Flared bow keeps the spray
low and wide for a dry rideOur test boat has a brace of the most powerful
sterndrive diesels currently in production
The helm seats have been
redesigned slightly since
this photo was taken;
they’re now more individual
seats than this benchThe reason it looks so special and costs that
much more than its volume rivals is because it
takes more time to build it. That tumblehome
stern requires the hull to be formed in a three-
part mould (it would be physically impossible
to extract it from the mould otherwise) but it’s
worth every extra man hour, tapering the sleek
dolphin curve of the gunwale from the fl ared
bow down to a neat (optional) hydraulic
bathing platform. This boat has ‘want one’
stamped all over it before you even step aboard.
Do so though, and you’ll discover that all
that form is certainly not at the expense of
function. This is a boat designed for life afl oat.
Two curved sofas occupy the rear of the
cockpit, easily catered for by the large galley
unit just aft of the helm and complemented by
a folding table that rises electronically from the
cockpit sole at the touch of a button. Three
diamond quilted helm seats embossed with a
stitched Chris-Craft logo face the helm and it’s
here that the detailing really shows. The classic-
looking Moto-Lita style steering wheel has a
revolving Chris-Craft logo in the centre cap –
weighted to ensure it remains upright like the
hub caps on a Rolls-Royce – and is topped off
by a drilled aluminium fascia containing
chrome ringed tachometers and speed log. Yet
the practicality shines through with space for a
pair of the latest 12in Garmin Glass Cockpit
displays and joystick control of the sterndrives
for close quarter handling.
CLEVER DECK SPACES
But you need to head forward again to really
appreciate the functionality of the deck layout.
Sunken side decks over 20cm wide lead past a
huge sunbed set into the foredeck while right
at the front a neat bow seat turns this area into
a very private but sociable area. Or lift the
sunpad on its twin gas struts and fold out a
padded infi ll to link the two into one massively
indulgent sundeck. Sunbeds on the foredeck of
a mid 30-foot boat are nothing new of course,
but it’s those side decks that are key, along with
the sunken nature of the pad itself. It
transforms this area into a zone that you’ll
happily let your kids wander up and down
unaided at anchor. That’s if you can get them
away from the infl atable water toys stored in
various bespoke locations around the decks.
But don’t think you have to wait until you’re
anchored to have fun. A pair of Mercruiser 8.2
litre petrol engines (I know!) are on the
options list, or you can opt for three 300hp
Mercury Verado outboards (I know!) to grace
your transom. But if you’re not American or
don’t own Shell, you’re not going to feel short-
changed by choosing the black pump. Our test
boat has a brace of the most powerful sterndrive
diesels currently in production, Volvo Penta
D6-400s punting their combined 800 ponies
through a pair of DPH Duoprop drives.
Despite the location (Rapallo in Italy), we’ve
also got surprisingly malevolent sea conditions- a very brisk onshore breeze has built up a big
rolling swell. This is about to get interesting.
PURE POWER
If I can criticise the helm it is that the seats are
fi xed (a pet hate of mine – we’re all different
sizes) but right now it’s irrelevant, I’ve got the
lift bolster raised, my feet braced hard against
the helpfully angled footplate, one hand on the
fi ngertip-light thin wooden wheel and the
other on the throttles – here we go!
Hooked gingerly on to the plane I point the
nose straight into the swell at about 20 knots
and squint sideways at Stephen as we barrel up
the fi rst wave – it’s his personal boat that’s
about to get airborne. He’s looking pretty
confi dent though and he’s proved right as the
boat drops softly into the trough and repeats
the process. Once I’m far enough out I begin
winding up the revs. Each increment of throttle
metes out instant thrust, the speed readout on
the Glass Cockpit display rising steadily. The
boat feels absolutely planted, revelling in the
conditions irrespective of the course I plot
across the rolling range of hills and valleys. This
is serious fun! But the most impressive part is
just how incredibly dry the boat is. With that
fl ared bow sending the spray out low, not one
drop of spray hits the screen. Remarkable.
So, we’ve got a beautifully stylish, exquisitely
fi nished, high-performance toy-laden dayboat?
Not quite. Would you believe we’ve got
sleeping for fi ve on board too? Okay, so the
interior layout isn’t about to rival Grand Banks
or even Bavaria for space. There’s no dinette
downstairs, no separate cabins, no galley (that’s
in the cockpit). But take a look at what there is.
Well over six feet of headroom in the centre
portion of the cabin for a start. And an open-
plan layout with a big double berth forward
plus a pair of berths (one single, one double)
back beneath the cockpit sole. There’s even a
separate head and shower, so with the shower
in constant use after a day off the beach you
don’t lose your facilities. As the interior of a
sportsboat rather than a cruiser, this cabin is a
masterstroke. Complementing the genre
perfectly, it offers practical family
accommodation without becoming the
defi ning element of the boat or, crucially,
compromising the styling.The open-plan guest
cabin is tucked under
the cockpit