
May 26, 2008
Project: Couach 2300 Fly

May 25, 2008
Powerboat P1 - France Grand Prix, Fountain Worldwide Conam Yachts Double Again


Evolution
The 99 Fountain 1st4boats.com took a dominant win in Saturday Evolution class Sprint race of the Grand Prix de Marseille, heading home the 88 Kiton Outerlimits OSG Racing boat and the 10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette Racing Team in a dramatic event that had thrills and spills aplenty. The race got off to a controversial start before the boats even reached the first turn as the 99 Fountain boat and the 69 Honeyparty.com had a close shave that left the 69 Honeyparty.com boat limping back to harbour with severe hull damage. In the ensuing confusion, the majority of boats managed to miss the first buoy, allowing the 99 Fountain boat to make a clean escape before building a 20-second lead. The 88 Kiton Outerlimits boat emerged at the end of the start lap in second place, gradually easing away from a close battle between the 77 Lucas Oil team and the 10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette boat. That battle turned in the Cigarette team’s favour when the 77 Lucas Oil boat seemed to turn round the first turn buoy too tightly, making a quick course correction that allowed the 10 Fantastic 1 boat to slip ahead. A tough day turned even tougher for the 77 Lucas Oil crew as they slowly dropped back into the clutches of the 57 Centaurian Yachts team and then retired with a technical problem just two laps from the end of the race. Those fortunes contrast starkly with those of the 99 Fountain 1st4boats.com team, who have now scored their third victory on the trot (if you discount their current disqualification from the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea Sprint race). The reigning champions are looking as unbeatable as ever.
Can anyone stop the 99 Fountain 1st4boats.com team? In another spectacular display in incredibly rough conditions, the reigning champion crew won the shortened Endurance race of the Grand Prix de Marseille in southern France, and secured the overall Grand Prix of the Sea victory with a full 200-point score. This wasn’t the Fountain team’s easiest win, though, as they first had to come from behind and then defend their lead from a variety of rival challenges. After a typically chaotic first lap, the 69 Honeyparty.com boat took the early lead from the 53 Pignolo 53 entry, with the 77 Lucas Oil crew, the 10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette Racing Team Europe entry and the 99 Fountain 1st4boats.com duo rounding out the top five. The Fountain crew were very quickly on the move, though, passing the Cigarette boat for fourth by the end of the first full flying lap. On lap four, they moved past the 77 Lucas Oil boat into third, which quickly became second as technical gremlins once again blighted the British-based 69 Honeyparty.com boat, forcing a halt, ending another another frustratingly pointless weekend. 53 Pignolo did well to hold off the challenge from the 99 Fountain boat for the lead, but Sheppard and Wilson lurked perfectly on the 53 boat's wake and moved ahead on lap five before quickly pulling clear. The race came to a thrilling climax as first the 10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette boat ground to a halt from third place with what looked suspiciously like engine problems. That allowed the 60 GFN Gibellato diesel-powered boat to show its rough-weather form by moving into third, before powering past the 53 Pignolo 53 boat to take second on the final lap. The 88 Kiton Outerlimits OSG Racing rounded out the full race finishers in fourth place. There was more heartbreak for the pre-weekend championship leading 77 Lucas Oil team as they slowed from third place in the mid-stages of the race and limped home with only one working engine. They lost their championship lead, while reigning Evolution title winners Fountain Worldwide move into a clear lead that could get even bigger if they recover the 100 points they lost in the Italian Grand Prix of the Sea Sprint race in appeal. Two teams with even bigger post-weekend headaches are the German 66 Cranefields Wine Searex Racing team and the Belgian 57 Centaurian Yachts entry, both of whom ended up limping back to the harbour midway through the race with battle damage from the first lap chaos. The 57 Centaurian Yachts entry was particularly badly damaged, with a huge hole in the right-hand side of the boat. With plenty of battle-scarred boats to repair after a bruising rough Grand Prix de Marseille weekend, and a lot of catching up to do if anyone wants to overhaul the 99 Fountain team, it looks like a busy couple of weeks for the Evolution teams in the gap before the Malta Grand Prix of the Sea. But, for Powerboat P1 fans, if the racing is anything like this weekend, then we can't wait...!
