Retro Launches

retro
launches
There are those with an unmistakable
lobsterboat-look, typified by the
Hinckleys, the Picnic Boat and the
Talarias, which can really be said to
have first opened up this burgeoning
niche. The lobsterboat tag comes from
traditional New England workboats,
which tended to have similarly big
open cockpits, suitable for stacking
lobster pots, and relatively low cockpit
soles and decreasing freeboard aft,
which made the lifting of pots aboard
easier. Flared bows and tumblehome
sterns also typify this breed.
Other variations on the theme, and
also with their origins firmly in
American workboat territory, claim
‘Downeaster’
semi-displacement
styling. Others, such as Santa Cruz
Yacht’s Coastal Flyers echo the
commuter yachts popular between the
wars, particularly those used by New
Yorkers travelling between their
business commitments in Manhattan
and their weekend homes in the
Hamptons. Some of the originals
Alden Yachts’ Brenton Reef 40
Up until a few years ago the Alden yard built a revered line of semi-custom sailing
yachts. However, these days its concentration is on the power side, particularly
with its ‘downeaster-style’ Brenton Reef collection. Its Brenton Reef 40 is available
in Open, Hardtop Express, Saloon Express and
Flybridge Express versions. Below, one or two cabin
layouts are available. She is good for a 30-knot
maximum speed in standard guise with twin 440hp
Yanmars, but she can be specified with twin 660hp
diesels, which will push her up to well over 40 knots.
Standard equipment specifications are high.
LOA
12.32m
LWL
10.82m
Beam
4.42m
Draught
1.12m
Displacement
10 tonnes
Engines 2 x 440hp Yanmar
Speed (max)
30 knots
Speed (Cruise)
25 knots
Design
Alden Yachts
Builder
Alden Yachts, 1909 Alden
Landing, Portsmouth, Rhode
Island 02871, USA.
Tel: +1 401 683 4200.
Website
www.aldenyachts.com
BSI’s Solent Spear 34
The Solent Spear 34 represents the combined talents of
Alan Burnard, formerly naval architect with the old Fairey
Marine operation that built the revered Huntsman and
Spearfish classics, and Design Unlimited. Her name hints
that she has been designed to take in her stride the sort of
bad weather that can be thrown up in The Solent.
Boesch’s 900 Riviera
De Luxe
RICK TOMLINSON
LOA
10.67m
Beam
3.35m
Draught
1.09m
Displacement
6.1 tonnes
Engines 2 x 440hp Yanmar
Speed (max)
40 knots
Speed (cruise)
35 knots
Design
Alan Burnard/
Design Unlimited
Builder
BSI (Boat Sales International),
Hamble, Hampshire, UK
Tel:+44 (0) 2380 457966
110 BOAT INTERNATIONAL
Based in Kilchberg,
Switzerland, the Boesch
Motorboote yard specialises in
classic inboard-engined
sportsboats and sportscruisers.
Boeschs are built in wood, mahogany
ply on mahogany frames, finished with
a veneer. The build process takes
about eight weeks on average with
everything pre-cut. All the Boesch
models have the classic look, and just
about all are finished with multi-coats
of a high-gloss epoxy varnish. Very few
are delivered painted.
The biggest Boesch is the 900 Riviera
De Luxe (pictured above), which is
capable of 40 knots with the largest
powertrain, twin 380hp diesels.
LOA
9.30m
Beam
2.96m
Draught
0.65-0.68m
Displacement
3.8-4.0
tonnes
Engines
2 x 380hp V8
diesels
Speed (max)
40 knots
Speed (cruise) 35 knots
Builder
Boesch Motorboote,
Seestrasse 197, 8802
Kilchberg (Zurich),
Switzerland.
Tel:+41 (0) 44 715 13 44.
Website
www.boesch-boats.ch
launches
though went much bigger than 15
metres – Great Gatsby stuff!
