Lord 25 Fast Launch

Marshall Lord makes traditional boats such as displacement cruisers, quaint half-cabins and lovely period launches. All of them have little diesel kickers, so you can potter about like Ratty in Wind in the Willows, consuming just a few cups of juice, while taking in the views. I've always liked that idea.

So you can understand why I'm amazed by the latest launch from the long-haired, roll-your-own boatbuilder. Lord has decided it's time to move into the fast lane, and as we idle down Pittwater, as we have done numerous times before, I ask quizzically: "What the heck are you doing building a go-fast boat?" Lord replies by raising his hand to his peaked cap and muttering something about two hats.

Lord's Fast Launch 25 is still very much a traditional boat. It just goes faster. And although it has the romance of yesteryear, just like Lord's other boats, the big difference - aside from horsepower - is styling. The 25 is a runabout which harks back to the golden era of dayboating. It's not just the boat which will attract buyers, but the images it evokes.

At this year's Sydney Boat Show, for example, I stood alongside his pretty little 25ft cabin cruisers and couldn't help but hear the "Oohs" and "Aahhs." I'll never forget one retiree running up like a kid and declaring to his mate: "Now this IS a proper boat."

Lord tells me that his new 25 Fast Launch attracted a boatload of interest at the Sydney Boat Show. Among those sidling up to the teak coamings were Bob Hawke and Blanche d'Alpuget, the CEO of Just Jeans and a bevy of high-flying execs. It's that kind of boat.

WHY GO FAST?
What Lord set out to make was a Riva-style runabout with performance better suited to Australian sea conditions than the Italian boats. He wanted a fast runner - capable of crossing the Harbour or Pittwater in a blow - that exuded a feeling of tradition, while exciting the driver and guests.

The hull designer, Peter Maclean, happened to be aboard for this test. He has a genuine teak briefcase that identifies him as being from the classic-boat fold. He created the hull for the 25 Fast Launch after designing many boats, including displacement pleasure craft, trawlers, tugs and numerous one-offs.

Privately owned, the Fast Launch would make a great restaurant runner. The stylish hull is fashioned from hand-laid fibreglass, topped with royal-blue gelcoat and lined generously with oiled Burmese teak. The hull and deck are glassed together to form one solid structure and, in this case, the boat is foam-filled to meet NSW survey standards.

The hull is a warped-plane design, which means it has a variable deadrise and a flattish run aft for lift. There is just 11° of deadrise at the transom, but the entry is exceedingly fine, allowing you to cut through harbour chop and ferry wake en route to that waterfront eatery.

With five shipwrights in Lord's workforce, build time was eight to 10 months. Of this, two months were spent creating the boat's windscreen, a wonderful hand-made chrome/brass number with tempered glass. Without doubt, the windscreen is the single most stunning fitting on the boat.

Compared with Lord's first 25ft Fast Launch, released about a year ago, the new model is vastly different. With most of the weight located aft and a longer deck hiding a cabin with accommodation and amenities, the boat rides in much better trim.

STEYR POWER
The 25 Fast Launch also works better than the first boat now that it has a bigger, straight-six Steyr 236 turbo diesel inboard. The motor puts out 212hp and is mated to a Borg Warner vee drive, chosen to maximise internal volume and keep weight aft.

Morse hydraulic steering and a Caddy-like steering wheel, with chrome spokes and a comfortable leather sheath, add to the driving pleasure. The work-of-art windscreen ensures you remain dry and lets you look through the glass without being troubled by the frame when you drive.

While the boat rides quite high in the bow, there are no real blind spots. The fully adjustable helmseat ensures a comfortable position in relation to the wheel and throttle, while the co-pilot has a terrific two-person benchseat with a clear view forward.

At anchor, when it's time to pull up the canopy and break out the picnic hampers, the Lord 25 Fast Launch comes into its own. That two person co-pilot lounge swivels aft to the rear lounge, which can seat three to four people. Add a loose table, bottle of wine, cheese and bread, not to mention the cravat, and the scene is set.

CHROME ON CHROME
Style is also evident in the chrome-rimmed VDO analogue gauges which monitor speed, revs, water temp and fuel. Matching push-pull chrome switches with chrome backing plates control the bilge pump, windlass and ignition. A Clarion CD player with four-speakers is tied to a helm remote, while the chrome theme is carried from the dash back through all the deck fittings.

