Motor Boat & Yachting May 2022

Turn up at a boat show for the first time and you’re likely to leave with a number of misconceptions. The first is that you have to be loaded to even contemplate buying a motor boat, the second is that it’s all about horsepower, shiny plastic and how many bottles of wine you can fit in the fridge. With the possible exception of the latter, I beg to differ. Boating isn’t actually about boats at all, it’s about people. Sure, there is still some pleasure to be had going out for a blast on your own but 99% of the time it’s about spending quality time and creating new memories with family and friends, or meeting new people who share the same passion as you. But rather than me trying to…

If you’re struggling to place the location of this rather austere looking harbour, there’s a good reason for it. Rupert’s Wharf is situated on St Helena, a small volcanic island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. Its position 1,050nm west of Angola and 2,160nm east of Brazil means it’s out of range of most sub-24m motor boats and that’s before you take into account the dangers of crossing such an exposed stretch of ocean. But the sturdy blue motor yacht at the bottom of the picture is none other than MV Astra, the 76ft former search and rescue vessel in which MBY reader Iain Macneil is currently voyaging round the globe. He set off from the Canary Islands in December hoping to become the first person to circumnavigate…

1 PRESTIGE’S FIRST EVER POWER CAT Prestige Yachts has revealed details of its first ever power catamaran. The French yard insists that the M48 isn’t just another multi-hull but a uniquely different power cat with a similar look and feel to its F-Line flybridge models. For instance, the maximum beam of 19ft 8in (6m), while 5ft wider than a typical 50ft flybridge, is still 4ft narrower than a full fat power cat like the Leopard 46PC. It’s taller than most too, with a deep central deck that links the two hulls making it feel more like a monohull below decks. Combined with a sleek side profile and easy handling characteristics, it is hoped this will make it more appealing to current monohull owners as well as less daunting to first-time buyers. These dimensions…

Momentum is strong at Absolute right now. We have already tested the first in its generation M 2022 models, the 60 Fly (see page 80), but this year will also see the launch of a new flagship in the shape of this, the Navetta 75. Although its underpinnings are clearly shared with the outgoing Navetta 73, there is quite a lot going on here that separates this new model from the old. Most obviously there is the treatment at the stern, which follows the design of the already launched 48 Coupe and 60 Fly, and will likely set the blueprint for future Navetta models in the pipeline. The idea of this new design language is to enhance the connection between the cockpit and the bathing platform by employing a much more open…

Princess has given the V50, a popular and important model in the range, a mid-life update that may appear subtle but usefully reworks one of the most important areas of the boat, the cockpit. On the previous model the seating was arranged in an L-formation on the port side, blocking off the side deck from the cockpit. On this new version the layout is similar except for a pull-out section that creates a break in the seating to allow access to the side deck without having to clamber over the sofa. It’s a small change but it makes crewing and access to the bathing platform much easier. The boat has been launched in deck saloon guise but there will also be an “open” version with no rear doors and a fabric…

This new 40 is the smallest model in Solaris’s achingly beautiful Open range and if the real thing looks anything like the renderings we have here then any notion that the shorter dimensions may hamper the looks can be firmly put to bed. There are copious T-top sportscruisers on the market but when it comes to styling, the Solaris range has them all licked. One rendering even shows a 40 without the optional T-top and it looks absolutely glorious – a true modern classic. It’s not all about looks, however, because Solaris claims the boat has the longest cockpit in the sector, which includes a three-person helm station, wet bar and convertible dinette that transforms to double the amount of sunbathing space at the stern. There is no tender garage but…