SuperSport
The reigning champion 44 Conam Yachts crew continued their dominance of the SuperSport class in the Sprint race of the Grand Prix de Marseille. The Italian-based led home the 59 Saho Offshore Rana’s boat and the 08 Phoenix TV team, with an almost three-minute lead at the chequered flag. The battle for second place was initially an incredibly close-fought scrap between the 47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet and 07 VoomVoom.com crews, but both boats ground to a halt midway through the race with technical problems, severely hampering their bid to stay ahead of the 44 Conam Yachts crew at the top of the points table.
The 44 Conam Yachts team continued their impressive start to their SuperSport title defence in France, dominating the shortened Endurance race of the Grand Prix de Marseille to complete a weekend double victory and secure overall Grand Prix of the Sea victory, leading the way from the start to win by a comfortable 26-second margin from the 07 VoomVoom.com and 08 Phoenix TV boats. That puts the reigning champions back in the lead of the SuperSport class, with an 80-point advantage over the 08 Phoenix TV crew. The 38 Baia High Performance crew got the better of the 47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet boat in the scrap for fourth place, while the 59 Saho crew did a solid job to recover to sixth place after missing the first turn buoy and dropping to the tail end of the field. The 46 Spirit of Portomaso boat rounded out the race finishers, with the 22 Big Sergio retiring from the race and the 11 Sunseeker team failing to start after yesterday Saturday’s practice incident that resulted in the team’s entry sinking.
Evolution Class Sprint Results
1 99 Fountain Worldwide 1st4boats.com 48m32.25s
2 88 Kiton Outerlimits 49m20.55s
3 10 The Fantastic 1 49m21.93s
4 57 Centaurian Yachts 58m41.67s
5 53 Pignolo 53 48m39.26s - 1 lap
6 60 GFN Gibellato 50m23.49s - 1 lap
7 66 Cranefields Wine 51m31.11s - 1 lap
8 77 Lucas Oil 53m31.51s - 1 lap
9 69 honeyparty.com RET
10 76 Italcraft DNS
Evolution Class Endurance Results
1 99 Fountain Worldwide 1st4boats.com 45m00.13s
2 60 GFN Gibellato 45m06.17s
3 53 Pignolo 53 45m06.17s
4 88 Kiton Outerlimits 45m25.71s
5 77 Lucas Oil 47m42.67s - 1 lap
6 10 The Fantastic 1 48m07.03s - 1 lap
7 69 honeyparty.com RET
8 57 Centaurian Yachts RET
9 66 Cranefields Wine RET
10 76 Italcraft DNS
SuperSport Class Sprint Results
1 44 Conam Yachts 49m59.64s
2 59 Saho 52m45.37s
3 08 Phoenix TV 52m45.37s
4 38 Baia High Performance 54m14.55s
5 46 The Spirit of Portomaso 51m14.70s - 1 lap
6 22 The Big Sergio 50m47.16s - 2 laps
7 47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet RET
8 07 VoomVoom.com RET
9 11 Sunseeker Challenger DNS
SuperSport Class Endurance Results
1 44 Conam Yachts 44m09.81s
2 07 VoomVoom.com 44m09.81s
3 08 Phoenix TV 44m35.10s
4 38 Baia High Performance 45m19.26s
5 47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet 45m39.67s
6 59 Saho 47m09.22s
7 46 The Spirit of Portomaso 48m06.85s
8 11 Sunseeker Challenger DNS
9 22 The Big Sergio RET
2 88 Kiton Outerlimits 49m20.55s
3 10 The Fantastic 1 49m21.93s
4 57 Centaurian Yachts 58m41.67s
5 53 Pignolo 53 48m39.26s - 1 lap
6 60 GFN Gibellato 50m23.49s - 1 lap
7 66 Cranefields Wine 51m31.11s - 1 lap
8 77 Lucas Oil 53m31.51s - 1 lap
9 69 honeyparty.com RET
10 76 Italcraft DNS
Evolution Class Endurance Results
1 99 Fountain Worldwide 1st4boats.com 45m00.13s
2 60 GFN Gibellato 45m06.17s
3 53 Pignolo 53 45m06.17s
4 88 Kiton Outerlimits 45m25.71s
5 77 Lucas Oil 47m42.67s - 1 lap
6 10 The Fantastic 1 48m07.03s - 1 lap
7 69 honeyparty.com RET
8 57 Centaurian Yachts RET
9 66 Cranefields Wine RET
10 76 Italcraft DNS
SuperSport Class Sprint Results
1 44 Conam Yachts 49m59.64s
2 59 Saho 52m45.37s
3 08 Phoenix TV 52m45.37s
4 38 Baia High Performance 54m14.55s
5 46 The Spirit of Portomaso 51m14.70s - 1 lap
6 22 The Big Sergio 50m47.16s - 2 laps
7 47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet RET
8 07 VoomVoom.com RET
9 11 Sunseeker Challenger DNS
SuperSport Class Endurance Results
1 44 Conam Yachts 44m09.81s
2 07 VoomVoom.com 44m09.81s
3 08 Phoenix TV 44m35.10s
