An inflatable boat like the one with which Sergio Davì will cross the ocean is usually seen in the crystal clear waters of the Côte d’Azur, in some hidden cove, with an atmosphere reminiscent of the TV commercial that had as background “Talk to me about love, Mariù” by Achille Togliani.
Sergio Davì cross the Ocean on a Nuova Jolly Prince 38 Cabin
Not this time, though. The rib boat is the Prince 38 Cabin by Nuova Jolly that will sail from Palermo to New York, USA, across the Atlantic Ocean with Sergio Davì at the helm. And this isn’t a boat customized for the crossing. The rib of this challenge is a standard boat in all respects except for two details: the windshield and the seats. And that’s the challenge: to bring a 99% cruising rib boat into extreme conditions.
The Rib
The Prince 38 Cabin of Nuova Jolly is an 11.30-meter rib with a deep V-shaped hull that makes it fast on the water. The stability comes from the two large tubes that touch the surface of the water and the beam that touches in its maximum of 3.80 meters.
There is no shortage of space on board. At the stern and bow, the layout changes according to the moment: in the same places you can obtain comfortable sunbathing areas, tables for eating, and spacious peaks under the seats. On board the Prince 38 there is also a small cabin where you can rest in comfort. The engine can reach a maximum of 800 horsepower distributed on two outboards. For his crossing Sergio Davì has chosen a pair of engines Suzuki DF350A, 350 horses per one. This outboard model, also standard, is the most powerful ever made by Suzuki and is characterized by the double counter-rotating propeller, which increases control and improves grip on the water.
Prince 38 Cabin by Nuova Jolly
A 6,500-nautical-mile Atlantic route. Sergio Davì will sail in the cold seas between the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and Canada, before arriving in the USA. For this reason he modified the Prince 38 with a “dome” windscreen that covers the wheelhouse making it dry and safe.
The other change to the standard model is the seating. Given the 500 hours (at least) of navigation that await him, Davì has chosen the seats of Besenzoni to remain in command of the rib in comfort.
