Class 1 - Dubai Grand Prix Preview

Victory Team will line-up for this week’s Emirates-Dubai Duty Free and Skydive Dubai Dubai Grands Prix looking to close out the title race on their home waters at the Dubai International Marine Sports Club as Dubai celebrates 21 years of hosting the Class 1 World Championship after staging its first two Grands Prix in 1992.
Wins in Qatar, Gabon and Italy puts the defending and four-time Champion Al Zafeen and two-time Champion Al Marri 21-points clear of their Emirati rivals, Team Abu Dhabi, at the top of the World Championship standings on 95 points as they look to win a remarkable twelfth World title for the Dubai based Victory Team 20 years after entering and winning the Championship on their debut in 1993.
To secure the title in the penultimate Grand Prix of the year before the season finale in Abu Dhabi the Dubai-duo, who completed the win-double in Dubai last year, must again win both races but need second placed Team Abu Dhabi to trip up and finish off the podium in both.
That will be a tall order; Team Abu Dhabi is on top form and enjoying theirs and the team’s best season to date and have missed out on a podium finish only once in their five starts in 2012 and will be looking to pick-up their first win together – the team’s last win coming in 2010 in Abu Dhabi when Al Tayer paired with American, John Tomlinson.
Ten boats will line up on a slightly revised course running off the Mina Seyahi and inside the Palm Jumeirah, with two new outfits on the start line and two new drivers set to make their Class 1 debuts.
New Zealander Peter ‘muddy’ McGrath, who last raced in Class 1 in 2009, makes a return to the Championship following his success in the USA in November winning the Supercat World title, and teams-up with Australian Darren Nicholson in a Victory hull running Victory V12s.
Norway’s Bjorge ‘bj’ Jacobsen will lead out a second Norwegian entry, Subseapilot Racing, alongside countryman Yngve Bratland in the Outerlimits hull owned and debuted by Fendi Racing in 2011, but opting to run Mercury V8s.
For Spirit of Qatar’s two-boat attack the world title, barring a complete technical or otherwise meltdown by the two front-runners, looks to be beyond their reach. But despite not contesting all rounds this season, opting not to go to Gabon, they sit in third and fourth spots, picking up two Grands Prix and an Edox Pole Position win.
Sheikh Hassan and Steve Curtis, who also enjoyed the spoils of success in the USA winning the Superboat Unlimited title, sit 42-points adrift of the leaders and 21 shy of Team Abu Dhabi in third but hold a nine-point advantage over teammates Ali Al Neama and Matteo Nicolini.
They took their first win together in Class 1 in Doha earlier in the year, adding two third placed finishes in Doha and in Italy, where they also grabbed their first pole position of the season, and are in the hunt for the Middle East title and sit joint top with arch-rivals Victory.
Al Neama and Nicolini have proved to be a strong partnership since finishing on the podium in their debut outing together in Abu Dhabi in 2010, winning twice and taking five podiums and a win in qualifying from their 11 starts. They produced one of their best performances last time out to upstage their teammates with a brilliant flag-to-finish win in race 2 in Italy - their second in Cernobbio - and will be looking for more of the same this weekend.
Team LFFendi10 completes the top half of the points table and has been a different outfit since running out for the first time in their ex Championship winning Victory hull and switching to SCAM engines in Libreville, Gabon in July.
Luca Formilli Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella have shown that they can run at the front and are genuine podium challengers after finishing second in Gabon. They then went on to qualify in fourth in Italy and looked to be on track for a second podium finish before incurring a penalty lap for missing a turn-buoy, eventually finishing down in fifth place.
Norwegian outfit Zabo Racing will be desperate to turn their fortunes around and will be targeting a repeat of the podium success they enjoyed in Dubai last year.
The team is well overdue a strong run out, as well as some luck, and with three races under their belts and the much needed time out on the water with their latest specification Mercury engine package, Ugur Isik and Christian Zaborowski may well find form and deliver strong performances in the UAE.
Another team looking to put it all together over a race weekend is DAC Racing and they will be hoping to mark Giampaolo Montavoci’s 100th Grand Prix appearance with a more than possible podium finish.
Team principal and driver Guido Cappellini has reworked the former Championship winning Tencara and their performances at times have shown that the boat can be very competitive and quick. But reliability has been their ‘achilles heel’ and has cost them several podium opportunities.
If luck has deserted any team this year it is Team D’Alessio-SCAM who has suffered a catalogue of bad luck from season start and will be hoping for a trouble free run in Dubai.
A fire gutted the boat in the season-opener in Qatar, but the team managed to all but rebuild her in time to make the race start in Gabon where their new pairing of Gian Maria Gabbiani and Luca Nicolini picked up seven points in fifth place.
An all new look FA.RO ACCIAI rolled out in Italy, but last minute issues prevented the boat getting out onto the water until race 1 - albeit momentarily - with Gabbiani and Nicolini tipping it over at the first turn. Hopefully lady luck will be with them in the UAE.
First Practice takes place on Thursday from 11.30-13.00hrs (local) with official qualifying in the Edox Pole Position at 15.00hrs. A second practice session on Friday morning at 10.00hrs is followed by Race 1, the Emirates-Dubai Duty Free Dubai Grand Prix - 11 laps / 54.78Nm at 15.30hrs, with a final practice session on Saturday morning at 10.00hrs and Race 2, the Skydive Dubai Dubai Grand Prix – 14 laps / 68.37Nm at 15.30hrs.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - after round 3
1. 3 Victory Team - 95pts

2. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 74pts

3. 96 Spirit of Qatar - 53pts

4. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 45pts

5. 10 LFF10 - 38pts

6. 91 Zabo-Isiklar - 22pts

7. 74 Spirit of Gabon-Poliform -9pts

8. 23 FA,RO ACCIAI - 7pts

9. 90 Welmax - 5pts
MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIP - after round 1
1= 96 Spirit of Qatar - 32pts

1= 3 Victory - 32pts

3. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 30pts

4. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 9pts

5. 10 LFF10 - 7pts

6= 91 Zabo-Isiklar - 0pts

6= 74 Spirit of Gabon-Poliform - 0pts

6= 23 FA.RO ACCIAI - 0pts

6= Welmax - 0pts
EDOX POLE POSITION CHAMPIONSHIP - after round 3
1. 3 Victory Team - 55pts

2. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 36pts

3. 96 Spirit of Qatar - 35pts

4. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 19pts

5. 90 Welmax - 16pts

6. 9 Welmax - 12pts

7. 10 LFF10 - 9 pts

8. 74 Spirit of Gabon-Poliform - 5pts

9. 91 Zabo-Isiklar - 4pts

10. 23 FA.RO ACCIAI - 3pts

www.class-1.com

New Model: Azimut 43 Magellano HT

Offering different versions to the same model has been an important element in the last couple of years since the crunch hit the World at end of the past decade.  Business wise this make a lot of sense since offering a hard top version of a flybridge model can usually attract a different set of customers to it.  The Azimut 43 Magellano HT wants to do purely this, attract a younger customer seeing that this hard top model of the entry level explorer line from the famed Italian builder shows a  more aggressive profile.  For the rest loosing the extra helm and entertainment area up top, the 43 Magellano HT keeps all the same as the flybridge model with the very clever main deck area with its well laid astern galley, and its spacious lower deck.  Speed is a max of 22 and a cruise of 18 thanks to twin Cummins 355hp.

Technical Data:

LOA - 13.63 m (44.8ft)

