New Model: Wally 26M Ace

A much awaited Wally concept, the 26M Ace finally takes it to the water.  Starting as builder of fast sailing yachts in the nineties, Wally quickly got high attention with the one off 2002 launched 118 Power in the motor yachting World, which was followed with smaller sized units, and a lot of copies from other builders which are still born to this day. Will the 26 M Ace have the same affects on the market.  The number for it to surprise are surely there thanks to its efficient hull design, high level sandwich construction with double thickness to Class requirements, an extra ten per cent of beam to similar sized yachts giveing one third of more volume, and an innovative hull design featuring the new Wallybow bulb shape.  Other surprises are also the layout of the interior which takes an unusual shape thanks to the centre forward location of the engine room, which moves all the guest accommodation from midships to aft.  The choice here is for two layouts, a three cabins with large queen sized owners stateroom, or a four cabins version with three near identical sized VIP suites.   The two crew cabins sleeping four in bunk berths, plus galley and lazarette, crew lobby is located in the forward part.  Power is from twin 600hp Cat engines which give a max speed of 12 knots, and a cruise of 9 knots which give an estimated 5000 nautical miles range.

Technical Data:

LOA - 26.23 m (86ft)

Hull Length - 23.95 m

Waterline Length - 25.5 m

Beam - 7.75 m

Draft - 1.75 m half load

Displacement - 94 t half load

Fuel Capacity - 14000 l

Water Capacity - 3000 l

Accommodation - 6 guests in 3 cabins, 8 guest in 4 cabins, 4 crew berths in 2 cabins

Engines - 2 x Cats C12 600hp

Propulsion - line shaft

Speed - 12 knots max, 9 knots cruise

Range - 5000 nm at 9 knots

Project - Wally, Allseas

www.wally.com

Class 1 - Tragedy in Gabon Grand Prix

Officials of the UIM are deeply shocked and saddened to announce the tragic news of the death of pilot William Nocker from England following a racing accident during race one of the Gabon Grand Prix, round 2 of the Class 1 World Powerboat Championship.

Co-pilot Kurt Olsen from Norway remains in a critical condition in intensive care.

The pilots of boat number 9, Welmax, representing the Welmax Offshore Racing Team, were involved in a high-speed crash on lap four of the race taking place in Libreville on the estuary of the Gabon River.

The race was red flagged as safety personnel immediately attended to both pilots at the scene.

They were subsequently transferred by ambulance to Omar Bongo Ondimba Military Hospital, where all efforts to resuscitate William Nocker were in vain.

The Welmax Offshore Racing Team and officials of the UIM and H2O Racing pass on their deepest condolences to the family of William Nocker.

As a mark of respect to the pilots and families, the event organisers have cancelled tomorrow’s race and all event activities.

The UIM has launched an immediate investigation into the accident.

www.class-1.com

Project: Galeon 390 HTC

Showing its pursuit forward and the renovation to all Galeon's into its third generation looks, the Polish builder presents an upcoming project of the 390 HTC, Hard Top Coupe which is based on the early this 2012 year launched and very well received 380 Fly.  As it is expected the 390 HTC offers a distinguishable, sporty exterior and excellent performance thanks to the British designed Tony Castro hull.  A huge glass roof will be the 390 HTC most prominent feature, which fills the main deck living area with natural light and can be opened over the helm with a touch of a button. With the roof, aft patio door, along with side windows open the main deck gets a very open feel to the breeze and sunshine while cruising along. Another clever feature is again in the aft cockpit deck thanks to the alternative arrangements the multifunctional modular aft settee can offer.  This in fact can be turned into a dining area or even a specious sundeck, complemented by an automatic glass roof system above.  As is usual to Galeon plenty of custom design interior lines and a long list of optional equipment will allow to fully customize this model to suit all needs. The interior should also mimic the impressive three cabins of the 380 Fly with the third cabin being  the much appreciated open set up to port side.  A wide variety of engines will please both sport enthusiasts and fans of more relaxed cruising of which I expect a similar line up as the 380 of all Volvo's from 220 up to 435hp available in shafts and stern drive set up.

