Project: Steeler NG65 Classic

Its very interesting seeing the Dutch more in the small sizes, and it is more curious to see even more steel used in the sub super yacht sizes.  The Dutch have a tremendous quality name and it seems now that boaters are looking for this in the smaller sizes.  Steeler is one of the handful Dutch builders who are creating a stir in the small sizes and today we present you its new flagship the NG65 Classic.  Interesting this new Steeler will come with a very competitive starting price attached to it which makes it similar to that of most sixteen meter planning fiberglass competition.  Although I am sure if you spec more to this the NG65 Classic price will rise significantly, example in this is that the standard engine is a single Yanmar 320hp.  Standard accommodation plan is for a four double cabins layout.

www.steeleryachts.com     

New Model: Absolute 40 STL

Absolute's 40 STL presents a new chapter for the North Italian boat builder who presents a large open cruiser with a nice comfortable interior, and a walk around style deck space.  When the rendering was presented and looking into some Italian forums many boaters said they did not enjoy much this new Absolute 40 Sport Line, but personally I see it as a nice offer for those looking for a day cruiser with capability of to making a cruise.  The deck space of the 40 STL presents itself as a center console with both the side decks, to port and starboard allowing free undisturbed passageway from the bathing platform to the fore tip.  The accommodation plan here resides in the middle with a central sun pad, C-shaped settee, wet bar, and a two seat helm station.  Below is an accommodation plan sleeping a total of four with the layout consisting of a convertible Vee shaped dinette to fore, shower head, galley, and a full beam separate owners cabin to midships.  Power is twin Volvo engines; diesel 300 or 330hp, and petrol gasoline 270 and 320hp units. 

Technical Data:

LOA - 11.9 m (39ft)

Hull Length - 9.97 m

Beam - 3.99 m

Fuel Capacity - 780 l

Water Capacity - 190 l

Accommodation - 4 berths

Max Persons - 10

Engines - 2 x Volvo D4 300hp, D6 330hp, Petrol Gas Volvo 5.0 GXi 270hp, 5.7 GXi 320hp 

Propulsion - Volvo DPH or DPS dual propeller stern drive

Project - Absolute Research and Development Lab

Certification - CE B  

www.absoluteyachts.com

Class 1 - Dubai Grand Prix

RACE 1

Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al-Thani and Steve Curtis produced a brilliant tactical drive in rough conditions off the Mina Seyahi to come from behind to take their second win of the season in race 1 in Dubai of the Emirates-Dubai Duty Free and Skydive Dubai Grand Prix.

The pole-sitters and 2012 Champions elect, Arif Al Zafeen and Mohammed Al Marri saw their hopes of victory disappear in the latter stages to finish in second place ahead of Luca Formilli Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella in LFF10.

The decision by the Spirit of Qatar 96 crew to take their two mandatory long-laps early after a poor start dropped them to third place behind LFF10 and the early race leader’s Victory, paid off.

They began their fight back as the front two runners went for their long laps and on lap six passed LFF10 and then set about overhauling the 40-second deficit to Victory.

By lap eight they had cut the gap to ten seconds, passing the Championship leader’s two laps later to go on and take the win by 14-seconds, completing the 12 laps/53.76Nm in 38:03.77s.

Despite a brilliant start by Al Zafeen and Al Marri and easing out to a comfortable lead in the early stages of the race, an engine issue in the closing laps and second place means their hopes of trying to close-out the Championship in front of their home crowd now depends on them winning race 2 and Team Abu Dhabi, who finished in fourth place, finishing outside the top six.

Luca Formilli Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella mirrored their performance in official qualifying, but a ballast issue mid-race prevented them from holding off the Spirit of Qatar charge to the front, costing them a possible second spot.

Peter McGrath and Class 1 newcomer Darren Nicholson survived one or two nervous moments in the new Victory hull, running as Victory Team Australia, coming home in fifth place despite being given a time penalty for missing a turn buoy, ahead of Zabo-Isiklar and FA.RO Acciai.