Demand for the sportscruiser styles
of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s is also
strong. When it comes to openstyle boats, the quintessential
image in most people’s
minds is most likely to be
the Riva Aquarama, which
Riva today plays homage
to with its modern interpretation,
the composite Aquariva 33. Also
evocative of the same period are the
Swiss-built Boesch and Pedrazzini
models, which still use traditional build
techniques. All these and many other
similar models with their flared bows
and fastbacks typify the traditional lake
boat, but most are more than
competent in coastal waters.
Early glassfibre performance models
of the late 1950s and early 1960s have
been highly prized for a long while
too, and now retro boats such as the
British-built Supermarine Swordfish and
the Italian-built Levi Corsair turn
envious heads wherever they go. The
dimensions tend to be chunkier than
today’s sportscruisers. Moreover, these
two may well be new boats with
modern specifications, but both make
use of revered designers of the period,
namely Alan Burnard and Sonny Levi.
Certainly those interested in this
sector are spoilt for choice. We
travelled the world to bring you 25 of
the best ‘retro launches’, although we
present them for you here in
alphabetical order, you can choose
your own favourites.
Happy hunting.
BUGSY GEDLEK
retro
Camper & Nicholsons’ Endeavour 42
Camper & Nicholsons recently re-entered
the production boatbuilding arena with its
new Endeavour 42. Designed by Raymond C
Hunt her hull and deck benefit from carbon
fibre and Kevlar reinforcements, as well as
resin-infusion technology. The round
between hull and deck and the sheerline is
exquisite. Indeed her lines are such that from
a distance she looks much smaller than the
reality, principally because of the proportions
of the huge windshield in relation to hull
length and beam. In the cabin all the joinery
is finished with high-gloss mahogany veneers,
elegantly contrasted by satin-white planking
and tongue-and-groove style. She provides
all the cruising essentials for two, whether
using her as a day-boat or for a little more
adventurous cruising. The Endeavour 42’s
powertrain makes use of twin 440hp
Yanmars, hooked up to conventional shafts
and props. Her top speed is around 38 knots
and her balanced and precise handling is a
credit to both designer and builder.
LOA
13.96m
Beam
2.96m
Draught
0.75m
Displacement 5.18 tonnes
Engines
2 x 440hp
Yanmars
Speed (max)
38 knots
Speed (cruise) 34 knots
Design C Raymond Hunt
& Associates
Builder
Camper & Nicholsons
Yachts, Mumby Road,
Gosport, Hampshire
PO12 1AH, UK.
Tel:+44 (0) 23 9258 0221
Website
www.cnyachting.com
LOA
Beam
Draught
Displacement
Engines
11.6m
3.8m
0.86m
7.3 tonnes
2 x 440hp
Yanmars
Speed (max)
38 knots
Speed (cruise) 27 knots
Design
Michael Peters
Builder
Chris Craft, 8161 15th
Street East, Sarasota,
Florida 34243, USA.
Tel:+1 941 358 3713.
Website
www.chriscraft.com
112 BOAT INTERNATIONAL
Chris Craft continues to thrive
under owner-president Stephen
Julius, who acquired the company
and brand back in 2001. Indeed
Julius, who for a few years owned
Riva until he sold it on to the
Ferretti Group, is now well into his
repositioning programme for what
is still one of the most famous
names in boating, not only in the
States where it ranks well up the
all-time brand awareness league
tables, but also internationally.