Hull Length - 12.8 m

Beam - 4.4 m

Draft - 1.2 m inc props

Displacement - 17.4 t full load
Fuel Capacity - 1680 l

Water Capacity - 600 l

Accommodation - 4 or 5 berths in 2 or 3 cabins

Engines - 2 x Cummins QSB5.9 305hp, QSB5.9 355hp

Propulsion - line shaft

Speed - 22 knots max, 18 cruise with 355hp

Project - Cor D.Rover styling, Bill Dixon hull

Hull Shape - semi displacement dual mode

www.azimutyachts.com

Project: Aquastar 49S

Aquastar presents its latest development the new 49S model.  The first 49S is already in build, and should launch in coming Spring 2013.  Exterior wise the new 49S captures a lot of the features of the latest 42 launch mixed with those of the bigger Aquastar models, see big view windows for the owners aft cabin and a more higher profile for the second.  Is also interesting how Aquastar wants to make this pure British aft cabin cruiser a bit more of an all around see hard top covered aft deck, and more lean profile in the lines.  I am sure taking note from requests of the bigger models which usually have a more global influenced audience helped here. Aquastar so far is not giving much details both for the interiors and power performance choices.  It will be interesting to see if the layout will follow that of the 48 which offers two cabins and a larger saloon, or go for something more unedited.  At this stage we have to wait for more news from Aquastar.

www.aquastar.gg

New Model: Formula 350 Crossover Bowrider

Formula presents the 350 Crossover Bowrider, new flagship of the open fore deck line from the US builder which starts at 24 feet and with this latest entry features six model. Conceived by since long time Formula head designed John Adams at 35 feet the new Crossover Bowrider presents itself with a trend coming from the US, who recently offer a cabin together with a full deck space environment for 30 feet plus full deck open boats.  The 350 Crossover Bowrider shares hull with the same designated Supersport model and along a full deck space offering endless seating and sun pad ares to the full length of the sport cruiser model, it also offers a lower deck sleeping four including a galley and a head.  Interesting the space offered is more to that of some other performance orientated boats of the same size.  Power is from four engine choices; three Mercruiser and one Volvo and starts at 320 and go up to 430hp. 

Technical Data:

LOA - 10.67 m (35ft)

Beam - 3.28 m

Draft - 0.99 m

Displacement - 6109 kg

Fuel Capacity - 651 l

Water Capacity - 113 l

Accommodation - 4 berths

Engines - 2 x Mercruiser 377Mag ECT 320hp, 8.2 Mag ECT 380hp, 8.2 Mag High Output 430hp, Volvo V8 CE 380hp

Propulsion - Mercruise Bravo Three or Volvo DP dual propeller stern drive

Hull Type - deep Vee 21 degrees dead rise

Construction - Imron graphics, Perma-panel structural hull matrix, foam full hull cavities

Project - John Adams

Certification - NMMA Yacht

www.formulaboats.com

Improve-it = Pershing 108

Presented at the Cannes show there was  a  more customized version of the three engines Pershing 108 described by the Italian firm as new edition.  The Pershing 108 is a 32 metres long super sport yacht that maximizes the concepts of personalization and versatility thanks to its layout that allows the owner and his guests to be the protagonists of the experience on board. In fact this new edition of the Pershing 108 has various new details that distinguish it from all the competitors in the same category. The chosen internal layout has four guest cabins; a full beam master suite amidships, a large VIP cabin forward and two guest cabins, one with twin beds and one with beds that can be used as single beds or a king size bed, and 3 crew cabins. The windows of the lower hull are also an original idea, since they have been enlarged at the bottom end so as to capture more natural light. The fabrics used are also innovative. Pershing 108 custom is the first yacht on which a special version of Alcantara was used for the exterior: in fact, all the sun beds and the sofas of the cockpit and the sun-deck are covered with this exclusive material which is particularly resistant to water.  The interiors are also prestigious, bearing the best designer names of the Made in Italy: Poltrona Frau, Armani Casa, Ernestomeda, Antonio Lupi, Penta Light and Zanotta.  Versatility and elegance are the strengths of this model, without underestimating its high level of performance the Pershing 108 New Edition has three MTU engines of 2638hp and thanks to the three surface propellers it reaches a top speed of more than 42 knots.
www.pershing-yacht.com

