“[I like] the combination of a very open layout all on the same level, which is ideal for entertaining, with the seaworthiness and efficiency which is wonderful for both day-trips as well as cruising.“ 

Cydonia, MJM 40z

Interview with the Captain — Alexander Falk

Why did you choose to buy an MJM 40z and what else did you consider?
We saw a 40z at the dock at the BYC around the fall of 2009 while having dinner at the club and as we looked out the window I immediately said: this looks like a Doug Zurn design. So we went to the dock after dinner to take a closer look and loved the lines. When we researched the brand and reached out to Boston BoatWorks and MJM thereafter, we were very much impressed with the combination of seaworthiness and efficiency. 

What boats have you previously owned?
Prior to the 40z we owned an Azimut 40 called Electric Armadillo. It was a great boat, but just not ideal for New England waters. When we bought her in 2004 it was our first boat and coming originally from Europe it looked more like the kind of boat we wanted to own. We simply didn’t understand at that time that it was a more appropriate boat for the Mediterranean and Florida rather than for New England waters. Live and learn…

What are the features you like most about your boat?

It is the combination of a very open layout all on the same level, which is ideal for entertaining, with the seaworthiness and efficiency which is wonderful for both day-trips as well as cruising. We also very much enjoy the swim platform with walkout stern door, and the side doors to the cockpit that allow for easy disembarking on both docks and launches. Last, but not least, the “sky hook” feature (more precisely the DPS system of the Volvo Penta IPS engines) is really useful for single-handed operation of the boat.

 

What features/improvements have you added or do you plan to add?
We worked with Boston BoatWorks from the beginning to highly customize our helm station layout and added redundancy to pretty much all major onboard systems (dual VHF, dual screens, etc.). We also added solar panels to allow us to charge the batteries on the mooring, as well as a security system. We upgraded to powered front windows a few years back and recently added the sliding glass side window upgrade. We’ve pretty much added new features every single winter since we bought the boat…

What is the biggest challenge you have in servicing your boat?
None. I let Boston BoatWorks take care of it every winter. They built the boat, so they know best how to service it.
 
Who first introduced you to boating?
My mother. I learned how to sail in an Opti when I was 6 years old. That was back in Vienna, Austria. At age 16 I obtained my official Austrian Sailing License (everything is much more regulated over there). I sailed on many of the Austrian lakes each summer, and even worked as staff at a summer camp on Attersee that combined sailing with computer courses.
 
Do you have any advice for those looking to buy an MJM like yours?
If you are planning on buying brand-new, definitely get in touch with Scott Smith at Boston BoatWorks and work with his team throughout the production process. They are incredible to work with and open to customization requests.

What’s the story behind the boat’s name?

Our Falk family crest includes three golden quinces on a hill. Cydonia is the Latin name of the quince. Furthermore, Cydonia is an alternate name for the greek goddess Athena, and it is always wise to name a boat after a goddess. In addition, seven letter boat names are supposed to bring good luck because of the Seven Seas. Last, but not least, I’m a huge SciFi fan, and Cydonia is also a region on Mars as well as the name of an asteroid in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. For all those SciFi fans out there: if you are watching The Expanse on Amazon Prime (or if you have read the underlying novels by S.A. Corey), you may have noticed that one of the books features a spaceship called the MCRN Cydonia, which is a Raptor-class fast-attack cruiser of the Martian Congressional Republic Navy. 

Any recent boating-related purchase you’ve been enjoying (e.g. product/tool/equipment etc)?
I’ve recently acquired a hand-held color night-vision device from Sionyx that is really quite brilliant. I do have a FLIR camera built-in on Cydonia, but as I mentioned above I believe in redundancy for important safety systems, so I now have this hand-held device, too. And it actually gives me a much better vision than the FLIR, which is by now about 5+ years old and the technology has really evolved.

 
Are there any other notable boating resources you like to use (apps, devices, etc)?
In terms of apps I like Dockwa, iNavX, Siren Marine, and RadarScope. I’m also a huge fan of RosePoint Coastal Explorer on my laptop. 
 

Check it out
Click the gallery below for more photos and information about Cydonia!