The Nor-Tech 390 Spor T o pe N

If you are looking for one of the best all-round centre console layout pleasure cruisers on the market, then you won’t do much better than the Nor-Tech 390 Sport Open.

In ThE 390 SPorT, Nor-Tech have combined the perfect blend of features, comfort and luxury to satisfy anyone looking to cruise, entertain or dive, with plenty of fishing amenities for the serious angler. The 390 has even become a popular choice for yacht owners to be used as a towing tender.

The best thing about the centre console boat layout is the complete open-air experience, with excellent allround visibility provided by the high-position of the captain’s console in relation to the deck. The other advantage is space – there is plenty of room to move around in the 390 Sport Open, which is great if you’re wrestling a fish or have a group of divers with tanks on board.

The version you see here boasts a three outboard engine setup, with triple Mercury 400hp Racing Verados engines putting out a combined 1200hp. However, you can also opt for a four-engine setup with four Mercury 300hp outboards that put out the same power, but additional speed nevertheless.

In either case, the 390 Sport boasts incredible acceleration and an impressive top speed. They don’t give an exact figure, but we’ve read reports upwards of 65 knots. You also get big range thanks to a sizeable 320 gallon fuel tank.

Some of the features you’ll find on the boat are a premium Fusion soundsystem, a remote chrome spotlight, LED running lights and cockpit lighting, and more.

You also get an awesome carbon-fibre dash panel with Mercury DTS controls, and twin 5” GPS Garmin 8215 units.

Further practicality comes from three self-draining floor storage compartments for equipment or fish, and there’s even a baitwell, in addition to a fresh water transom shower.

The 390 Sport is also available in a cuddy cabin layout capable of sleeping 2, at the expense of the forward seating area.

As an all-rounder, you’ll find few boats better than the 390 Sport. The open layout and equipment setup make it excellent as a pleasure, fishing or diving cruiser, and yet there is enough power from either engine layout option to tow wakeboards and waterskiers, or simply go for an exhilarating high speed cruise.

All this quality does, however, come at a price. The 390 Sport is one of the more expensive centre consoles out there, but in this case, you really do get what you pay for!

Nor-Tech boats are available in the Gulf from Performance Marine, Qatar. Log on to www.performancemarineqatar.com to find out more.

onE oF the most influential photographers in the Middle East, H.E. Ali Khalifa bin Thalith was appointed the Secretary General of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award by HRH the Crown Prince of Dubai. He holds diplomas in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography from the London Academy, and French language and literature from the University of Montpellier, France.

Can you tell us briefly about your profession and your field of expertise?

I am a professional photographer. I have a variety of technical experience, but I have concentrated more on nature and underwater wildlife photography. As a photographer I’ve embraced the thought of ‘the daily evolution’, both aspects of technique and process cognitive theory, and I stay in touch with developments in the global imaging industry.

What attracted you to focusing on aquatic environment?

Childhood friends who I enjoyed the sea with, and my experiences with regards to my first discovery of the world, as learning to swim was my first major challenge. The sea is volatile and shrouded in mystery, which inspired me in a positive way, and I wanted to discover the mysteries hidden in the depths.

Can you tell us the story of your involvement in the world of photography?

My relationship with the camera came after my relationship with the sea, where filming was the only way to document visually what I was seeing in the depths of the ocean. Professionalism in photography made me see God’s marvellous creation in a better way, and I wanted to convey this splendour to the world. Then I later found that subjects that deserve visual documentation on our planet are not only in the sea.

What are some of the most important moments in your career?

There are many important moments in my life, but one remains unique, which is the confidence granted by HRH the Crown Prince of Dubai, who assigned to me the position of Secretary General of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award. The next moment was when I became the first Emirati and Arab to win the Leadership Award in Professional Photography granted by the International Council of the United Nations body for photography.

What advice would you give to young people who want to practice underwater photography?

You must be able to photograph out of the water first, and then get courses in scuba diving and choose the appropriate places, in addition to cameras and accessories suitable for underwater photography. And I advise them to gain experience from experts photographers in underwater photography where there is a fundamental cognitive stock that must be acquired before they build their own experiences.

What are your plans for the future?

The future must be pretty amazing! I work according to a philosophy that does not believe in the limits of human ingenuity. My ambition is to reach important places that no one else has been to before.