ROM 28
LOA 25ft 6in (7.8m) BEAM 8ft 1in (2.46m) ENGINES Single 250-430hp Mercury inboard TOP SPEED 50 knots PRICE FROM €230,000 ex VAT CONTACT www.romboats.com
ROM is the brainchild of former Capgemini board member Jorge Martins, who was frustrated that he couldn’t get the extensive customisation he craved in a sub-10m boat. His solution was to find a shipyard of his own in Aveiro, Portugal, bring Madrid-based naval architect Iñigo Toledo on board to handle design and engineering, and build the exact boat he wanted himself.
The principle behind ROM, which stands for ‘rebuild ocean motivation’ is to offer superyacht-levels of customisation on a 25ft boat. The first boat off the line, dubbed Black Mirror thanks to its high-gloss metallic paint, features a sunken cockpit with three forward-facing seats at the helm protected by the elegant windscreen and a pair of sunpads stretched over the engineroom hatch aft.
There is something of the gun boat about the ROM’S profile, especially the gentle flare of the bow and the flat foredeck, which without a walk-though windscreen or guardrails looks a little precarious to access. Below, the rather basic cuddy is finished in classy materials and has a proper sea toilet hidden beneath a seat.
Engine options range from a single 250hp unit to a thumping 430hp V8, which should be good for well over 50 knots. It’s a lot of money for a 7.8m boat from an unfamiliar brand but that’s the price to pay when near limitless personalisation is on the table.