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Merritt has always occupied a distinct corner of the custom sport-fishing world. The iconic builder’s modern lineup has centered around the 77- and 88-foot models, along with its 56-foot catamarans. The focus on blending tradition with the modern has helped refine each platform. The builder’s profile has evolved as well, moving from the squarer houses of earlier generations toward softer, sleeker lines without sacrificing its unmistakable identity. That evolution is clear aboard Saranita. At 77 feet, with a beam of more than 21 feet, she has the volume, range and accommodations of a true traveling sport-fisher. Her 2,800-gallon fuel capacity, 500 gallons of fresh water, and four-stateroom, five-head layout support tournament campaigns, island hopping and extended cruising with equal ease.
Cockpit and Bridge
Saranita‘s cockpit is pure Merritt. A custom fighting chair carries a Blue Water Chairs varnished-teak eight-rod launcher, while a separate 10-rod launcher can be installed when the chair is stowed. Air-conditioned mezzanine seating, a cockpit day head, refrigerated drink storage, multiple freezers, an insulated fish box and an Eskimo ice machine keep anglers and guests comfortable. Two removable 50-gallon Wicked Wells livewells give the crew flexibility, while the boat’s walk-through transom door is sized to accommodate a grander. Lindgren-Pitman 24-volt reel outlets complete the working setup.
Palm Beach Towers supplied the vessel’s full tuna tower, and the bridge is protected by a three-sided C-Worthy enclosure. Three Blue Water Chairs teak helm seats face a comprehensive electronics package that includes Furuno and Garmin navigation and radar, Furuno omni sonar, FLIR night vision, Simrad autopilot, Icom VHFs and dual Starlink systems. Rupp hydraulic outriggers, teaser-reel compartments, fuel-transfer controls and bow-thruster controls keep essential functions close at hand for the captain.
Interior
Satin-finish teak, cedar-lined hanging lockers, maple dovetailed drawers and custom granite countertops give this sport-fisher’s interior the warmth befitting a Merritt. A dinette to starboard provides everyday seating, while a custom coffee table crafted in the builder’s carpentry shop converts into a full-size dining table for six guests. The galley is equipped with Sub-Zero refrigeration, a cooktop, a microwave-convection oven and an undercounter ice maker. A soundproof hatch in the galley sole provides direct access to the forward mechanical room, avoiding a trip through the warmer, noisier engine room while underway. Belowdecks, the portside master includes a private head. Matching twin-bunk staterooms sit on each side of the companionway for crew, while a forward VIP has its own head. A stacked washer and dryer support longer trips away from the dock.
Machinery and Performance
Twin 2,600 hp MTU 16V2000 M96Ls power Saranita, supported by two 32 kW Kohler generators. The engine room offers approximately 6 feet, 4 inches of headroom and clear access to the outboard sides of both engines—a reflection of Capt. Karl Anderson’s two decades of experience with Merritt and the builder’s emphasis on serviceability. A forward watertight mechanical room houses a Seakeeper 40, Spot Zero watermaker, Dometic ice chipper and ElectroSea ClearLine system. A MarQuipt 1,550-pound hydraulic davit and custom deck cradles carry an 18-foot Chittum skiff, adding real utility for island travel. During sea trials off Hillsboro Inlet, Saranita cruised just over 30 knots at 1,750 rpm, with the MTUs burning approximately 70 gallons per hour per engine. At 2,050 rpm, she reached 35 knots, and at wide-open throttle Saranita topped 40 knots. When backing down, the five-blade Michigan propellers helped her spin cleanly and respond with surprising agility for a 77-footer. Saranita represents the modern Merritt: sleeker and more refined, yet still built around range, machinery access and serious offshore capability. Elegant at the dock and ready when the lines go out, she remains a Merritt through and through.
Saranita Merritt 77 Specs
- LOA: 77′
- Beam: 21’3″
- Draft: 5’6″
- Fuel: 2,800 gal.
- Water: 500 gal.
- Power: Twin MTU V16 2000 M96L, 2,600 hp
- Generators: Twin Kohler 32 kW
- Propellers: Custom Michigan Wheel five-blade
- Stabilization: Seakeeper 40
