Motor Boat & Yachting

A bit like football, MBY is a game of two halves. There’s the front half with its dreamy new boats, cruising guides, boat tests and adventures, and the back half with its more pragmatic focus on boating kit, seamanship, maintenance and second-hand craft. Like many people, I love the vicarious pleasures afforded by the first half but it’s often the back half that bears more immediate relevance to my own boating experience. Take this issue; the Düsseldorf show report is awash with fascinating new boats of all shapes and sizes, from Aquador’s brilliant little 250 HT to the gorgeous Princess S72, but the reality is that unless my finances take a sudden turn for the better, even the Aquador’s €181,400 starting price is beyond my reach. And while I spent a…

Danish yard Rand has ambitions to become one of Europe’s most prolific boat builders, as well as one of its greenest. All its boats are already available with petrol or electric engines and by 2030, they’ll all be electric only. However, for next month’s Sportsboat Special, we couldn’t resist testing the V8 petrol version of its latest 28ft Leisure model. With its open cockpit, cutting-edge styling and sophisticated finish, it looks more Port La Napoule than Port of Poole but the tidal race off Old Harry Rocks proved the perfect testing ground for its sharp looking hull. Don’t miss next month’s issue to see how it coped. SEE MORE mby.com/bigpic…

1 DÜSSELDORF REBOOTED Boot Düsseldorf reclaimed its title as Europe’s biggest boat show with an impressive return to form after a two-year absence due to Covid restrictions. Over 236,000 visitors flocked to the immense 17-hall showground over nine days from 21-29 January, dwarfing numbers at other big European shows such as Cannes, Genoa and Southampton. While one or two big-name brands were missing, including the German-owned Hanse Group, most of the major motor boat manufacturers were present including a strong showing from the British contingent. Sunseeker used the event to unveil the allnew and eagerly awaited Superhawk 55, which emerged from beneath a massive Union Jack on the afternoon of the first day, as well as the heavily refreshed Sportyacht 75. “Boot Düsseldorf was a fantastic show for us,” says Sunseeker’s sales and marketing…

Every time we take any non-regular crew out on Smuggler’s Blues 2, I have a routine that I go through. I give them a brief rundown of some of the safety kit aboard (VHF radios, the EPIRB etc), not because I expect them to use them in an emergency, but because I think it’s reassuring for people to know that we have such things and take safety seriously. We assign them a lifejacket and help them put it on so that they understand how to do it and we can adjust it to fit them. Doing this just before we leave the berth encourages people to keep them on. I don’t insist on lifejackets being worn by adults unless we have children aboard. Then it’s compulsory for both the children…

BOBBY’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT GOSPORT With its rich maritime heritage and nautical attractions, including the Royal Navy Submarine Museum and the Museum of Naval Firepower, Gosport is a must-visit destination for many boaters. Located on the western side of Portsmouth harbour, the town is well served by two large marinas, Haslar and Gosport. While many visitors will be attracted to the bright lights of Portsmouth and the array of restaurants in the Gunwharf Quays complex, anyone turning to Gosport for their evening meal may, like us, find themselves pleasantly surprised by the options on offer. The eatery epicentre of Gosport is Stoke Road which, via its own website, Twitter and Facebook pages (I do like a street that’s into PR) proudly boasts more than 120 businesses packed into a road less than half a…

LOA 56ft 2in (17.13m) BEAM 16ft 2in (4.93m) ENGINES Twin 725hp Volvo Penta IPS950 TOP SPEED 38 knots PRICE FROM £1.395m ex VAT CONTACT www.sunseeker.com When the vast Union Jack covering the first new Superhawk in years was finally removed on the opening day of the Düsseldorf show, the rapturous applause said it all. If there were any die-hard Superhawk fans still grumbling about the shift from an out-and-out speed needle to a luxury dayboat with attitude, they were soon drowned out by the ringing of tills as yet more orders rolled in for what could become Sunseeker’s fastest-selling boat ever. It’s not hard to see why: with those pumped-up haunches, dramatic side windows and carefully balanced proportions, it looks even better in the flesh than it did in the renderings. Details…