SAY CARBON YACHTS: SAY 42

At the time I didn’t know that SAY Carbon Yachts’ CEO, Karl Wagner was a carbon fibre master crafter, who’d transferred his vast knowledge of the lightweight material from motorbike racing to F1 cars, to supercars and finally yachts.

Wagner had manufactured components for the likes of Aston Martin and Porsche. The Austrian also worked with the McLaren Formula 1 team, and supported Sebastian Vettel on his inaugural victory driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso at Monza in 2008, in a monocoque produced by Wagner’s company, Carbo Tech. It was no surprise to find that the carbon fibre hulled SAY 29 was an exhilarating ride. Due to its ultra lightweight and 350hp Mercruier V8, acceleration was instantaneous. The SAY 29 behaved more like a PWC than a runabout and it still goes down as the most fun boat I’ve ever dropped the throttle on.

SAY 42

At 8.85-metres with a day cabin, the SAY 29 was perfect for a day messing about on the water, but for a bigger family, a larger boat was needed and Wagner obliged with the SAY 42. At 12.96-metres, this new model can comfortably house up to 12 guests and features an Owner’s cabin with a bathroom, making it a real weekend.

LOOKS

We got our first look at the SAY 42 in Puerto Banús as guests of SAY Carbon Yachts Marbella. Launched by SAY enthusiast Sascha Falk (more from Sascha on the following pages) the German was drawn to the SAY 42’s looks as much as its performance. With a wide 3.99-metre beam and distinctive radar tower, the SAY 42 really stands out in the marina. Today Puerto Banús is filled with supercars and superyachts, but the 42 is getting all the attention. From her sharp bow, to her swim platform, this yacht is beautifully finished and it’s no surprise that Marbella’s locals are flocking around her for selfies.

LUXURY

Stepping on board from the dockside, the quality continues and guests have the option of heading to the aft sunpad and swim platform; sitting around the beautifully crafted retractable table, heading forward to the jump seats, or joining the skipper on the hardcore suspension seats. Heading down past the Garmin-equipped helm is the spacious cabin. Again, as much effort has gone into how it looks as how it feels, with details abound.  A generous double berth is complemented by a modern bathroom, while a Seakeeper 2 GYRO (which eliminates up to 95% of boat roll) keeps the boat level, adding to guests’ comfort.

PERFORMANCE

At only 188kgs, the Seakeeper 2 doesn’t really impact the performance of the SAY 42; it can still hit a max speed of 50 knots courtesy of its twin Volvo Penta V8 engines. Despite its size, the light-weight carbon hydrodynamic hull keeps weight down to 4.5 tons, giving it sparkling performance. As we head out of Puerto Banús, the skipper gives us the warning that he’s going for an acceleration run. From a standstill, he drops the throttles and the SAY 42 digs in and takes off. Acceleration is strong and linear, enough to have you holding onto your smartphone tightly around 7 seconds into the ‘emergency start’. No matter how old you are, going fast on water is fun, and in the SAY, the feeling of speed is amplified by the open layout. At a more moderate speed, the skipper performs some tight S and U turns with the hull biting tightly into the Ensenada de Marbella. For a boat that can happily take guests out on the water for a weekend, the SAY really performs.

Falk summed up the SAY 42 at the end of the sea trial: “When I created Ocean View, I wanted to bring a wider lifestyle offering to the Andalusian coast too, therefore Louis Concierge was born, but most importantly we are now bringing SAY Carbon Yachts to Marbella to reinvent its boating heritage, with purchase and charter opportunities. SAY Carbon Yachts are carbon masterpieces, they are pioneers of lightness, which allows this incredible acceleration akin to a sports car, and they are made from the most luxurious materials and offering the highest comfort. It is modern and timeless, it really is a piece of art.” A piece of art that will be coming to Dubai this October…