EDITOR’S LETTER1 2 YACHTING JANUARY 2018tom serioHOW FAR WE’VE COME
I
s ta r t e d t e s t i n g b o at s 1 8 years ago. At the time, all diesel engines were mechan-
ical, so I would tap into a yacht’s fuel lines, install my fuel-fl ow gear and record burn
rates from idle to wide-open throttle. I traveled with a super-size Pelican case fi lled
with a fl eet of fi ttings. And despite being weighed down like a traveling salesman, I had
to make at least one hardware-store trip per test for a new fi tting that this or that engine
required but wasn’t in the dang case. Testing boats was also a dirty task. After leaving a
yacht, I often walked diesel-scented through the airport, and more than one pair of beloved
boat shoes fell victim to hot fuel spilling out during the fuel-fl ow-gear-removal process.
From there, I plugged the vessel’s speed, recorded via radar gun, and those burn rates into
a spreadsheet to determine a yacht’s performance and optimal effi ciency.
As you might imagine, I was thrilled to see the fi rst big-iron vessels that had computers
to measure fuel fl ow and display the data on monochrome (later, color) readouts. One of
the fi rst that I saw had Caterpillar diesels. Heaven. My shoes stayed intact, and my washingmachine didn’t smell like the inside of a fuel tank. Smaller diesel motors soon got fuel-fl ow
technology too. Then vessels with outboards. It all seemed to happen in a heartbeat.
In 2004, I went to Sweden to experience Volvo Penta’s fi rst IPS pod-drive setup. What
a game-changer those pods with joysticks turned out to be. Next came Zeus. Straight-
shaft inboard yachts followed suit, integrating bow and stern thrusters with a yacht’s
wheels to improve close-quarters maneuverability. Boating got easier. The pace quickened.
I also can recall walking through some shipyards early on and feeling nearly dizzy while
checking out lamination rooms. Today, widely adopted resin infusion has eliminated
that experience while producing high-level yacht parts. Carbon fi ber has become a go-to
material for a number of builders too, reducing vessel weight while increasing strength
and effi ciency. And when it comes to the quantum leaps in electronics, various off erings
have likely changed since you started reading this column.
From smartphone controls to diesel-electric propulsion and an electric runabout that
hits 23.5 knots, these are exciting times in yachting. I can’t wait to see what happens next.TESTING BOATS WAS A DIRTY TASK. AFTER
LEAVING A YACHT, I OFTEN WALKED
DIESEL-SCENTED THROUGH THE AIRPORT.patrick sciacca
Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]