A 360 spin-out on lap two ended Guido Cappellini and Giampaolo Montavoci’s race, with Yngve Bratland and Bjorge Jacobsen’s Subseapilot stopping on the same lap with a technical problem. Ali Al Neama and Matteo Nicolini failed to make the start after damaging Spirit of Qatar 95 in qualifying.

EMIRATES/DUBAI DUTY FREE and SKYDIVE DUBAI GRAND PRIX, RACE 1 – Results

1. 96 Spirit of Qatar - H Al Thani (QAT) / S Curtis (ENG) - 00.38.03,77

2. 3 Victory - A Al Zafeen (UAE) / M Al Marri (UAE) + 00.14,72

3. 10 Fendi Racing - L Formilli Fendi (ITA) / G Carpitella (ITA) + 00.35,56

4. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - R Al Tayer (UAE) / M Al Mansoori (UAE) + 02.46,00

5. 7 Victory Team of Australia - D Nicholson (AUS) / P Mc Grath (NZL) + 03.57,00

6. 91 Zabo Isiklar - U Isik (TUR) / C Zaborowski (NOR) + 1 LAP

7. 23 FA.RO. Acciai - G M Gabbiani (ITA) / L Nicolini (ITA) + 2 LAPS

8. 8 Subseapilot - Y Bratland (NOR) / B Jacobsen (NOR) dnf

9. 74 Poliform - G Cappellini (MON) / G Montavoci (ITA) dnf

10. 95 Spirit of Qatar - A Al Neama (QAT) / M Nicolini (ITA) dns

RACE 2

Arif Al Zafeen and Mohammed Al Marri cruised to a somewhat hollow victory in the Skydive Dubai Grand Prix, following extraordinary scenes before the start with three boats boycotting the race and returning to the pits.

The decision by Spirit of Qatar’s team principal Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani and Luca Formilli Fendi to boycott the race hinged on the fact that they [teams] were informed of the decision to change the course 45 minutes before the start of the race, and that Victory were late to the race pontoon because they were changing their set-up.

Despite all teams being given the opportunity by UIM Race Commissioner Gordon Sutherland to return to the pits to change set-ups, only Darren Nicholson and Peter McGrath of Victory Team Australia took up the option.

Not for the first time over the race weekend the weather was the powerful dictator, forcing race officials to shorten the course for the mornings practice and then reduce it considerably further and run a ‘storm course’ due to the extreme conditions on the outside leg.

With Subseapilot already side-lined after losing their escape hatch and damaging the boat in the morning session, and the withdrawal of both Qatar boats and LFF 10, six lined up for the revised 13 lap 42.14Nm race with officials opting for a rolling start with the boats running line stern.

The absence of yesterday’s race winner and third placed boat handed the advantage to Al Zafeen and Al Marri who disappeared into the distance from the green flag and were unchallenged throughout, and cruised to their fourth win of the year to extend their lead in the Championship standings to 30 points.

Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Tayer and Majed Al Mansoori added to their podium haul with an untroubled second place to keep them insight of their UAE rivals in the title race.

Class 1 newcomer Darren Nicholson and Class 1 returnee Peter McGrath took full advantage of the situation to celebrate their entry into the Championship finishing in third place in Victory Team Australia, with Zabo-Isiklar and FARO ACCIAI picking up valuable points coming home in fourth and fifth spots, but there was frustration for Spirit of Gabon-Poliform who stopped on lap 1.