www.galeon.pl

Improve-it = Hunt 44 Express Sedan

Hunt yachts has recently delivered hull number two of its 44 Express Sedan, and in its second built the US builder already shows its flexibility to customise its models to clients demands. While both of the first Hunt 44 Express Sedan's where powered with Volvo 435hp engines and IPS 600 pods drives, there was some important differences in the second launch.  The owner of hull two for example opted for more modern raked express side windows, instead of the standard port holed on the bridge deck and used the space opposite the galley for a convertible settee; with a clever sliding bulkhead that mates with a hinged door allowing this space to be closed off when guests are aboard overnight and this is transformed to a double berth.  Another difference was the open space aft of the engines which is in standard form is a tender garage, and allows for a small extra cabin to be located beneath the bridge. In hull one this space is an utility room with wine cellar, trash compactor and storage lockers; in number two here was the location for a single berth sleeping cabin.  Hull three of the Hunt 44 Express Sedan is currently in completion phase to be finished in August of which will be the boat show model to be shown for the fall of this year. 

www.huntyachts.com

Class 1 - Gabon Grand Prix Preview

Championship leader’s Arif Al Zafeen and Mohammed Al Marri will be looking to continue their winning ways as the UIM Class 1 World Powerboat Championship opens a new and exciting chapter in its 49-year history when the fleet lines up in Libreville 12-14 July for the first Grand Prix to be held in the Republic of Gabon, which will be attended by the country’s President, Ali Bongo Ondimba.

Victory’s multi World Championship winning pairing will also be aiming to capitalise on the absence of arch-rivals Spirit of Qatar, but know they will face a fierce onslaught from a handful of outfits as the focus of attention switches onto Team Abu Dhabi to see if they can step up to topple them, or indeed if any of the V8 runners, Spirit of Gabon [Poliform], Fendi Racing, Zabo Racing or either of the Welmax boats can challenge to try to break the V12 dominance.

Victory and Spirit of Qatar 96 shared the spoils in the season-opener in Doha, Qatar, taking a win a piece and share top spot in the title race on 32 points, but the Victory duo edged the trophy haul, courtesy of their win in official qualifying in the Edox Pole Position.

Al Zafeen, the four-time and defending Champion, is enjoying his enforced pairing with two-time Champion Al Marri and proving to be a formidable partnership, taking three race wins from four starts and qualifying twice in top spot in two outings. And had it not been for a bizarre number of penalty laps incurred whilst taking the ‘penalty lap’ in race 1 in Doha – dropping them to third – the Dubai duo would hold a perfect record together.

But now all eyes will now be on Team Abu Dhabi’s exciting pairing of Rashed Al Tayer and Majed Al Mansoori who may well be the duo to unsettle their UAE cousins, and who sit just two points behind them in third place in the title race.

The Dubai and Abu Dhabi residents started their 2012 campaign strongly and ran both Victory and Qatar 96 close in Doha finishing second in both races. They have now finished on the podium three times from six starts since joining forces in Norway in 2011 and a repeat showing in Libreville will leapfrog them above their Middle East rivals in the overall Championship standings.

With V12 power-plants locking out the top four places, Fendi Racing fly the flag as the highest placed V8 runner after picking up seven points in race 2, despite an excursion into a sandbank in practice which excluded them from race 1, albeit in Qatar it was their Italian rivals Poliform who looked,  momentarily, the most likely to achieve race success.

Fendi Racing’s challenge for honours has taken another twist this year, with the team lining-up in Libreville in a new boat - the multi-championship winning hull, Fazza 3, bought from Dubai’s Victory Team.

