Parker Sorrento 100

Capable of confidently handling either a single or twin installation, the new Sorrento model from Parker Boats is a concisely designed six-person weekender that displays many of the attributes normally associated with a full-blown cruiser. HMS explains …

Take a look at our walkaround at Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

The Sorrento 100 is the very latest offering from the highly respected Parker shipyard, a company I’ve known personally for well over 20 years. Indeed, I recall their early boatbuilding endeavours well – going back, in fact, to when the Parker name was almost exclusively associated with the design and manufacture of offshore RIBs. Back then, and certainly prior to 2002, there were no CAD or flexible foam/resin core infusion processes to speak of. Like most boatbuilders at that time, everything had to be painstakingly fashioned by hand, and in Parker’s case, over 90% of the individual parts used in the assembly of their boats were manufactured in-house. That ‘house’, or production facility, was also, even by the standards of the day, quite a humble affair. How things have changed! Not just across the general industry, but for Parker themselves.

Today, Parkers are built in one of the biggest high-outputting plants in the whole of Europe. It is an incredible operation, flush with sophisticated milling machines, CAD-driven production processes, its own wet testing facilities, an internal design department, and automotive-like assembly lines that ensure that an array of leisure craft are rolled out across the world for distribution.

There’s little doubt that those early days served the company well – as that was when Parker cut their teeth building all-weather craft, many of which served the professional sector. These included coded vessels that had to meet the most stringent of performance criteria. Most folk might not recognise it, but that ethos for assured quality focused on the offshore continues to be reflected in the contemporary designs we see Parker producing even in 2023. You could say that it’s still very much part of that original Parker DNA.

Harmony by design

Notice in the accompanying imagery, for instance, the new Sorrento model’s purposeful look, her full bow, the double steps to her hull and that all-weather protection. Note too the harmony that the Sorrento appears to achieve between satisfying the expectations of those who love a few brushstrokes of luxury and the requirements of those who need a boat that really holds together when the going gets tough – one that will take on the weather and eat up the rough.

On a recent jaunt to Poland, the PBR team enjoyed, once again, the very first opportunity to put a craft through its paces that no one else outside the factory had driven, let alone seen in the flesh. This initial set-up featured twin 250hp outboards and was tested with 10 people on board and all fuel tanks filled to the brim.

Super comfy sun lounger.

Step by step

Driving the boat in fresh water (which, by its nature, possesses greater drag) produced a maximum speed of 44.5 knots – not bad, I think you’ll agree, for a pre-production 3500kg boat assembled straight ‘out of the box’. It’s likely that the finalised production version of the Parker Sorrento will be rigged with a pair of 300hp Mercury outboards, and by the time you read this article it should be on the water, fully trialled and ready for market. We estimate that when the model is fully commissioned, this twin-300hp set-up will be capable of at least 47 knots, especially through salt water as opposed to fresh water. The maximum twin-Mercury 350hp engine option ratified by Parker for this model will undoubtedly secure 50 knots or even more. But we’ll bring you the results of such a test another day!

As previously mentioned, this twin-outboard sports cruiser is of twin-step design, which means she travels with a very level attitude, not only underway but when climbing up onto the plane too. The Sorrento’s hull is also a very hydrodynamically efficient hull type – a design that encourages the least amount of resistance, which in turn achieves enhanced fuel efficiency. Suited to both day boating and fulfilling the role of a ‘weekender’, the Sorrento has all the hallmarks of a great cross-Channel cruiser or even an all-season coastal voyager.

Tastefully practical

The new model offers a likable degree of practicality, because besides being a capable and sporty sea boat, her tasteful styling doesn’t lose sight of those fundamental factors that contribute toward a boat being suited to comfortable passage making. These include her ergonomic helm design, the cabin’s seating plan and good all-round vision, her sturdy frame and solid superstructure, her protected aft deck and all-round guard rails, etc.

The Sorrento will no doubt appeal to those seeking a user-friendly, versatile craft – one that also benefits from being not too large to handle when close quartering within the confines of a marina. For those with families, having the capacity to sleep up to six people means the Sorrento makes for a super weekend getaway boat, or even a vessel that allows for some extended adventuring. Without utilising the convertible seating units within her central travel/cockpit cabin, the Sorrento’s two well-appointed living cabins will accommodate four adults in privacy and comfort.

Up forward, the bow sun lounge area is designed for three people side by side, with access being gained through the vessel’s port-side cockpit bulkhead. With secure handrails on both sides, this area provides a comfortable space in which to embrace the outdoors and relax at anchor. Ahead of this, up in the forepeak, a generous anchor locker provides access to the windlass anchor system.

The Sorrento’s generous beam and adjustable seating plan also allow for a fairly limited but useful social area aft. This is largely covered by the hardtop roof but features forward- and rear-facing beach-styled seating with a clever window panel to its starboard face to provide natural light for the rearward cabin. Aft of this area again, a wide bathing platform extends outward and is finished, as in the case of the rest of the decking, in faux teak.

At its heart

The central travel cabin is a fine example of modern interior design. Outstandingly light and airy, its use of contemporary material and fabrics provides a sharp, clean appearance that accentuates spaciousness. A full heads and good-sized shower cubicle, a galley to the starboard rear of the cabin and a dining table surrounded on two sides by continuous sofa-styled seating that converts into a comfortable two-berth double bed all unite to make the Sorrento a viable pocket cruiser. Noteworthy too is the fact that the rear of the travel cabin/cockpit can be fully protected with a canopy, which is neatly stowed within the imaginative design of the vessel’s cabin side pillar. Thus, with the sunroof shut and the rear canopy in place, the boat becomes fully enclosed for overnighting or foul weather.

All in all, we see the Sorrento as being a very worthy addition to the Parker leisure range. It’s also a craft well suited to British climes and the types of seas commonly found off our coasts. This is a very likable family boat in our view.