- The Anytec 747 CAB is quite a radical boat, which some may argue is too radical for many UK dayboaters.
- The only problem I can foresee is that once you have come to terms with driving the Anytec in its element, calm seas will not appeal.
- … the most impressive aspect of driving the Anytec is wave cresting.
The Swedish-built Anytec 747 has been described as a somewhat radical craft and has numerous features that make it both a looker and a high-quality wave-cresting powerhouse, as Greg Copp discovered …
Rarely is boat design so heavily focused on one aspect as it is with the Anytec 747 CAB. Designers often have a long shopping list that they feel they must tick. Everybody seems to want everything, with the end result sometimes being a compromise. This is not the case with the Anytec – this is a boat that touches on the core of what fast powerboating is all about.
Fresh from its debut at the London Boat Show, the Swedish-built Anytec 747 CAB is typically Scandinavian. Its looks are striking, even commercial, and its shiny aluminium M400-coated construction hints at its hard-core credentials. This boat is no work hack but a purist powerboat capable of cracking on in conditions that many of us would never consider. Its deep-vee hull with a transom deadrise angle of 21 degrees sharpens considerably from amidships, finishing with an exceedingly rakish 55-degree bow. Beneath the deck, a network of cross members and stringers produces a cage-like structure capable of dealing with the most suicidal helmsman.
The moment you thrust the throttle forward, the benefits of its sprightly 1370kg aluminium hull are felt. The boat pops up onto the plane instantly and will plane right down to 16 knots – and this was with the automatic trim tabs turned off. Our test day unfortunately was a calm one, so we headed off to Old Harry, running in the wake of the photo boat. The first thing that struck me was that the boat showed no desire to fall off the edge of the wake – its sharp hull was keen to hang on to whatever heading you gave it. Throwing the boat into full-lock turns, its character comes to life. What strikes you is the total feeling of security – I would say deceptively so, but that implies that you could lose the plot, which is unlikely. The Anytec carves an incredibly sharp line, often with its rubbing strake touching the water. Occasionally, if you nail the throttle too hard, the stern will slip for a moment – in effect tightening the turn a touch, before the boat punches out of the apex. What certainly helps is the amount of lift and buoyancy at the stern created by a relatively wide beam in the aft section of the boat. Couple this to a sharp, well-balanced hull and it has no tendency to wag or drag its hindquarters.
However, the most impressive aspect of driving the Anytec is wave cresting. On the day, this meant running through the wake just off the stern of the photo boat. Initially this is always a speculative moment as you never quite know what to expect with a new boat. My first run at 30 knots was a slightly cautious one, with the boat’s shock-absorbing seats making light work of it. Russell from Salterns then told me: ‘The faster you go, the softer the jump.’ He wasn’t wrong as my next full-throttle 40-knot pass showed me in an instant what this boat is all about. That little bit of extra stern lift gets the sharp forefoot working to the maximum – cutting a deeper path while far less or none of the stern quarters makes contact with the water. Driving the boat in this manner is a case of keeping the engine fully trimmed in, which, coupled to its perfect weight balance, greatly reduces the tendency for the bow to reach for the sky. The only problem I can foresee is that once you have come to terms with driving the Anytec in its element, calm seas will not appeal.
Running above 35 knots up to her top speed of 45.2 knots you need to trim the engine out slightly to get those last 2 knots. Her most economical cruising speed was 25 knots, when her fuel flow meter indicated that she was returning just over 3mpg. The official test figures from Yamaha for this boat when it was first launched claim 4.5mpg at this speed, which may well be closer to the truth. Make of this what you will, but I will say that fuel flow meters can be wildly inaccurate unless carefully calibrated when the engine is first fitted. Realistically, unless it’s very rough you will cruise at between 30 and 35 knots, as 25 knots feels like walking pace. At 30 knots the official Yamaha test figures show just over 4mpg, dropping to 2.25mpg at wide-open throttle. All things considered, these claims are not unrealistic.
Internally the boat does appear spartan, with the focus on two heavy-duty adjustable shock-absorbing seats, and a clinically neat and ergonomically friendly helm. There are many options with this boat, including a single folding bed across the back of the cabin if need be. Alternatively, and far more realistically, you can choose two additional shock-absorbing seats in place of the two storage lockers found at the back of the cabin. Given how this boat is likely to be driven, I would say this option is a must, especially as these seats are very effective and only £2,500 a pair. Impressively, a 2kw Webasto heater keeps the cabin warm and the windscreen clear, while the electric cool box guarantees a cold beer on a hot day.
The boat is finished with a special nanocoating known as M400. Nanotechnology, as it has become known, alters the surface molecular structure so that foreign matter will not effectively bond to it. Subsequently, the Anytec will not suffer that browning effect that aluminium craft suffer from. It is claimed that the boat does not even need to be hosed down after use, as the hydrophobic effect is such that not even salt water will leave a trace. If you want the boat finished in a colour other than conventional aluminium, you can choose mirror polishing or paint, with M400 on top. Looking at the heavy-duty construction and superb welding in the cockpit and the foredeck area, you have little doubt that the network of hidden stringers and cross members below is no less impressive.
Verdict
The Anytec 747 CAB is quite a radical boat, which some may argue is too radical for many UK dayboaters. However, given the popularity of other distinctively styled Scandinavian boats, I suspect it will soon develop a fan base. Considering the popularity of the RIB in this country, I can’t see how a boat that offers heating and full weather protection can fare any less successfully than an open boat. It is a great alternative to a RIB – it has a similar utilitarian character, seakeeping to match a bigger boat, rapid steering, good power-to-weight ratio and is light enough not to need the biggest 4×4 to tow it. It also has the ability to cover long passages, which you would not normally contemplate in a boat this size. The test boat was fitted with a 300hp Yamaha F BETX, which is perfectly matched to the Anytec and weighs just 255kg. The boat’s power rating is 150hp to 350hp – however, anything below 250hp would not do the boat justice. If you crave crossing that 50-knot barrier, then the 350hp options are either the mighty Yamaha F350 5.3L V8, weighing in at 346kg, or the 2.6L supercharged Mercury Verado 350, which weighs 303kg. Though the Yamaha F350 is a superb engine, the lighter weight of the Mercury would be my choice.
What We Thought
For
- Great seakeeping and handling
- Rapid performance
- Good helm set-up
- Very solid build quality – virtually impossible to abuse
- Practicality/safety
- Great weather protection
- Efficient due to light weight
- Potential 250-mile range with a 20% reserve
Against
- Needs a slightly higher windscreen if you are taller than average
- Could do with some more internal storage
Specifications
- LOA: 8.08m
- Beam: 2.54m
- Transom deadrise angle: 21 degrees
- Displacement: 1370kg (no engine – the Yamaha 300 F BETX weighs in at 255kg)
- Power options: 150hp to 350hp
- Fuel capacity: 350 litres
- RCD category: C for 8
- Test engine: 300hp Yamaha 300 F BETX
Performance
- 45.2 knots (2-way average), sea conditions moderate, wind F3, with 50% fuel (40 gallons)
Price:
As tested: £98,000 (inc. VAT)
Contact
Salterns Brokerage
40 Salterns Way
Poole
Dorset
BH148JR