April 15, 2014

Improve-it = Hinckley T48 Talaria MY

For 2014 Hinckley is bringing a new power propulsion option to the T48 Talaria traditional down East looking boat. Traditional and standard the T48 Taralia is offered with a pair of Hamilton HJ 364s jet drive powered by twin Volvo 725hp engines. Now the T48 Taralia comes with the option of the Volvo IPS pod drives in this case and for this model being the 800 series. Impressive in all this is that while the T48 Taralia was designed as a jet boat with the IPS pod option its cruise is expected to be 33 with a top of 35 knots, same numbers as the jet drive boat but with two hundred less horsepower in total.  

April 14, 2014

Paolo Caliari 1932 - 2014

Remembering Paolo Caliari also known as the father of Mediterranean yacht design who left for the better World on Sunday 13 April 2014.  Born in 1932 Paolo Caliari becomes a World renowned yacht designer who contributed not only to the birth of the so called Italian Mediterranean style of yachting, but is considered as one of the fathers of contemporary style.  He played a pioneer role in shaping yacht design as is known today, understood as a combination of knowledge, skills and processes, which are organized around technological research.  Paolo Caliari is the designer of many legandary boats mostly characterizing a combination of both aggressive forms and clear, elegant straight lines.  In his career Paolo has worked for a whose who list in the global yachting industry from the sixties till the nineties for such names as Alalunga, Arno, Baglietto, Denison, Donzi, Esterel, Intermarine, Mochi, Picchioti Proteksan, Roscioli, Sanlorenzo, Tecnomarine, Wellcraft, and Vosper.  One of his longest standing collaboration came with Cantieri Navali dell Arno and its Leopard range which started in the seventies and continued till near the end of his career.  Arno Leopard made a special hit with the mid eighties started important 20m model, at that time the largest open sport yacht which made school and over the years morphed in a series of models including the popular 27.  Paolo Caliari best selling design was the Tecnomarine C42 which started production in 1973 and lasted till 1986 and sold over one hundred units.  Caliari at some points in his career also had a brand of his own with the Caliari Yacht offshoot produced in collaboration with Mochi in the late eighties and early nineties. Worth to note that some of the famous Italian Yacht designers and naval architects who will make hit over the years also started as assistants in his studio; Aldo Cichero, Andrea Basicalupo, Anna and Franco Dellarolle, and last but not least his son Pier Luigi Caliari who with assistance from father Paolo and collaborators Carlo Donati and Carola Gentilini founded the Caliari Architects Yacht Design in 2010.

April 13, 2014

Project: Canados Oceanic 120 DiElec

It's been an important start for 2014 since Canadoes announced its new expedition Oceanic range, selling and currently building two of the six vessels available. The Oceanic 120 sits in the middle of the range and is a high tech composite construction. Powered by twin MTU 2600hp and twin Auxilia 120 kW electric engines, the DiElec short term for diesel electric can achieve a top speed of 23-knots. But that’s not her most impressive attribute, when cruising at 8-knots on her electric engine the 120 DiElec’s ridiculously low fuel consumption figures have to be seen to be believed. As with all models across the Oceanic range, the entire upper deck is devoted to the owner’s suite. On the lower deck four additional cabins accommodate guests in considerable comfort. Stowed in the Oceanic 120 DiElec’s central garage is a 6.5m tender and a jet ski, while the aft garage can store two additional jet skis. With flexibility typical of the Oceanic philosophy, the 120 DiElec can also be designed with on-deck tender stowage, providing the opportunity to utilize the garage space as an over-sized beach club.

April 11, 2014

New Model: Sealine F380

Launched at Dusseldorf the new F380 is the first model to come from Sealine new German owners, the Hanse Group. Announced as the F37 project a few months before Sealine was declared bankrupt by its previous American owners, this model is based on the hull of the SC35 with a different super structure featuring a flybridge dual helm design. For those that do not know the SC35 featured a hull bottom shape design of deep Vee expert American Michael Peters. Apart this important note the Sealine F380 looks to be a spacious flybridge motor cruiser, a usual trait of the previous British now German owned and located brand and features a typical classic two cabins, two shower heads layout. The owners room is located to fore and features a spacious en-suite shower head to star-board.  A twin berth guest cabin is located to starboard, while on the other side of this is the galley. This means that the main deck of the F380 is fully dedicated for a relaxed environment being it dining or chilling. Power is twin Volvo engines starting from 260 and going up to 330hp. 
Technical Data:
LOA - 11.4 m (37.4ft)
Beam - 3.77 m
Draft - 0.95 m
Displacement - 9800 kg
Fuel Capacity - 910 l
Water Capacity - 315 l
Accommodation - 4 + 2 berths
Engines - 2 x Volvo D4 260hp, D4 300hp, D6 330hp
Propulsion - Volvo dual propeller stern drives
Speed - 30 knots max with 260hp, 33 knots max with 330hp
Certification - CE B

April 9, 2014

Project: Azimut 50

From the end of last year Azimut already started to show signs that 2014 will be an important renewal time for its line up, announcing three new projects during the Genoa boat show. The 50 is one of the models upcoming by the World famous Italian builder, and shows Azimut re-challenge itself in a model which previously has always sold over the hundreds of units in a few years production run. This new 50 major selling point will be its full beam owners midships stateroom. Its interesting to note here that while Azimut pioneered the full beam amidships cabin in the smaller yacht sizes with the 55 in 2000, the Italian marque never actually did this in its fifty feet sizes or smaller. The smallest Azimut featuring a full beam owners cabin was the 53 recently updated to become the 54. This new 50 changes this and features a full beam owners cabin, plus two other guest cabins, these being a VIP forward, and a twin with bunk berths to starboard. Styled outside by long time Azimut designer Stefano Righini the 50 features similar single piece styled view windows reminiscing the 2012 launched 55S model. Interesting to note how these should work very good with the split level saloon which features a lounging entrance saloon and a dinette to forward port side. Another plus point in the new 50 will also be the settee in the fore deck, something also unusual to find in most modern motor yachts of similar sizes.

