Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2019 i Motor Boat & Yachting

It would be easy to be pessimistic about the future of motor boating – easy but wrong. Sure, there are plenty of threats looming over our sport, ranging from the shift against diesel to the restrictions on copper-based antifouling and the ever increasing cost of ownership, but if there’s one thing that history has taught us, it’s that humans are remarkably good at finding solutions to seemingly intractable problems. Take a look at the stories in this month’s ‘Future of Boating’ special issue and you’ll see what I mean. Our sea trial of SILENT YACHTS’ new solar-powered motor cat, for instance, demonstrates this isn’t just another clever concept craft but a very real, very quiet, very comfortable production cruiser. Admittedly, we couldn’t verify its full speed or range using solar…

It always feels a long winter once Smuggler’s Blues 2 is ashore. Safely chocked up on the banks of the River Dart, it sits with soft furnishings removed, heaters gently warming its nether regions (an oil-filled radiator on a thermostat in the cabin and a bar heater permanently wafting a little warmth around the engine space). There’s a dehumidifier in the cabin, too, a Meaco DD8L desiccant unit that ‘sniffs’ the air and kicks in whenever humidity levels increase, draining into the galley sink to avoid the need to empty it regularly. The big cockpit canopy is off, a flat tonneau cover keeping the cockpit dark, dry and protected. Truth is, there’s little reason to visit the boat until it’s time to recommission ready for the season, but I do…

LOA 47ft 1in (14.4m) BEAM 13ft 11in (4.25m) ENGINES Volvo Penta IPS600 TOP SPEED 31 knots PRICE FROM £648,000 inc VAT CONTACT www.princessyachts.com It may have been sharing a stand with fellow debutants the V78 and Y85 but make I no mistake, this all-new F45 was the most important boat that Princess launched at the Düsseldorf boat show. Why? This is now the smallest flybridge boat in the range and customers’ gateway into the Princess family. It strikes a quality tone immediately thanks to lavishly timbered flybridge steps and deck mouldings so creamy smooth they appear to be liquid. Design consultant Pininfarina’s impact is marked: swooping lines, a strip of glazing that appears to wrap all the way around the bow, and coloured inserts around the superstructure all add some…

LOA 61ft 2in (18.65m) BEAM 16ft 7in (5.05m) ENGINES Twin 725hp Volvo IPS950 TOP SPEED 32 knots PRICE FROM €1.29 million ex VAT CONTACT www.absoluteyachts.com Given that the new 62 Fly shares the same beam and IPS950 engines as the previous 60 Fly, it’s safe to assume that it shares its core hull design with its predecessor but there the similarities end. Dramatic elongated hull windows, cutaway bulwarks and even bigger saloon windows give the 62 a very distinctive new profile that puts an even bigger emphasis on glazing – viewed from side-on more than half the boat appears to be made from glass. This focus on light continues on the inside thanks to a redesigned deck layout that sees the galley and dining table move to a new position…

LOA 41ft 9in (12.75m) BEAM 13ft 11in (4.25m) ENGINES Single or twin 140-200hp Volvo diesel TOP SPEED 11 knots PRICE FROM €214,200 inc VAT CONTACT www.delphiayachts.eu There is something refreshingly honest about the Delphia BluEscape 1200 Fly; it’s not trying to be overly chic, sporty or luxurious but it does offer a lot of boat for not a lot of cash – something which many European builders seem to have lost sight of. Perhaps that’s why Beneteau has bought Delphia, so it can take advantage of the Polish yard’s lower labour rates and value-for-money reputation without undermining its own brand name. It’s also a rather handsome craft – the addition of a flybridge to its reverse-angled windscreen and deep-bulwarked side decks gives it a rugged, trawler-like stance. Without a sea…

LOA 28ft 8in (8.8m) BEAM 9ft 8in (2.9m) ENGINES Twin Mercury Pro XS 250hp outboard TOP SPEED 50 knots + PRICE FROM €200,000 ex VAT CONTACT Brabus Marine London Group www.brabusmarine.com It may be an Axopar 28 T-top underneath but the work that Brabus Marine has done to make the Shadow 500 worthy of the famous tuner’s badge is impressive. Crucially its performance is superior to the standard Axopar with a conservative official top speed of 50 knots thanks to its pair of 250hp Mercury V8s. Staff at the show whispered that it might be closer to 60 knots. Then there’s the quilted upholstery, splashes of carbon fibre, Brabus footplates and fabulous multi-function steering wheel. It begs you to set the engines howling and arrow off towards the horizon. Expensive…

