Sports Boat and RIB Preview

O NS RED BY

2220

SPO

140

THIS ISSUE

REGAL

AT BO EW DN AN BR

INSIDE

NORTHSTAR RS

DECK BOAT TEST

NA WI

RIB TEST

THE UK’S HARDEST HITTING POWERBOAT MAGAZINE

BENETEAU ROCKS TESTING THE NEW FANTASTIC FLYER

CREATING A CHAMPION REVEALED: COOKE’S CONFIDENTIAL CREATION

IOLNIDAY W AH 00

H £40

SPONSORED BY

HOOKED UP

ACCESS EASTERN OUR GUIDE TO DROPPING ANCHOR

ALL AREAS PROMISE

ULTIMATE SHOW GUIDE

CHARTERING IN CROATIA: COULD THIS BE THE BEST BOATING SPOT ON EARTH?

£3.95

JUNE 2011

WORT

PUBLISHING EXCELLENCE THROUGH EXPERIENCE

WAKE SCHOOL PART ONE OF OUR ESSENTIAL WAKEBOARDING TUTORIAL

PLUS: IS ORLANDO THE ULTIMATE WATERSPORTS HOLIDAY VENUE?

jUnE 2011

Contents REGULARS

10

WoRd fRom the WateR

16 38

WoRd fRom the cIRcuIt

86

RYa

A brand new Sunseeker goes up in smoke

44

Beneteau flYeR 750 caBRIo

niCe Aft: the AWeSOMe neW BeneteAu BOAt With A SurPriSe in her Stern

John Cooke reports from Guernsey

WoRd fRom the WeB Pearls of wisdom from Sports Boat’s online army

Keeping our waters green

on TEST

44 50 56

Beneteau flYeR 750 caBRIo 7.2m of brilliant boat from Beneteau

Regal 2220 is the uK ready for a deck boat?

noRthStaR 140-Rf Alex Smith drives around a lovely lady on fat tubes

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BeSt acceSSoRIeS

Our PiCK Of the lAteSt BOAtinG GAdGetS

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noRthStaR 140-Rf MASSive StrAKeS PluS fAt tuBeS equAlS BiG fun

WIN A HOLIDAY SEE PAGE 35 FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

SUBSCRIBE AMAZING UNMISSABLE OFFER

A TRIP TO CROATIA WORTH £4000!

GO TO PAGE 104 NOW!

FEATURES

24

SPORTS BOAT AND RIB SHOW GUIDE

INDESPENSIBLE EIGHT PAGE GUIDE TO THIS YEAR’S UNMISSABLE SHOW

CHARTERING IN CROATIA

FLOAT AROUND ONE OF EUROPE’S FINEST BOATING LOCATIONS

20

MAX POWER

62

CHARTERING IN CROATIA

70

BOAT BUILD

76

GUIDE TO ANCHORING

82

SIX OF THE BEST

90

ORLANDO: WATERSPORTS HAVEN

96

MASTER OF THE WAKE: THE BASICS

Going under the cowling of a 550hp outboard

Why you should cancel your holiday plans and go to Croatia instead

Taking a cue from Frankenstein, John Cooke rustles up a monster

Know how to get that perfect bite every time? Neither did we

The six best anchor designs and why they matter

We take a holiday in the watersports capital of the world

Matt Crowhurst delivers part one of his wakeboarding guide

90

DREAM VENUE?

62

WE TAKE A TRIP TO ORLANDO TO SEE WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT

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WORD

FROM THE WATER l JUNE 2011 The owner of a brand spanking new 34m Sunseeker could only stand and stare as flames consumed his luxury superyacht.

The unnamed owner had recently flown to England to see the final touches put to his superyacht before organising its delivery to its new berth in Mexico. But only days prior to it due to being dispatched, the entire yacht was laid to waste by fire.

At the time of going to Press, it is unsure how the fire started. An electrical fault is suspected, but investigators have said it may have been caused by a lightening strike. What has been confirmed is that the fire is not being treated as suspicious.

The crew of Poole’s lifeboat station were quick to arrive on the scene. The station’s crew were actually enjoying their annual presentation dinner nearby when their pagers went off for the second time that night. Jonathan Clarke, the volunteer coxswain on hand for the evening, is an employee of Sunseeker.

The boat on fire was resting in its cradle on the quayside during the blaze and the emergency crews had to remove several other boats to stop the blaze from spreading and causing even more millions of damages. The RNLI commented “they were just glad they were there and were able to move the [neighbouring] boat.”

The investigation as to what caused the fire continues.

Photo: RNLI

wasted

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boat accessories

GILL PRO TOP Gill’s new Pro Top has been created for the adventurous boater. Engineered for unrestricted movement, the protective design is enhanced by adjustable PU collar and cuffs, a non-lift neoprene waistband and front zip neck closure for cooling ventilation. A non-intrusive zipped pocket is positioned on the back for essentials.