The move into the Michael Peters-designed, Victory-built hull, is a third change in direction by the Italian outfit; team owner-driver Luca Formilli Fendi and throttleman Giovanni Carpitella starting their campaign in 2011 in a leased Victory hull, finishing third in race 1 in Abu Dhabi, then opting to run an Outerlimits hull-engine package in Norway, but immediately switching to SCAM power-plants for the remainder of the year.

In Doha this year they dropped in Sterling V8s and have confirmed an upgraded set will now power their new purchase. For Fendi Racing’s crew chief and team manager, Marco Bonomo, it is an emotional reunion with a boat he says he knows every single scratch, screw and bubble of and who rigged the team’s new acquisition from scratch when she left the mould in the winter of 2006.

DAC Racing’s Guido Cappellini will resume his partnership with the experienced Giampaolo Montavoci who will mark his return to racing after sitting out the 2012-opener with a 98th Grand Prix start in Libreville in the V8 Mercury-powered Spirit of Gabon.

Cappellini and Montavoci have lined up 13 times together since teaming-up in Class 1 for the first time in 2010, taking their first podium in their debut Grand Prix, finishing third in race 2 in Brazil and repeating the feat at the end of the year in Dubai.  In 2011 they grabbed their first win on Cappellini’s home waters in the Italian Grand Prix in Cernobbio on Lake Como.

In Qatar, Cappellini, racing alongside the rookie Gabbiani, was impressive and gave the now joint title leaders much to ponder, winning the drag race to the first turn with an impressive turn of pace and led race 2 for four laps before a technical problem ended his charge and race challenge.

The team has since carried out further modifications to the boat, including extending the length by several centimetres, and before leaving for Gabon tested off the coast of Monte Carlo in conditions similar to those they hope for in Libreville.

Zabo Racing is another outfit hoping for a less torrid time in round two, as the Turkish-Norwegian duo of Ugur Isik and Christian Zaborowski look to realise the potential of their Victory-hull, Mercury V8 package.

A catalogue of technical problems in Qatar – torque sensor related and seemingly beyond their control – frustrated the team and prevented them from posting points.

After Qatar they shipped the hull to Turkey for an overhaul, a re-spray and to drop in the latest specification Mercury engines. Team boss Jan Zaborowski is optimistic that the considerable weight saving that they gain from the new engine package will convert to an overall improvement in pace and performance.

The second of the Norwegian outfits, Welmax Offshore Racing, is also looking to kick-start their season and will be looking to avoid a repeat of their self-inflicted zero points tally in Doha, after Paul Gaiser and Bjorge Jacobsen tipped over the Maritimo hull in practice, ruling them out for all but a short cameo role in race 2.

The team will run a second boat in Gabon with team principal and throttleman Jorn Tandberg returning to racing and teaming-up with Class 1 debutant William Nocker in the European and Edox Pole Position Championship winning MTI hull.

D’Alessio Racing has confirmed an all-Italian line up with Luca Nicolini pairing with Class 1 rookie Gian Maria Gabbiani.

Nicolini is now fully recovered from a knee injury he suffered in a motorbike trials accident that forced him to sit out the season-opener in Qatar and will take the throttles of the Victory built, SCAM V12 powered FA.RO ACCIAI to make his 17th career Grand Prix start – his third for Team D’Alessio Racing.

Gian Maria Gabbiani takes the wheel for just his second Grand Prix outing, following an impressive first start in Qatar alongside Guido Cappellini in March.

The Team entered the Championship last year at the Italian Grand Prix in Cernobbio, with Nicolini grabbing an impressive set of fourth place finishes - their best results in their six starts - and will be hoping for a less eventful time in Gabon than they endured in Qatar when FA.RO ACCIAI was engulfed in flames during practice.

Teams can expect rough conditions in Gabon with the 5.07Nm circuit, which runs in front of the Presidential Palace, set out in an open bay and subject to variable and unpredictable weather conditions.