BUILD GRP RCD C 10 LOA 27ft 2in 8.30m BEAM 9ft 2in 2.80m ENGINE Mercury Verado 350hp outboard FUEL 230 litres WATER 160 litres FROM £89,109 incl. VAT PRICE AS TESTED £118,950 inc VAT ENQUIRIES Parker Poland www.parkerpoland.eu The continual rise in popularity of outboard motors is paying dividends for both builders and consumers. With pretty much all the complex oily bits packaged up in a single unit that can be easily bolted to the transom, boat manufacturers are free to concentrate on everything ahead of the power unit. Eight metres seems to be proving the sweet spot for single outboard-powered weekenders, with boats like the Finnmaster T8, Beneteau Flyer 8 and Jeanneau Cap Camarat 7.5DC vying for your hard earned. Into this hotly contested market comes Polish builder Parker,…

As with many more experienced boat owners Harry and Vikki Metcalfe decided to make the switch from sail to power when the appeal of beating into the wind at an angle for hours on end began to lose its appeal. After years of cruising and racing a variety of sailing yachts around the Welsh coastline, they took advantage of their retirement to sell up and move to the south coast to be closer to family and friends. 1 PRIMER COAT As a brand new boat Fino’s gel coat needed to be sanded and washed before being given four coats of Hempel Light Primer. Previously antifouled boats only need one. 2 TIE COAT A single coat of Silic One TIECOAT was then applied. This has to be done within 72 hours…

I owned a number of boats outright before making the switch to shared ownership. I started off with a Fairline Targa 34, then upgraded to a Targa 38, a Targa 47 and finally a Squadron 50. I was in the process of looking for a suitable Squadron 55 when I came across a share of one for sale in Palma. I’ve never shared anything like that before, but I liked the boat and when I looked into the idea of yacht sharing, it started to make a lot of sense. The cost of my 15m berth was £36,000 a year alone, a berth big enough for a Squadron 55 would have been more like £50,000 a year. The only thing I wasn’t so keen on was the location. I kept…

The foredeck is boosted by having direct access from the saloon via a sliding panel in the windscreen The future of motorboats is as much about design innovation as it is technological advances aimed at propelling our boats in greener, more sustainable ways. The last decade has seen a giant leap forward in what production manufacturers can achieve, meaning the end user gets a boat which, for its size, is more voluminous than ever before and benefits from the sort of gadgetry that used to be available only to those with a berth in Port Hercule. The Galeon 640 Fly is a prime example. On this boat GRP has all but lost the battle against glass in both the superstructure and the topsides. Platforms in the cockpit fold down at…

Imagine for a moment that you could berth your boat safe in the knowledge that it was impossible to bump into anything. That even on the windiest of days with the tide pouring mercilessly beneath the hull and a crowd assembled to watch you ding a topside the boat is immune from damage. That an invisible bumper around its perimeter meant you could never collide with obstacles. Neighbouring boats, pontoons, piles, navigation marks, sharp-edged fuel quays; none of them are a threat because your boat simply repels them like the matching poles of a magnet. Thanks to Raymarine and its development partner Prestige, this is not the fevered dream of a panicking boat handler but a new reality to take the edge off entering/leaving a berth. DockSense-assisted berthing technology uses…

When we were specifying our Marex 310, one of our key criteria was to have heating for winter use. Given our sea trial with Wessex Marine was in October it seems a pretty easy selling feature in winter months to include heating as an option, and we ticked that box on the order form. Skip forward a little over a year and it seems less of an optional extra, and more of an essential purchase for a boat being used in the winter. The Eberspächer D4 is connected to the 801 series modulator situated in the forward cabin for controlling temperature and it’s a real bonus. We have outlets in both of the cabins, heads, galley and cockpit and the heat output is excellent for a 31ft boat; within minutes…