EMIRATES/DUBAI DUTY FREE and SKYDIVE DUBAI GRAND PRIX, RACE 2 – Results

1. 3 Victory - A Al Zafeen (UAE) / M Al Marri (UAE) 00.28.16,28

2. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - R Al Tayer (UAE) / M Al Mansoori (UAE) + 00.08,77

3. 7 Victory Team of Australia - D Nicholson (AUS) / P Mc Grath (NZL) + 00.48,36

4. 91 Zabo Isiklar - U Isik (TUR) / C Zaborowski (NOR) + 01.28,00

5. 23 FA.RO. Acciai - G M Gabbiani (ITA) / L Nicolini (ITA) + 2 LAPS

6. 74 Poliform - G Cappellini (MON) / G Montavoci (ITA) dnf

96 Spirit of Qatar - H Al Thani (QAT) / S Curtis (ENG) dns

95 Spirit of Qatar - A Al Neama (QAT) / M Nicolini (ITA) dns

10 Fendi Racing - L Formilli Fendi (ITA) / G Carpitella (ITA) dns

8 Subseapilot - Y Bratland (NOR) / B Jacobsen (NOR) dns

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - after race 7

1. 3 Victory Team - 132pts

2. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 102pts

3. 96 Spirit of Qatar - 73pts

4. 10 Fendi Racing - 50pts

5. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 45pts

6. 91 Zabo Isiklar - 40pts

7. 7 Victory Team of Australia - 19pts

8. 23 FA.RO. Acciai - 18pts

9. 74 Spirit of Gabon - Poliform - 13pts

10. 90 Welmax - 5pts

11= 9 Welmax - 0pts

12= 8 Subseapilot - 0pts

MIDDLE EAST CHAMPIONSHIP - after race 4

1. 3 Victory Team - 67pts

2. 5 Team Abu Dhabi - 54pts

3. 96 Spirit of Qatar - 52pts

4= 7 Victory Team of Australia - 19pts

4= 10 Fendi Racing - 19pts

6. 91 Zabo Isiklar - 14pts

7. 23 FA.RO. Acciai - 11pts

8. 95 Spirit of Qatar - 9pts

9= 74 Spirit of Gabon - Poliform - 0pts

9= 90 Welmax - 0pts

9= 8 Subseapilot - 0pts

www.class-1.com

Project: Couach 2600 Fly

After presenting its much awaited flagship the 5000 Fly, Couach yachts from France has gone into an ambitious project set to renew all its line to a new generation design statement.  PowerYacht has already showed some of the project in this new important project Couach has taken.  This new Couach 2600 series which will also feature an Open version sister model, represent the French builders entry level super yacht.  Considering that Couach now offers super yacht up to fifty meters what this model presents will be very important for making clients growing up the ladder size with you.  The 2600 Fly will present a four double cabins traditional layout plan with a four double guest cabins, and the owners room to midships having a separate staircase entrance.  The living on the main deck will be a split level separating the entrance with saloon followed by dining, to the galley, pilot house plus a small dinette to Port side of the helm divided by two steps up.  Crew cabin is aft having two cabins, both with private shower heads.  Standard engines are twin MAN 1800hp with estimated max speed of of 31 knots. 

www.couach.com

New Model: Prestige 620

Prestige 620 is a further evolution of the 60 launched in 2009, presenting also the French builder new yacht line series.  The Prestige 620 is a tune up of the much well received 60, which thanks to its well planned lower and main deck layouts, and economic to run fuel consumption thanks to IPS pods has received amazing reviews globally.  The tune up in the 620 comes from a new extended larger bathing platform also available with hydraulic up and down movement, and a redesign of the flybridge deck.  For the rest the 620 keeps its well received interior plan mostly appreciated for its astern galley on the main deck, for the large cabins below, and a full beam owners suite which would not look out of place in a yacht five feet larger.

Technical Data:

LOA - 19.5 m (63.9ft)

Hull Length - 17.3 m

Beam - 5.12 m

Draft - 1.32 m

Displacement - 23000 kg light

Fuel Capacity - 2800 l

Water Capacity - 800 l

Accommodation - 6 guest berths in 3 cabins, 2 crew berths in 1 cabin

Max Persons - 14

Engines - 2 x Volvo D11 700hp

Propulsion - Volvo forward looking dual propeller IPS900 pod drives

Speed - 30 knots max, 25 knots cruise

Range - 325 nm at cruise

Project - Garroni exterior and interior, Michael Peters hull, JP Concept, Prestige Engineering

Certification - CE B-14, C-18

www.prestige-yachts.com

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