MAR.CO e-Motion 36 – 3 x 400hp 2.6L Verados

RIBCO Seafarer 36X – Twin 2.6L 400hp Verados

Stingher 28 GT – 2x225hp V6 Mercury

RIBCO Seafarer 36X – Twin 2.6L 400hp Verados

Stingher 28 GT – 2x225hp V6 Mercury

MAR.CO e-Motion 36 – 3 x 400hp 2.6L Verados

By Thomas P.

Could you buy an inflatable boat without even looking?
Although of course, in most cases the answer is no, Mar.co is one of those brands that yes, we could buy it with closed eyes having absolute confidence in this Ribyard.

MAR.CO e-Motion 36 – 3 x 400hp 2.6L Verados

It is true that Mar.co has managed to create a brandname that has gain the trust of Rib friends with the excellent quality of construction and finish it’s providing for many years now.
It is a fact that nowadays, more than ever, the competition has been huge than ever and inflatable boats, although each yard is characterized by a distinct philosophy of design, comfort and performance, have many similarities between them.

Mar.co, however, manages to stand out, since its Ribs are immediately recognizable from a great distance due to their characteristic design lines, while its brandname has been identified with the high construction quality, the seaworthy offshore design of its hulls and especially with the comfort which offers living at sea.

The e-Motion 36 may not have the aggressive line or the top speed of some other inflatable boats and may need more horsepower to move fast, but it is superior by far to what we call comfortable living on board (freedom of movement, capability of relaxing, dining and overnight).

So, if we belong to the category of those whose the main reason for a boat purchase is the nautical camping and we accept that the average time we spend at sea with our boat during the summer is 30 to 40 days (720 to 960 hours) with our engines not to count more than 50 hours a season, meaning that 93% of our time we spend on deck, anchored on a beautiful beach or marina, and only 7% traveling, then emerges a very real question:
Is it maybe worth sacrificing more horsepower with a possible increase in our fuel consumption or a few miles more top speed instead of comfortable living on the boat which is the vast majority of our use?

Is this, probably after all, the obvious reason that the e-Motion 36 is the best seller of Mar.co mainly preferred by families?
So if your aesthetics and philosophy match those of Mar.co and you are more concerned in comfortable and pleasant living on board, then the e-Motion 36 is one-way in its category.

On deck

The e-Motion 36 combines functionality, comfort and ergonomics on deck while ensuring your overnight stays on board with luxury in its spacious cabin, has a large, separate from the toilet, bathroom and is very generous in sunbathing areas while providing large storage spaces.

The huge sun deck of the bow, most of which is the roof of the cabin which is completely hidden by the steeply rising course of the tubes in the area of the console, constitutes the main area of relaxation and sunbathing with dimensions 2.28m x 2.16m x 0.65m.

Under the front cushion is the hatch that gives us access to the windlass and the chain of the anchor, while behind there is the necessary storage space for placing lifebuoys, ropes or fenders. The lining of the above storage spaces with gel coat gives a high sense of finish and characterizes the attention that the yard gives even to the invisible areas of the Rib.

To the port and starboard of the console there are comfortable of about 25 cm passageways leading to the bow sun deck, while on its front side, which has an intense inclination backwards, large cushions have been adjusted where we can sit comfortably and enjoy our cruise when the weather conditions favor it.

The pilot station is located on the starboard side of the console and offers ample space for placing all kinds and sizes of electronic devices. The switches as well as all its equipment are characterized by excellent quality materials with obvious attention paid to even the last detail.

The steering wheel is centrally located having above the 16-inch Raymarine screen, to the right of which is Mercury's Vessel View which offers all the information regarding the three engines. So, with a look at its LCD screen we can be informed about the engines’ rpm, their temperature, the trim, the speed of the Rib, the fuel consumption and much more.
To the left of the steering wheel is the very beautiful panel that houses the boat's push button switches, while lower is the wide footrest which we will especially appreciate when driving in a sitting position.

To the port of the pilot station is the large sliding door that leads to the cabin, which is without a doubt the strongest point of the Rib.
A large staircase leads to the interior of the cabin, the headroom of which is 1.78 meters high, 1.09m long and 72cm wide and gives us great comfort of movements.

On the left there is the electrical panel that reflects the high standard and excellent work of the yard, the cabin refrigerator and two large and very useful cabinets for placing various items.

On the right is the door that leads to the independent space of the bathroom area which in turn is separated from the rest space by a glass door, thus offering greater comfort and limitation of wet surfaces during our shower.

With overall dimensions of 1.40m x 1.15m x 1.78m, it definitely constitutes a very beautiful space that will be highly appreciated by the ladies of the crew.

The cabin berth has 1.85m of length, maximum width 1.65m, while the width in the headrest area is 1.25m. Dimensions that are definitely satisfactory and can comfortably sleep two adults. Under the berth there is a large storage space while on the right and left of it there are very useful shelves for small items.
Furthermore, in front of the bed there is a very useful storage space and on the right a small closet where we can hang the clothes of our night walks.

The helm seats are bucket independent, mounted on the front side of the wet-bar. Their front section is reclining and allows us to drive upright when conditions require it.