New Launch: Bayliss 80 B15

Bayliss Boatworks is proud to deliver B15, 80 titled by her owner Dream Time, the largest completed sportfishing hull the company has delivered to date. All Bayliss hulls are built custom from the keel up, and are triple-plank cold-molded using epoxy resin. Bulkheads, cabins and bridges are built with Okoume plywood and Core-Cell A500 foam, designed to be lightweight, while still delivering maximum strength.  Her bridge layout is nothing short of impressive. At the helm, there are four monitors and an actuated drop down radio box. Moving forward, the bridge has the capacity to seat twelve adults, and contains four refrigerator freezer compartments, all concealed into flybridge cabinetry. A collaborative effort finished off the bridge details; tower from Palm Beach Towers, bridge enclosure by Costa Clear, electronics from IMS American and custom upholstery from C-Worthy.  In the cockpit, once again there are four freezers refrigerators, giving the boat a total of eight exterior boxes. There is also a huge in-depth fish box, which makes the overall storage capacity surprisingly large even for a Super Sportfish this size. Additionally, there’s a cockpit grill station, tackle storage, lower mezzanine bait station with adjustable trays, cockpit air-conditioning and air-actuated TV monitor. The wood for her teak aft bulkhead, mezzanine and transom were obtained from two single boards, providing perfect grain and color match. Her toe rail and cover boards came from handpicked old growth teak. But her striking exterior teak is just a prelude for what’s inside.  Everything inside; the cabinets, bunks, sofas, showers, doors, trim, etc. was crafted in the Bayliss Interior Carpentry shop. As always the veneers were derived from a single teak log. The salon galley has two levels, with a day head port side aft and a large L-shaped sofa with a convertible coffee table and additional dinette table as the centerpiece. Two barrel chairs, with an air-actuated bar storage compartment located between them, sit just in front of the TV. In the galley, there is an L-shaped dinette accented by a Kent Ullberg bronze sculpture, and opposite in the U-shaped galley there are three custom bar stools. Additional galley features include an induction cooktop, speed oven, icemaker, trash compactor, and three Sub-Zero refrigerators. A spacious portside walk-in pantry accommodates a wine refrigerator, A/V equipment and overflow storage area that support the crew and their guests all behind custom teak cabinetry. A starboard side electrical closet houses a floor to ceiling control panel.  Following the curved companionway forward, there are two guest VIPs port and starboard and the master stateroom forward. As you face aft, there are two steps down to crew’s area with a double bunk room to port, head in center and captain’s stateroom starboard. There are quite a few air-actuated elements in each of the staterooms, including TVs, a gun locker, and two Pullman bunks. The stereo systems can be controlled by iPhone.  Access to the pump and engine room is available through a custom watertight door located in the captain’s stateroom. Mechanical features include a 12-zone chilled water air-conditioning system, a water maker with provision to process dockside water, a redundant raw pump system, two shore power converters, Brownie’s dive compressor, heavy duty commercial refrigeration compressors, tool storage drawers, two icemakers, two 2600hp MTU main engines, two 38 kw Northern Lights generators, and an air-conditioned pump room. Although it’s all hidden, Bayliss 80 B15 maintains a well-stocked tackle shop worth of fishing gear. Rod and reel storage is cleverly concealed in weather tight secure locations from bridge to captain’s quarters.
Technical Data:

LOA - 24.3 m (80ft)

Beam - 6.47 m

Draft - 1.72

Displacement - 54431 kg

Fuel Capacity - 12113 l

Water Capacity - 1703 l

Accommodation - 10 guests in 5 cabins

Engines - 2 x MTU m94 2600hp

Propulsion - line shaft

Speed - 34 knots cruise

Construction - jig way cold moulding; wood fiberglass epoxy resin. Core cell sandwich for upper structure.

Project - Robert Ullberg

www.baylissboatworks.com  

Project: Metamarine TNT 51 Magnum

Metamarine from Italy is a very interesting young boat builder, and here it presents a new flagship the TNT 51 Magnum, its third production model.  Founded by the passion of Marco Pennesi who went on to race in the Endurance series with great success; first winning the Supersport championship in 2004 and then taking the prime Evolution series in 2010 with the 46 model.  This new model TNT 51 Magnum continues to represent Marco's tribute in racing of a fast diesel powerboat, with yacht comfort, high technology, and impressive sea keeping abilities.  It will feature a large cockpit deck able to seat eight persons, with an interior having two separate cabins sleeping four, plus two extra berths in the convertible dinette.  Power will be twin 950hp engines with Metamarine home made surface drives rudder system, trim tabs, and propellers.  Performance which is the prime motivator of the TNT 51 Magnum will be a top speed of 70 knots, and a cruise of 50 knots which gives a range of eight hours or 400 nautical miles. 

