The Silver Arrows Marine 46-foot luxury motoryacht is a sight to behold. Taking style from Mercedes-Benz luxury automobiles – This first Gran turismo of the seas has come another step closer to launch after its first sea trials were successfully completed.
“This was an exciting moment for Silver Arrows Marine and I am pleased to say the boat showed all the potential we expected, and more,” Silver Arrows Marine CEO Jacopo Spadolini said in a statement. “The boat looked solid, powerful and like nothing else afloat.”
The sea trials provided the first taste of how this new hull performs in a variety of trim, load and sea states. To get the bet possible information, high-tech data acquisition techniques were employed, with the results providing a basis for future development work. Since this is a project that merges the marine and automotive worlds, many of the techniques used, including automotive-style data acquisition, that have their origins in motor racing.
Silver Arrows Marine engineering director Giorgio Stirano, who has run with Formula One motor racing teams, said in a statement: “Boats are not racing cars, but to use F1-style telemetry for data logging makes a great deal of sense. With equipment such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, along with GPS positioning, we have been able to build up a good picture of the boat’s abilities.”
The prototype used in the sea trials is an not finished, it features an open hull and lacks the distinctive superstructure. The final model, with its many new design features, will be part of the finished yacht. The trials included an offshore “racing circuit” complete with virtual corners so that comparable lap times could be taken to gauge how different setups affected the boat’s performance, handling and comfort.