First Practice takes place on Thursday, 12 July from 11.30-13.00hrs (local) and is followed by official qualifying in the Edox Pole Position at 14.30hrs with Race 1 of the Gabon Grand Prix at 15.30hrs on Friday and Race 2 at 15.30hrs on Saturday.

UIM CLASS 1 WORLD POWERBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP - after round 1

1= 3 Victory - 32pts

1= 96 Spirit of Qatar - 32pts

3. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 30pts

4. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 9pts

5. 10 Fendi Racing - 7pts

6= 91 Relekta - 0pts

6= 74 Poliform - 0pts

6= 23 FA.RO. ACCIAI - 0pts

6= Welmax - 0pts

EDOX POLE POSITION CHAMPIONSHIP - after round 1

1. 3 Victory - 20pts

2. 96 Spirit of Qatar - 15pts

3. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 12pts

4. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 9pts

5. 90 Welmax - 7pts

6. 74 Poliform - 5pts

7. 91 Relekta - 4pts

8. 23 FA.RO. ACCIAI - 3pts

9. 10 Fendi Racing - 0pts

www.class-1.com

Project: Rivera 5000 Sport Yacht Series II

Riviera presents its next generation 5000 Sport Yacht, with a series of design enhancements including new hull windows to the aft stateroom with opening circular portholes, additional storage cabinets, LED lighting throughout, new entertainment systems and folding backrests to the foredeck sun pad to name just some of the new features.  So far delivered in fifty units, the 5000 Sport Yacht powered with ZF Zeus pods has been one of Riviera's success stories, with global sales activity.  This model replaced the 4700 Sport Yacht.  The 5000 Sport Yacht features a choice of a three double cabin lower deck layout, or an option to have the twin bunked third cabin to starboard replaced by a small saloon settee.  Its owners cabin is located to midships and can sleep three, with a single located to port side.  Power is from twin Cummins 600hp with ZF Zeus pods propulsion being a much approved features from the customers of the 5000 Sport Yacht.  Top speed is 31 knots.

www.riviera.com.au 

New Model: Fairline 50 Squadron

Looking at this new much awaited 50 Squadron it certainly takes the prize for looking the most modern of the current Fairline line up.  There is something distinctive futuristic in the lines of this London boat show presented novelty, which will have a task to challenge the much praised 50 Phantom, and its average sales successor 48 model.  Sharing hull and dimensions with the one year previously presented 50 Targa GT, the 50 Squadron sums latest novelties introduced by Fairline; forward huge owners stateroom, innovative tender launch system, and a new astern galley serving both aft deck and interior saloon.  Fairline is so far the first of the Brits to make use of this galley type layout which I personally like for its practicality especially in warmer climate conditions, where dining is usually always done in the aft deck.  Two identical guest cabins to midships serve guests, with a guest head to starboard.  A crew cabin with single berth is located to aft. As the latest Fairlines much respected hull designer Bernard Olesinski chooses a medium 12.5 degrees Vee deadrise aft, which is helped by a fine deep entry to fore.  Power are three engine choices from Volvo and Cat starting from 575 up 710hp.  

Techical Data:

LOA - 15.55 m (51ft) inc gunwale

Hull Length - 14.97 m

Beam - 4.47 m

Draft - 1.21 m incl props unloaded

Displacement - 18.8 t dry

Fuel Capacity - 2288 l

Water Capacity - 550 l

Accommodation - 6 berths in 3 cabins, 1 crew cabin berth

Engines - 2 x Volvo D9 575hp, Volvo D11 670hp, Cat C12 710hp

Propulsion - line shaft

Speed - 28 knots max with 575hp, 30 knots with 670hp, 31 knots with 710hp estimates

Hull Type - Vee shape with medium 12.5 degrees aft

Construction - hand laid with Isophtalic gel coat and resin, power bound mat, unidirectional, biaxial woven rovings

