Greg Copp jumps on board a drop-dead white-knuckle blaster that will have you grinning like the Joker.
Having already made an overseas impact, the Virtue V10 has at last reached our shores. Previewed in PBR two issues ago, we have now managed to get aboard this eye-catching Polish boat. It looks typically Scandinavian on face value, but as you look deeper this is a craft that sits well alongside the Spanish De Antonio and the likes of Pardo. Without a doubt, this craft is built for weather that gets boaters out on the water. It has a super-clinical look, is beautifully finished and has the attention to detail that one expects from a high-end sports boat/superyacht tender.
It does, to some degree, have a dual persona. It claims to be a low-carbon yacht, which with its resin-infused Petestep hull and Evoy electric outboard options (single 120hp to twin 300hp) is a credible claim. However, there is another side to the V10 and, given its sporting credentials, arguably a more realistic one. It has a plethora of petrol outboard engine options, ranging from a single 300hp up to twin 300hps.

Drop-down bulwarks transform any boat
The Petestep hull is a significant design feature, channelling water aft towards the transom rather than letting it escape laterally. Its design uses two prominent spray rails on either side, raked aft from a point on the keel at the bottom of the forefoot, forming a delta outline. They are relatively unobtrusive and only visible when the boat is planing, but their profile is such that they tuck in towards the centre line. The aim is to increase pressure beneath the hull to enhance dynamic lift, improve stability, soften the ride and increase hull efficiency. Gains of up to 30% are claimed, but it is fair to say that the first-generation Petestep hulls used by Yamarin gave an efficient dry ride, and subsequent Petestep designs have proven effective. It is, to all intents and purposes, a traditional deep-vee hull – in this case with twin hull steps and some patented tweaks – which certainly provides a drier ride.
The social dimension of this boat exceeds its size. Its fold-down bulwarks, which virtually double the cockpit deck space, are deployed at the press of a button. Beam bathing platforms are increasingly becoming the norm with larger sports boats, so it is no real surprise that Virtue have adopted the concept. The V10 already has an unusually large bathing platform area for an outboard boat, so you get plenty of space where you really need it. The dinette is large for a 10m boat – capable of seating eight – and is matched by a bigger galley than you would expect in this size of boat. Galley facilities include two fridges, drawer storage, a sink and a double hob. It is crafted from a tough synthetic material known as ‘Staron’ – in this case with a dark granite-like finish, though other colours are available. With an infill cushion section, the table can drop down, converting the dinette to a big sunbed, which can be further extended fore and aft with the seat backs folding down. All upholstery is Silvertex – a tough fabric-like waterproof material. Below the dinette is a large storage section, which is accessed by two sections of the deck hingeing up on powered rams. This area also provides access to the batteries, cut-off switches, system wiring and the shore power components.

The helm is well equipped but a bit cramped.
Due to the size of the dinette and galley, the latter butts up close to the helm seats, so to open the galley top you must slide the helm seats to their forward position for the top to lock open. Also, the space between the helm seats and the dash is limited. This does not really pose an issue when seated at the helm, but when standing, you do not get that ideal angle of lean against the seat bolster – and getting in and out of the helm seats can be a bit of a squeeze.

Safe deck access.
Going forward, deck access is good – all the safer for high bulwarks – and access to the anchor locker is easy. The foredeck coachroof, covered with sunbed sections, also has an escape hatch/skylight, the area beneath which can be exposed by removing the central cushion section. Typically for such a boat, it has trip-free drop-down cleats, but less typical is the hidden flush-fitting vertical anchor hatch that sits at the top of the stem. With the anchor winch deployed, the hidden hatch opens and the anchor rolls out before dropping clear of the bow – very neat. However, one aspect of the forward deck movement I did not like was the T-top overhang being at head height when stepping down from the higher forward side deck. I saw it coming just in time as I walked aft, but being 6ft, the rooftop grab rail was perfectly aligned for my forehead. Ideally, the T-top roof needs to narrow slightly in its forward section.

This big galley matches the dinette well.

A great dinette.

A long but slim sunbed on the foredeck.
Below, the cabin is a basic overnighter. Headroom is limited, but the bed is a decent double, and there is a good degree of natural light from the side windows. All joinery is veneer and of a high standard. The heads compartment has an electric toilet and a sink in standard form, and you can specify an optional shower, which I suspect will not be that popular given that you do not have standing headroom. Opposite the heads, next to the companionway steps, is a display panel from which you can monitor the boat’s systems.

Plenty of natural light in the cabin.

The heads – compact but well appointed.
Driving the V10
Performance is as to be expected from a 500hp 3-tonne boat: 30 knots flashes up in 9 seconds, though you barely feel it shut off from the wind blast inside the tall enclosed windscreen. Our test boat, I was informed, had a slightly dirty bottom, so 44 knots was all we could achieve. I am told that with twin 250hp Hondas, she normally hits 48 knots, which is what I would have expected. That said, this boat is great fun to drive fast. She runs pretty level and so achieves up to 42 knots on zero engine trim. If you want those last couple of knots (or more with a clean hull) and a more responsive top-end drive, then trimming out to 50% is where you need to be. Engine trim is very quick with the Hondas – faster than anything I have experienced – so working the engines to suit the speed, or the tight turns you will throw this boat into, becomes part of the driving experience.
Running into my first turn, I had a degree of trim out, which resulted in a small amount of cavitation. Trimming in on the next turn corrected this, but as I subsequently pushed it harder I discovered that this boat has the ability to slide the stern through a full turn in a controlled manner. It was not a case of badly letting go and then biting back as you might expect. Instead, it slides round like drifting the back end of a rear-wheel-drive car. I will say that this is the first boat I have driven that does this, and it makes for an exciting drive when you choose to push it in such a spirited manner. Whether it does this with a different engine set-up is another matter. The steering is balanced and composed and certainly not overreactive, so if you want to slide the stern, that is your choice.

The anchor deploys through a clever system through the stem.

Escape hatch access means removing part of the forward sunbed.
Verdict
We had a very calm day, so I can’t comment on how good the hull is in bad weather, though I have been told its composure in tall chop is good. I suspect that its rakish deep-vee Petestep hull makes for an exciting rough-water ride, and its build quality appears solid enough for some big-sea abuse. The ride is dry thanks to the hull design, but whether the Petestep hull provides any increase in efficiency is another matter, which only a fuel consumption test on a clean hull will show. In its basic form, this boat is fairly well specified – more so than some – but you will still have to fork out for the T-top and a full suite of top-end Garmin electronics.
What we thought
For
- Good build quality
- Deck space
- On-board comfort and facilities
- Practicality
- Fit and finish
- Storage
- Moderate extras list
Against
- T-top overhang at head height for taller people when on foredeck
- Limited space at helm
Specifications
- LOA: 9.89m
- Beam: 2.9m
- Draught: 0.51m
- Outboard power options: Range of power options from single 300/400s, to twin 250/300s, including the electric Evoy Storm 300 option.
- Fuel capacity: 400L
- Water capacity: 60L
- Black-water capacity: 40L
- Displacement: 3 tonnes dry (twin engine set-up)
- Test engines: Twin 250p Honda BF250 outboards
- Hull type: Twin-step 20o V with Petestep® Technology