RIBCO Venom 30 – Yamaha 4.3L V6 F350
ZEN 40 – V8 350hp HONDA
RIBCO Venom 30 – Yamaha 4.3L V6 F350
ZEN 40 – V8 350hp HONDA
Mazziena 26SP – DF350A dual prop Suzuki
Mazziena 26SP is a new brand in the rigid inflatable boat sector, making her presence particularly noticeable at the Boat Shows where she was first presented, gaining positive comments from the maritime friends regarding her build quality and functionality.
Certified in category B by the Dutch classification society, with 42 degrees at the bow entrance and 24 degrees at the transom, 7.99m Mazziena 26SP is designed to offer the greatest possible comfort to passengers in the medium-sized inflatable boat category.
The clean design lines and the high level of materials and accessories used, compose a beautiful and sporty ensemble that can transfer up to 10 people in comfort and safety to distant destinations.
It is important to mention that Mazziena 26SP has been designed entirely on white paper, where her inspirer and builder, Lambros Kalliris, made a huge effort to transform his knowledge and seamanship into unique features of both the deck and the hull. Very well designed interior spaces with ergonomics and functionality in mind, very correctly placed cleats and handles, very good applications of the individual accessories which are of very good quality, while if we bend down under the air chambers we will distinguish many remarkable features in the hull of the boat, most of which respond excellently, especially in harsh weather conditions.
The hull of Mazziena 26SP adopts the deep V philosophy with a strongly knifelike bow and is characterized by the presence of four spray rails per dihedral, which progressively interrupt their course towards the transom of the boat. It is worth noting that at the edge of the dihedral, a smaller "keel" is formed, four centimeters wide, which stops 90 cm before the transom, an element that made its presence particularly noticeable and was functioning as a central rudder in the sharp turns we attempted even at high speeds, literally screwing the boat, leaving no room for sideslips.
On deck
What stands out about Mazziena 26SP from the very first glance are the high polyester gunwales that surround the deck, which may increase the overall weight of the boat, but on the other hand create a high sense of security, particularly important for families with young children. They extend from the aft sofa and reach the bow, where they reach a maximum height of 64 centimeters, covering the largest part of the upper surface of the air chambers along their course, creating a long passageway, 30 centimeters wide.
Most of the bow is made of polyester, with the air chambers reaching up the bow sundeck which is very small in size due to the manufacturer's preference to maintain more usable space on the aft deck. Under the bow cushion there is a large storage space, while on the right and left of it we can see two small side hatches that lead to very useful storage spaces that can accommodate the boat's ropes.
The hard nose offers a comfortable step and a completely clean surface for safe entry and exit from the boat. The bow cleats are very correctly placed on the side surfaces of the hard nose, as is the anchor that exits through it, without posing any risk of injury during our passage.
The console of the Rib is centrally located, leaving free passageways to the right and left of the width of 25 cm. Inside it is the individual toilet area with dimensions of 80 cm x 110 cm x 165 cm.By lifting the tilting door located in the front part of the console and bearing a large built-in seat, a very beautiful and bright space is revealed, covered with leatherette, where the sink, shower and wc are located. Under the step are the boat's batteries, while at the back there is a large hatch that gives us access to the electrical installation of the console, for which we must give credit to the shipyard.
A little inspection is enough to see the particularly careful and tidy management and distribution of cables, fuse boxes, switches and electronic instruments, a fact that has a direct relationship with our safety and reflects the manufacturer's seamanship and respect for prospective owners.
The pilot station is very nicely designed and arranged on three levels, with every instrument and accessory in the right position for unobstructed inspection and direct control by the captain's right hand.
Just above the steering wheel is the large Simrad multifunction navigation display and to the right is the engine instrument, the audio source and a very useful socket for mobile phones. Below is a horizontal surface that hosts the high-quality electrical switches, the trim tabs panel, the bow thruster joystick and a cup holder. On the lower level is the steering wheel which is located on the port, while in the center is the engine control and to the starboard is the VHF and a small, but very useful glove box for storing small items.
The windshield is particularly high and gives us a wonderful view towards the bow in every driving position, while it fully protects both the panel instruments and the captain-co-captain from the wind and spray. On the sides of the console there are two very useful handles that also support the stainless steel hard top, which is very beautifully designed and fits harmoniously with the general lay out of the deck.
The double helm seat is reclining and accommodates a useful storage space underneath, while the individual buckets offer very good lateral support. Behind, it is a double seat facing the stern, thus increasing the number of people seated in the stern lounge, while below it is a very useful storage space and further forward the boat's electric refrigerator.
