ACE OF THE TRANSFORMERS

Shape-shifting yachts create space where there once was none.

whether you’re talking about the Evo Yachts 43, Aston Martin AM37 or one of the many larger yachts incorporating foldout balconies and shape-shifting cockpits, many yachts in this age expand and contort at the press of a button. And while custom yachts have had the budget and technology to add these features for some time, semicustom and midrange production yachts are now taking the concept to a new level. The Wider 150, for example, has not only transformable balconies and beaches but also an elevating foredeck that becomes the hardtop over a previously hidden lounge. ¶ One of the early versions of a more modest-size shape-shifter was the 2012 Sealine C48. When introduced, it offered a sliding hardtop over the cabin, a sliding soft top over the cockpit, electrically actuated cockpit settees that shifted into multiple positions, a swing-down hydraulic swim platform and more (including, of course, the prerequisite pop-up TV). Yet that boat’s actual structure didn’t change, nor for the most part did its functionality. It transformed but didn’t quite earn true transformer status. ¶ The Evo 43, introduced last year, however, certainly did achieve that status. A platform that begins as a svelte performance boat cruising at 30 knots (and hitting 38 knots at wide-open throttle) becomes a completely different creature at rest. At the press of a button, the vessel’s aft hull sides slide outward, with hidden deck sections folding out of the inwales in less than 30 seconds. The section farthest aft swings up and then extends back, adding a submersible teak beach. All in all, pressing that button increases the boat’s tanning territory by 40 percent. ¶ And owners don’t even have to press the button. Thanks to the integration of smartphones into just about everything on the planet, it was fairly simple for Evo Yachts to create the popular “app for that.” As if the features weren’t cool enough already, all of the shifting, transforming pieces and parts can be controlled from an iPhone. ¶ The Aston Martin AM37 is another example of a sporty machine in this size range that rapidly changes its attitude. Designed as a day-cruiser infused with the look and DNA of Aston Martin’s sports cars, and with a 50-knot top-end performance to match, the AM37 has a carbon-fiber hardtop over the cockpit.

Until it doesn’t. Electro-hydraulics swing the stern’s teak deck up. The top swings back and down, and the deck returns to its original position, hiding the top and turning the boat into a cabriolet. Flip another switch, and a swim platform extends from the formerly flush transom. ¶ Of course, these transformations evoke a sense of awe. But with the mechanical machinations, some owners also expect — and fear — a radical jump in a boat’s complexity level. With complexity comes additional maintenance and, many people believe, additional problems. ¶ “Some people have a fear of hydraulics,” says application engineer Ernie Romeo of ABT-Trac, which designs systems such as the extending wings on Palmer Johnson’s 135 and 150 series. “But remember, these hydraulics are like those used for heavy construction equipment. They are extremely robust.” ¶ Romeo also says today’s more functional systems may actually be less complex — and less costly — than those of the past. “In the old days, everything was basically a stand-alone system,” he says. “But today, we have integration and consolidation, and any one subsystem may be able to tap into the yacht’s integrated hydraulic system.” ¶ Valerio Rivellini of Studio Tecnico Rivellini, which worked on the Evo 43, also says complexity can remain minimal even when boats do things that appear to be complex. ¶ “The secret to a well-working and reputable product is the engineering,” he says. “Especially when dealing with boats and with a hostile environment, as the sea is, the key is to keep it simple. Like the hydraulic XTension system that we trust precisely because — let me say — it is trivial. Parts and supplier selection has been driven by this philosophy as well.” ¶ It’s not just hydraulics behind these designs either. Technological advances in fiberglass construction also make shape-shifting possible. As one might expect, those necessary hydraulics and the foldout sections of a boat add significant weight. But advancements such as resin infusion, which

Evo Yachts says allowed the 43’s basic structure to be built with 20 percent less weight, can more than make up the difference. ¶ Are we likely to see more magically transforming yachts hit the water?

Yes, we are. There’s no denying the advantage of adding usable space in a cockpit, or of creating a new social area in the blink of an eye.

In fact, expect the choices among changing, expanding yachts to grow as fast as the press of a button — or the swipe of a finger.

“At the press of a button, the vessel’s aft hull sides slide outward, with hidden deck sections folding out of the inwales in less than 30 seconds. The section farthest aft swings up and then extends back, adding a submersible teak beach.”