Just plain cool (So too's this one, and also that…)
by John Curnow, Global Editor, Powerboat.World 8 Jul 2021 19:30 AEST
Cape50 steaming along beside Albert Park on Melbourne's Port Phillip © John Willis
When I saw the mould for the Cape50 being constructed I was pretty impressed. A lot of nice thinking, and a bunch of even better curves went into her creation. The Covid beast meant I never got to see her for real, other than in still and motion imagery, and then it struck again with the cancellation of the Sydney Festival of Boating, where Hull #1 was going to be on display.
At any rate, Hull #2 is available in time for Christmas 2021. Yes! That is this very year. So if you have missed out, but want an Express Cruiser par excellence, then simply click right now. There are two more scheduled for production in 2022, so don't feel like you're going to be in a bidding war.
The Cape50 is also semi-customisable in terms of final layout and colour schemes. Go with a turquoise hull and gold coachhouse roof, or be Euro and make it anthracite with silver. Your call, but make that call, for once word gets out that there are just a few to be had in the next little while, there may well be a bit of a queue...
The Cape50 is Australian designed and built in the Melbourne suburb of Braeside. Her father, Stephen Campbell, is a proud Melburnian, and ocean racer. A shipwright with over 30 years of experience, the Cape50 reflects his values for light and strong, stylish and distinguished. To that end, the hull, deck, and bulkheads are fully vinylester resin infused. There is no wood in the structural components and the foredeck and coachhouse roof are done in carbon fibre, because of the span and the additional weight saving, especially over that super fine entry she sports.
The E-Glass beauty is just 12,500kilos at half load, which goes a long way to explaining why she can easily pull 35 knots from just a pair of 440hp donks (Volvo Penta IPS600). If you were so inclined, you could even use the 650s (same block), and crack on towards 40. Just saying, and you'll be doing it at a combined burn rate that many others would be happy to achieve off just one close collection of iron ladies residing down below.
Oh. Did we mention there is a baby sister due in 2022 - the Cape45?
Swan Shadow
Boat in a pool. I don't know. I kind of got lost into another world of memories, films, locales, times, and the literal pot pourri of ideas. Swan Sardinia Challenge, with 34 One Design yachts cruising in the crystal waters of Porto Cervo at the end of June, but I just could not get past the Swan Shadow in the pool back at Scarlino when it was launched. Sure. Why not? Works for me. You?
They had me at GT40
Not a lot more to add to that, really... There was also a Fairline F//Line33 present as well, and it certainly has enough cred to mark it as a serious vessel in the dayboat category.
Designer Alberto Mancini was heavily inspired by the distinctive curves, elegance and allure of classic 1960s sports cars when he created Fairline's F//LINE 33. There is now also an alternative configuration for the F//LINE 33, with a new cockpit layout that provides both sunbathing and seating options simultaneously, as well as a larger helm, a sleek hard top, and a below deck galley. Go bold, all the way, and get one of these super primary colour wraps, too!
Maritimo S55 - Archangel in the house
We were fortunate enough to get out on Maritimo's new S55 last month, and have just published this review of our time with the 'Ultimate Adventurer', as Maritimo call her. You'll develop your own name for her, but in the meantime, come see what we found out... No second fiddle for this lass. She's well and truly First Violin material, and could be aiming for Leader of the Orchestra.
Not an Alfetta
Which was when I first got to become aware of the name, Sportiva. Now just as the Alfa was all about a bit of fun, I got the impression this new Tankoa line is kind of doing the same thing. The first model in Tankoa's dynamic Sportiva line is the 55, which is rated at under 500GT, and also has a smaller 45m and larger 65m pair of sisters to ponder.
'Immediate harmony' was how Tankoa described their bond with designer, Luca Dini. As you can tell, I pretty much had the same thing with the final product. Like many, he has an automotive bent to it all, and Dini says, "The style is rigorous yet timeless and deliberately contrasts with a layout designed for informal contemporary living."
We've reviewed and talked about it a lot over the last few years, and it is in the vessel's tail end with sauna, pool, gym and terraces that the secret is revealed; the partially submerged windows of the beach club. Watch the video just to have some James Bond fun.
The Sportiva 55 can also be fitted with hybrid propulsion, where engineering all moves for'ard, and this allows the four guest cabins on the lower deck to have direct access to the spa and beach club. Bring it on, I say, especially as you only talking about displacement speeds, not engaging the warp drive. The Sportiva is into lifestyle and pleasure, not the stopwatch.
Going even LARGER
Some time back now I had heard about permanent passengers living aboard the luxe decks of Cunard's QE2, sailing the world endlessly. I suppose if you were happy not having too much input into the itinerary, and the fees were not going to impinge on your annual stipend from the fund, then you were definitely going to be looked after handsomely. Perhaps this is why, The World, did so well. More freedom. More bespoke, and an even higher barrier to entry to make it not so much seven star, as a whole sky full of them.
Well, after Lady Moura featuring in Going LARGE, I definitely got the point of Somnio. 39 apartments on six decks of a 222m gem by Winch Design, and she's presently in-build at VARD in Norway. Yes. This IS happening. Kick off is from EUR9.5M. I think they can say that, "Owners will share a truly unique lifestyle at sea, with a hand-picked crew and a never-ending global itinerary of carefully selected destinations and experiences befitting a yacht of this nature."
Yet they had me at the "...spectacular 10,000-bottle capacity wine cellar and tasting room". I mean, give me a few years and a couple of pals, and we'll do our best versions of Mr Creosote for all and sundry: Nebbiolos for New York, chilled Tempranillo in the Balearics, a light Gamay to accompany the cheese platter in the Med, Pinot Gris for the South Pacific, and full bore Shirazes for Antarctica. Can't be that hard...
Only the one viewing of the Crane Brother's taste off is allowed, however. What will be your "unimaginable experiences" as you slowly travel the world?
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John Curnow