Small speedboats today...who makes 'em, and are the new ones as cute as the old?

[dancrane]

I'm a dinghy sailor, don't know a thing about speedboats. But I always liked the little Plancraft designs, which to me, resembled pocket versions of James Bond's boats.

I think I liked the fact that they had proper seats - buckets or a bench - low down behind a windscreen.

When I see new designs, they seem to have a high-riding centre console which (to me) is as ugly as it is exposed, with passengers looking like riders on a mechanical rodeo.

Does anybody still build a traditional low-profile small skiboat, with seating like a saloon car? I expect I'm thinking of an outboarder, though I like the slick inboard shapes.

Is anyone still turning out Plancraft hulls? Or something very similar?

 

[Whitelighter]

How about ChrisCraft - they make some lovely little launches

 

[rbcoomer]

In the UK - Fletcher (http://www.fletcher-boats.co.uk/fletcher-showroom/classic ) and Plancraft (http://www.plancraft.co.uk/sports boats.htm ) come to mind or US brands like Maxum and Bayliners. There are a few about still!

 

[julians]

It depends how small you mean.

The americans are the king of the small boat. Have a look at Sea Ray,bayliner,chapparal,regal,rinker etc etc.

Fletcher are still turning out very small speedboats (14 foot +), which I guess is the sort of thing you were thinking of.

 

[dancrane]

Thanks for those thoughts. American boat design generally does have the non-radical styling I like...

...though, my taste is so old-fashioned, I regard bow-rider designs as a bit suspect. I reckon speedboat design peaked thirty years ago with the old Sunseeker Portofino 25 & 28...

View attachment 35158

...and my real-world ambition is for a 15ft version, on similar lines. I'll look at the Fletchers, et al. Thanks!

 

[prv]

When I see new designs, they seem to have a high-riding centre console which (to me) is as ugly as it is exposed, with passengers looking like riders on a mechanical rodeo.

Does anybody still build a traditional low-profile small skiboat, with seating like a saloon car?

The thing is, in all but the flattest of sea conditions, in a small fast boat you're going to get thrown around like a mechanical rodeo anyway. Given that fact, the best way to ride it is semi-standing astride a saddle-like seat. If you're slumped down low in a car-style seat, you have no springing beyond a couple of inches of foam and it feels like your unfavourably-curved lower spine is going to give out at any second. I'm certainly not an expert in motorboats, but I've been driven in a mk3 Rigid Raider on the former kind of seat, and my mate's Infamous Ebay Speedboat on the latter and I know which felt less likely to injure me.

Saloon cars drive on flat roads.

Pete

 

[dancrane]

Thanks Pete. I knew there'd be some good reason for horrid styling.

 

[rbcoomer]

We have a 14' Fletcher and whilst we tend to avoid slamming, we don't find the seats uncomfortable. The biggest problem I find sitting low is spotting pots etc and will often sit on the backrest for this reason and to gain better view. In terms of swell, anything up to a foot can be taken flat out (30kts for us), but over that and we have to drop speed to stay dry. Once you start getting over 18" - 2 foot I find 15-17kts is the maximum and sitting higher or standing in order to pick a careful path. The moment the bow digs in you will get wet as a couple of gallons of seawater follow that nice aerodynamic contour straight up and over the screen! Anything over 2' you're going to get wet from spray alone unless displacement speed or long wavelength... A 17' or upwards will cope with larger swell and higher speeds much better in my experience and would let you keep the styling you seek. I suspect being a dinghy sailor that you don't mind getting wet, but I'd certainly suggest adding a bilge pump as many boats this size don't have one...

 

[Dave_Snelson]

I'm with you on the small speedboat thoughts. There is a saying that goes something like "the enjoyment of a boat is in inverse proportion to its size" and I guess that applies to dinghies as well. I've seen many a happy face on a mirror dinghy in Portmadog estuary. Probably a little bit large, but I once very nearly bought an achingly beautiful Bayliner Cobra 2250 like the one in the picture below; only the one I saw was in prostitute lipstick red with a single 7.4L inboard with only 16 hours on the clock. Real James Bond stuff and it was called "Thunderball". It nearly had me...

 

[prv]

an achingly beautiful Bayliner Cobra 2250 like the one in the picture

Wow - I'm not a motorboat person, but that is an impressive machine!

Pete

 

[dancrane]

Just what I was thinking. I guess it's a bit like old cars - there are plenty of good reasons, identified by our evolving understanding of aerodynamics, why most new cars look vaguely fish-like...but before the science got its fingers round the designers' pencils, the results owed more to art and were wider-ranging in style and often prettier in consequence.

View attachment 35170

A pity most photos of this design are of examples on their trailers. Just found one from the mid 90s, under £8000. Lovely.

 

[TangaraToo]

These are still in production. Same boat as the original Sims Super V
http://www.predatorboats.biz/superv_offers.html

I have the 80's original although its curently undergoing full restoration

 

[dancrane]

Nice little boats, glad to know they're still in production.

Interesting how the saloon-car seating layout forces the front seats well forward, giving a slightly foreshortened appearance. I suppose a real James Bond speedboat would only need space for monsieur and the lovely Miss Bikini...are there any two-seater speedboats, with the same priapic foredeck, rather more Miami Vice in styling?

 

[TangaraToo]

Do a search on Driver range of boats. Styling is more as you discribe

 

[dancrane]

Oh yes...that's very me...

View attachment 35171

...said Dan, as he sewed up the holes in his ancient mainsail...

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Wow - I'm not a motorboat person, but that is an impressive machine!

Pete

Yeah, y'know people knock Bayliner unfairly in my opinion. Out of the millions of boats they have ever made, there are bound to be some ugly ones or poor in design, but on the whole they are good. There is a fact about Bayliner and it goes like this "Bayliner have put more people new to boating onto the water than all of the rest of the world's yards put together"

 

[Dave_Snelson]

These are still in production. Same boat as the original Sims Super V
http://www.predatorboats.biz/superv_offers.html

I have the 80's original although its curently undergoing full restoration

Wow - you have a fab boat, good luck with the restoration. I remember well the stir that Sims made when they launched the Super V. It was the must have boat of the day and it's styling has held up well. The package for the new one with 50 Tohatsu is good at just north of £11k.

Can you tell I'm enjoying this thread. Happy days!

 

[mlines]

"the enjoyment of a boat is in inverse proportion to its size"QUOTE]

Based on our experience with our Bayliner 185, that is so true, particularly as we tow it in and out of the marina passing large boats on the hard with the stern drives and engines out, mouldy covers and green GRP.

(And our Bowrider has not sunk, exploded or fallen apart despite the general view on Bowriders!)

However if someone offered me that Bayliner in the picture........

 

[Divemaster1]

Bayliner made two Cobra's amongst the Capris ...

1800 Cobra Bowrider with a 125 Hp outboard

2250 Cobra ... small Cuddy and a nice 270 HP V8 (OMC King Cobra as far as I recall)

 

[julians]

Is it just me that thinks that bayliner cobra looks bloody awful?

The sims super v, fletchers and the old sunseekers look nice, but that bayliner just looks so dated.

My favourite old'ish boat is the sunseeker Hawk 27.