review - Sensation Boats

BOAT REVIEW
Revive
YOUR senses
10
leisure boating
january 2008
Sensation
24 Deck
Words and pictures by Dean Castle
For me, the more senses a craft can appeal to, the better it must be. Does it look good - from general
aesthetics to the smallest detail? Does it leave a taste of success in your mouth, when saying you are
the proud owner? Does she feel great when you’re on board and even better when you take the helm?
Is there a certain aroma present, like fresh leather or crisp morning air? And lastly, does she purr like a
kitten when idling, but roar like a jaguar when you let her loose? The Sensation 24 Deck is one such boat
– she satisfies all your senses.
leisure boating
january 2008
11
High and dry! You won’t get splashed easily, thanks to a high hull design.
T
win Boat and Trailers have
been in the business for 10
years, so when they build a
boat, you know that a lot of
experience has gone into its making.
And when we learned that Peter
Lindenberg owns one of their handbuilt beauties, we knew it was going
to be something extra special. For the
interests of clarity, Peter Lindenberg is
well-known in the boating fraternity. In
22 years of powerboat racing he won
the South African title on 15 occasions.
He also became a world record holder
in the ramp jump in barefoot waterskiing in 1981 and is a very successful
motor racing driver. Adrenalin junkie?
Oh yes! And this isn’t the only reason
why he owns a Sensation.
Conditions for test
The test of the 24 Deck took place early
in the morning on the Vaal River. This is
a great time of day for doing a boat test
as the waters are generally as flat as
glass, and we knew we would probably
have the waters to ourselves to get to
know the finer handling characteristics
of a new boat before putting it through
its paces. However, these were not
ideal conditions for testing a boat
that we feel could easily tackle the
roughness of the ocean.
General impression
As we walked along the riverside, I saw a
boat sitting in the water with her covers
on, as though she was still tucked away
in bed. From that distance, I wondered
which company had imported her as
the covers were made from a very high
quality material and the shape beneath
promised something special, something
absolutely elegant. When I realised that
this was our test boat for the morning, I
couldn’t have been more excited. And
especially because this mysterious boat
had first seen the light of day in a factory
just down the road and a short distance
along the highway.
Once her covers were off, she looked
ready for action. The broad shoulder
“the shape
beneath promised
something special”
lines give the promise of great stability
and water handling. From the side, the
long, swept-back curves give it the
sense of a boat that’s capable of sleek
speed. And this was before we had
even started the motors!
Deck layout
The layout of the 24 Deck is spacious
enough for family, friends and even
the family pet. While cruising along,
doing tight corners, and giving the
engines full throttle, I was at ease
knowing that my testing notepad was
safe from any possible water spray
as the boat’s sides are high enough
to give a protected feeling. The craft
has a full wet deck, but to give it that
added millionaire feel, a snug, pushstud carpeting has been fitted.
The rear seat can easily accommodate
three, and when the weather is extra hot,
the backrest simply folds down to make a
full and comfortable sunbed.
The captain’s and passenger’s
chairs can rotate, making conversation
or entertaining aboard pleasant. The
centre walk-through can be sealed
off completely by means of closing
the windshield and a door that closes
neatly into the side of the captain’s
helm. I assume that this would leave
the sheltered area very welcoming and
protected by all when the evening air
presents a wind-chill factor.
The bow seating provides suitable
seating for four; alternatively, it makes
an ideal sunbed for two. To ensure these
passengers don’t feel left out from the
party on board, Boss marine speakers
and stainless steel cup holders can be
found in the side of the seating.
A 40-litre freshwater tank supplies
water to the basin just behind the
captain’s chair. This washbasin is
accompanied by a dirt bin, and both
can be closed off out of sight to form
a neat working surface. A shower and
second basin are situated just forward
of the navigator’s seat and can be closed
off completely for privacy. The shower
room also houses the CD changer for
the general audio system that is piped
around the boat.
The bow’s great sprawling spot for sun worshippers.
Motors and controls
Peter Lindenberg’s Sensation 24
Deck is equipped with a four-stroke
350 Mercruiser Magnum MPI in-board
engine, which pushes out 300 HP to the
single propeller. Fuel for the motor is
supplied by a 200 litre built-in fuel tank.
Top speed of this craft is a good
80 km/h when fitted with a 19-inch
torque pitched propeller. This propeller
is designed more for torque rather than
top speed and can be fully trimmed
Above: A port window allows light into
the shower cubicle.
ABOVE Left: Stainless steel cup holders
and a Boss audio system illustrate attention
to detail.
left: The swivel skipper’s seat completes
the entertainment area.
leisure boating
january 2008
13
“you can expect to get a lot of boat”
Note the ‘sensational’ sun decks, fun decks and swim platform!
up underneath the generous sternmounted swim platform.
You don’t get much change for half
a million rand, but you can expect to
get a lot of boat. At this price, you are
rewarded by utter ecstasy when turning
on that ignition and hearing the engine
burst into life. And being an inboard
engine it is easy on the ear.
Handling
With an overall length of 8.1 m and
width of 2.6 m you may imagine she’d
require plenty of space when cornering.
However, the hull grips the water and
turns sharply without fault. To make
steering even more pleasurable, this
boat is equipped with hydraulic steering
which makes cornering finger-light and
an absolute pleasure. When cutting
through it’s own and other boats’ wakes.
she shows that she’s built for strength
as there is no reverberation through the
hull. Similarly, when running, there is no
sound of water lapping up against the
underneath of the craft, which in essence
is a product of drag. But just because
she’s silent as she skims across the
water doesn’t mean she isn’t responsive.
In fact, I would liken her to driving a sports
car, as the overall handling capabilities
are more than adequate.
14
leisure boating
january 2008
Finishing touches
Twin Boats likes to set a standard when
it comes to supplying a boat, and so
believe in providing many items as
standard equipment, rather than as
optional extras.
The equipment, décor and trim
finishes are there to add to the overall
feel and design of the craft and we found
the Sensation series to have impeccable
attention to detail. The 24 Deck has
stainless steel telescopic ladders fore
and aft, and numerous stainless cup
holders for holding your refreshments
when cruising. A quality Boss sound
system provides crisp, clear sound to
impress all that pass by. But the 24 Deck
is more than just a poser, it has a ski or
wakeboard tower that peeks through
the two-piece sun canopy which hides
the fact that you can have a serious
amount of fun and enjoyment with this
boat. Wakeboarders in particular will
appreciate the height of the towing
tower as it promises a generous amount
of ‘air’.
Conclusion
It comes as no surprise that boating
legend Peter Lindenberg owns a
Sensation 24 Deck. His retirement
from Formula 1 boating came about 18
months early, following an accident in
Saldanha that very nearly cost him his
life. Lindenberg said that the accident
brought to the fore his vulnerability in
life, and he now looks for the safety
aspect. This definitely evident in the
Sensation series.
Not only will the 24 Deck meet your
boating needs but it will surpass them.
It makes for a great skiing craft, an
excellent vessel to wakeboard behind,
and an exceptional leisure cruiser.
The 24 Deck may look bigger than
you’ll ever need, but given the vast
number of people that will want to be
seen with you, this is definitely a boat
you can grow into.
For more information on this vessel
or any of the Sensation series, please
contact André or Riaan of Twin Boats
and Trailers on (016) 366 1630.
At a glance
LOA
8.1 m
Beam
2.6 m
Engine: Mercruiser 350 Magnum – 300 HP
Fuel tank
200 litre
Water tank
40 litre with pressure pump
Trailer
Double axle
Boss Marine sound system4 Marine speakers
Brad (JHB). 082 556 6002
CSL28
m