Sterk 31RC

Nominated for the European Powerboat of the Year Award 2024, the Sterk 31RC

Jo Moon and Mark Featherstone travel to the Continent to test the very latest offering from German sports boat manufacturer Sterk. But just how easy is it to ride this twin 350 Yamaha horse-powered thoroughbred? Join our intrepid duo to find out …

The Sterk 31RC is a thoroughbred set to take the industry by storm. Manufactured in Germany and combining high-quality craftmanship with innovative design, this luxury day boat was launched at the 2023 boot Düsseldorf show and is the latest offering from German company MS Marine. ‘Sterk’ means ‘strength’, and also something that is not easily broken, and from the beginning, this boat has lived up to its name, having originally been manufactured in a facility in Ukraine that was bombed early on in the war.

Designed by Carlos Vidal, who cut his teeth with ZAR Formenti, and naval designer Sasha Vlad, this is an eye-catching boat with a super-sport hull and was powered on our test day by two of the newly launched Yamaha 350hp engines, marrying speed and performance with Mediterranean elegance.

First impressions

The Sterk 31RC tested featured a roomy cockpit with wrap-around screen protecting the two helm seats, with comfortable Silvertex seating for two or three people behind. A well-planned forward heads and shower cabin coupled with a more-than-generous sunbed aft with small cabin underneath completes the picture.

Roomy cockpit.

All of these features feel roomy and spacious thanks to the extra space afforded by the twin-stepped deep-V hull with extended chines. Combined with these negative chines, the hooked spray rails on the aft planing surface are a great addition that give excellent grip and an assured stability in an aggressive turn with little or no cavitation. The strategically placed spray rails do an excellent job of deflecting spray, making for a more comfortable ride for the passengers on board.

Mediterranean design

The Mediterranean-inspired layout has been well thought through and has a premium, luxury feel enhanced by the leather-look honey-coloured upholstery and iconic branding. Moving around the boat feels safe and comfortable, and thinking of younger passengers, Jo in particular liked the high gunwales topped with chrome handrails that run from bow to stern and are interrupted by well-placed pop-up cleats.

Great fridge and freezer space under the bench seat.

The helm seats are roomy and turn round 180° to face the three-man bench seat. Underneath the latter there is space for two 52-litre fridges, or a fridge and a freezer. Again, this has been well thought through for a family day out to the beach. A huge sun pad takes up the rear third of the boat and lifts to reveal a shallow cabin taken up entirely by a mattress, which would be cosy, if not a little claustrophobic, although thankfully there is an opening window. Generous storage in side bins is currently basic, but future models will feature canvas pockets, which will avoid losing belongings into the bilge.

Shallow aft cabin.

The battery switches and fuel filters are neatly tucked away, and the struts for the fore and aft deck sunshade snap into a recess on the starboard side. Being a hardy cold-water swimmer, Jo was likewise pleased to see a generous swim platform either side of the engines, with no steps, giving clear walk-through access aft to where a transom shower is located. From the German sports boat manufacturer an alternative configuration offers a wet bar and cooking facilities, instead of the bench seat, along with a table and generous U-bench seating, which will also convert to a sunbed.

Roomy sunbed.

A welcome feature on this Sterk 31RC lies forward of the helm, for here a wide hatch lifts to reveal a heads, which is as sumptuous as it is spacious. Multiple mirrors, LED lighting and (unfrosted!) windows on both sides make it a light and airy space, with a vanity unit and pockets affording plenty of storage for toiletry essentials. A smart glass basin is a classy touch, and with a pull-out shower with an automatic pump, this heads and shower closet would enhance any weekend adventure.

The smart heads compartment.

The seating up front will also convert into a sunbed, or there is an option of a table. I’m not entirely convinced by the anchor arrangement, which is very prominent and stands proud of the bow. It may not present difficulties mooring stern to in the Mediterrean style, but it could be a bit of a weapon in our UK marinas. That said, a clever touch when lowering the anchor is the addition of rams pushing it out a further 30cm, thereby mitigating damage to the bow.

The anchor arrangement could be a bit of a weapon in the wrong hands!

Yamaha throttle.