Our opinion: This is actually a dinghy top but we wanted to test it anyway – and we’re glad we did. This top was completely windproof as advertised and the neoprene strips at the waist neck and sleeves can be adjusted to not let any wayward spray in whatsoever. Having gone through a dunk test, all the water on the surface of the Pro Top simply beaded and fell off after submersion, which is impressive.

Not restricting movement in the slightest, I think this top has the styling edge on Musto’s jacket, but functionality wise, the only pocket on Gill’s top sits towards the back, which is not overly helpful and is a little awkward to access. Available in a range of colours.

Price: £90.00 0115 946 0844 www.gillmarine.com (code: 4358)

T TRRIIED A ED T AND TEESSTNED D TED

SIMRAD NSS SPORT Hitting the shops as of the start of May is the new NSS Sport by Simrad. This new chartplotter/ echosounder is a touch screen model that has been labelled by the company as having ‘touch sensible technology’, and advertises quick and efficient access to the information you need and the time you want it.

The NSS Sport purports to blend the perfect combination of touch screen, keypad, and rotary knob interface to enable the user to remain in complete control whatever the sea state. The touch screen should make placing waypoints, marking fish and acquiring radar targets an easy affair.

But the rotary knob has been included as Simrad say it is the most effective way of controlling proportional functions such as zooming on a chart, adjusting gain and steering the autopilot.

The NSS will come pre-loaded with powerful Navionics Coastal or Silver charts and is fully compatible with the full catalogue of Navionics chart options.

Price: From £1,426 (inc VAT) www.simrad-yachting.com

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WWW.SUZUKI-MARINE.CO.UK

NO EXHIBIT IS UNTOUCHABLE, NOTHING IS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY OR OFF-LIMITS. THIS IS THE SHOW THAT YOU CAN TOUCH, FEEL AND FONDLE YOUR WAY AROUND TO YOUR HEART’S CONTENT – AND IT’S ALL FOR FREE.

SHOW GUIDE

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the GUIDe I SPORtS BOAt AND RIB ShOW

SPONSORED BY

the guide

2011

The Suzuki sponsored Sports Boat and RIB Show will be happening over the weekend of 21 to 22 May 2011 at Ocean Village Marina in Southampton. Currently in its seventh year, it has become a favourite with exhibitors and visitors alike. Sue Baggaley investigates the highlights.

A

s we career into an unusually sunny May, there is an even yet brighter event on the horizon – and that is the annual Sports Boat and RIB show. Naturally, you can argue we’re biased, but we think this is THE show for real sports boat and RIB enthusiasts. Why so? Because when we put a show together, we make sure that no exhibit is untouchable, that nothing is by appointment only or even worse, off-limits.

This is the show that you can touch, feel and fondle your way around to your heart’s content – and it’s all for free.

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ON THE WATER I BENE TE AU FLY ER 750 CA BRIO

YOU CAN’T BEAT THAT SATISFYING HIGH PITCHED NOTE OF THE PROP LEAVING THE WATER, FOLLOWED BY A COMFORTABLE, CUSHIONED RE-ENTRY

BENETEAU

F LY E R

750 CABRIO Mike Jones braves the warm weather and calm seas of the Mediterranean to test out the new Flyer 750 Cabrio from Beneteau

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s I amble into the marina, Beneteau’s latest offering is waiting for me, sitting pretty on her berth. The warm golden glow of France’s southern coast provides a stark contrast to the Birmingham NEC’s Boat and Caravan show, where the 750 made its UK debut earlier this year. Wondering around the boat then as it balanced on its plinth, inspecting the features and generally nosing around, we were keen to get it on the water and see what it was capable of. Beneteau’s usual blend of something for everybody is what I was expecting, but spotting the Suzuki 300hp outboard sitting on the transom, it’s clear that Beneteau has gone a step further than usual to produce a truly sporting number – a very exciting prospect.

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N O R T H S TA R

140-RF If you want a small seven-man family RIB with a serious sporting edge, then Reddish Marine in Salcombe might have just the thing.

Alex Smith reports.

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ON THE WATER i NORTHSTAR 140 Rf

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here are very few places in the world better suited to testing boats than Salcombe. Not only does the town boast a jealously guarded South Devon stash of sunshine, but it also has a gorgeous estuary location and a thousand vantage points from which to ponder the implausible loveliness of the place. And if you decide the soft, picturesque waters are a bit tame, then you can head outside the shelter of the estuary, where the sea congeals into swells, presenting a lively and challenging playground for the adventurous boater. In short, it’s a hell of a place for a boat trip, so it was with the greatest delight that I accepted an invitation from Suzuki to pop down for an inspection of the Reddish Marine fleet.

a sporting tender, you would expect it to be a lightweight, agile and quickplaning performer. it is.

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REGAL

2220

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With the arrival of the latest entry from Regal, Alex Smith believes the age of the deck boat is finally upon us . . .

