NATCHEZ ON THE WATERFRONT15
Boating is an activity that fits well into safe, socially-distanced recreation.
This has already been seen and if it continues will have an adverse effect on the industry. On the other hand, at the same
time, there is clearly a demand for more creature comforts, higher performance and high-powered
electronics. These improvements all come at a price and reflect the situation in the motor industry, which is why the higher-priced models so often attract buyers. However, there are differences between what we more common folk may pay for fancy vehicles, which many rationalise are a necessity, and boats, which many of the same people consider a luxury. How much is too much? That said, I agree that better
The Serenity 63 from the Cayman Islands is a non- sail catamaran.
materials have a good chance of taking a larger share of the market. Carbon fibre is lighter and stronger than many other materials. It allows for better performance with less weight, but it comes at a price, whether we’re talking about the roughly $350,000 Carbon Marine Super Sport 28, with a top speed of 80 mph, or the somewhat slower Slipstream Watercraft SportDuo 13 canoe for roughly $2,000. That canoe by the way, weighs all of 21 lb, whereas the Super Sport comes in around 4,500 lb, allowing it to cruise at 45 mph at 2 mpg. That mpg might sound pretty horrendous to a Prius owner, but it is actually quite an accomplishment for such a high performance boat! In both of these examples, the hulls are
Today’s leisure
craft have more finishing
accoutrements than ever before and the electronics and wiring associated with boats can easily be more involved than many houses.
using carbon fibre/Kevlar hybrids, which definitely look like the trend. As with most all-new materials, the more widely they’re used, the more likely the costs will come down, thereby further promoting their use.
Greener and cleaner More extensive use of these and similar weight-saving materials are all but inevitable developments as the industry starts to seriously examine ways to make all aspects of boating greener and cleaner, including improving fuel efficiencies and introducing more hybrid and
electric boating options. While the boating world has been lagging the motoring world on the latter fronts, the number of options in recent years is really starting to grow and it may be safe to predict that this emerging trend is set on a more solid track. A few interesting options on this front might include New Zealand’s EVO33 from Evocean, which is working with Finland’s Oceanvolt for the electric or hybrid engine options and if you visit
www.oceanvolt.com you will find a growing list of other boats making use of their systems, or the Serenity 63 from Serenity Yachts in the Cayman Islands, which can cruise extensively just using the power from its solar panels – no plug-in required. A recent post on the company’s Instagram page clearly lets you know they are in touch with the current market: “Serenity Yachts’ spacious, self- sufficient vessels are perfect for social-distancing. They feel less like boats and more like posh seaside homes that can safely take you anywhere you want to go”. Both the EVO33 and Serenity 63 are non-sail catamarans, which highlights yet another further emerging trend Continued on page 17
MARINA INDUSTRY • FEBRUARY 2021
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