4 38 Baia High Performance 45m19.26s
5 47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet 45m39.67s
6 59 Saho 47m09.22s
7 46 The Spirit of Portomaso 48m06.85s
8 11 Sunseeker Challenger DNS
9 22 The Big Sergio RET
May 23, 2008
Boat Review: Riviera 3600 Sport Yacht

Presentation
A personal detailed review for May, into one of my preferred 11 metre sports cruisers the Rivera 3600 Sport Yacht. Renowned and largest Australian yacht builder, Riviera got a strong fame for building seaworthy, well built sport fisherman cruisers and yachts in over 25 years, so when the Australian builder went to built a modern hard top cruiser, everyone was curious of the out come. The 3600 Sport Yacht was the answer, as it did keep the all important Riviera lines added with some modern design and construction touches. It did respond well with the professionals, winning two important awards in 2 years: 2006 Overall Cruiser of the Year by Prestigious Yachting Magazine Australia and 2007 Best Motoryacht under 40 ft by Christophle Asia Boating Magazine. A success announced at the start!
A personal detailed review for May, into one of my preferred 11 metre sports cruisers the Rivera 3600 Sport Yacht. Renowned and largest Australian yacht builder, Riviera got a strong fame for building seaworthy, well built sport fisherman cruisers and yachts in over 25 years, so when the Australian builder went to built a modern hard top cruiser, everyone was curious of the out come. The 3600 Sport Yacht was the answer, as it did keep the all important Riviera lines added with some modern design and construction touches. It did respond well with the professionals, winning two important awards in 2 years: 2006 Overall Cruiser of the Year by Prestigious Yachting Magazine Australia and 2007 Best Motoryacht under 40 ft by Christophle Asia Boating Magazine. A success announced at the start!
Accommodation
A comfortable Sport Cruiser, which scores a lot of points thanks to the very intelligent living area on the upper deck, which with the full opening of the patio door and swing window, joins the interior with the exterior and the L-shaped saloon settee, galley entertainment area with the cockpit deck, making it a single area for spacious socializing. This practical interior saloon is also filled with natural light, air and views, thanks to the 2 opening sunroof hatches, and big opening side windows when the weather is nice and if it is does get bad, don't worry you can close it all in a few seconds, and make it a cosy place for chilling out.
A comfortable Sport Cruiser, which scores a lot of points thanks to the very intelligent living area on the upper deck, which with the full opening of the patio door and swing window, joins the interior with the exterior and the L-shaped saloon settee, galley entertainment area with the cockpit deck, making it a single area for spacious socializing. This practical interior saloon is also filled with natural light, air and views, thanks to the 2 opening sunroof hatches, and big opening side windows when the weather is nice and if it is does get bad, don't worry you can close it all in a few seconds, and make it a cosy place for chilling out.
As for the lower deck, this is all dedicated to the sleeping quarters, with a spacious owners cabin forward featuring a central located double island berth, a spacious head with separate shower stall and a second double bunk cabin. I like the solution used of creating an entertaining area up top with cabins only below, as especially in warm climate zones the lower saloon does not get used much.
Derived from a sport fishing hull with design from renowned Dutch architect Frank Mulder, the small of the Sport Yacht series does offer the goods. Its hull shape is a very deep vee forward section with a moderate vee aft, with the propellers running in tunnels for maximum efficiency, better handling and smaller turning circle. Exhaust is also an underwater system, which does add additional lift and gives lower planning speeds. The Riviera is surely not the fastest 11 metre sports cruiser, but I am sure that when the sea starts breaking off, it may come out as one of the most secure.
