Interesting details
Sealine's flagship sports yacht that combines space and elegance, with the capability of performance and long distance cruising. The ingenious layout of the cockpit proves the point. Instead of an on deck garage there is comfortable seating and dining for up to ten around two cockpit tables, a walk-around bar, electric BBQ, fridge and optional ice maker. A unique Sealine Watersports Platform (SWP) with dinghy lift, descends into the water, providing an ideal platform for storing or launching your dinghy or for swimming. There is also an optional concealed 3m fully-hydraulic passerelle.
On the port side, opposite the helm, an access door allows easy exit and entry to the deck. The standard Sealine SPS (Solar Protection System) with its sunroof and concealed canopy storage provides shade for the helmsman and passengers. Each of the two master cabins have separate toilet and shower rooms, hanging cupboards and dressing tables. The aft cabin features a writing / laptop desk. High gloss, aged maple wood is used throughout with Italian marble in both toilets and showers.
Quote from: www.powerandmotoryacht.com„Sealine is a classic example of a company that started small and dreamed big. It began building boats in 1968 in Kidderminster, a small town about two hours northwest of London, known primarily for its carpet manufacturing. Bounded by the River Stour and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canals, the town dates to around 736 A.D.
From the minute it opened its doors, Sealine focused on becoming a world-class builder offering innovative, well-engineered cruising boats that could withstand such challenging waters as the North Sea yet be comfortable and easy to handle. Over the years, it has largely fulfilled that promise, but especially during the past three years under the guidance of chairman Gerard Wainwright.
The company’s lineup includes the Flybridge Series, T-Series Motoryachts, and Sport Cruisers, of which the subject of this test, the S48, is the flagship. Having heard that the S48 was far and away the company’s most sophisticated offering to date, I’d been trying to set up a test ever since its introduction in Lake Maggiore, Italy, back in May. I finally got a call in early June informing me she would be delivered to her owner in New York City.
The S48 was due to pick me up at about 9:00 a.m. at New York City’s Chelsea Piers after a run down from Mamaroneck, New York. Unfortunately, I had to wait a bit longer. At 11:30 a.m. she was still a no-show. It should have taken a boat like this a little over an hour, dock to dock.
I’d arranged for the boat’s captain to monitor channel 72, but my handheld VHF was silent, except for the occasional chatter between a couple of local pleasureboats. Al Cohen, Global Yachts’ Northeast rep—Miami-based Global has been Sealine’s exclusive distributor in the United States since 1995—had been pacing the dock with me when his cellphone rang. “They’re five minutes out. The captain wanted to top off both fuel and water tanks, and there was a problem with the marina’s fuel dock,” he said. I understood, but I was getting impatient.
I knew all my impatience and anticipation was worth it the moment I saw the S48’s captain adroitly spin her in the tight pick-up space, courtesy of the Sealine Docking System (SDS). This neat option coordinates the shifting of the marine gears with the bow and stern thrusters to control and precisely position the boat wherever the helmsman wants her. Simply point the joystick in the direction you want the boat to go—ahead, astern, sideways, or any combination thereof—and she complies. It’s a system that takes the pucker factor out of even the diciest docking situation.
A few moments later I was at the helm. Once I’d cleared the marina’s no-wake zone, I eased the Mathers MicroCommander electronic controls forward. The optional 635-hp Cummins QSM-11 diesels put us on plane in less than 10 seconds, and quietly, too. My sound meter registered 87 decibels with the aft canvas enclosure rolled up (65 is normal conversation), making it quiet enough for me to talk with Cohen, seated opposite on the port-side settee. And in no time I had the S48 cruising at just under 39 mph with the Cummins turning 2000 rpm.
Those Cummins sit on foam-encapsulated FRP stringers wrapped in a fiberglass liner and girdled by 5"Wx2"Hx1/2"D galvanized steel beams. Access to the compartment is through a large hatch in the teak cockpit sole that allows for regular fluid checks and maintenance. Additional access is possible by lifting the stairs leading to the living quarters.
