MY FANTASY FLEET
Mathias Berg Current Boat: Delta 40 Berthed: Stockholm, Sweden
ith three pre-teenage kids, a dog and loads of social and sports commitments to balance, boating for our family is about flexibility, versatility and if possible, speed.
DELTA 54 IPS
In Stockholm I would upgrade our Delta 40 to the beautiful Delta 54. But its attractive styling is only one small part of its appeal. The Stockholm archipelago offers 24,000 islands to discover and even when living here no two trips ever end in the same place. But the archipelago also places some quite specific requirements on the choice of boat. We love spring and autumn weekend trips when the air is crisp, the harbours are empty and the trees are at their most spectacular. However, it can also be quite chilly, so you need a closed cabin model with a Scandinavian-spec heating system. The Delta 54 offers both as well as very spacious social areas and six berths, meaning we could also bring a friend or two for the kids. The narrow passages and secluded anchorages, also restrict the size of boat – 54 feet is really the upper limit. The Delta’s cruising range of 400nm at 30 knots, also means we could explore the neighbouring regions of Åland (Finland) and Gotland in the Baltic sea.
HORIZON FD87
Our second and more vacation-oriented boat would be based in Rome, Italy. We have great memories of living here for a couple of years but it’s also a perfect point from which to explore the Mediterranean. Since this would be more of a long-stay boat it needs at least 10 berths to accommodate all the friends and family that would be joining us. On the other hand, even though we would like to have a captain and chef on board from time to time, we’d also like to be able to handle it on our own, which caps the size at around 80 feet. My boat of choice would be the Horizon FD87, with the enclosed bridge. Plenty of guest accommodation, great social areas, room for crew, and a helm station with great visibility. However, before putting my name on the contract, I would ask to have the beach club converted back to a tender garage and instead use the other outdoor areas for socialising and sunbathing.
GOLDFISH 30 SPORT
Having spent all this time and money trying to accommodate other people’s desires, I would also like one boat just for me, myself and I. No compromises. Born and bred in the rough waters outside Norway, the Goldfish rides like nothing else and makes the perfect sound. The windshield is just the right height and angle to throw the wind over your head and when choosing one of the Mercury petrol options you get a deep, burbly yet discrete engine noise, warning other craft that something fast is approaching without screaming for attention. And because it will be moored outside my house and offers reasonable fuel consumption of 1.4l/nm, I will use it as often as I like to get the kids/buy some milk/pick up parents-in-law or whatever other excuse I can muster!
Send in your suggestions to mby@ti-media.com with My Fantasy Fleet in the subject line