There are currently seven Chris
Craft runabout models all new or
face-lifted for the new management
by Michael Peters. Then there are
the Roamer 36 and 40 cabin
cruisers. A new Corsair 33 is also
under development. All retain
much of the Chris Craft heritage –
classic all-American lines and
curves with flared bows and
reverse transoms. But in terms of
detailing and interior design they
are now distinctly European in
flavour. The 38-knot Corsair 36 is
the newest in the range and would
make an ideal companion for a big
yacht. Designed with a large
sociable cockpit the whole area can
be fully protected by a bimini
system. Not only can she serve as a
launch, but also as a useful day-
BUGSY GEDLEK
Chris Craft’s Corsair 36
boat or weekender. Semi-custom
requirements can also be
accommodated. Indeed a number
of superyachts have already taken
delivery of various size Chris Crafts
as tenders and dayboats, including
recent projects at some of the
world’s major shipyards.
launches
Cockwell’s Classic 32
CW Hood’s
Katama 30
cruiser boasts a laminated sapele
backbone, plywood frames and Douglas
fir planking. And her decks are 12mmthick plywood topped with teak.
The interior is solid Cornish chestnut,
trimmed with a black walnut for
contrast, and a quarter-sawn Douglas fir
sole. Her generously glazed wheelhouse
offers sofa
accommodation
down each side
CW Hood’s Katama 30 fast
cruiser cuts a fine dash. Her
deep-V planing hull is a
development of a successful
sportsfishing boat, which means
she is a little different from the shallow draught models of this
style. She has a sociable cockpit, V berth and head/shower
below. Her power comes from a single 440hp Yanmar driving
out to an Ultrajet waterjet, which can be controlled by a
joystick, which will at low speed vector in the bowthruster.
The top speed is 34 knots and cruises comfortably at 28
knots. Other similar craft are also available from C W Hood,
which is based in Marblehead,
LOA
9.14m
Massachusetts, although some
3.35m
of its models are built in Poland. Beam
Draught
0.53m
There is the semi-displacement
Displacement 4.09 tonnes
Wasque 26 and 30 and a new
Engines 1 x 440hp Yanmar
Katama 50 is soon to join
Speed (max)
34 knots
the portfolio.
Speed (cruise) 28 knots
Design
Chris Wood
Builder
C W Hood Yachts,
Marblehead, MA 01945, USA
Tel
+1 781 631 0192
Website
www.cwhoodyachts.com
114 BOAT INTERNATIONAL
and good helm and observation seats
forward. Then down below there’s a
small galley plus a head/shower.
As for performance, pushed along by
a pair of 125hp Yanmars, this first
Cockwell Classic 32 is good for 20-knot
maximum speed and a comfortable 16knots when cruising. Owing to the
construction techniques employed,
builder Dave Cockwell and his team
offer a truly bespoke service.
WILLIAM PAYNE
In terms of styling she falls somewhere
between pilot launch and belle époque
superyacht launch. The Cockwell Classic
32 does not just sport a traditional look
she features a rather traditional
construction too. Designed by British
designer Ed Burnett, this distinctive
semi-displacement, twin-screw cabin
Dale Classic 45
Designed and built by the same team that
is now responsible for the legendary
Nelson 38 motorcruiser, Dale Bespoke
Motoryachts, the Dale Nelson 45 is simply
superb and can be built semi-custom. The
standard propulsion is twin Yanmar
440hp diesels which provide up to 28
knots. Other options include twin 500hp
or 720hp Yanmars provide up to 30 and
WILLIAM PAYNE
retro
LOA
14.05m
Beam
4.32m
Draught
1.20m
Displacement
13.3
tonnes
Engines
2 x 440hp
Yanmars
Speed (max) 28 knots
Speed (cruise)
25
knots
LOA
9.85m
LWL
9.11m
Beam
2.96m
Draught
0.75m
Displacement 5.18 tonnes
Engines
2 x 125hp
Yanmars
Speed (max)
20 knots
Speed (cruise) 14 knots
Design
Ed Burnett
Builder Cockwells Modern
and Classic Boatbuilding,
South West Shipyard,
Ponsharden, Falmouth,
Cornwall TR11 2SE, UK.
Tel
+44 (0) 1326 377366.
Website
www.cockwells.co.uk
Design
Dale/TT Boa
Designs
Builder
Dale Bespoke Motor
Yachts, Brunel Quay,
Neyland,
Pembrokeshire, UK.