The attention to detail and craftsmanship extends to the helm area with its matt-black dashboard contrasting with glossy white curves sweeping down to the smart EVA soft teak deck. The helm station is equipped with a double plotter, a Yamaha Q control panel and an integrated Zipwake system. The throttle is on the starboard side and the joystick to port. While Jo didn’t favour this so much, I found the Yamaha Helm Master system and its set-up a joy to operate, and it certainly made the business of coming in and out of the busy marina a stress-free operation. Induction mobile charging and a temperature-controlled cup holder ensure the skipper is well looked after.

Enhancements to the Helm Master EX® include a Joystick-integrated variable speed bow thruster system.

Inspecting the new Yamaha 350hp V6.

Thrills & challenges

Out on the open water, this thoroughbred Sterk 31RC leapt out of the starting block, confidently slicing through a choppy seaway. Leaping elegantly onto the plane, we achieved 30 knots in eight seconds, then accelerated hard to the mid-to-high 40s. It became apparent that the engines were overrevving; then the skipper affirmed that because the boat was so fast, they had actually depropped the engine for the test day! Presumably, the boat with its hydrodynamic efficiency must have been somewhat out of its comfort zone beyond 50 knots? However, the unbridled power issuing from the twin Yamaha 350s revealed a weakness in the seating arrangement that we believe needs more thought for a boat with these performance characteristics. As a consequence, the helm and related crew seating became challenging at high speed.

The helm seats on the 31RC were comfortable but had relatively low sides and were not adjustable. Jo, at 5’ 4”, couldn’t see over the top of the helm unless she sat on the raised seat bolster, but of course she was then left sitting with her feet swinging free! I fared better with my height of 6’ 1” but still didn’t feel particularly secure at high speeds. For the crew positioned on the bench seat behind, there were no handholds in front, and while passengers at either end of the bench (which did have high sides) could hang onto the screen that tapers down, it felt awkward and unsafe. Plus, the middle person in the rear seat had nothing to hang on to at all.

The beauty & the beast

Sterk’s hashtag is #the_beauty_in_the_beast, and while it is true that this is a beautiful and, indeed, luxurious craft, just as the beast strives to conquer his demons to charm the beauty, it felt as though there was a mismatch between the performance and passenger security. This is a super, high-performance boat, but to be honest, it feels a little like riding a racehorse without a proper saddle! Nevertheless, this is a go-anywhere boat – those air steps in the hull allowing a fast and flat ride that is as equally at home in rough seas as it might be coming into a pretty cove and anchoring off the beach.

A final word

With the twin Yamaha 350s giving an impressive range of 210nm a day, the Sterk 31RC will certainly take you further afield in style. But combining luxury with performance is a fine art, and although Sterk have definitely produced a fine boat in the 31RC, they still have some considerable work to do in terms of the craft’s internal design.

Ergonomics and passenger safety are paramount aboard a performance craft, because the faster you go, the higher the stakes. So, such things as handholds, secure seating and provision for foot bracing all really need to be got right. A consideration would be lesser horsepower, especially for family/ leisure use in mind. And, to be fair, the Sterk and Yamaha teams should have jointly made sure that this boat was set up to perfection prior to offering it for critical evaluation. That said, if these issues can be addressed, there’s no reason why this new model shouldn’t be up there with the best of them in this highly popular sector of the sports boat market.

Specifications

Length: 9.28m
Beam: 2.99m
Dry weight: 2620kg
Weight as tested (approx.): 3848kg
Fuel capacity: 530L
F350BET Twin 350 V6 Yamaha OBMs

Price

As tested: £210,977.47 / €250,000 (excl. VAT; incl. engines)
Standard with engines starts at £117,296.54 / €139,000

Yamaha 350hp

At a special press event in Italy earlier this summer, Yamaha provided a unique opportunity to test their new 350hp engine. Initially launched at boot Düsseldorf in 2024, this fresh 350hp V6 engine offered an exhilarating and responsive boating experience on six test boats, including the featured Sterk RC. As the European market trend for increased boat sizes and a thirst for advanced technology features continue, this welcome addition to the Yamaha brand bridges the gap between the V6 and V8 engines, offering even greater power and torque at lower speeds.

Catering to customer demand for more horsepower diversity, the larger intake and exhaust valves certainly impressed us on the day in both single and twin configuration. Alongside the upgraded Helm Master EX system, this lightweight engine boasts an equivalent fuel efficiency to the F300 at cruising speeds – making a compelling argument for engine choice. The design has had a refresh too – it is available in pearl white or prosaic metal grey.