Project - Fairline Design Team, Bernard Olesinski for hull and structure

www.fairline.com

Project: Nordhavn 52 SC

Nordhavn is excited to offer a new optional layout for its full-displacement 52 footer, by showing the project of 52 AC, these two letters meaning for aft cabin which features a configuration that puts the saloon, galley and wheelhouse all on one level. This customer-driven option meets the needs of clients who are looking for modern, open-concept living that allows the watch stander to mingle with guests. The Nordhavn 52 AC requires a different deck from the traditional standard 52, which features a segregated pilothouse. The current 52 also has its accommodations more forward with obviously differentiated master suite and guest suite. Instead, the N52 AC concept offers two VIP staterooms with en-suite heads.  Another major difference between the two full-displacement Nordhavn 52s will be in outdoor living space. Whereas the flybridge on the current standard 52 is split from the boat deck, the plans for the 52 AC call for a huge combination of  flybridge and boat deck, which offers cruisers plenty of space for sunbathing when the tender is launched. Meanwhile on the lower deck, the Nordhavn 52 AC cockpit will also include a separate lower “fishing” aft area. The engine room will also get a boost in space, complete with a handy work bench.  The N52 AC will have a propulsion option of single or twin engines, and will offer the same fuel capacity as the Nordhavn 47 of just over 5500 liters.

www.nordhavn.com

New Model: Vicem 107 Classic Cruiser

Vicem from Turkey has launched the new 107 Classic Cruiser the new flagship in the Vintage line build in the cold molding method. Named M/Y Momi and delivered to its European owner, the 107 Classic Cruiser will now head to the central Mediterranean sea before going to its official public debut in September at the all important Cannes show. Build in the hybrid traditional high technology cold molding method, with mahogany laminates covered in epoxy and glass, this new Vicem 107 Classic Cruiser surprises for the its contemporary modern interior, reflecting the opposite of its traditional exterior lines. Accommodation the 107 Classic Cruiser will offer five double guest cabins; with an owners stateroom to midships, and two identical VIP suites to fore. Other interesting details is the exclusive Gaggenau kitchen having being of large dimensions, three crew cabins sleeping six members, and a seventy squared meters huge flybridge area. Power is from twin Cat engines 1550hp each which give a top speed of 21 knots and a crusie of 17.

Technical Data:

LOA - 32.5 m (106.6ft)

Hull Length - 30.5 m

Waterline Length - 28.4 m

Beam - 7.3 m

Draft - 1.90 m inc props

Displacement - 115,000 kg

Fuel Capacity - 14500l

Water Capacity - 1940 l

Accommodation - 10 guests in 5 guest cabins, 5 crew in 3 cabins

Engines - 2 x Cat C32 1550hp

Propulsion - line shaft

Speed - 21 knots max, 17 cruise

Construction - cold molded Mahogany laminate with epoxy

Hull Type - semi displacement with 17 degrees deadrise aft

Project - Vicem Yachts Design Team

Certification - RINA C Y Pleasure Class, Malta Pleasure Yacht Code

www.vicemyachts.com

Improve-it = Cerri 86 Flyingsport

Cerri launch hull number twelve of its ground breaking 86 Flyingsport series presented for the first time in 2004.  The semi custom 86 Flyingsport so far features an impressive feat of having all of the twelve made models tailor made to its owners, and all having different internal layouts and fittings.  There is 86 Flyingsport with five cabins, and there is with four, and the variety of layouts used is impressive. 86 Flyingsport hull number twelve named Pachamama, went for a four double guests suite, with two en-suited crew cabins layout.  Living is made of the two split level saloon which is still a very unique Cerri feature, which is joined by a dining area, galley, and the lower helm station.  Cerri 86 Flyingsport number twelve also diverse from previous models for being the first to having the ZF Searex surface drives in lieu of the legendary Arneson.  Engines are twin MTU 1950hp which give a 40 knots wide open throttle, and 30 knots cruise.

www.cerricantierinavali.it