April 8, 2014

New Model: Hardy 40 DS

In the last year Hardy has made important forward movement in renewing itself and becoming a British builder specialized in explorer type cruisers and yachts. Hardy boats renowned for a strong construction and good sea keeping, are now also starting to look modern outside, what could prove an important statement from the North Walsham builder. The 40 DS comes after the launch of the new 62 flagship from Hardy, a model which shown a lot of attention from the media and experienced boaters alike. The 40 DS is a two cabin boat with an interesting living saloon on the main which features a spacious C-shaped dinette with galley opposite. Helm station is very unusual for a British builder located to port side. The 40 DS features a hull based on the Hardy 42, with a modified version in the optional twin engines version. Standard power is a single Yanmar 440hp.   
Technical Data:
Hull Length - 12.8 m (41.9ft)
Beam - 4.3 m
Draft - 1.2 m
Displacement - 14 t dry
Fuel Capacity - 1710 l
Water Capacity - 430 l
Accommodation - 4 + 2 berths
Engines - Yanmar 6LY3STP 440hp ((alternavite options and twins available)
Speed - 19 knots max, 14 knots cruise, 8 knots economic
Project - Andrew Wolstenholme, interior Chris Lock CSL Design

April 6, 2014

Project: Wider 165

It is very interesting what Tili Antonelli and his partners are doing with the Wider brand.  What started with a 42 feet innovative runabout model, is turning into an interesting brand, which showcases its products in a high range of sizes. The early part of 2014 have been also interesting for Wider increasing its super yacht range, after the company sold and is currently building the first 150. Now Wider presents itself with a larger 165 project, a triple deck super yacht, with a bulb shape hull. The preliminary accommodation plan of the 165 features four guest staterooms, and an owners master on the main deck. Crew cabins will be six including a captains cabin on the top deck just behind the pilot house. As usual to Wider the aft will be a transformation zone, from the stern beach, to the opening side garage at starboard.  The Wider 165 will also feature an interesting fore deck fitted as a large sunbathing area. 

April 4, 2014

Improve-it = Fairline 78 Squardon Custom

Fairline recently presented an important update to the 78 Squadron Custom now available with an integrated fixed flybridge hard top surrounding an electric retractable canvas roof. The new roof brings a permanent structure to the already commanding flybridge, with large sunbathing area and plenty of space for open-air entertaining. The new hard top model recently concluded sea trials at Fairline's test facility in Ipswich. The first boat has already been handed over to her new owner and the second left the test facility last week. Fairline celebrated the launch of the one hundred 78 Squadron  model earlier this year at the London boat show. The original eleven year old flagship was first unveiled to the world in 2003 first as 74 Squadron, at a prestigious event near the Tower of London. The model was in 2007 updated as the 78 Squadron Custom, here the most visible change being extended up and down moving bathing platform, but more importantly a full customization set, this move increasing the success of the model twice fold. Since then the 78 Squadron Custom has become one of Fairline’s most successful and iconic motor yachts with a very loyal following. Since the custom move the 78 Squadron have received over ten thousand individual customization's, with some being very much an important change as the addition of fin stabilizers on some models.

April 2, 2014

Project: Sea Ray L650

Launching its new very important L650 Fly flagship at the just past Miami 2014 boat show, Sea Ray is fast to expand its Luxury line with a new upcoming model.  This new project is a sister model to the just launched L650 Fly minus the flybridge hard-top. That means that the L650 has two important differences; no fly-bridge but an opening glass sunroof which fills the main deck with natural light, and a different aft deck. The aft deck of this L650 features a C-shaped settee resting on the port side, and one way passage to and from the bathing platform at starboard. For the rest the L650 sport yacht keeps the same great features of the Fly version as the spacious four cabin layout below, and super split level main deck with one of the largest open plan galley in this size of boat. 

April 1, 2014

blogger - Compare

Its been a stable market in the last year or so, and the large super yacht market of eighty feet plus is seeing again growth with important orders coming in at various yards around the World on a weekly basis. Still the sub eighty feet market is still struggling, and has been far away from it glorious days of more or less a decade ago. To make matters for boat builders more difficult buyers in this size between fifty and eighty feet are spoiled for choice, with a lot of hardly used boats being a huge discount from a new boat price.
This being said I ask if is it time for production boat builders to re-look at themselves in this size. For example if you go buy a new car today which costs thousands, a customer has on order a lot of options coming from the standard lists. Go to order a boat which costs hundreds of thousands, and takes months to build and be delivered and even if you request a color change on the hull this will be an important option with a price increase. Some production builders will also say that this cannot be done.
If boat builders want to make a return to more new boat clients in this important large size they should have basic options as standard; color changes in normal colors, wood trim choices should not be on the price up list menu. A standard color change in many new builds does not change much of the production procedure, and even wood trim choices if made onto a plan would not affect much.