BUILT 2016 PRICE €255,000 EX VAT Slovenian-built Greenline brought the option of diesel electric hybrid drive to the mainstream, first with a 33ft boat and then with this 40-footer. Although the 33 was the original hybrid wonder, this 40 was arguably the first stab at combining hybrid power with genuine coastal cruising ability. The hull is described as ‘Superdisplacement’, being equally adept at both low and planing speeds. INTERIOR The deck saloon layout with a roof overhanging the side decks, superyacht-style, created the maximum area up top for solar panels able to charge the batteries and run much of the ship’s systems at anchor (on sunny days at least). Another neat feature is a transom that drops flat, extending the cockpit and removing barriers to the sea. EXTERIOR For such…

1 LEXUS REVEALS FIRST PRODUCTION BOAT Lexus has released renderings of the LY650, its first proper production boat. Dubbed ‘the third Lexus flagship’, LY stands for Luxury Yacht, linking it to the flagship LS (Luxury Saloon) and LC (Luxury Coupé) range of cars. The 650 refers to its length, which at 65ft 5in keeps the LOA pegged to just under 20 metres. Engine options have also been announced — either twin Volvo Penta IPS1200s (900hp) or IPS1350s (1,000hp). The company is remaining tight lipped about the interior layout but the one image released so far shows a galley aft main deck layout with a conventional aft cockpit. But it’s the exterior of the boat that is particularly striking. The renderings show a very elegant looking craft finished in metallic shades of bronze.…

LOA 41ft 0in (12.5m) BEAM 12ft 8in (3.9m) ENGINES Twin Volvo Penta 300hp/370hp TOP SPEED 34 knots PRICE FROM €309,950 ex VAT CONTACT www.sealine.com With the help of British naval architect Bill Dixon, Sealine’s sportscruiser range now includes some of the most spacious and versatile models in the sector. Slotting nicely into the void between the C330 and C430, the C390 is bursting with smart solutions to ensure the main deck is usable in a variety of conditions. The cockpit sets the tone with the option to have an electrically operated sunpad conversion or a transom mounted BBQ grill, the latter proving a good use of space and keeping a bulky wetbar out of the cockpit. The boat has not one but two sliding sunroofs, with a glass affair over…

LOA 34ft 4in (10.5m) BEAM 11ft 5in (3.5m) ENGINES Single or twin diesels up to 400hp TOP SPEED 37 knots PRICE FROM £354,000 inc VAT CONTACT Wessex Marine www.marex.no We never cease to be amazed by the ingenuity of the team at Marex; every time we think they’ve used every inch of space and eked out every possible idea they come up with something new to surprise us. The latest 360 CC distills all their previous greatest hits and a fair few new ones into a single floating smörgåsbord of innovation. The starting point is a brand new 36ft hull featuring substantially bigger windows above and below decks. As usual it’s available with single or twin engines on shafts or sterndrives so owners can choose their preferred mix of performance,…

LOA 36ft 5in (10.9m) BEAM 11ft 5in (3.5m) ENGINES Twin 80-300hp electric or petrol outboards TOP SPEED 42 knots PRICE FROM €145,000 ex VAT CONTACT Clipper Marine www.greenlinehybrid.si The surprising thing about the Neo is just how big it feels. The Open model may look like a normal sportsboat but it’s a full-sized 36ft sportscruiser that just happens to have an open cockpit and bow. In fact, it is one of three distinct models, all of which were at the show. They are all outboard powered, but there the similarities end. The Coupé model with its fully enclosed wheelhouse, covered foredeck and extended hydraulic bathing platform felt like a different boat to the Open. Instead of an outdoor island galley and large dinette, it has an indoor galley and two…

LOA 24ft 1in (7.35m) BEAM 8ft 2in (2.50m) ENGINE Single 300hp Volvo D4 sterndrive TOP SPEED 32 knots PRICE FROM €216,000 inc VAT CONTACT www.nereayacht.com Even among the plethora of new boats at Düsseldorf the pretty little Nerea 24 stood out. Styled by superyacht designers IdeaITALIA and built in Fano, Italy, it’s a floating fashion statement with glamorous touches like carbon fibre seat frames, mirrored bulkheads and pop-up pillar lights. They even brought in a lighting expert to ensure it sparkled on the outside — the swooping deck join is illuminated with concealed LED strip lights. The sloping foredeck restricts headroom in the cuddy cabin so much so that taller people can’t sit upright but for bags or overnighting it’s as chic as it gets. It also keeps the air…

