Aquila 36 - Ticking even more boxes
by John Curnow, Editor, Powerboat-World.com 26 Mar 2019 14:23 NZDT
The Aquila 36 approaches the quay © John Curnow
So you start with a package that we have been seriously impressed with since we first had a go a couple of years back now. At the time, we dubbed her the Great Entertainer, but we also understood just how much of a great transformer she was.
The Aquila 36’s incredible versatility as a boat, a platform, and a vessel, meant she could be a family cruiser, weekender, terrific day boat, VIP passenger transfer ferry, a foiler, also a capable offshore fisherman, and then perform all of them with serious aplomb.
Evidently, we have not been the only ones. Over the course of time from our first video, below, we have looked at her as The Great Entertainer, the full fishing version, and her alternate aft deck modules.
It is now 2019, and we were offered the chance to come back and look at Hull#3635, a boat that had ticks in just about all of important options list.
Additionally, there were some local enhancements as well, to help this particular vessel become the consummate, stand out entertainer on Sydney Harbour for its owners, and the many family and guests they wanted to take out on the water. Here’s a list of the collection she boasts:
• Petrol genset – so as to keep it a single fuel source vessel
• Twin BBQ plates
• Plush, ultra leather mocha interior
• Soft touch Infinity flooring in the main cockpit
• Full height screens
• High end electronics including Raymarine suite
• Mercury 300hp Verados with joystick control and Skyhook
• Recyclables chute to take bottles and cans into storage in the starboard hold
• Extended aft sun awning
• Removable for’ard awning
• Solar panels
• Full Wi-Fi Internet, with Apple TV
• Additional hot water capacity
• Extra refrigeration for food and drinks
Aboard this latest vessel, we set off smartly doing 140l/hr combined for 20 knots from 5000RPM a side with those supercharged Mercs. This particular craft was well and truly on the plane at 15 knots, and will be on its way up at 12, with 30 knots on offer @WOT (220l/hr combined). Yet, and as always, it was the absolutely glorious ride that overcame you, and distinctly proffered a reminder of the Aquila 36’s sure-footedness.
Some Australian delivered craft are set up for self-drive charter, and as such, are governed to 10 knots or less. Due to the hydrodynamics, eight knots is actually bang on, and you only burn 16l/hr at that pace from 2500RPM. Given the short haul distances around places like Sydney Harbour, or the glorious Whitsunday Islands, the lack of pace will not be a major deterrent.
Naturally, it is also very comfortable and delivers nigh on zero wash, which is becoming more and more prevalent in a lot of waterways. That gentle ride, especially in slop, is something that will appeal to none-boaties very much, and I really appreciated both the Raymarine electronics, and Mercury’s great joystick control, and Skyhook, even if the geo-synchronous product is not quite as perfect as those attached to much larger craft. Of course, those boats have larger screws, and the torque you can only get from Diesels, as well as sometimes bow, and occasionally stern, thrusters also fitted. On that note, if someone ever orders (and pays for) Cox’s 300hp Diesels to be installed on one of these powercats, then I am sure the performance, and low fuel burn will be astounding.
In displacement mode there is a small amount of tramlining, as you would expect, but it does go once pace is involved. Incidentally, albeit not unsurprisingly, in this fashion, you are not spinning the wheel as much as you would have thought, such as with a monohull/sterndrive configuration, which also adds to comfort and enjoyability.