February 10, 2014

Project: Sea Ray 650 Fly

Sea Ray presents the project of a new 650 Fly flagship, an important upgrade for the US boat builder. This also showcases that with its new Fly line launched in 2013 fall with the new 510 the Brunswick head line motor boat building brand is meaning business. This project was already announced to the dealers and to Sea Ray friends back in the fall of 2013. Certainly with these latest over fifty feet models Sea Ray is showing that it wants to present a serious challenge to the main stream European brands, it certainly is doing many right things at the moment. The 510 showed this and the new 650 Fly is a further prove. For a twenty meter motor yacht the 650 Fly has some interesting elements, as fore deck seating, very spacious flybridge with a host of settee and dinettes, and last the must have large view windows in both main deck and lower deck.
www.searay.com

February 9, 2014

Broom New Web Site

Broom Boats from the UK set up its new World wide web virtual showroom. Well known as the pure British Aft Cabin Cruisers, Broom was founded in 1898 by Charles J. Broom, who started up by building individual sailing boats on the Norfolk Broads, which by 1912 was moved into a full business operation of hire and sell. In early 1920's Broom was among the first companies to build an internal combustion engine boat, which in the thirties followed the previous sailing boats pattern into entering the hiring business. 1939 as history says was the advent of World War II with many pleasure orientated boat yards closing down its doors, but this was an opportunity for Broom which was one of the few selected by the British Navy to build Harbor Launches, Lifeboats, and Fast Tenders.  These contracts led Broom to build boats in a production environment.  The mid sixties brought fiberglass in the UK, and while many on the Broads where sceptic about this new material Martin Broom formed a company with four other partners named Aquafiber Ltd, which he acquired full interest in 1971.  Among the first models built with fiberglass for the company was the Broom 30.  Today Broom after a couple difficult years is set to look into the future, thanks to new shareholder input in 2009 and also with with the acquiring of GH Fabrications specialized in various stainless steel items for the pleasure boat industry, and second with the appointment of Graham Warren of 500 Design as designer.  Graham was previously with Fairline for the previous 23 years. The current Broom range features six models which start with a 30 Coupe, and end with a 455 flagship. Brooms new web showroom takes you around with the following buttons; Home, About Us, Range, Customization, News and Events, Pre-Owned, and Find a Dealer.  Broom also features its social media pages; Twitter and Facebook with a link at the bottom of the page.       
Production History;
35 Captain 1950-67
Admiral 42ft 1955-62 (7)
30 Bosun 1966-67 (3)
30/ Skipper 30ft 1966-81 (250)
37 Continental 1968-78 (186)
35 European 1973-83 (157)
Ocean 37 1973-83 (157)
37 Crown 1978-86 (83)
Ocean 42 1978-89 (36)
Saxon 40 1981 (1)
Monarch 40ft 1982-91 (28)
32 1982-95 (80)
35 Solent 1984-87 (19)
9/70 1984-88 (28)
10/70 1984-89 (57)
Ocean 40 1986-91 (20)
37 1988-91 (19)
33 1989-92 (29)
31 1991-98 (15)
44 1991-2001 (14)
42 Shannon 1992-93 (15)
36 1992-96 (33)
41 1992-99 (27)
Ocean 31 1993-98 (17)
29 1995-2002 (51)
34 1996-99 (29)
34 Sedan 1996-99 (4)
345 OS 1996-2001 (14)
Ocean 38/38 CL 1997-2002 (64)
35 CL 1999-2004 (22)
50 OS 1999-2009 (21)
415 OS 2000-05 (12)
42CL 2000-07 (49)
450 2002-09
39 KL 2003-08 (53)
530 2004-11
365 2006-08 (7)
425 2007-11 (21)
395 2008-19
455 2010-14 (1)
370 2011-19
30 Coupe 2012-19
35 Coupe 2012-19
430 2014-19