Simon Maunder never set out to launch a boat-sharing business. He already owned a Fairline Targa 52 and liked the idea of upgrading to a Targa 62 but was hesitant about the cost of buying and running a bigger boat. By chance his neighbour was considering much the same thing. They got chatting and came to the conclusion that sharing a boat made more sense than buying their own. Given their work and home commitments they would get just as much use but at a fraction of the cost. The idea seemed so appealing that another friend jumped on the bandwagon too. “When we started it was an informal agreement,” says Simon. “I sold my 52 and bought a share of the 62 for less than what I sold it…

I’ve always dreamed of having a boat, but it’s such a lot of money to buy and run when you’re paying for the whole thing yourself that I really couldn’t justify it, especially when I can only get away for so many weeks each year. It wasn’t until 2017 when I chanced across an advert in the magazine for a four-week share of a Sunseeker Manhattan 60 costing £45,000 that it started to seem like a real possibility. I’ve lost that kind of money in depreciation alone on some of the cars I’ve bought and here was a chance to own a permanent share of a 60ft motoryacht. I was a bit sceptical at first as I’ve never bought a share of anything before but I could see how well…

Over the last few years roll stabilisation has become a must-have for boat owners due to the impressive increase in comfort it delivers. The dramatic roll reduction modern systems provide also increases safety onboard and as a result allows many families to get more use out of their boats. However, it’s not always so clear what type of stabilisation system to choose because the two main technologies (fins and gyros) have significant functional differences, meaning that no one type suits all boats or all owners’ cruising priorities. The key things you need to consider are: ■ Choose the right stabilisation technology to match the type of boating you do. ■ Check the practical limitations of your boat – not all systems will fit all boats, largely due to space limitations.…

DJI MAVIC 2 When DJI (the leading manufacturer of consumer drones) launched the Mavic it was a game changer, nullifying at a stroke the biggest disadvantage with the company’s otherwise excellent Phantom series – the fact that they are bulky to transport and store. The killer feature of the Mavic is its ability to fold into a small, easily portable package. The only downside is that the image quality, although good, cannot compare with the superior quality of the top Phantom drone, the 4 Pro – at least until now. With the Mavic 2, DJI has created two versions, and the Pro version is fitted with a Hasselblad camera with the same sized one-inch sensor and adjustable aperture as the 4 Pro. This not only creates outstanding video but also…

IN BUILD 2010-2018 PRICE RANGE £150,000 - £200,000 Launched in 2010 and the first of a new model range for Jeanneau, NC11 stood for New Concept 11 metres. Prior to this you’d have to have bought one of its fishing-oriented Merry Fishers if you’d wanted a fully enclosed Jeanneau this side of a flybridge Prestige – although the company had started introducing hard tops to its larger Leader boats, these were open-backed cockpits so the saloon remained firmly on the lower deck. Aiming for a slice of the Northern European market, the idea behind the NC11 was coupe-style enclosed main deck living that would take the fight to builders already in this segment such as Nimbus and Aquador. Of course when entering new market territory it’s important to come up…

Used boats, by their very definition, tend not to be at the very cutting edge in either technology or design, simply because they are of course older than the latest new models for sale. So when sourcing four used boats for this feature, I’ve focused on boats that were innovative at the time that still look the part today. Of course, simply designing something new and different is no guarantee of success. Those with very long memories might remember the UFO Flying Saucer speedboat – a radical outboard-powered concept. It was completely spherical and had no steering wheel; you steered by leaning in the intended direction. It didn’t catch on. So instead, here are four boats that introduced new styling ideas, design concepts, drivetrains or hull shapes, all of which…

