We tested Skipper BSK 42NC, a Greek brand imported into Italy by Supermarine. È a maxi-Rib of more than 12 meters made to run in all conditions. A craft that, with the right motorization (4 Mercury Racing 500 hp outboards), is capable of reaching 90 knots!
Skipper BSK 42NC
The configuration under test included a pair of Volvo Penta diesel inboards rated at 440 hp each, so much “quieter” than the maximum allowed, yet it took us over 53 knots, with 6 people on board and 5 feet of long wave.
4 steps in the hull: what are they for?
Yet despite the less-than-easy conditions, the feeling of safety was total: stable and precise in holding course. At more than 30 knots, one has the impression of sailing at 20, crossing the waves smoothly, without slamming. It is of the hull that works magic: a very deep V with 25 degrees of dihedral angle, and as many as 4 steps (what they are and what they are for), which make it unique among pleasure craft. This means that when the boat impacts the water, structurally it does so as a single hull, but hydrodynamically it does so by touching the surface at 5 distinct points, like 5 small hulls. And between one and the other passes a mixture of air and water that decreases friction, promotes sliding and distributes pressures.
A boat that lends itself very well both for daytime fun and for small cruises, taking advantage of the marine qualities of the hull, which is not afraid to find itself facing even challenging seas. Finally, the figure to take home this Skipper BSK 42NC, so configured, is €660,000 + VAT.