February 8, 2014

Project: Hunt 80 Sport Motoryacht

Hunt is proud to announce it is building its largest model yet: the 80 Sport Motoryacht. An experienced yachtsman who also owns a 25 Harrier 25 has commissioned this new Hunt 80 flagship. Like the rest of the Hunt range of traditionally styled, elegant, functional and performance-oriented vessels, the 80 Sport Motoryacht features a hull and superstructure designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates, whose founder, Ray Hunt, invented the deep-V hull. Powered by twin 1600hp diesels mated to Hamilton water-jet drives, the new 80 is projected to have a top speed of 31 knots, this combined with a draft of just 4 feet. It is due to launch in the summer of 2015. The new Hunt 80' is based on a hull design that C. Raymond Hunt Associates conceived as a platform for a variety of yachts in the 63 to 82 feet size range. Its deep-V configuration and moderate beam enable it to slip easily through the water, enhancing the vessel’s speed and sea-kindliness in rough offshore conditions. This platform made its debut with the Hunt 68 Motoryacht, an offshore cruiser with attractive lines and outstanding performance. In the 80 Sport Motoryacht, the design firm has maintained those attributes while greatly expanding the living and entertaining spaces and adding a fully enclosed raised command flybridge. The owner worked intensively with the Hunt design team over a six-month period on the design of his highly customized new project. What started out as a 75 motoryacht quickly morphed into an 80-footer due to the owner’s desire for more open-air space on the flybridge and main decks. The tender was moved down to the extended swim platform in order to keep the aft portion of the flybridge clear for use as a sundeck. He also specified that the vessel’s draft be 4 feet so he could use it in the shallow waters of Florida and the Bahamas. The Hunt 80 Sport Motoryacht series features a three-stateroom layout with a full-beam master suite amidships, plus a fourth, “bonus” bunkroom that can accommodate a child, a nanny or another member of the owner’s staff. The lower deck layout also includes a separate crew quarters aft with a double stateroom for the captain and a bunk for another crew member. The main deck encompasses a large galley, dining area, and main saloon opening onto a large open-air aft deck sheltered by the flybridge overhang. The semi-custom Hunt 80 and 68 Motoryachts are only the first two examples of the wide range of yachts based on this successful hull platform that are available from the partnership of C. Raymond Hunt Design and Hunt Yachts, LLC, the builder. 

February 7, 2014

New Model: Windy 39 Camira

This is Windy's new 39 Camira hull number one leaving assembly hall in Sweden before going for her world premiere at Boot 2014 in Düsseldorf past January. As typical from Windy, Camira is an Australian aboriginal name that means Of the Wind. The name is of female gender and has been used in several contexts. Camira was one of several "wind names" but at first this model was named Grand Zonda as a project name to signal family resemblance between the 31 Zonda and the bigger sister, the new 39 Camira.  Down below the 39 Camira distinct itself in this type of boat for featuring two separate cabins, a shower head, and a small galley. That means you have no living below and no dinette below, with eating arrangements which have to be organized in the cockpit and its semi-circle style dining table. Power is twin Volvo 370 or 400hp choices with estimated top speeds of 45 knots.   
Technical Data:
LOA - 11.92 m (39.1ft)
Beam - 3.63 m
Displacement - 7 t
Fuel Capacity - 850 l
Water Capacity - 220 l
Accommodation - 4 berths
Engines - 2 x Volvo D6 370hp, D6 400hp
Propulsion - Volvo dual propeller stern drives
Speed - 45 knots max, cruise 38 knots with D6 400hp
Range - 270 nautical miles at cruise
Project - Johnsen, Dubois exterior, Design Unlimited interior

February 6, 2014

Project: Storm X-53

Dutch builder Storm Yachts is making an important project aimed for those looking for a steel build. The Storm X-53 project will be its entry level model and has the distinguishable design lines and the profile of its larger sisters, it will also have the same Fast Displacement Hull Shape patented underwater lines that guarantees good comfortable sailing characteristics and also increase efficiency at semi dislocating speed by 15 - 20%. Storm Yachts X-53 wants to be ideal for owners who wish to sail downstream on the German Rhine in comfort without the special patent and who want to sail and explore other European waters. But who also have high demands with respect to appearance, finish and quality, according to the highest Dutch standards. The X-53 is also a maneuverable yacht, easy to control by one or two persons, and the low height clearance of 4.10 m ensures that it encounters few obstacles on it's destination.  Maximum speed range for the X-53 is up to 18 knots, with a range of 1300 nautical miles possible at cruise speeds thanks to a three thousand liter fuel tank capacity.

