Nimbus 305 Drophead

petem

petem

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www.fairlineownersclub.com
We often talk about manufacturers doing something new. This caught my eye this week...

http://nimbus.se/305-drophead/

What's notable (IMO) is the "Smart Speed concept, to create maximum comfort for all aboard at all speeds". I know this is pure marketing hyperbole* but with future oil prices likely to be high, a semi-d boat that has no speed hump is an interesting concept. And only having one engine to service and maintain and the absence the devil's own work outdrives / pods is a definite advantage too.



* MapisM will of course remind me that this is nothing new!
 
If its like all the other Nimbus boats I have worked on it will be very well designed and built like a battleship, immensely practical and ooze quality. Hence the prices they command.
 
petem said:
We often talk about manufacturers doing something new. This caught my eye this week...

http://nimbus.se/305-drophead/

but with future oil prices likely to be high, a semi-d boat that has no speed hump is an interesting concept. !
Click to expand...

I had to check on the date of your post, several years ago when oil was over $100 a barrel, everyone said it would only go one way (up!), look where we are now.
 
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petem said:
We often talk about manufacturers doing something new. This caught my eye this week...

http://nimbus.se/305-drophead/

What's notable (IMO) is the "Smart Speed concept, to create maximum comfort for all aboard at all speeds". I know this is pure marketing hyperbole* but with future oil prices likely to be high, a semi-d boat that has no speed hump is an interesting concept. And only having one engine to service and maintain and the absence the devil's own work outdrives / pods is a definite advantage too.



* MapisM will of course remind me that this is nothing new!
Click to expand...

Looks good and I like the idea of shafts. Can't help thinking it is missing and engine and another shaft though. Design wise it looks as though it should do 30 knots plus.

I find it hard to believe that this won't guzzle fuel at 18Knots and over because I assume it never gets over the hump and they have somehow just smothered it out like a SD hull.
 
petem said:
I do find it inconceivable that prices won't be high in 5-10 years time but who knows?
Click to expand...
Well, compared to current prices, I think it's more than reasonable to expect that they'll be higher in the long run.

And aside from my previous joke (but you asked for it! :D), I agree that it's an interesting concept of boat.
Yep, she might burn a bit more fuel at planing speed compared to a pure P hull, but I would guess that's compensated by lower maintenance costs - also because she ain't meant for long range cruising (hence high fuel consumption) anyway.
What I find particularly spot on is the headline "a day cruiser for socialising".
If it weren't that I use the boat in CF also for living aboard, but I would have a home down there instead, a boat like this would be a perfect complement.

Here, now you have an alternative to consider: instead of a f/b boat to keep somewhere in the Med, you could buy a home (which is arguably more an investment than an expense - much more than a boat, anyway) and one of these things to enjoy the sea! :cool:
 
MapisM said:
Well, compared to current prices, I think it's more than reasonable to expect that they'll be higher in the long run.

And aside from my previous joke (but you asked for it! :D), I agree that it's an interesting concept of boat.
Yep, she might burn a bit more fuel at planing speed compared to a pure P hull, but I would guess that's compensated by lower maintenance costs - also because she ain't meant for long range cruising (hence high fuel consumption) anyway.
What I find particularly spot on is the headline "a day cruiser for socialising".
If it weren't that I use the boat in CF also for living aboard, but I would have a home down there instead, a boat like this would be a perfect complement.

Here, now you have an alternative to consider: instead of a f/b boat to keep somewhere in the Med, you could buy a home (which is arguably more an investment than an expense - much more than a boat, anyway) and one of these things to enjoy the sea! :cool:
Click to expand...

P, whilst I'm still working, I'm not convinced I would get sufficient use out of an overseas property so it would end up becoming an investment property. I prefer to buy those in the UK where I understand the market, can guarantee a good yield and manage them myself.

Interestingly, one of my customers is looking for letters for a boat he's buying. He had a beautiful place in the Baldricks and is buying an older Squadron to stay in over the summer so that he can rent his villa out. Now that's a good idea!

If I did buy a place abroad, then Mallorca or Ibiza would be my preferred destination (although Carloforte would be appealing). A Windy Mirage (like JulianS of this parish has) or Cranchi day boat would fit the bill nicely.
 
Yup, all understood & agreed.
But location aside, as I said before, wherever you have great spots just round the corner and you don't need liveaboard spaces, the Nimbus indeed makes a lot of sense.
Nothing against Cranchis (I bought a Z34, in fact!) nor Windys (beautifully built boats indeed), but what's the point of a 30+ knots capable boat when all you need is something that brings you to some nice anchorages nearby in comfort, just to spend a day out at sea?
 
petem said:
Indeed. What would be really cool on that Nimbus would be a Gyro, there's loads of space for one.
Click to expand...

Man that is going to end up as one slow ass day boat, might as well have a day sailor with flopper stoppers.

I happen to disagree with Mapis view that it is ok for a day boat to be slow. Given that you are likely to be bound to the same marina day in day out, you want to be able to go as far as you can as quickly as you can to get to a variety of anchorages and then home again to return to the villa at night. A slow ass day boat will severely limit your choices imho. A good day boat is one that will do 40 knots imho. That is what I rent now when I want to get on the water.
 
wakeup said:
I happen to disagree with Mapis view that it is ok for a day boat to be slow
Click to expand...
I see your point, but imho if you choose to establish your summer residence in a holiday home somewhere, you must choose a place with a good choice of nice anchorages within easy reach, to start with.
That way, the day-cruising only is not much of a limitation anymore, regardless of speed.
After all, for really going places, you are still very limited also with a 40kts open day boat, compared to an 8kts Nordhavn!
Then again, you might also like the "driving" part of cruising, in which case I can see why you might feel limited by a boat like the Nimbus.
A boat aimed to please everybody she surely ain't... :)
 
MapisM said:
I see your point, but imho if you choose to establish your summer residence in a holiday home somewhere, you must choose a place with a good choice of nice anchorages within easy reach, to start with.
That way, the day-cruising only is not much of a limitation anymore, regardless of speed.
Click to expand...

Villa is near Cannes where there are many many lovely anchorages all within 25 click radius.
 
Aha, I see, thanks.

...but in this case, wakeup, are you implying that you need a 30kts boat for daily cruises of 50km overall?!? :confused:
Even with my sedate 8kts boat, that's less than 2 hours to get there and 2 hours back!
Which are part of the fun of course, if you like cruising - and if you don't, why bother at all...
Not to mention that such time could be halved by the Nimbus, at 15 knots or so, if you are in a hurry.
What's there not to like?
 
It's the strangest deck design I've ever seen. Why are there two separate and distinct seating/dining areas right next to one another? It's not a boat you'd regularly have two separate groups of people on that don't want to dine together, so why two sets of seats, each facing a table like a two booths in a cafe?
 
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