We got onboard one of the top yachts in Kelowna. Check it out.

There are plenty of fancy boats at the Kelowna Yacht Club but one of them has been given some very cool upgrades that make you think ‘party’ just by looking at it.

It’s a Beneteau Gran Tourismo 38 Coupe; exuding all the elegance and panache of its country of origin, France. The twin 400 HP Volvo diesel engines give it some serious oomph as well.

“There’s not many Beneteau boats in the Okanagan and the styling is special," owner Mike Hall told Kelowna10 while sitting at the helm. “And the styling: most boats are usually white. This one is fully wrapped in like a ‘Nardo’ grey, with a black top.”

While visually appealing, it’s the extensive hi-tech modifications that make it super luxurious and a floating entertainment mecca. That includes the installation of 90,000 lumens of lights under the water line to illuminate the surrounding water, and special interior lighting at deck level and in the ceilings. They can all change colour and are linked to the 16-speaker sound system.

Safe to say, wherever this boat goes, it gets noticed.

“It’s called HALLPASS,” Hall, the general manager of August Luxury Motorcars, explained.

That’s a play on his family name and a fun reference to the Owen Wilson movie that’s themed on two husbands given an unlimited Hall Pass by their wives for one week.

The real-life difference is that Hall gets to escape for a lot more than just a week. Every weekend is spent with family to explore some special places that you can’t get to by car.

“Me, my wife and kids, go boat camping. You don’t have to book anything, you just show up and tie up to a buoy,” he said.

The boat’s power supply has a massive inverter that allows it to operate the full air conditioning as well as the appliances in the kitchen, so no generator or onshore supply is needed.

It comes with two bedrooms – one in the front and another mid-berth – along with a washroom equipped with a shower. There are tables on the upper and lower entertainment areas that turn into beds so the vessel can comfortably accommodate seven sleeping guests, according to Hall.

“I’m pretty lucky to be able to enjoy Kelowna like this,” Hall said.

And while he gets to drive and occupy the gorgeous vessel, but many others on the shoreline or out on the water have been entertained by the light show that’s visible inside and out.

“Absolutely, it certainly turns a lot of heads,” Curtis Froats explained. He’s the marine specialist at August Customs and is responsible for the tech upgrades on HALLPASS.

“You get a lot of thumbs up and waves when you’re going down the lake, that’s for sure.”