Until it doesn’t. Electro-hydraulics swing the stern’s teak deck up.
The top swings back and down, and the deck returns to its original
position, hiding the top and turning the boat into a cabriolet. Flip
another switch, and a swim platform extends from the formerly
fl ush transom. ¶ Of course, these transformations evoke a sense
of awe. But with the mechanical machinations, some owners also
expect — and fear — a radical jump in a boat’s complexity level.
With complexity comes additional maintenance and, many people
believe, additional problems. ¶ “Some people have a fear of hydrau-
lics,” says application engineer Ernie Romeo of ABT-Trac, which
designs systems such as the extending wings on Palmer Johnson’s
135 and 150 series. “But remember, these hydraulics are like those
used for heavy construction equipment. They are extremely robust.” ¶ Romeo also says today’s more functional systems may
actually be less complex — and less costly — than those of the past. “In the old days, everything was basically a stand-alone
system,” he says. “But today, we have integration and consolidation, and any one subsystem may be able to tap into the yacht’s
integrated hydraulic system.” ¶ Valerio Rivellini of Studio Tecnico Rivellini, which worked on the Evo 43, also says complexity
can remain minimal even when boats do things that appear to be
complex. ¶ “The secret to a well-working and reputable product
is the engineering,” he says. “Especially when dealing with boats
and with a hostile environment, as the sea is, the key is to keep it
simple. Like the hydraulic XTension system that we trust precisely
because — let me say — it is trivial. Parts and supplier selection has
been driven by this philosophy as well.” ¶ It’s not just hydraulics
behind these designs either. Technological advances in fi berglass
construction also make shape-shifting possible. As one might expect,
those necessary hydraulics and the foldout sections of a boat add
signifi cant weight. But advancements such as resin infusion, which
Evo Yachts says allowed the 43’s basic structure to be built with 20
percent less weight, can more than make up the diff erence. ¶ Are
we likely to see more magically transforming yachts hit the water?
Yes, we are. There’s no denying the advantage of adding usable space
in a cockpit, or of creating a new social area in the blink of an eye.
In fact, expect the choices among changing, expanding yachts to
grow as fast as the press of a button — or the swipe of a fi nger.
Land and SeaLand and Sea
Amphibious transformation has
been around for years, in forms
such as the commercial monstrosity
known as “the Duck,” but those
vessels don’t actually change. They
just roll into the water and plod
along with their wheels submerged.
The Iguana, however, is a planing
powerboat with legs extending
down from hull pockets, giving it true
amphibious-transformation status.TRANSFORMERS SHAPE-SHIFTING YACHTS“At the press of a button, the
vessel’s aft hull sides slide outward,
with hidden deck sections
folding out of the inwales in less than
30 seconds. The section
farthest aft swings up and then
extends back, adding a submersible
teak beach.”Did You Know?Did You Know?
Companies such
as Opacmare
and Besenzoni,
known for
passerelles and
davits, also develop
a lot of transformer
t ech nolog y.JANUARY 2018 YACHTING 55