Positive
Patio door joining outside with inside
Upper saloon with adjoining galley
Upper saloon with adjoining galley
Negative
Small bunk second cabin
Only 2 Port Hole windows
Competition
If you really like the 3600 Sport Yacht, it is very difficult to find something replacing the practical features of this sports cruiser. As I say the 3600 Sport Yacht is a wild card on it's own, but you can still try to have a look at these before deciding:
Cayman 38 WA - 3 layout options inside, no patio door, safe walk around deck
Galeon 390 HT - spacious saloon, 3 cabins, stern drive or shaft option
Intermare 36 Cruise - similar interior space to Riviera with modern European looks
Portofino 37 HT - soon replaced by new IPS drive 11 model, comfortable walk around
Sciallino 34 Cabinato - seaworthy with Ligurian Gozzo lines, similar interior plan
Tiara 3500 Sovran - no patio door, spacious lower deck and second cabin, IPS drives
WILD CARD: Fratelli Aprea 36 Hard Top - Sorrento Gozzo, 2 cabins, spacious flush deck
Conclusion
Many are big fans for American sport fisherman yachts, admiring them in harbours and seeing the way most perform at sea is always an experience to anyone who loves planning motor boats. But somehow if you live in Europe and you don't do fishing you will always find it difficult to purchase one of these so called beasts! Riviera with the Sport Yacht series have to be praised for completing a circle, creating a new breed of cruisers, with hull lines derived from the Sport Fisherman with all the sea qualities included and adding a classy profile of a timeless Sport Yacht as the title says. By joining these 2 boating Worlds and putting the bonus of a super practical all weather hard top sport cruiser, Riviera did create the revolution and the success obtained by this range is testimony to this.
Technical Data
LOA. 11.73 metres (38.6ft)
Hull Length. 10.13 metres
Beam. 3.83 metres
Draft. 1.00 metre
Displacement. 9,200 kg loaded
Fuel Capacity. 1000 litres
Water Capacity. 390 litres
Accommodation. 4 berths in 2 separate cabins
Engines. 2 x Volvo D6 370 hp, 2 x 380 hp Cummins
Propulsion. Direct Shaft Line
Speed. 32 knots max, 28 knots cruising with bigger Cummins engine option
Range. 200 nautical miles approx
Project. Frank Mulder, Riviera Design
Picture Copyright Riviera. Data Riviera.
May 22, 2008
New Model: CNM 50 Continental Tender
As if the 50 Continental was not innovative enough, thanks to its transformable interiors, this Italian yard comes with the Tender version for the same model, aimed at giving unlimited outside space with a loft style interior. The project for the Tender version of the 50 Continental was announced just a bit later to the standard version, and Cantieri Mediterraneo have to be praised for producing big opens with a very different concept from what the major competition is doing. If you are looking for a big day boat with weekend accommodation for 2 there is not much going more then this. 50 Continental Tender, as the standard sister also scores a lot of points for the big offer in propulsion going from latest IPS, to high performance Arneson Surface Drives or to super handling water Jet propulsion.
Technical Data:
LOA - 16.01 m (52.5ft)
Beam - 4.50 m
Draft - 0.92 m (ex props)
Weight - 17700 kg (J version with big engine option)
Water Capacity - 400 l
Fuel Capacity - 1500 l
Engines - 2 x Volvo Penta IPS 600 435hp, MAN 550hp, MAN 800hp
Propulsion - standard with Volvo IPS, S version with Arneson Surface Drives ASD10L & 11 (MAN 800s), J version Jet Propulsion Hamilton or Rolls Rose Kamewa
Speed - max 35 / 46 knots, cruising 30 / 40 knots
May 21, 2008
Class 1 - Budva Montenegro Preview
CLASS 1 WORLD POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP - after round 1 of 8
1. Victory 1 – A Al Zafeen (UAE) / N Bin Hendi (UAE) – 20pts
2. Qatar 96 - H Al-Thani (Qatar) / S Curtis (England) – 15pts
3. Victory 7 – A Al Mehairbi (UAE) / JM Sanchez (France) – 12pts
4. Qatar 95 - A Al-Sulaiti (Qatar) / Matteo Nicolini (Italy) – 9pts
5. Foresti & Suardi 8 – K Selmer (Norway) / G Montavoci (Italy) – 7pts
