INBOARD PETROL POWER
Power for this boat is supplied by a Volvo-penta 240hp V6 direct-injected petrol engine driving through a Volvo DP leg (duo-prop). It is a lightweight aluminium unit, freshwater cooled, and though the CR 2600 is rated for petrol or diesel engines up to 300hp, the 240hp V6 provides plenty of urgency. The standard engine is a 200hp version of the same 4.3-litre block.
Access to the engine is good. The forward section of the engine box folds down onto the cockpit sole, exposing the whole of the front of the engine, including all its
service points. It’s easy enough to step down into the bilge for more fiddly maintenance jobs and to check the bilge pump(s).
The batteries (with Volvo Battery Management System) are nicely tucked away on the starboard side, along with the inbuilt battery charger and QL Neutra-salt system. There’s a three-pin mains power lead on the port side to preheat the hot water cylinder at the dock; hot water is normally engine heated – the boat carries 100 litres of freshwater. LED lighting includes foot lighting, all interior, running, anchor and navigation lights, plus a transom light.
Performance is quite brisk, especially acceleration. The transition onto the plane is quick and efficient and throttle response is good throughout the rev range. Whittley has taken quite a bit of trouble with sound insulation in the engine box, so engine noise is well-muffled, though there’s a pleasant V6 snarl when the Volvo is on song. At idle, the engine is extremely quiet.
During our run, we managed a brief burst of 32 knots at 5600rpm, just short of the engine’s maximum 5800rpm, but this was the first time the Volvo Penta had been run. At 21-22 knots, a comfortable cruising speed, fuel consumption was a respectable 37 litres per hour, and this may fall slightly as the engine loosens up. The Whittley carries 200 litres of fuel underfloor.
A Zip Wake automatic trim tab system keeps the boat on the straight and level, adjusting for pitch and roll. It wasn’t fully calibrated yet, so we used the tabs in manual mode, but the interrupter-style trim tabs are certainly effective, fast-acting and easy to adjust using the scrolling wheel controls.
Even though the Whittley carries its weight low compared to an outboard-powered vessel, this hull has a deep-ish 19o deadrise at the transom and a fairly tall hardtop, so tabs are welcome.
The boat coped admirably with a bit of wind chop, providing a comfortable ride. The 2600 runs fairly level, the entry making easy meat of smaller waves and the wipers dealing to any spray reaching the windscreens.
COMFORTABLE HELM
The helmsman and front seat passenger(s) sit up quite high. This should provide excellent all-round vision and it does to a point. But the windscreen mullions are quite thick, so there are blind spots in the corners and I also noticed I couldn’t see the bows over the sloping foredeck, which is not ideal.
Even when I stood up and put my head through the open roof panel I couldn’t quite see the anchor.
The sliding roof panel is great: simple to operate with a basic rubber catch to retain it, much like the sliding door to the cabin.
The helm position is good too and everything is laid out logically. I liked the feel of the softtouch wheel, while the throttle lever is positive and doesn’t move on its own if you remove your hand as sometimes happens. It’s a cable installation, but nice and smooth.
The moulded dash can accommodate up to a 14-inch display; a smaller Garmin GPS Map 7407 was fitted, plus the VHF radio, switch panels, trim tab and anchor controls. C-zone digital switching is planned for subsequent boats, reducing the demand for console space. A Fusion stereo head unit is located in the forward cabin.
Anchor duties are undertaken by a Quick windlass operated remotely from the helm. It deposits the rope-chain rode into an anchor locker with twin hatches. There’s no access to the anchor locker through the forward bulkhead, but access to the bows is quite good around the hardtop, which sports stainless ‘roof racks’ to hang onto.
These are sturdy enough for paddleboards or a small inflatable dinghy, perhaps even kayaks. Foredeck padding is a Whittley option for this model, complementing built-in drinkholders, as is the removable stainless- steel boarding ladder for the bows. It’s a feature also seen on many Kiwi boats destined for the South Island.