BUILT: 2018 PRICE: £82, 500 The one element of boating that has consistently plagued owners and builders alike is how to tackle the inevitable canopies that often blight the start and end of a day on the water. Hard tops with opening roof sections are the most common solution, but they can insulate you from the water whilst still allowing the sun to roast you from above. Many people want the exact opposite – open sides and shade, a harder thing to engineer an easy solution for, but Alfastreet has created probably the most effective answer yet for its Marine 23. WILD CARD INTERIOR A cuddy cabin boat, the interior is little more than a place to shelter or sleep. There’s room for a chemical toilet, too. If you want…

At the end of last season, we managed a foray along the Brittany coast to L’Aber Wrac’h, the last deep-water haven before the tip of Finistère turns south towards Brest. This far corner of France feels wild and remote, but a friendly anticyclone and a glassy sea softened the vibes as we creamed past Île Vierge lighthouse towards L’Aber Wrac’h entrance. The low coast is barricaded by rocks and islets for two miles offshore and it’s tricky to see a way in until you pick up Le Libenter west-cardinal buoy at the mouth of the L’Aber Wrac’h channel. In the calm conditions Libenter’s normally piercing whistle was only a faint grunt on our approach from due north. Arriving before low water around midday, we decided to anchor for lunch before…

BLISTERING BARNACLES Could you give me some advice on antifouling propellers and pods? Last year I had to take my 50ft powerboat out of the water during the season for lack of speed. When it was lifted there was extensive fouling and encrustation of the propellers and pods, despite the fact that the pods (but not the propellers) had been antifouled. I was told that Propspeed was a way to stop it but others I have spoken to have said it’s not all it’s talked up to be. Can you give me some advice on this? Michael Slack Propellers are the hardest part of any boat to protect for two reasons: firstly because most antifouling paints contain copper compounds, which cause a galvanic reaction with the metal alloy of the…

LOA 40ft 7in (12.4m) BEAM 11ft 4in (3.5m) ENGINES Twin inboard/outboard up to 430hp TOP SPEED 50 knots PRICE £228,000 inc VAT CONTACT Offshore Powerboats www.nimbus.se The T11 was one of our favourite boats of the show thanks to its clever packaging and T the promise of serious performance. It has a fine looking twin-stepped hull with the option to have the outboards featured on the show boat or a pair of inboards which, if you opt for the twin 430hp V8s, will top 50 knots. This is a practical machine with thoughtful touches, such as the powered engine hatch which rises to reveal a lit and lined storage void, if you opt for outboards, and the cockpit seating with its plethora of formations. The key to this is the…

LOA 69ft 2in (21.08m) BEAM 17ft 2in (5.45m) ENGINES Twin 1,200hp MAN V8s TOP SPEED 30 knots PRICE FROM €2.5 million ex VAT CONTACT www.montecarloyachts.it Having started life 10 years ago with the very first MCY 76 and filled in every possible gap from 65ft to 105ft since then, the Italian yard has now begun a complete refresh of the range commencing with this new generation MCY 70. That said, it takes a pretty keen eye to spot the differences as the distinctive Nuvolari-Lenard styling is very much an evolution of what has come before. The most obvious external changes are the big swooping bow windows and the cutaway bulwarks enabling a better view out from the saloon. Signature styling cues like the interlocking circular hull windows, Portuguese bridge and…

LOA 32ft 8in (9.9m) BEAM 11ft 0in (3.5m) ENGINES Twin outboards up to 350hp TOP SPEED 40 knots PRICE FROM €165,000 inc VAT CONTACT see www.beneteau.com for dealers Talking of big outboard-powered sportsboats, Beneteau has launched one too. The Flyer 10 is the flagship of the Flyer range and features the yard’s patented Airstep hull, which is claimed to promote faster planing and reduced drag. The most striking thing about its layout is the asymmetric cockpit table and seating that encircles most of the aft end of the boat. It’s actually a very sociable design that enables 7-8 people to sit round the table and enjoy a long lunch in the sun. Once fed and watered they can walk through the opening port section of windscreen and spread themselves out…

Catalonia is a highly distinctive region of Spain, at the north end of the Mediterranean coast. Bordering France and with its back to the Pyrenees, Catalonia is an extraordinary cultural melting pot steeped in the history of what was once the Kingdom of Aragon. Lying about 100 miles north of the Balearics, its long varied coastline has some wonderful harbours and anchorages. Many Catalan marinas have grown up in colourful fishing harbours that have kept their character and still bring in superb seafood. You’ll find miles of seductive beaches and hundreds of beautiful coves. There are magnificent old citadel towns, where Greek and Roman ruins lie casually about. Barcelona is a stylish waterfront city, while the mountainous north-east abounds with spectacular rocky inlets and calas. For cruising, Catalonia is undoubtedly…