Tel+44 (0)1646 600380
Website
www.dalenelson.co.uk
35 knots respectively. Guided by
particularly light power steering, she
behaves beautifully at sea.
retro
launches
Legacy Yachts’ Legacy 40
BUGSY GEDLEK
BUGSY GEDLEK
Middletown, Rhode Island-based Freedom
Yachts used to build the Freedom range
of sailing cruisers, notable for their
stayless rigs. However, five years or so
ago the company switched to building
motorboats under its Legacy Yachts
brand. The result is a charismatic range of
cruisers with a distinct classic flavour —
from their gently flared bows to
tumblehome sterns. The designs available
are the Legacy 28, new 32, 34, 40, 42 and
54. The Legacy 40 offers generous
accommodation above and below decks,
with special requirements often able to be
accommodated. For instance, the yard
recently completed a Legacy 40 that
included steel reinforcement in the
laminate as its owner intended using the
boat in the Arctic Circle and wanted an
ice-breaking capability.
Egemar’s Liberty 40
Fulvio De Simoni is known for his
hardtop powercruiser work with
Pershing and is also responsible for
Turkish builder Egemar’s Liberty range
of lobsterboat-style cruisers. The 40 is
an ideal size day-cruiser or occasional
weekender. Originally she was built in
LOA
12.49m
LWL
11.20
Beam
3.55m
Draught
0.58m
Displacement
9.0 tonnes
Engines
2 x 315hp Yanmars
Speed (max)
30 knots
Speed (cruise)
26 knots
wood, but for the past few years the
model has been build with a FRP hull,
although the superstructure remains a
wooden sandwich. The Liberty 40 is
capable of 30 knots with twin 315hp
Yanmars. Egemar’s Liberty range
currently includes six models from the
35 Open, 35, 40, 48
Design
Fulvio de Simonis and the new
flagship 70, the first
Builder
Egemar Mühendis
of which recently
Tersaneler Bolgesi Sahilyolu No
launched. A sixth
24/4 Tuzla, 34944 Istanbul,
model, the Liberty
Turkey
Tel
+90 216 494 2168/69. 57, is scheduled to
Website
www.egemar.com.tr enter the range for
2006.
The Hinckley Company based in
Southwest Harbor, Maine, is well
known for its high quality semicustom sailing yachts, and since
1994 its foray into production
motorboats: the first of which was a
Bruce King-designed
Picnic Boat. Over the
10 years Hinckley’s
power portfolio has
increased enormously
and is topped by the T55.
All the models have
DualGuard Kevlar/carbon Eglass hulls (moulded using the
SCRIMP process), Hamilton water-jet
propulsion and Hinckley’s own
patent pending joystick-style JetStick
control. Since it diversified into powerboats Hinckley has
delivered around 650 motorboats with around 115 of the 29
models being sold, some of them as superyacht tenders.
Mirabella V has one on board in her stern garage.
LOA
11.10m
LWL
10.21m
Beam
3.05m
Draught
0.46m
Displacement
5.2 tonnes
Engines 2 x 440hp Yanmars
Speed (max)
31 knots
Speed (cruise)
27 knots
Design
Bruce King
Builder
Hinckley Yachts, One North
Clematis Street, Suite 130,
West Palm Beach, FL 33401,
USA.
Tel
+1 561 833 4111
Website
www.hinckleyyachts.com
116 BOAT INTERNATIONAL
BUGSY GEDLEK
Hinckley’s Picnic Boat
LOA
11.99m
LWL
10.98
Beam
4.14m
Draught
1.12m
Displacement 10.0 tonnes
Engines
2 x 440hp
Yanmars
Speed (max)
31 knots
Speed (cruise) 27 knots
Design
Mark Ellis
Builder Freedom Yachts
305 Oliphant Lane,
Middletown, Rhode Island
02842-4665, USA
Tel
+1 401 848 2900
Website
www.legacyyachts.com