Man has had a love affair with the automobile since Carl Benz produced his first motorized car in 1885. Back then, cars were cars, and boats were boats. There simply was not much crossover. Today, however, enabled by dreams that technology can finally accommodate, the lines between wheels and water are not so definite.
With speed, convenience, comfort, and enjoyment as common denominators, it seems that that hypnotic spell cast by the automotive industry is influencing marine travel, with a number of new boat designs adapting features once only characteristic of cars. From elegant limousine tenders with finely crafted wood panels echoing vehicles of the 1950s, to Hodgdon Yachts’ racy Red Rocket, the range covers just about every era, continuing into the future.
One of the most celebrated auto-influenced boat designs is that of Cigarette Racing, borrowing some very speedy and very stylish features from Mercedes AMG. The latest in the series meshes the best of both worlds in the solar beam yellow, 50 ft. Marauder GT S, inspired by the Mercedes AMG GT S road car. Both have a striking yellow paint scheme trimmed in matte black, and a heart and soul that embrace speed. The Marauder has a top speed of 135 mph, powered by twin 1550 hp Mercury Racing Engines.
Rather a dark horse, with exceptional style and an appetite for luxury, Revolver Yachts is designing something so innovative its category remains elusive. Their 44 ft. model is dubbed the grand touring car of the sea, mixing it up between racing, cruising, cars, and boats, with a smooth design by the marine equivalent of a rock star, Michael Peters.
Luxurious yet efficient, with an emphasis on meticulous detail, Revolver’s 42 and 44 models both serve as either coupe or open boat, with an electric hard top and a plexiglass UV filtered sunshield overhead. The styling is aggressive, and the boats are intended to thrill, with a choice of gas or diesel engines yielding about 1500 hp. The vision statement at Revolver reads simply, “We change the rules of the game.”
Compass Tenders out of Southampton, UK, builds a luxury 11m limousine tender with several features that share automotive design, including the look aft, as she motors away, and lines of chrome that remind one of a 60s era car. This design is powered by 2 MD-VGT32’s Marine Diesel engines that move two Rolls Royce Kamewa FF270 jets. A Rolls Royce joystick and throttle add to the thrill.
Silver Arrows Marine embraced iconic design from Mercedes Benz for their 460 Granturismo of the seas, blending elegance and style of the German car icon with marine expertise and transferring the mobility from land to water. Unveiled at the 2013 Monaco Yacht Show, the project remains in the concept stage, illustrating the challenge delivered in turning dreams into reality. No longer in partnership with Mercedes Benz, the group is currently about to see results from the six-year effort, which should prove to be a very interesting reveal.
