AND YOU THOUGHT YOUR BOAT WAS SPECIAL
because it’s mid-mounted in the
pod just behind the driver. Putting
the weight and thrust towards the
middle is another thing that promotes
the dynamic kart-like handling.How powerful and fast is it?
The largest engine you can fit is
a 70hp outboard, with which the
WoKart is supposedly good for 40
knots, according to the manufacturer.That’s fast enough in a 3.8m boat,
we’d imagine!Where is it made?
Although the WoKart is designed
in Switzerland, it’s actually built
in Thailand at CMI, a multinational
joint venture under the management
of Cobra International.Can I buy one?
Yes, you can. Production has now
begun and they are CE approved.
WoKart is advertising the price at
$9,800, but that doesn’t include
the engine, which needs to be
sourced in the country of use.What if I want to take a friend
along with me?
You can’t, unfortunately – this
model is strictly a single-seater.
But fear not, a larger two-seater
version is on the drawing board.WoKart?
It’s a portmanteau word that blends
the words ‘water’ and ‘go-kart’.Why so?
Because the concept is designed
to blend the incredible agility of
a go-kart with a fast sportsboat
to give the sensation of a go-kart
for the water.How does it do that?
It has ‘a unique asymmetric
catamaran layout (by Dr
Albert Nazarov) for a boosted
performance’, apparently. We’re
told that ‘WoKart transforms water
into roads and gives the feeling
of driving on water, even in areas
where jet craft aren’t permitted’.So it’s not a jet then?
No, it’s actually outboard powered,
and the reason you can’t see it isSentinels of
the Sea
R. G. Grant
Sentinels of the
Sea is a joy just
to hold: it’s
reassuringly
weighty, with the
stiffest of hard
covers and a
cleverly classy
cover design.
The text lives
up to that promise:
six well-written essays, each
looking at one particular aspect
of lighthouses, such as the
difficulties faced by their
builders, the evolution of lights
and lenses, and the lives of the
men and women who kept the
lamps lit and the lenses turning.
What rather lets the book
down is what should have
been its greatest asset – the
illustrations. There are more
than 400 of them! But most
are architectural drawings,
reproduced at such a small
scale that it is almost
impossible to make out any
detail. With few labels and
virtually nothing to explain
their technical features or
navigational contexts, they
are little more than curios.
Thames and Hudson, £19.95Fusion Signature Series speakers
Great sound and aesthetics
Boat hifi specialist Fusion has
released a new design of its Signature
Series speakers. Available in Sports
White and Sports Chrome, the big
difference appears to be the speaker
grilles, which are ‘completely
redesigned with an elegant finish
and crafted to perfectly blend with
the decor of any modern vessel.’
They look a little like tiny alloy car
wheels to me and are available in 6.5in,
7.7in and 8.8in sizes. They include
a dual-colour diffused LED lighting
option that illuminates in either
‘striking blue or sparkling white’.
Combined with the silk dome tweeter
and fully sealed crossover components,
they sound as good as they look. Plus,they are engineered to the ‘True-
Marine™ standard for a flawless
listening experience that createsa smooth upper-frequency response
and increased efficiency’. Price: £219.
Contact http://www.fusionentertainment.comTorqeedo range extender
New WhisperPower generator boosts range of Deep Blue electric power system
Electric boat engine specialist
Torqeedo has linked up with generator
manufacturer WhisperPower to add
the option of a quiet, range-extending
diesel generator to its Deep Blue
power system. The range extender
means that when the Deep Blue’s
powerful lithium-ion batteries run out
you can still fire up the generator and
carry on cruising.WhisperPower’s range extender 350V
DC converter generator is fitted with
a Mitsubishi S4Q2 4-cylinder diesel
engine. It consumes only 25g of fuel
per kWh of electricity produced and
generates very little noise: just 54
db(A) at 7m, so shouldn’t spoil the
peace and quiet of your electric boat.
Price to be announced.
Contact http://www.torqeedo.com
The range extenderThe new
speakers look
a bit like tiny
alloy wheels