6. SeveneleveN 18 - G Manuzzi (Italy) / N Giorgi (Italy) – 5pts
7. Negotiator 50 - B Eker (Norway) / C Parsonage (England) – 4pts
Jotun 90 - B Jacobsen (Norway) / J Tandberg (Norway)
White 4 – M Al Nasser (Qatar) / L Nicolini (Italy)
Windmare 21 – J Brarda (France) / TBC
Roscioli Hotels Roma 88 – S Carrasco (Spain) / D Cirilli (Spain)
EDOX POLE POSITION CHAMPIONSHIP – after round 1 of 8
1. Victory 1 – A Al Zafeen (UAE) / N Bin Hendi (UAE) – 20pts
2. Qatar 96 - H Al-Thani (Qatar) / S Curtis (England) – 15pts
3. Qatar 95 - A Al-Sulaiti (Qatar) / Matteo Nicolini (Italy) – 12pts
4. Jotun 90 - B Jacobsen (Norway) / J Tandberg (Norway) – 9pts
5. Negotiator 50 - B Eker (Norway) / C Parsonage (England) – 7pts
6. White 4 – M Al Nasser (Qatar) / L Nicolini (Italy) – 5pts
7. Victory 7 – A Al Mehairbi (UAE) / JM Sanchez (France) – 4pts
8. Foresti & Suardi 8 – K Selmer (Norway) / G Montavoci (Italy) – 3pts
9. SeveneleveN 18 - G Manuzzi (Italy) / N Giorgi (Italy) – 2pts
Windmare 21 – J Brarda (France) / TBC
Roscioli Hotels Roma 88 – S Carrasco (Spain) / D Cirilli (Spain)
May 20, 2008
Projects: Absolute 70, Absolute 43


May 19, 2008
Powerboat P1 - Marseille, France Preview

Powerboat P1’s successful 2008 season opening Italian Grand Prix of the Sea in San Benedetto del Tronto in Italy may still be fresh in the mind for the sport’s fans, but most of the teams are now much more focused for the coming weekend upcoming Marseille Grand Prix. The city authorities and the Federation Francaise Motonautique and the Motor Yacht Club de la Cote D’Azur have been busy preparing for the event in recent days. But given the amount of technical teething problems that teams in the Evolution and SuperSport class seemed to suffer in the opening Endurance and Sprint races of the year in Italy, we’re hearing that there have been plenty of furrowed brows, as engineers and mechanics try to fix the glitches. We should expect plenty of late-night ‘bags under the eyes’ as teams arrive in Marseille.
In the Evolution class, the 77 Lucas Oil team seemed to have the most trouble-free weekend, as indicated by their healthy lead at the top of the standings. But they’ll be looking to see where they can catch the 99 Fountain Worldwide boat, who were clearly quickest on the water, and would have been leading the way into France had it not been for their provisional 100-point penalty. The rest of the field, particularly leading teams like the 10 Fantastic 1 Cigarette Racing Team Europe outfit, the 88 Kiton Outerlimits OSG Racing squad and the 69 Honeyparty.com crew, will be keen to solve the problems that blighted their Italian weekend so they can come back fighting in France. In the SuperSport class things are proving so closely contested that everyone will be looking to gain that crucial advantage that will allow them to move ahead of their rivals. The 07 VoomVoom.com team, the 44 Conam Yachts crew and the 59 Saho Offshore Rana’s outfit lead the way in the incredibly tight points race, but the 38 Baia High Performance boat, the 11 Sunseeker Challenger team, 47 Silverline Buzzi Bullet crew and 08 Phoenix 8 squad are all perfectly poised to make big headway in the title fight if they can find the magic mix, or if one of the leading teams suffers a technical problem in France.
www.powerboatp1.com
May 17, 2008
New Model: Sunseeker 34 Metre Yacht
Technical Data:
LOA - 33.91 m (111.3ft)
Waterline Length - 26.62 m
Beam - 7.39 m
Draft - 2.28 m full load
Displacement - 119700 kg half load
Fuel Capacity - 14450 l + 5050 l optional long range
Water Capacity - 4000 l
Engines - 2 x 2434hp
Speed - 26 knots max
Range - 1250 nautical miles @ 12 knots economical cruising
Certification - RINA 2007 C Hull Mach Y Unrestricted Navigation
May 16, 2008
Project: Baia One Hundred

May 15, 2008
New Model: Viking 60 Enclosed Bridge

Technical Data:
LOA - 18.49 m (60.8ft)
Beam - 5.72 m
Draft - 1.55 m
Weight - 41413 kg Gross
Fuel Capacity - 6132 l
Water Capacity - 1136 l
Accommodation - 3 cabin 6 berths, 4 cabins 8 berths
Engines - 2 x MAN CRM 1550hp, Cats C32A 1825hp
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