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Boat Tests Mark Pascoe SR7 & SR9
Boat Tests Mark Pascoe SR7 & SR9
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Mark Pascoe SR7 & SR9
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| Discerning sports boat owners are known for their high expectations and appreciation of things well formed╔ at which point I may need to remind some of you that we are talking strictly ‘maritime’ here. So just to qualify that opening statement, I mean that these mariners rightly place great importance on a vessel’s aesthetic design qualities and standard of finish. Furthermore, such items as comfortable seating suited to the requirements of a family, a sun lounger, perhaps a deck table, a fridge, an on-board sound system, fresh water shower, generous dry stowage etc, are considered in these circles as mere basics. Of course, if the boat in question is to be truly desirable then it has to have, nay, positively exude a certain something that rarely comes without a healthy price tag! That ‘certain something’ is, of course - style. But style is beheld differently through different eyes and comes in many guises. It can be perceived in terms of the amount or type of power a boat may have slung on its transom or perhaps in terms of its long, sleek lines. Often as not though, in boating terms, an ideal marriage of style with seakeeping ability can be hard to find. The difficulties associated with the harmonising of these two elusive partners are no better highlighted than in the Italian RIB market. Here, there exists a plethora of different makes which are certainly beautiful to behold, but sadly, many are considerably less than satisfactory when it comes to fulfilling the relatively simple function of being a sound sea going vessel. In recent years an increasing number of builders have improved their boat building skills to the point where purely functional but capable deep-vee hulls are now complemented by the addition of a well appointed sports fitout that incorporates many of the goodies we talked about. This has, to a great extent, changed the balance of the sports boat industry in many lands. Where once the likes of the Phantom, the Fletcher and the American import held sway, now the RIB has taken the field and continues to grow in strength. Adding to this development in the market is the contribution made by those builders originally respected for their achievements outside the RIB industry. Perhaps most notable amongst these is Mark Pascoe’s MPL operation on the south coast of England that evolved out of his high profile work with the top flight race team, Vulture Ventures. Mark’s design and build talents were quickly applied to the new growth market ą RIBs. If memory serves me right, the first time I saw a Mark Pascoe designed RIB was at RIBEX ‘99. The attention to detail was superb, and aesthetically the 8 metre stood out as being amongst the very best of her class. These days, a greater part of Mark’s company is devoted to the manufacture of RIBs with the company’s SportRib designs not only being embraced by the leisure market at large but also by those who wish to compete on the amateur race circuit. Mark Pascoe RIB hulls are exclusively Ocke Mannefelt designed. They have, as many of us are well aware, acquired a worldwide reputation for being one of the most respected offshore performance hulls today, used as we said, by racers and leisure boaters alike. Mark Pascoe is now being seen as a genuine member of the RIB community, and has drawn much attention to the industry in general - providing it with added credibility. By that I mean, many people who would have formerly viewed RIBs as purely utilitarian craft, have now become firmly ‘switched on’ to RIBs because of how far the concept has been taken by Pascoe and others like him. RIBs are now appreciated for being more than just dive or rescue craft; indeed, they are now seen to be many things, cruisers, cabin vessels, race boats, luxury yacht tenders, chase boats and white water craft. Yes, people perceive them to be exciting and the form of boating they engender to be liberating! I recently had the pleasure of trialing the SR7 model (the smallest in the range,) as well as a brief trial of the larger SR9 ą the latter being an inboard powered craft. Though inboards are undoubtedly suited to certain applications, these SportRibs truly shine when rigged with outboards. They are, after all, performance craft and seem particularly suited to an outboard’s high level of responsiveness. The SR7 was matched to a single 300hp Yamaha DI outboard (a stuning engine by the way) and fairly flew along at a good 60mph. What I found so impressive was not so much her top speed, but her level of stability when pushed to the stops. Rock solid was the way I would sum up the ride she gave in the lee of Old Harry, the famous Dorset landmark just west of Poole ą but more of that in a moment. Whilst not being overstated, the fitout was very comfortable and the quality of materials used first rate. The craft’s key components and instrumentation had all been installed very professionally and included a Garmin GPS Map 182, an Icom VHF, a Ritchie offshore compass and a Clarion sound system. The inventory also included a fresh water shower, an on board fridge, a Blue Sea lighting installation and a Sea Star steering system. The SS steering system gave a very smooth and precise helm control that made driving the RIB a pleasure. All the electrical systems were run to a very tidy installation within the