With lines hinting back to an American lobster boat but with a much more pronounced Carolina flair, the Cape 50 is a winning mix of traditional and contemporary styles. And when I saw the boat underway, I couldn’t help thinking there was a bit of contemporary European design in the shape of the bow
Of course, Cape isn’t the only boat to blend these design parameters as it joins Australian brands like Newport, Whitehaven and Palm Beach that recognise the charm and sea-keeping benefits of the much-lauded line of New England fishing boats. That it keeps the essentials yet manages to sport significant individuality is a credit to the designers. This is especially true, being the first motor cruiser from Melbourne-based Composite Constructions.
THE BUILDER
Company owner Stephen Campbell had over 30 years as a boatbuilder to his name when he decided to introduce a motor cruiser to his fleet of high-performance sailing and ski boats. As well as the boating angle, Composite Constructions makes components for the aerospace, caravan and automotive sectors and even one-off structures for architectural installations.
But the core of the business is boat building, and it’s where Campbell’s heart leads him. On top of helping launch such successful boats as Wild Thing, Sydney Hobart winner Illusion, world racers Ultimate Challenge and Morning Mist, he has been a shore crew at two America’s Cup challenges. Recent builds include the 10m offshore powerboat racer Saracen and the Reichel Pugh IRC 52 Scarlet Runner.
With such a varied background of engineering, building and testing all aspects of composites, it’s fair to say Campbell has a thorough knowledge of the medium and how to make the best of it in hull construction.
Campbell used his own ideas and his in-house team for the designs and styling for the lines and layout of the new boat. He wanted a user-friendly format and a hull shape to handle the sudden rough conditions that frequently blow up on Port Phillip Bay’s shallow waters. “We included the high bow and significant flare to help the boat drive through big seas, and it works perfectly,” he said.
THE BUILD
Construction is a complete composite build, meaning the only timber is in the joinery and teak overlay. The hull, main deck and bulkheads are vacuum infused epoxy resin foam sandwich construction with an osmosis resistant vinylester outside layer. However, the unsupported cabin top, foredeck and beams are carbon fibre for extra strength and better weight distribution.
With a hint of reverse, a plumb bow adds both waterline length and space in the forward cabin, but primarily it cuts the water effectively before the flare and chines send it away to the side. Hefty chines run aft for lift and water displacement. From the sharp entry, the warped plane hull runs back to a flatter section designed to let the twin Volvo DPS drives work efficiently.
Above the waterline, the swooping sheerline drops from the high bow to the cockpit. It’s a dramatic statement of style complemented further with a tumblehome finish and a reverse transom.
ALL ABOARD
Nine-millimetre teak covers the roomy boarding platform and cockpit and plays against the Xeon blue hull and Champaign trim for a remarkable retro impression. A sturdy stainless steel rail guards the platform while leaving enough room for the retracting swim ladder. Disguised discreetly in the transom is an electric barbeque, which I’m told gets a good workout from the owner, a septuagenarian woman who loves to entertain friends and family.
The starboard gate opens to the roomy cockpit, and a freshwater shower will be welcome after a swim. Once aboard, the Sunbrella clad lounges lapping the transom and port side have seating for six around a teak table. Add some folding chairs for an overflow crowd.
A 120L Eutectic fridge sits against the portside cabin bulkhead with a large storage locker opposite. The cabin windows open upward to create a sociable flowthrough to the saloon, and the extended roof protects the cockpit from the extremes of the Australian weather.
The overhanging roof has a unique feature that demonstrates the builder’s attention to detail and thoughtful styling. Teak slats under the overhang are a time-consuming detail that’s all about adding to the charming retro ambience.
Two hatches reveal the twin Volvo engines, and while it’s a bit squeezy getting down there, regular maintenance shouldn’t be a problem. Safe access along the sides leads to the bow, where there’s a double lounge and room for a small tender.
With the rear windows and entry door open and curving windows all around, the saloon has a fresh and airy feeling with views for miles. The minimalist decor has a modern edge highlighted by the teal composite window surrounds. An L-shaped lounge clad in grey Warwick fabric runs all along the port side with seating for seven or four around the dining table. On the other side is a white Corian-covered galley. I like the nautical touch of neat fiddle rails on the table and bench that will help stop anything sliding to the floor.
Set into the galley are a two-burner induction cooktop, a low-slung microwave and a large sink. Keeping the minimalist theme going is a pop-up pantry and television that are hidden until needed. An 11kVA Kohler generator runs the accessories when away from shore power.
