Boating New Zealand — January 2018

PACKAGES FROM

$120,000

PRICE AS TESTED

Includes Hoskings

braked tandem

trailer with alloy rims:

$180,000

MANUFACTURED BY

Lancer Industries

email: [email protected]

Sea Blade 20

loa 6.35m

beam 2.25m

Height (with T-Top) 3.0m

Weight approx 1,250kg,

including engine

Deadrise 50°

Floor area: 8.3m^2

engine Yamaha F225 four-stroke

fuel 200-300 litres

Recommended hp 90-225 hp

cruising speed 18 knots

max speed approx 40 knots

SPECIFICATIONS

WATCH IT

drinking about 90 litres per hour, or around

0.7km per litre.

Mid-range was much more reasonable, and

anywhere between 20 and 25 the consumption

was a constant 1.0km per litre. The equated

to the optimal rev range of around 4,000 to

4,500 rpm. We got the best planing-speed

consumption at 18 knots (32km/h), when the

consumption improved to 1.2km/l. At that rate

the 200-litre underfloor fuel tank would have a

range of just over 200km (115 nautical miles),

while the optional 300-litre tank would boost

that by 50 percent.

Sea Blade has some wetted surface

comparisons of its hull versus conventional

deep-vee hulls. These clearly show the reduced

wetted area (and lower drag) across a range of

speeds. Of course, actual usage will depend on

load and conditions, and we were also testing

this as the upper end of the recommended

horsepower. But nothing indicates that the Sea

Blade would not also perform adequately with a

less grunty power plant.

In the perfect conditions it was hard to

judge how much spray the hull would generate,

but we certainly had no problem. The bulk of

the spray from the central hull is trapped by

the tunnels as part of the entrapment energy

recovery system, and so only a relatively small

amount from the chines is able to escape.

The photos seem to show that what minimal

spray is generated is kept low and well away

from the boat. The T-top centre console

configuration provides limited shelter from

showers, but enclosing clears could be added to

provide some wet-weather shelter.

Winstone has a winner with the Sea Blade.

It delivers everything promised, and then

some. He is well aware that people seldom buy

a boat based purely on the technology, and that

a radically new design like this must also look

good and be functional.

He has therefore invested the time and

effort into making something that performs

well but also looks beautiful, and will serve a

multitude of uses. The fact that is rides like

nothing else on the market and can go like the

clappers certainly helps! BNZ

Soft, stable ride

Immaculate finish

Versatility

HIGHLIGHTS

116 Boating New Zealand