shipyard reps liked, as did I: The liferafts are tucked outside of the bulwarks. And finally, if the captain wants to run the yacht from up here, there's a helm, which folds down hydraulically and gets covered with an aluminum face or canvas, depending on whether it'll be used again on the same trip.

Ingot has a lot going for her, as you can tell. As a result, so does Burger. Vripack has nothing but praise for the job the yard did, as do the competitors who were aboard the day I was. Burger rose to multiple challenges to ensure it would earn respect in a size range and category of complexity it had never tackled before.