www.metamarine.it

New Model: Vismara 56 My Navetta

Following what was a very well received launch the My Navetta 68, Vismara presents its younger sibling the 56.  Based on the concept of the larger sister in all, the 56 My Vismara also synthesizes whats this custom high technology builder has always delivered, light weight and performance orientated sailing and motor yachts.  The 56 My Navetta is Vismara fifth motor boat and is a big hybrid in everything, from hull design and speed parameters.  In the first unit delivered with no guarantee of a second the My Navetta 56 was presented with a two cabins lower deck layout, featuring two big suites for the owner, and VIP guests. A crew cabin is located to aft by the engine room.  The living is featured behind the pilot house on the main deck which joins easily with the aft cockpit.  Power is twin Volvo 435hp with IPS reaching a top speed of 28 knots with a cruise of 22.  The Vismara 56 My Navetta gets on the plane at only 12 knots.    

Technical Data:

LOA - 17.74 m (58.2ft)

Beam - 4.79 m

Draft - 1.20 m

Displacement - 20000 kg

Engines - 2 x Volvo D6 435hp

Propulsion - Volvo IPS600 forward looking dual propeller pods

Speed - 28 knots max speed, 22 knots cruise

www.vismara-mc.com

Project: Viking 62 Enclosed Bridge

As Viking has always done with models at 60 feet plus, it now presents the Enclosed Bridge model of the upcoming new 62.  This new Viking will replace the 60 model featuring the latest clean cutting lines from the New Jersey boat boat builder.  As any Enclosed Bridge model the 62 will increase all year round cruising capabilities, has a fully air condition helm, and adds an extra entairtainment area inside. Boasting a lower deck with four double cabins of which is a midships owners stateroom, the 62 Enclosed Bridge will have a centre stair case connection located to starboard, this leading to the top helming deck.  The enclosed bridge will have a central helm, with a side companion settee, and an L-shaped sofa dinette to starboard with an opposite entairtainment unit.  An aft exterior deck will complete the enclosed bridge, this featuring a small helm station for mooring and sport fishing activities, and small mezzanine settee for two persons to starboard.

www.vikingyachts.com

New Model: Grand Banks 55 Eastbay FB

Grand Banks presents a new important addition to its fast traditional down East lobster boat looking Eastbay series, the 55 FB flagship. This new Grand Banks builds on the lines above and below the waterline of the 55 Eastbay SX version, but adds a nice flybridge up top.  The top helm deck features a central Stidd seat, L-shaped dinette, and a wet bar to port side.  Access to the flybridge is from a wrap around stair case to port side of the cockpit.  The flybridge is also available with an optional layout which adds two  Stidd co-pilot settees to the sides of the central helm. The lower deck below is available in three plans; with the standard being a twin cabin and a below galley layout.  The two optional deck plans defer a lot.  One offers two large cabins taking a bit of space from the galley but still keeping it in the lower deck.  The third lower deck option which is my preferred moves the galley to the main deck, in order to offer the three cabin two heads layout.  Power is from three Cat engine choices from 885 to 1150hp, and an MTU 835hp.

Technical Data:

LOA - 18.24 m (59.9ft)

Hull Length - 16.7 m

Waterline Length - 15.49 m

Beam - 4.98 m

Draft - 1.56 m

Displacement - 31524 kg half load

Fuel Capacity - 3785 l

Water Capacity - 681 l

Accommodation - 4 berths in 2 cabins, or 6 berths in 3 cabins

Engines - 2 x Cat C18 Acert 885hp, 1015hp, 1150hp, MTU S60 835hp

Propulsion - line shafts with props in semi tunnels

Speed - 32 knots max 25 knots cruise

Project - C.R. Hunt Associates hull shape 

www.grandbanks.com