Absolute Yachts.

[Alistairr]

You've got to hand it too them, they are piling out new models like there's no tomorrow.

The investment in this fairly new company must be massive, new state of the art factory and 5 new models in the last year or so!!

One thing has struck me though, why the dramatic move to mostly Hardtop Cruisers?
A few years ago they only had 4 boats in their range, all open top SportsCruisers. Now they have 8 boats in the range, 6 Hardtop models(the latest being the 40HT) and only 2 open top Sportscruisers.

Are buyers now going off the idea of having the traditional open top Sportscruisers, and moving to HT boats instead, and are manufacturers realising they have bigger competition now from Flybridge boats and putting tops on most of their boats??

Is it just Absolute, or are other boat builders moving in that direction too?

Cheers

Al.

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

in Italy and not only the Hardtop practicality is taking over the 40 feet market

I just came from a Sardegna - Malta trip 2 weeks ago, and 6 of 10 boats where open with 5 being hard top models
that being sad
hard tops are here to stay and I think the new Abs 40 and 43 are replacing there open top 41 and and 45 models, with may be an open version of the same model available

in Italy the HT trend from the builders is really pressing with competitive builders like Airon Marine, Abbate Primatist, Blu Martin, Salpa, Fiart, Cranchi and Sessa all taking this root
I think in North EU is not much different with Windy, Fairline Princess also showing hardtop interest
I think the hardtop is the evolution of the Sports Cruiser, which makes it more practical to owners, changing canopies every 10 years (if you are lucky) is not cheap eighter
open boats will remain but I think they will be less to see in the future
now its just breaking the sub 40 barrier and it will also be there
think of it as the radar arch, in the early eighties its started as a stainless steel roll bar, before eventually in the end of the same decade having most builders going for a GRP integrated solution both in the opens and flybridge boats

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Yep, Princess as well now with the recently-announced V42HT.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[oceanfroggie]

Thanks for that. Reminded me I'd forgotten to book car hire for SIBS /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Staying in an absolutely spiffing local hotel full of broom cupboards /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[ari]

They're all going hard top which I think is a shame.

Certainly I can understand the convenience, but one of lifes greatest joys is blasting up the coast in an open top boat on a hot sunny day. Sitting in a hard top boat with the roof open is akin to sitting in a coupe with a sunroof rather than a convertible, it just aint the same.

Also, how does a bimini work with a hard top? Normally they keep the soft tops top section on and remove the sides, a hard top is the exact opposite, can't remove the sides, only the top, so no sun protection unless all closed up.

Having said all of that, the number of people you see with open boats driving around in great weather with all the canopies up does kind of underscore how a lot of people just can't be bothered removing canopies so a hard top version must be a Godsend to them.

 

[Whitelighter]

Surely someone (sealine?) needs to design an automatic canopy that folds neatly into the arch.

Complex sure, but on a £250k boat worth it I imagine...

 

[Whitelighter]

[ QUOTE ]
Yep, Princess as well now with the recently-announced V42HT.

Cheers
Jimmy

[/ QUOTE ]

Got any pics Jimmy?

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Hi Jez, I've got some cg renderings, but I don't know if they are public domain or not yet. Let me find out if they are happy for me to post them.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[Alistairr]

I kind of agree with everything you say.

I much prefer the stunning looks of the Absolute Open boats, but the HT's look good too, but have the added bonus being more practical. I think with the roof open on the HT's there is still a certain amount of roof still in place to act like a bimini, so should be okay for shelter from the suns rays. I just worry with the glass sides it would be like a green house and get far to hot, maybe the aircon works in the cockpit too!

I still love the 39 open top, but SWMBO has told me, should we ever be fortunate enough to buy an Absolute it has to be a HT to be practical for our climate!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Think i need a lottery win first!

Cheers

Al.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Didn't get an answer from Princess, so I'll take that as a yes. Worthy of a new thread though praps, give me a minute...


Cheers
Jimmy

 

[Whitelighter]

superb /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[spannerman]

Was in the Princess factory 2 wks ago to check on the new MY95 we have on order and was shown the V85 which is a hard top with a small flybridge right aft of the HT, gorgeous looking boat. Also we have a V72 being built and V62, so HT is here to stay it seems with bigger and bigger models coming out.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Apparently it is quite a larff moving the V85 around the berths at the PMYS office in Sutton harbour, lots of space to manuoeuvre the boat .... NOT!


Cheers
Jimmy

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

[ QUOTE ]
Apparently it is quite a larff moving the V85 around the berths at the PMYS office in Sutton harbour, lots of space to manuoeuvre the boat .... NOT!

Cheers
Jimmy

[/ QUOTE ]

any pictures of the V85, latest 50 mk.3 and 85 MY

Princess seem late in updating there website lately

 

[Hurricane]

[ QUOTE ]

Apparently it is quite a larff moving the V85 around the berths at the PMYS office in Sutton harbour, lots of space to manuoeuvre the boat .... NOT!

[/ QUOTE ]
I think you are referring to this boat.
Recently moved back to Torquay form Plymouth.

[ QUOTE ]
and was shown the V85 which is a hard top with a small flybridge right aft of the HT, gorgeous looking boat.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep - a sports boat with a flybridge!!

 

[Hurricane]

Actually - if its BIG sports boats you're after try this:-

I was working down in my lazerette last week and this turned up.

Sorry about the pics - I must go and buy a better phone sometime.

She is a Predator 108 - destined for Nigeria I believe.
I heard that the owner is having a river dredged and a marina built specifically for this boat. Now thats extreme boating!!!

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

[ QUOTE ]

Yep - a sports boat with a flybridge!!

[/ QUOTE ]

to be correct the sport flybridge design was originated first by Cerri Marine with there 86 Flying Sport a youngish yard in Viareggio, immediatly copied by Pershing for the 115 hull no.2, altough hull no.1 had a sunlounger,
worth also noting that in 1995 during Genova when Pershing was still a young company they disclosed pictures of a similar 90 feet concept, with sunlounger up top, this project became in 2004 the 115
Cerris concept as far as I know was presented in 2002 and launched in 2004

you can read more about the Cerri here, credit to them but for producing it first
Cerri 86 FlyingSport review

 

[jfm]

There's an 85 in Antibes; it's Graham Beck's. They have photo of it in this month's BI, in fact the photo boat is GB's and the photo was taken around Cannes.

 

[jfm]

That's not correct PY. Palmer Johnson launched hull #1 of the 120 series in 2003. Then Cover Drive, Tim Mohamed (the cricketer)'s boat. Now Birgitta

 

[Balearick]

I'm in the process of buying an Absolute 45 in a few days time. Offer made and accepted and now just waiting for the sea trial. The boat is 2006 with just 80 hours and seems almost new. If anyone here has an Absolute is there anything special I should be on the look out for during the sea trial?

Also does anyone know why Absolute stopped making the 45 earlier this year? (It seems such a great boat, I can't see why they'd invest all that tooling and then discontinue the model after just a few years)