helm unit, complete with circuit breakers and twin batteries. The rearward raked stern arch, though giving the appearance of being fashioned entirely of GRP, is in fact a stainless frame encased in GRP. It appears very strong and, as far as I am aware, no reports of failures relating to this design have been reported. Many of the components on the SR7 such as the sun lounger and forward deck locker unit are common to the other boats in the range. Beneath the lounger’s removable upholstery is a huge amount of stowage well suited to the storage of even large items such as skis. Dry storage is a must on any good quality sports boat and aboard both the SR7 and SR9 you’ll find plenty of it in all the main consoles. Teak decking on a RIB like this really sets off its appearance quite beautifully, and though the real ‘McCoy’ may cost, the end result is pleasingly worth it and provides a very comfortable and safe surface under foot. Secured to the sport RIB deck are the seating consoles, which in the case of the SR7, are all of the ‘bench’ variety. I’m not normally a lover of this type of seating when used for the main helm seat, but I have to confess that this particular design worked well even at high speeds. Its position in relation to the helm console was just right so the cox had both good forward visibility and adequate posture support. The SR7’s stern seat provides a high level of security thanks to its low level position to the deck and its wrap around profile. Children would, therefore, find this position very comfortable and secure. All GRP work is of the highest standard both structurally and in terms of overall finish. This is equally evident on the SR9 which includes a very well appointed engine housing for the Yanmar Inboard in terms of fitout, the SR9 has clearly been customised for competitive boating, with serious looking rally styled seating for both cox and navigator providing the biggest indication to the boat’s use. They work well and appear to absorb the shock loadings inflicted on the hull by the short Channel seas to a tolerable level. I wasn’t too keen on the additional sit astride seats set behind these forward seats - without any back or lumber supports, or any handholds to speak of for that matter, they were suited to little more than providing incidental seating for the boat’s passengers. Both these boats, indeed all the SportsRibs in the range, are true offshore craft. Despite their sports boat customisation, no compromises have been made as regards their sea going abilities. This is perhaps not surprising when one considers their pedigree and Pascoe’s own championship racing achievements. These boats can really take punishment and are more than capable of being driven hard if the circumstances demand. Nevertheless, two important factors need to be taken into consideration. Firstly, these RIBs have a distinctly flat profile and are therefore less tolerant than craft with a distinct bow sheer when it comes to running in following seas. Secondly, the Ocke Mannefelt hulls employed on the MPL SportRib are stepped hulls. Broadly speaking, stepped hulls are suited to ultimate speed in straight lines. Like any high performance animal, they need to be understood and handled accordingly. If you fail to appreciate a stepped hull’s tolerance it will likely give you quite a surprise when it decides to bite back. Such an occurrence is most common during a high-speed turn where these hulls have been known to ‘skip out’ wildly - resulting in a full 360-degree barrel roll. Furthermore, such a ‘skip-out’ has even been experienced in flat or settled conditions. If these facts unnerve you then just remember that the Ocke Mannefelt stepped hull, (a design type favoured for its ability to reduce water friction/drag on the surface of the boat’s hull,) is a hull type responsible for literally dozens of racing accolades. In the right hands it is a joy to behold and breathtaking to experience. I am sure all our readers will be aware of the Bat boat with its graceful Nautilus like wings, but did you know that this famous design shares the very same hull as the SR7? Of course we did, I hear you say! Nonetheless, yes wait for it, I still may have one up on you, because I recently had the opportunity of being invited to take the navigator’s seat aboard one of these craft. It wasn’t the first time I’d ridden with Pascoe at the helm, but this recent experience did re-impress upon me just how darn good a helmsman he truly is. Running up the short steep chop of the Solent at just over 70mph amidst the confines of the Bat Boat’s tiny cabin was unforgettable. The stability and surefootedness of the hull was superb, to the extent, it seemed to defy the very laws of nature. Why, when we met a wave that should for all intents and purposes have sent her bow skyward she cut through sea and air as true as an arrow reaching for its mark. I was further impressed by the standard of the boat’s engineering, particularly within the cabin itself. I can only liken its apparent exacting quality of construction to that of a Formula One car. All made and built of course by none other than MPL! Both the SR7 and the SR9 are very fine RIBs, boats that would hold their own alongside any craft of similar type anywhere in the world. If you are contemplating becoming an owner of an MPL SportsRib, then you have the prospect of possessing one of the most desirable sporting designs afloat today. A RIB that unquestionably combines that winning partnership of great style and proven seakeeping ability. HMS |
