Sail-World.com : Marten 49 Racing design delivers luxury cruiser
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Marten 49 Racing design delivers luxury cruiser |
Cruising yachts are mostly of traditional design and manufacture but they do not have to be.
New Zealand boat builder Steve Marten recognised Porsche and Ferrari are highly successful road cars, designed and built using advanced technology. Marten set out to replicate the same technology transfers in the Marten Yacht cruising boat design.
In 2005 Marten Yachts became part of the rapidly growing Australian based company Azzura Marine that has an impressive marine portfolio. Azzura Marine build production and custom sailing yachts including custom performance cruisers like the Warwick 66's and 67's, race boats such as Wild Oats IX, and large motor yachts including the Azzura 100 and the luxurious Cambria II.
Marten Yachts take a new approach to cruising boat design and construction, using Reichel-Pugh design and SP Technologies. Using America’s Cup style construction methods and materials, these elements combine to provide superb performance and unrivalled functionality.
The Marten 49’s are built in the Azzura Marine facility at Nowra on the New South Wales south coast. This facility is well known for quality finishes and attention to detail, not only on production items but also on custom orders.
Brett Filby reviews the Marten 49 for Sail-World.
The Marten 49 displaces 11.5 tonnes. This relatively lightweight is almost certainly achieved by its total carbon fibre cored hull and deck and enhanced by the extensive use of lightweight aluminium honeycomb doors and timber veneer surfaces throughout.
The hull definitely has modern race boat styling with high topsides and an almost flush deck. The Marten 49 is overall lightweight for its size and fit out, allows the sails and deck gear to be much more manageable in size and in turn produces a more efficient and easily handled sailing yacht, whether being handled by two people or a full crew.
The 75 HP Yanmar diesel engine slides us smoothly out of her inner Sydney berth.
The large timber cockpit is clean and functional, even with the boat fully rigged for a day’s sail with all the spinnaker gear in place. The twin steering pedestals do not in any way restrict the open access from the very large aft deck. The cockpit is very large with a primary winch system that is easily accessible and does not clutter up the cockpit when in full use.
The foredeck is again large and uncluttered with most on deck one could ask for, but where is the anchor?
Simple, the timber topped carbon fibre bow door lifts open and out swings the carbon fibre anchor. The entire foldaway mechanism slides down the gap in the pushpit and extends into its locked position on the bow.
Immediately noticeable also on the foredeck is the clean finish of the custom carbon constructed hatches, these sensational Marten designed and built masterpieces fit flush with the timber decks and enhance the already striking unobtrusiveness of the deck and timber cabin top.
The electric winch on the cabin top handles the control lines and makes the hoisting of the big mainsail effortless. Soon we set the now very functional non-overlapping headsail and it is only when you pull away and load up the brand new sails that you fully understand just how she performs upwind in the moderate Sydney Harbour breeze.
Steering is a breeze with fingertip control, even with the boat fully pressed upwind in the moderate gusts.
As we set the massive masthead spinnaker from her lofty ‘state of the art’ carbon fibre mast, a single line extends to the retractable carbon bow spinnaker pole and instantly with little effort the masthead spinnaker is full.
Immediately we feel just how sensitive the Marten 49 is, with a buoyant feel and a quick response to acceleration, which is impressive for its size.
She will without doubt perform on the racecourse.
As you could anticipate from the design and finish above decks, the saloon takes you into a new world not before seen on the Australian yachting scene.
The breathtaking interior is both modern and minimalist, with a subtle blend of suede and lightweight timber veneer. The Galley opposite the main lounge in the saloon is of a moulded solid surface acrylic and stylish stainless steel sink, with full hot and cold water, and extensive cupboard space above which should handle the fussiest of food preparers.
Soft off-white headliner encases a mix of stylish down lighting, not only in the main saloon but also throughout the entire boat.
Mirroring the latest trend in larger sports yacht design, the Marten has the main cabin placed in the bow. This allows the owner to be removed from the noise in the cockpit and as often the case, the boat is moored stern to the dock, so the set up helps reduce the noise of passers by.
Both bathroom and ensuite resemble more a luxury hotel than the norm expected in a yacht, with its pristine glossy off white minimal finish and design.
The guest cabin found in the port aft quarter has the same furnishings and finish as the main cabin, continuing the luxurious and spacious feel, which should not cause any accommodation arguments between the guests and owners.
The Marten 49 has beautifully finished flooring throughout, with a well-polished teak finish.
If you’re thinking that all these luxury inclusions could not possibly be produced alongside a level of performance that could interest an owner with racing in mind, well tell that to the RORC fleet in the United Kingdom, where the locally based Marten 49 finished first in Cowes Week against purpose built IRC racing boats.
Boat number 7 is destined for a New Zealand owner with a full schedule of cruising and racing planned with his young family. The layout is mostly standard with only a few slight ‘owner inspired’ changes to the navigation area, where a large LCD flat screen is installed that will enable viewing from the plush suede lounge opposite.
What really makes the Marten stand out is the attention to detail over all aspects of the boat.
Comments world champion yachtsman Jason Rowed, in the envied position of manager of Marten yachts, ‘the boat has been purposed designed from the initial planning concept to be a performance luxury sailing yacht, without the often seen external design compromise to allow for an enhanced interior.'
Continuing, 'Showing just what unrestricted purpose design can do, without the enforced restrictions of a conversion of an existing rejuvenated design platform like some other manufactures have produced.'
All that is left now is to set the teak cockpit table. With just a single press of the hydraulic controlled ram built inside, the keel is lifted to about 2.4 meters of draft, from its sailing depth of 3.7 meters. This will no doubt, generate some very curious looks when the owners edge past the other 50 and 40-foot boats and drop anchor along side the 30 footers in secluded shallow anchorages.
‘Sensational’ is surely the best word to describe the Marten 49, with attention to detail for all aspects of the boat, from the overall finish of the hidden away electronics that have been arranged behind the instrument panel, to the sheer exhilarating performance of the yacht under the massive masthead spinnaker.
The Marten 49 will appeal to an owner who wishes to combine the excitement and speed of a performance racing yacht with the ability to make fast, comfortable passages in luxurious surroundings, whilst short-handed or cruising.
Marten Yachts have completed designs for both the 68 and 72 with the same luxury cruiser racer concept as the 49, and these should, when complete, deliver a new experience in performance cruising.
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Builders: Marten Yachts – Azzura Marine
Designers: Reichel/Pugh Yacht Design
Construction Engineers: SP Technologies & SP Systems
Marten 49
Length: 15m 49.21 ft
Beam: 4.17m 13.68 ft
Displacement: 11,229 kg 24,755lb
Ballast: 3,413kg 7524lb
Draft Down: 3.7m 12.14 ft
Draft Up: 2.1m 6.89ft
Engine: 75 hp Yanmar
Fuel tank: 200 litres
Fresh water: 430 litres
Holding tank: 75 litres
Mainsail: 85m2
Headsail: 59m2
Masthead: 280m2
Code Zero: 74m2
Marten Yachts
Head Office
Suite 110 Jones Bay Wharf
Pirrama Road
Pyrmont NSW 2009
AUSTRALIA
Tel: + 61 2 9552 1133
Fax: + 61 2 9552 1100
For additional information on these models please visit www.martenyachts.com or contact Jason Rowed at Marten Yachts or e-mail jrowed@martenyachts.com
by Brett Filby
11:16 PM Fri 8 Dec 2006 GMT
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