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The world of boats has an infinite capacity to surprise. Every time I think I’ve seen it all, someone comes up with entirely fresh take on an idea. This issue is brim full of them. Just look at the photograph above. It’s taken in the saloon of a boat commissioned by David Healey, the grandson of the man behind the legendary Austin Healey sportscars. He liked the idea of being able to helm with the wind in his hair but didn’t want the hassle or looks of a flybridge deck. So he came up with another solution – a pair of giant telescopic helm chairs complete with throttles and joystick on the armrests and an oversized sunroof protected by a discreet aeroscreen. It sounds utterly daft until you actually use it and discover, as our man Alan Harper did, that it actually works remarkably well.
The Evo V8 on p86 is another fine example of original thinking. With its magic expanding beach club, hidden tender garage, four different helm stations and secret roof terrace, it’s got almost as many tricks up its sleeve as James Bond’s gadget-packed Aston Martin DB5.
The ideas mentioned above may or may not appeal to you but the beauty of the boat market is that there is always someone willing to try something different. And we, as boat enthusiasts, are all the richer for it.
DON’T MISS OUT
We often stand accused of featuring too many expensive boats in the magazine, but now that you can barely buy a new 25ft sportsboat for less than £80,000, it kind of goes with the territory. But pick up a decent secondhand one in need of some TLC and spend a few quid bringing it up to date as Ben Metcalf did with a tired-looking Boston Whaler 240 Outrage (p60), and you can bag yourself a quality bit of kit for a fraction of the price. Check out the video of it on our website or Youtube channel and see for yourself what’s possible.