ON THE WATER I REGA L 2220

T

here are a great many ideas of genuine boating merit that the UK has been slow to embrace. There’s aluminium and polyethylene as boat building materials. There’s the idea of a ladder at the bow and an anchor at the stern. And there’s the extraordinary notion of a compass as standard on every production boat. But among this (very much abbreviated) list, there is one thing that has stood out for me for several years now: the UK’s peculiar resistance to the deck boat.

In basic terms, a deck boat is a beamy bow rider, which does away with the bow taper. Instead, it carries its beam well forward to a broad, soft, squared off nose, which increases the deck space and enables the provision of more comprehensive seating ahead of the helm. However, in marked contrast to pontoon boats, which take these principles of broad beam, deck space and seating provision to the extreme, deck boats remain fast, sporting leisure

craft with medium V hulls. They are in regular use as general-purpose lake boats in America but, despite the space and practicality common to this boat type, they have so far struggled to achieve widespread popularity in Britain.

So what of the 2220? Well despite the fact that Regal defines this boat as a part of its ‘deck boat’ range, this is not in fact your classic deck boat. It is not as open, as rounded or as flat as you might expect a deck boat to be. Yes, its beam of 2.6 metres is broad but it is no broader than the same company’s 2200 bow rider.

And as for the style, well it exhibits far sharper, more aggressive (more watersports-influenced) lines than you might expect of a deck boat. With its substantial topside mouldings, its pickle fork bow and its narrow mid-screen walkway, it feels more like a cross between a Regal bow rider and a MasterCraft tow boat - and if that is a stylistic marriage that fails to perk your ears up, I might as well give it all up and become a tax inspector.

THE GENERAL HELMING EXPERIENCE HERE IS MORE ABOUT MODEST AND ENJOYABLE COMPLIANCE THAN ABOUT HARD EDGES OR AGGRESSION

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CRUISING I CROATIA

EASTERN PROMISE Is it possible for us planing boat enthusiasts to economically charter a luxury powerboat in the Med? Taking one for the team, Adrian Porter selflessly agrees to spend a week floating around Croatia to find out.

T

hough we are, for the most part, content on zipping about the UK’s waters on RIBs and nippy sports boats, happy in the knowledge that when we’re passing a luxury cruiser we know they’re burning ten times the fuel and not going anywhere near as fast, from time to time we have that niggling ‘I wish I could afford that’ feeling. But big boats are huge money. So, when the opportunity presents itself to helm a large luxury cruiser, in warm waters, and for not very much cash… it becomes the perfect excuse to put the bowrider in the dock, don our most expensive imitation sunglasses and take to the flybridge in style.

Croatia is a beautiful Country. even in early april, the heat is in the early to mid twenties and the sCenery is of typiCal mediterranean magnifiCenCe SB&RIB I 63

watersports i trick guide

CorreCtive PraCtiCes It is natural to lean away from the boat over your back leg and over your heels when you first start out. But it is really important for you to get your weight up and over your front foot, balanced in a nice tall, proud position. If your position feels awkward or twisted you’re finding yourself continually drifting out to the side, go through the following steps to help straighten you out.

Let go of the handle with your back hand only and align your shoulders with your feet.

Make sure that your heels, hips and shoulders are directly in line, those hips being central on the board, tip to tail and edge to edge.

Bend your front knee and flex your front ankle to make this happen.

Once even, slowly stand, pushing your chest up first.

To get back to the correct ‘Neutral’ riding position with two hands on, twist your shoulders - not your hips - to get your back hand back on the handle.

Top Tip

Practice this position on land regularly, getting your fellow riders to check that it is absolutely correct before taking to the water.

The nose of the board will never go under because of too much weight on the front foot. The main cause of going over the nose of the board for a ‘face plant’ is because of being bent over at the waist with the handle stretched out in front of you. This all comes from leaning away from the boat with your weight over your back foot, not the front.

carving Moving left and right is what’s going to really start giving you the buzz if you haven’t got it already. Moving side to side on a wakeboard is called edging, cutting or carving. A Heelside Cut for a left foot forward rider (Regular footed) is a movement to the left where the edge closest to the heels is digging into the water.

Toeside is then to the right. For a right-footed rider (Goofy footed) it is the opposite.

When first starting to move side-to-side, stay between the boat wakes, linking turns as smoothly as you can.

Heelside (Hs) CuT

From a Neutral riding position, simply lower your weight over your heels by sitting down. Make sure your back stays straight, chest up and the handle stays low at all times.

Toeside (Ts) CuT

Keep your upper half facing the boat, proud and still, the handle horizontal at hip level.

Squeeze your hips and knees in the direction you’re headed, allowing your ankles to flex forward to make it happen. It is natural on your TS to initiate any movement with your shoulders first. This will, however, only leave the board behind you and eventually cause you to fall forwards.

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