But for the passing wake of a pleasureboat or two, the sea conditions in the upper Hudson River were flat calm. While there was to be no opportunity to test her rough-water capabilities, I at least got to sit back and enjoy an exhilarating ride. I did notice that when I was seated there was enough bow rise during acceleration that I lost sight of the seaway until the 48 got on plane. The remedy for this, I discovered, is to simply flip up the helm seat, transforming it into a comfortable leaning bolster. And in another sight-related concern, I found the view of the seaway through the Isinglas distorted, even in fine weather. A glass insert, possibly with a wiper, on the driver’s side would solve the problem.
The rest of my time at the wheel was pure pleasure. At cruising speed the S48 tracked straight and true and answered the helm immediately during quick, sharp turns. And characteristic of a well-designed running bottom, she maintained most of her rpm when I held her hard over in a 360-degree turn. Such a controlled ride comes courtesy of a modified-V running bottom whose deadrise goes from 25 degrees amidships to 18.7 degrees at the transom. Construction details include a solid-glass bottom and Divinycell-cored sides and decks and, in keeping with her North Sea heritage, a sturdy bowrail, plenty of well-placed handrails, and heavy-duty cleats, hinges, and locks.
While Sealine obviously wanted the S48 to deliver a pleasurable driving experience, it also took care that her living spaces would be just as enjoyable. Instead of trying to cram in three staterooms, as is the norm with boats of this size, Sealine opted for two large, comfortable ones—one forward, one aft and each with its own en suite head and shower—the logic being that most owners will be empty nesters. There’s plenty of stowage space in both, and headroom is just as generous: 6'4" in the forward stateroom and 6'10" in the aft cabin. Between the two is a large saloon illuminated by a pair of Bomar hatches. The galley occupies the starboard side, and offers a two-burner electric stovetop, under-counter refrigerator and freezer, combination microwave and grill, and a teak and holly sole. With plenty of counter space and stowage, it’s easy to prepare anything from a snack to a sit-down dinner.
Of particular note was the workmanship throughout the living space. Grains on all doors, cabinets, and furniture matched, and the joinery was precise. I especially liked the way the multiple coats of varnish brought out the brilliance of the cabinetry, doors, and other furniture.
Sealine’s emphasis on comfort continues outside, where the cockpit is outfitted with a pair of opposing couches and a table to starboard. For alfresco food preparation, there’s a BBQ grill, refrigerator, sink, icemaker, and even room for a small microwave in a module located on the port side. Best of all, this is a true all-weather space. You can enclose the entire cockpit and helm area with the optional canvas and flip on the heat or air conditioning, or push a button, open up the bridge-deck sunroof, and let in the sunshine.
But perhaps the most impressive feature aboard the S48, and one that indicates just how far Sealine has come, is found abaft the cockpit. With the push of a button, the entire aft end of the boat—transom and platform—glides into the water, not only making it easy to drive a PWC or tender on and off the platform (it has foldaway chocks) but also enhancing the ease and safety with which swimmers and divers get on and off the boat. This complicated structure is not only practical, but it’s also a major piece of engineering. Complementing it is an electrically operated passerelle that retracts into the hull when it’s not needed.
A large reason why Sealine has been able to come up with innovations like these year after year is that it’s virtually self-contained; it uses almost no subcontractors. Almost every component from furniture to bowrail is built in-house, often using computers for accuracy. Even the furniture is laminated using vacuum-bagging, and the company recently invested in a costly machine that does nothing more than create perfectly finished edges for all laminates.
By any measure, Sealine has come a long way since those early days in Kidderminster, and its customers aren’t the only ones who have noticed. So have its competitors. Indeed, as we were going to press, the company had just announced it had been purchased by the Brunswick Corporation, parent of Sea Ray, Bayliner, Maxum, and a few other brands that could legitimately be considered competition. According to Wainwright, the move “will result in resources and opportunities that will accelerate the growth of the company.” Translation: More innovation. You can’t help but imagine what the next generation of Sealines will be like. Whatever they may be, you can bet they’ll be well worth the wait.”