A hatch in the floor opens to a neat utility room with easy access to pumps and the Mastervolt electronics system. Two air conditioners service the boat with a 16BTU unit upstairs and an 11BTU setup for the accommodation below.
A central companionway leads three steps down to a two-cabin, single head layout below. The master cabin in the bow has an island bed and generous wardrobes with charming teak panels on the sides. Side windows and an overhead hatch allow a good flow of light.
A starboard side guest cabin has a lower double and a single overhead bunk. Again, it will suit a couple of guests or some children, and again there’s an ample wardrobe and overhead hatch as well as a side port to keep it from feeling too confined.
To port, the good size bathroom is a modern mix of oak, white composite and a black carbon fibre vanity. The roomy shower has teak-clad seating and is separated from the vanity and the freshwater head by a glass screen for a very on-trend look.
THE DRIVE
It’s a step up to the helm, where a black vinyl helm seat has intricate diamond patterning and room for two. Vision through the swept-back screen and to the sides is good, and the controls easily fall to hand.
Twin 11in Garmin Glass Cockpit screens look the part in the ultra-cool carbon fibre dash. Meanwhile, CZone switching handles all the electronics in a neat panel at floor level and can be managed from the Garmin screens.
With the wind continuing to blow through the morning, we had a 1m short chop that was much more pleasant in the Cape than in the 6m open camera boat. Planting the throttles from rest, the twin Volvo IPS drives had us on the plane within 50 meters at around 14kt. The transition was imperceptible, with the ZipWake interceptors doing their job nicely to keep the bow down. Within a hundred meters, we were at full noise and 35kt, and that’s very impressive acceleration.
The ride was smooth with no rattles, bangs or resonance from the engines, which were quiet enough for normal conversation through the rev range. The hull stayed relatively flat through turns, so vision to the sides was unrestricted. The ride was steady, and the steering felt sporty and responsive at speed.
The Cape is relatively light at 12.5T, but it felt planted to the water in the choppy conditions. Despite the wind and chop, the big flare kept water away, with only a tiny amount of spray soon cleared by the big pantograph wipers.
At an 18kt cruise, we saw a total fuel burn of 45L/h, which translates to a range of 576NM with 10 per cent in reserve from the twin 800L tanks. This is plenty for overnight cruising on the bay and gives a port-hopping run to the Whitsundays or across Bass Straight with the right weather window.
Campbell chose the Volvo IPS drives for their performance and easy handling for docking. The engines use forward facing pods that maximise drive at speed but operate independently at low speeds to hold steady or move seamlessly into a berth.
THE WRAP
Starting price is $1.5m, and that’s very competitive for such a high tech and well-finished vessel. As tested, the No. 1 version was $1.65m with options including the air conditioner, custom paint, teak decking and Volvo Digital positioning system. Hull number 2 is already in construction, and a 40ft version is in the planning stages.
The Cape is a boat that appealled to me straight away on looks alone. It’s easy to see that much thought has gone into the design, and it’s destined to be a popular choice. As a harbour and coastal cruiser, it should be popular all around the country, and it’s great to see another quality Australian-built product added to the mix.
Find more on Cape here.
Two people on board, 50 per cent fuel/light load, 1m sea, 1600L fuel tank (calculations using 1440L, 10 per cent reserve)
* Sea-trial data supplied by the author.
FACTS & FIGURES
CAPE 50
PRICED FROM $1.5m
OPTIONS FITTED Air conditioning, custom paint, Kohler generator, teak decks, Zipwake, fusion sound, Volvo DPS, second Garmin plotter, more
PRICE AS TESTED $1.65m
GENERAL
MATERIAL GRP and carbon fibre
TYPE Motor cruiser
LENGTH 15.24m (50ft)
BEAM 4.34m (14ft 3in)
WEIGHT 12.5T
CAPACITIES
PEOPLE 18 (DAY) 5 (NIGHT)
FUEL 1600L
WATER 600L
ENGINE
MAKE/MODEL Twin Volvo D8-IPS 600
TYPE Six-cylinder turbo diesel with twin entry turbo and compressor
RATED HP 450hp (331kW)
DISPLACEMENT 7.7L
WEIGHT 1410kg (inc propellers)
GEAR RATIO 1.85:1
PROPELLER Counter Rotating Duo Props
MANUFACTURED BY/SUPPLIED BY
Composite Constructions 57
W compositeconstructions.com.au
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Cape 50, boat reviews
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