78 cm further aft is the large stern sofa with a width of 1.80 m, and the stern sundeck is following with dimensions of 95 cm x 205 cm. Under the stern sundeck is the tent-type cabin of the boat, which with dimensions of 200 cm x 120 cm can accommodate two adults. At the back of the cabin there are three hatches that provide the necessary access to the bilge and the equipment inside the boat's transom.
In the engine area, two large swimming platforms are formed, one of which houses the auxiliary engine while the other has a large free surface for our marine activities. An elegant platform connects the swimming platforms behind the engine, offering its necessary protection, while at the same time allowing us to exit the boat more easily when docking with the stern.
At sea
A 350hp Suzuki engine was mounted on the Mazziena 26SP transom, which with a gear ratio of 2.29:1 was turning a pair of 3-blade 15 ½’’ x 22.5’’ stainless steel propellers. On the day of our test, the northerly winds were blowing with a strength of 5-6 Beaufort, which gave us the opportunity to evaluate the boat's capabilities in harsh weather conditions.
With 220 liters of fuel, 120 liters of water, two crew members and all the basic equipment of the boat without the auxiliary engine, we slowly headed out into the open sea where the waves exceeding one meter in height.
Unable to control my adrenaline, I bent down securing the keel-cord around my thigh and pushed the throttle violently forward. Chris took on the role of throttlman, as I was focused on my bow having both my hands around the steering wheel.
With the weather coming at our stern, the boat bridged the waves with our speed fluctuating around 40 knots, while the throttlman took care to adjust the engine trim accordingly so that we always maintained the desired ride angle. The hull was passing effortlessly over the crests of the waves, with the bow standing high, without showing any tendency to nail even when we were not particularly trimmed out.
Turning the bow against the waves, we continued our frantic course at high speeds, resulting in only the stern part of the hull touching on the water. It is characteristic that no matter how much we trimmed the engine outward, in no case did we manage to set the blades out of the water surface, which offered us a wonderful grip. It is remarkable that even when the boat was passing through the crests of the waves, the knife-like bow cut them like butter while the deep hull took on the task of cushioning every landing, giving us very soft riding.
If we accept that the speed that a boat can develop in heavy weather conditions, safely and without straining the occupants, is one of the most important criteria for her seaworthiness, then there is no doubt that Mazziena 26SP has a particularly seaworthy hull that can travel us to rough seas, as long as we have the appropriate experience and the ability to drive aggressively.
However, beyond the smooth riding of the Rib, we were particularly impressed by her robust construction and the perfect application of her moving parts, as a result of which we did not receive any annoying vibrations or noises, despite our frantic course, a fact that gained our trust and increased our self-confidence, while at the same time testifying the great attention that the shipyard pays to this field.
After enjoying our ride, satisfied with the particularly tough test to which we subjected Mazziena 26SP, we headed towards the bay of Sounio, which was well sheltered from the wind, so that we could record our measurements.
The Rib got out of the hole in 15 seconds, remained on plane at 2600 rpm maintaining a speed of 12.5 knots, while accelerating to 30 knots in 10 seconds and reaching 40 knots in 22 seconds. The above numbers are particularly high, a fact that was also noticeable from the throttle response and the poor acceleration we received.
At 3000 rpm, we were running at just 14 knots burning 2 liters per nautical mile, while at 3500 rpm we were cruising at 18 knots with the fuel consumption remaining consistently high.
At 4000 rpm, we were travelling at 25 knots with consumption dropping to 1.8 liters per mile, as at 4500 rpm we were running at 30 knots.
At WOT, Mazziena 26SP recorded a top speed of 42 knots, while the engine reached 5800 rpm, staying far from the maximum limit recommended by the manufacturer.
You can see our measurements in the table below:
However, a closer look at the table of measurements, in combination with the feeling we got, clearly show us that this particular boat-engine-propeller combination needs significant interventions, mainly related to the choice of a different propeller and perhaps to the height position of the engine.
The lag was evident up to 4000 rpm, as shown by the particularly high slip values we recorded in that range.
A closer look at the table of measurements will reveal that our specific test set-up needs some interventions in order to become more efficient in all the fields.
It is clear that the slip values we recorded throughout the entire speed range are particularly high, especially if we consider that six blades were pushing the boat into the water, with all that this entails.
It would be really interesting to try running this particular boat-engine combination with shorter propellers, so as to allow the engine to reach its maximum rpm limit. We therefore suggest using 3 inches’ shorter propellers so that the engine approaches 6300 rpm, even when the boat will carry its usual loads.
In this case, the slip figures at low and medium rpm will be significantly reduced, we will get higher cruising speeds, while acceleration will become more explosive, which will allow us to ride with greater agility in difficult weather conditions.
Manufacturer:
Mazziena-ribs
Loutraki, 20300 Karpounari
Τel. 2744062703 / 6937282013
info@mazziena-ribs.com