I grew up in a tiny village in Cornwall and used to potter around in my little 8ft dinghy staring at all the visiting motoryachts. I fell in love with a Princess 45 that came into the bay one day and dreamt of owning something similar. Years later I moved to London, qualified as a lawyer and started to look into boating once again. A friend and I chartered a Princess 42 in Mallorca and I fell in love with boating all over again. I realised that buying a boat on my own would be a massive financial commitment especially since I couldn’t even drive a car yet, let alone a boat. Yacht Share gave me the chance to learn to handle a boat and decide if I really did…

I’m a qualified marine engineer and built up my career to the point where I could look at either purchasing an apartment or a boat in Mallorca. Friends of mine owned a Sunseeker in Sotogrande and the idea of a floating holiday home that combined two of my passions really appealed to me. So in April 2016 I took an RYA Day Skipper course in Mallorca. After I passed I told my instructor that I was looking at buying a boat. He advised me to consider the total cost of ownership and suggested I have a look at co-ownership before taking the plunge on my own. On the journey back to the UK I bought a copy of MBY and saw a couple of adverts for shared ownership; a Fairline…

JOHN BOYLE is a freelance documentary cameraman/producer, whose films are distributed by National Geographic. His most recent film is about the sunken Japanese fleet in Truk Lagoon. Mark Finch is a surf shop owner, pilot and adventurer. He has accompanied John on most of his recent voyages. SUNDAY 29 APRIL: Another early start. I’m getting used to the 4.30am alarm, quick coffee, and under way by 5am. And so grateful for the Eberspächer heating system that I had retro-fitted to Cecienne. I’ve at last mastered the timer and it comes on half an hour before the alarm, taking the edge off the morning chill. Our biggest concern so far on the trip is fuel. According to the pilot guide there are occasional harbours with diesel available along our course –…

Here are the keys,” said the Fleming agent. “She’s all yours.” It was 2003 and we’d just bought a shiny new Fleming 55. We couldn’t believe it! Ten years later, retirement coincided with moving to Guernsey and keeping her in Beaucette Marina. Every moment of owning such a beautiful ship (she’s far too good looking to be called a boat) has been thoroughly enjoyable. She’s cruised between Holland and the Isles of Scilly and most stops between, and south as far as the sleepy marina of Rochefort, just south of La Rochelle on the west coast of France. How come she’s called Play D’eau? Well, before the Fleming, we had a 36ft monohull Predator 35 from the famed Hamble-based powerboat race company, Cougar. Even with non-race engines she topped out…

BUILT 2010 RICE £152, 500 In 2007 Sealine replaced its popular but dated S34 after a decade in production. It was time for something new, and the SC35 was certainly that! Penned by Carsten Astheimer, it polarised opinion with its tall vertical topsides and angular lines, the very antithesis of the boat it replaced. It quickly became known as the ‘Marmite boat’ because people either loved it or hated it (a couple of years later, Sealine actually exhibited a brown and yellow model at the Southampton Boat Show). But in fact it’s a design that has stood the test of time, with Sealine selling 300 SC35s before replacing it with the equally successful S330 and C330. INTERIOR There was a method to the madness. That high, set-square shape paid dividends…

BUILT: 2017 PRICE: €1, 595, 000 An owner of a superyacht wanted a 50ft tender and turned to Ed Dubois, who had penned the mothership, to design it, and Windy to build it. It triggered a new direction for Windy, which displayed the final result at the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2010. What began as a one-off custom build became the first of the SR52 Blackbird superyacht tender line built by Windy Yacht Projects. It’s still in production, with a new SR43 Blackhawk about to join the ranks. INTERIOR Yacht tenders are primarily about ship-to-shore transport, so the exterior is the priority. But they also get used for exploring, and occasionally they get sold as very expensive and exclusive weekenders, so the SR52 sports a small air-conditioned cabin that can…