The Lewmar deck hatch is a chic chrome model; there's a bowsprit with roller, plenty of pop-up deck cleats and dual windscreen wipers.

The gunwale rubbing strip is heavy-duty stainless steel. Back aft are more cleats, stylish engine vents with a retro look, and a stainless steel flagstaff strong enough to double as a ski-pole.

An aft spray rail wraps around the teak boarding platf orm, above which is a chrome engine exhaust. Between these fittings is luscious oiled teak, which makes the chrome shine doubly bright.

The deck has self-draining grills and a central floor hatch granting access to the bilge pumps, transducers and so on.

The entire aft sunpad, minus the two upholstered cushions, lifts on hydraulic struts to reveal the Austrian-made engine. The Steyr looked almost lonely surrounded by little more than a water pump, battery and fuel filter, and hydraulics for the steering. Yes, there is plenty of servicing room.

Close the bonnet and you can immediately gauge the effectiveness of the insulation. Sufficient foam has been added for 2D and 2E survey, and there is a collision bulkhead as well as bronze seacocks. In the event of being swamped, the Fast Launch should float level.

CABIN CAPERS
I was surprised by the size of the cabin. From afar, you don't realise how much room there is beneath the 25 Fast Launch's rakish foredeck. Inside, the mouldings are beautifully fair and behind the hatches the flowcoat has been applied lovingly.

A simple magnetic catch keeps the cabin door open, while natural light streams through the deck hatch. A nice one-piece moulded white liner and basic grey frontrunner keep the cabin bright and cheery. Some bedding would make things even more inviting.

The toilet, a Lectrasan model, is prominent immediately to starboard. But I'm sure this is a result of its seat, which is a large domestic number. Having said that, there is plenty of room to sit on the loo, and ladies and gents will thank you for it.

There isn't full standing room in the cabin, but sitting room over the V-berth. Should you run to a restaurant and over-indulge, it's possible for two people to camp aboard. There are reading lights and storage below the bed, a sink with pressurised water, and lockers for personal effects.

The shower is a hand-held deck model back in the cockpit, where there is also an icebox under the lounge. Freshwater capacity is around 80lt.

Altogether, everything you need for day cruising and unexpected overnighters is provided. The main switch panel is inside the cabin, so the boat can be safely locked up and left on a mooring or marina berth.

CRUISING OPTIONS
We could have done a lot of things on this fine spring day. We could have run to Brisbane Water for the fish and chips at Fisherman's Wharf, taken a catnap on the quiescent Broadwater or grabbed a hamburger at Davistown on the way home.

We could have spent the day decamped in Cowan Creek where there are bays to explore, bushwalking, bacon and eggs at quaint Cottage Point Kiosk, and fish for the frying. Or we could have gone further upstream and cruised for views in style amid the Kuringai National Park.

We would stop by the fine eateries in Berowra Waters, buy the local oysters starting to fatten up from the marina at Brooklyn and, if time allowed, tour the upper Hawkesbury above Bar Point - one of my favourite haunts. The 25 Fast Launch carries 220lt of fuel, making all things a possibility.

Clear of the no-wash zone, it was time to sally forth. True to its name, the Fast Launch jumps clear of the water when you advance the throttle. It's an efficient boat, holding plane down to perhaps as little as 9kt, while cruising merrily in the mid-20kt range at 3,200rpm. The Morse steering is to be replaced with a lighter system.

Feelings of freedom come when you flatten the throttle, however, and the boat beats a hasty retreat at 32kt. There was some chop on the water, yet the windscreen remained dry and only the slightest hint of spray made it back to the aft lounge. It comes only when cornering in a quartering sea.

Like most round bilge boats, the 25 Fast Launch leans over in tight turns, so you are better banking gradually. Then the boat maintains its speed and remains upright. There was a vibration at faster speeds, thought to be cavitation, which was being addressed by altering the propeller.

While there is a lot of enjoyment to be derived from going slow and taking in the views in a traditional launch, the fact is few people have the time or inclination to potter about these days. I've thought of buying a displacement cruiser, but my partner scoffs at the thought of spending several hours reaching a restaurant.

The 25 Fast Launch will get you to a waterfront table in fine fettle, with your hair barely ruffled, just like the glory days of powerboating. It's the kind of boat in which you expect to see Doris Day, Elvis the Pelvis, Marilyn, or a well-heeled waterfront resident driving, and arriving, in style.

HIGHS

LOWS