Behind the helm seats there is the elegant and highly functional outdoor kitchen which leaves very large passageways to its right and left for the comfortable movement of passengers. It is equipped with a sink, faucet and gas stove, while at the back there is a large stainless steel refrigerator.

Of course, we have to emphasize the hard top of the e-Motion 36 which is excellently designed and without a doubt is one of the best on the market.
It has a very large surface for mounting radar, large lamps and antennas, on the lower surface are placed speakers and lights for the deck, while in front and behind the main window that provides the necessary lighting of the console, two very useful storage spaces have been cleverly created.

The overall design of the hard top perfectly matches the characteristics of the boat, it is wider in the outdoor kitchen area, while in combination with the high windshield it surrounds the entire cockpit and creates an amazing and completely protected space from wind, spray and rain, making the boat ideal for winter excursions.

The only, and of course well-intentioned remark is that we would suggest the windshield, which is made of plexi and does not favor visibility at all, to be replaced by crystal with the simultaneous installation of a wiper.

On the aft cockpit, a spacious lounge is formed that can accommodate more than six people, in the center of which there is a large table measuring 1.20mx1.16m.
The table can move up and down with an electro-hydraulic mechanism and allows us to create a huge sunbathing berth when we desire, while in its lowest position it nestles on the deck setting us free from the obligation of its transportation and storage.

The new element that E-Motion 36 has to show is the cleverly designed transom doors which open backwards, forming small seats, while at the same time leaving large passageways for our access to the swimming platform, so as not to have to jump over the backrest of the stern sofa when moving back and forth.

It is also worth noting the smart and very useful storage space that is created between the doors of the transom, where we can place lines, fenders or even our stern anchor.

For lovers of detail, pay attention to the application and quality of the hinges of the basin lid, which do not protrude from the teak so that they do not carry any risk of injury when moving barefoot on the swimming platform.

With the extension of the bracket, a huge and enviable swimming platform was created which reminds us of surfaces that we only encounter in boats with inboard propulsion system.
Its design is excellent, without protruding absolutely anything, ensuring our comfortable and safe movement with ample space for our marine activities.

On the starboard side, inside a special box, is the ladder which is a patent of Mar.co’s yard and is the best and smartest we have encountered so far.
On the port side of the swimming platform, under the long narrow lid there is a specially designed space that accommodates the windlass and the stern anchor of the Rib.

At sea

The e-Motion 36 of our test was equipped with three 2.6L Supercharged 400hp outboard engines of Mercury, which with a maximum rpm range of 6200-6800 and a gear ratio of 1.75: 1 were turning two clockwise and one counterclockwise ECO Enertia 16"x19" propellers.

With a crew of 5 people, 600 liters of fuel, 100 liters of fresh water and all the equipment of the Rib, E-Motion 36 was capable of standing on plane at 2400 rpm maintaining a speed of 13 knots, consuming 48 liters per hour.

It was jumping onto plane in 5.5 seconds with the bow standing quite low, while the Rib accelerated to 30 knots in 5.7 seconds and reached 40 knots in 9 seconds.

At 3000 rpm we were traveling with 23 knots burning 3.5 liters per nautical mile, while at 3500 rpm we recorded the most economical cruise speed with 30 knots and 3.3 liters per mile.

At 4000 rpm we ran at 35 knots burning 3.4 liters per mile, while at 4500 rpm we reached 40 knots consuming 3.8 liters for each nautical mile.

It is worth noting that E-Motion 36 "felt" much happier at 4000 to 4200 rpm, where we were traveling with 35-37 knots consuming 3.4 to 3.6 liters per nautical mile. These are the cruise speeds we recommend, although the fuel consumption is a bit more, since the Rib seems to glide more easily on the water, having less wet surfaces while the slippage is almost zero.

The 37 knots are an excellent cruising speed that allows us to cover long distances relatively quickly and with maximum comfort, while it’s characteristic that at this speed E-Motion 36 looks like "stopped".

At WOT, the engines reached 6800 rpm while E-Motion 36 was flirting with 60 knots of top speed.

You can see our detailed measurements in the table below:

Perfomance data by e-Ribbing

What really impressed us were the incredibly low slip values that we recorded which in themselves constitute the mirror of the performance of any boat-engine combination. It's really amazing to get all the theoretical speed of our propellers, especially at cruise speeds, which simply means that we gain the maximum possible autonomy.

If we take into account that the engines reached exactly the rpm limit recommended by the manufacturer, then it becomes obvious that we had an excellent set-up in our hands, and of course we do not need to experiment more since we get the maximum performance from this boat-engines combination.

Of course, in case we would like to increase more the cruising speed while reducing the fuel consumption, it would be absolutely right to try the 20΄΄ pitch of ECO Enertia propellers.

After completing our measurements, we trimmed the central engine so that its lower unit to be completely out of the water. We wanted to find out the navigation capability in case of damage to one of the engines.

So, with only the two engines running, at 3500 rpm we could travel at 22 knots. At 4000 rpm our speed was 30 knots while at full throttle we ran at 46 knots with the engines reaching 5400 rpm.

The bottom line is that by having three engines mounted on our transom - instead of two - we are even able to continue our vacation and of course return quickly and safely to our base, in case one of the three engines stops working. This is a very important advantage in the dilemma of which is the best choice: twin or triple outboard configuration?

...keep Ribbing!