Scania powers Whitehaven’s largest boat build

The 24-metre Whitehaven 8000, named Panache, is based on a Whitehaven 7500 but includes an extended waterline to help its owners carry a larger aluminium tender in its garage.

Panache’s owners, Ray and Denise, are based in the Northern Territory and cruise the region extensively, including the Kimberleys. The larger tender, launched and retrieved via the transom, is the couple’s insurance policy against the region’s thousands of saltwater crocodiles.

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Panache is the third Whitehaven cruiser the couple has owned. The sports yacht was Whitehaven's show stopper at last year’s Sanctuary Cove Boating Festival.

“For our newest boat, Panache, we asked Whitehaven to go bigger – to 80ft – so we could get a bigger tender under the duckboard,” Ray said. “It’s turned out nicely.

“We know that Whitehaven builds a good, strong hull, and gives us access during the design phase to put our stamp on the build. 

“We could have whatever we wanted. For this third boat we have opted for Scania engines in place of the American-sourced engines we have had in the past.”

After a West Australian friend recommended Scania based on his experience with a  six-cylinder marine engine, the couple visited Sydney International Boat Show to talk about how a pair of Scania’s flagship 1200hp 16.4-litre DI16 V8 engines could fit in the boat and suit the long-haul cruising lifestyle.

The engines produce peak power at 2300rpm, with a peak torque of 4100 Nm at 1800rpm to deliver good cruising fuel efficiency. Top speed is 22 knots.

“We aren’t after top speed, we’re only cruising at about 10 knots, so good output at low revs is what we’re chasing,” Ray said.

“Since we have had the new boat in the water we’re seeing a saving of around 10.0 litres per hour per engine.” 

Using 20 litres an hour less fuel has significantly extended the Ray and Denise’s cruising range from its 120,000-litre fuel load despite Panache weighing more than the Whitehaven 7500 Finito it replaced.

Whitehaven business development manager Lee Randall said Panache was the brand’s first boat to use a Scania powerplant.

“We already have another boat ready for build that will be powered by Scania engines, a 6500,” Lee said. It is also believed to be using 1200hp V8 engines.

“Panache is an example of Whitehaven’s flagships, the biggest we have ever built and the crowning glory of our sport yacht range, and a great way to celebrate our 10th anniversary,’ Lee said.

“We have spent the past decade delivering better and better boats to our customers across a range of styles from coupe to flybridge and now sport yachts.

“We have seen that the Scania engines fitted to Panache are running far more quietly than the engines previously used.”

Scania Power Solutions engines national manager Andre Arm, who met the coupe at the Sydney show stand, said Panache demonstrated just how Scania V8 engines could deliver cleaner and leaner running irrespective of the size of the vessel.

“These Scania V8 engines are our most powerful, but because they deliver so much torque at such low revs, they run unstressed and just sip fuel, which extends range and reduces exhaust emissions, not to mention running costs,” Arm said. 

“Undoubtedly as the word about these powerplants gets around, we will be installing more of them in vessels destined for Australian and Asian waters,” he said.