EURO REPORT 412

LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING
Sealine has been making big inroads in recent months into the medium-sized cruiser bracket, and the company looks set to a make a further impression with the announcement of another addition to its range — the SC42.

The aim of this new model, says Sealine MD Chris O’Connor, is to represent “a complete rethink on how we can make the best use of space on a 42-foot open sports cruiser.”

Describing it as “a bold and innovative new design”, O’Connor claims the SC42 will offer more social space than any other cruiser in the size bracket. The SC42 is likely to further confuse potential buyers, who at the end of last year were presented with three new options at this size — the Fairline Squadron 42, Princess 42, and Sealine’s own F42. The SC42, however, will boast a full-width cockpit, innovative interior elements and a convertible roof system. The model is due for launch this summer and forms a part of the commitment expressed by O’Connor at the recent London boat show to introduce eight all-new Sealine models over the next three years.

GROW, GROW, GROW YOUR BOAT
It may be a giant already, but boatbuilder Beneteau claims to have plans for even greater things in the future.

At its annual financial meeting in Paris recently, the French builder announced that it was planning to double its boatbuilding output by 2015. It is already predicting an increase of sales in 2011 of 20 per cent on 2010, which brought in €573.5 million, and investment in emerging markets such as South America and the Far East hint at the growth that many Euro builders are targeting outside traditional Euro markets.

CAUGHT STEELING
Ah, the eternal question. Are displacement motoryachts making a comeback or are they still upstaged by their lighter plastic rivals? Dutch builder Holterman Yachting would have you believe the former, and this 60-footer is a prime example of the class.

Employing a state-of-the-art full-round-bilge underwater body and constructed in reassuringly solid steel, the hull maintains those sturdy, hardy lines that just inspire confidence to get going when the going gets rough. Sure, she may only be capable of hitting 11kts at a push, but you get the impression there is little that will stop her getting to top speed.

Designed by famed and prolific Dutch naval architects Vripack, the Holterman 60 recently landed the European Powerboat of the Year award in the displacement class at the recent Dusseldorf Boat Show — no mean feat, as the award is judged by a jury comprising the editors-in-chief of seven leading powerboat magazines, who each trial the entered yachts in real conditions.

“Many visitors pass by the Holterman 60 and knock on the boat to test if it is truly metal and not composite,” says Robbert Holterman. “It is an absolute understatement to say I am very proud of my team.”

PERSHING MILESTONE
Pershing, part of the Italian superbrand the Ferretti Group, held a mild, if damp, celebration in the middle of February as its latest model — the 32.9m 108 — hit the water for the first time at the Marina dei Cesari, Fano, under leaden skies.

It was perhaps not the most glamorous launch, but it nevertheless marks a significant milestone for the builder — the 108, according to Pershing’s brand manager Nada Serafini, “is destined to become the top model of the Pershing range.”

The 108 was designed by Fulvio di Simoni in collaboration with Ferretti’s own Advanced Yacht Technology team and naval architecture and design department. So what makes the 108 so special? Well, to begin with, it offers four guest cabins and three crew cabins, along with three different owners-suite layout options to maximise versatility and customisability. Throw in an impressive sundeck with seating, barbecue, innovative console and a bimini, and you have an attractive proposition for summer cruising.

This is only half the story, however, and the real key to this yacht is the engine installation — the standard model offers triple MTU diesels powering surface drives that propel the 108 to a top speed of 40.5kts, while the central drive can be used as a standalone (in case, so Pershing would have us believe, you share environmental concerns) producing a max speed of 11kts and giving a 1070nm range. Throw in trademark sleek and aggressive styling and you have a package that is sure to win over many hearts when it makes its official debut later this spring.

Photos: Sealine SC42; Holterman 60; Pershing 108.