February 5, 2014

Engine: Cat C3406C 376hp

Caterpillar Marine is pleased to announce the Cat 3406C propulsion engine has entered production and is available for global customers to order. The Caterpillar 3406C is one of the most successful marine engine platforms in the American engine maker history. The Cat 3406C marine propulsion engine provides customers in lesser regulated countries, including Asia, with an economical, dependable solution for their commercial marine vessels. The mechanically governed 3406C propulsion engine offers 376hp at 1800 rpm. The engine is ideal for small offshore, inland waterways and commercial fishing applications. The 3406C presents customers with numerous advantages as a propulsion solution for their vessels. The mechanical engine is easy to install, operate and maintain, featuring many shared components from the original engine design. The engine performs at optimal levels even in the harshest environments in the most rugged of engine rooms, backed by the Cat global dealer network in even the most remote locations. Additionally with the relaunch of the platform, the engine will be offered with either keel cooled or heat exchanger cooling systems.

February 4, 2014

Project: Absolute 45 STY

Absolute continues to upgrade and update its range and the turn around of every important boat show in Europe. The 45 STY is the latest novelty presented in Dusseldorf, these initials meaning for Sport Yacht, which is the fully enclosed hard top range of Absolute which features eight models from forty to seventy feet. The 45 STY is fully based on the fall 2013 launched Fly version in its plans and layout. A reminder for those who do not remember the 45 Fly, this features a very interesting layout more so if one considers its size; full living on the main deck with astern galley, two large cabins having owners room being full beam amidships located cabin, and also a crew cabin to aft. This last is a most notable feature considering the 45 STY is a sport cruiser of fourteen meters and Volvo IPS pods powered.

February 3, 2014

New Model: Cutwater 30 Command Bridge

Fluid Motions Inc launched the Cutwater brand in 2011 with the 26 and 28 models.  The company has since then presented a new 30 model which has so far been developed in three styles the last being this Command Bridge.  Launched at the start of this year in this latest variant, the Cutwater 30 Command Bridge features all the goodness of the smaller models; unique stepped hull with protective propeller skeg keel, impressive six berth accommodation, trail-ability, and the conveyance of more space thanks to the bigger size. Accommodation is for six persons in three separate areas; fore cabin, midships double berth, and the convertible dinette in the saloon.   
Technical Data:
LOA - 10.46 m (34.9ft)
Hull Length - 9.14 m
Beam - 3.05 m
Draft - 0.73 m ex props
Displacement - 4980 kg dry
Fuel Capacity - 681 l
Water Capacity - 302 l
Accommodation - 4 + 2 berths
Engines - 1 x Volvo D6 370hp
Propulsion - shaft with protection skeg keel
Hull Shape - stepped hull with tapered intake tunnels 

February 2, 2014

Project: Camper & Nicholsons 42 Filante

Since a few years now owned by Italian Ferragamo, Camper and Nicholsons Yachting, the building side of the famous brand prepares to re-enter the long range super yacht sizes with the 42 Filante. A project of Horazio Bozzo, and architect Michele Bonan for the interior, the three deck 42 Filante super yacht is to be build in a steel hull with an aluminium super-structure. The interior of the 42 Filante will present four guest cabins plus an owners room on the main deck.  Other impressive details for a yacht measuring 42 meters will be the tender space for four units; two 17 feet Castoldi jet tenders, water scooter, and a rescue tender.  The 42 Filante will be powered by twin 599hp Cat engines.  Estimated max speeds are of 13 knots, while its cruise should be 10 knots which should give a range of 4200 nautical miles.

February 1, 2014

Concept Boat

It was a nice surprise what happened in the London boat show, and how British boat builder Fairline made a move ahead with an interesting new concept sport boat, the Esprit.  For those who know Fairline which I am sure there is a lot of you here, they know that the builder has always been conservative with a modern approach in building and designing its models.  A formula which has worked well for the British boat builder in its forty years or so of it's history.
The Esprit concept changes all this and sees Fairline take the forward seat in material testing in both construction and fitting out, an innovative console, and a new design approach that of a sports boat style cruiser. This last bit was the biggest surprise since Fairline has never ventured into this territory and its Sport Cruisers have always been a family friendly affair with nice accommodation layout below. It will be interesting to see if the Esprit will be produced and how clients will react to this.
Concept boats are not very much if any in the making in the boating industry, and it was nice to see a boat builder in this case Fairline venture into this. Is also interesting, more so then when one thinks that Fairline is at the moment, the smallest of the big three United Kingdom builders, delivering about one hundreds boat per year. Nonetheless Fairline was pro-active and did what few builders do, going with a concept boat from a clean sheet.  Would be nice to see other builders venture more into this in the future.