Towergate Insurance's PSP Southampton Boat Show 2013 highlights

The PSP Southampton Boat Show Marina © Mark Jardine

Sunseeker 40m yacht

Let's kick off our list of highlights with one of the big boys. In fact, the only thing bigger at the show was a containership which passed the marina area on its way out from the docks at Southampton! As you'd expect from such a luxury craft, the interior is highly customisable to meet the requirements of prospective buyers. Sunseeker's team of interior designers will work with the owner of this 12 person (plus crew of course!) floating palace to put their own touch of individual style on each of the rooms. Those designers will have their work cut out given that the 40m yacht includes a lounge, separate dining area, full galley, sky lounge and cocktail bar on top of bedrooms for the aforementioned 12 guests! For the top trumps fans, the 40m yacht has a 28,710 litre fuel tank which allows it a cruising range of up to 1,500 nautical miles (based on a 10-12 knot average and half load). The maximum speed is around 25 knots (28.7 mph).

Yamaha outboard engines

Continuing with the theme of "big stuff", these Yamaha outboards won't be winning any prizes for luxury or elegance but their sheer size is certainly noteworthy! These engines are as tall as a grown man and will generate 350 horsepower. To put it in perspective, these engines are 5.3 litres which is roughly the same size engine as a Mercedes AMG S-Class.

Of course water is a trickier substance to travel through than air which means that despite having the same sized engine as a Mercedes, it doesn't have quite the same top speed. That said, when attached to the right type of light-weight, racing hull (we wouldn't recommend attaching it to a canoe...) you will be able to travel at around 80mph in calm conditions.

Yamaha FX HO jet ski

The FX HO range of jet skis from Yamaha are built for performance and are made from ultra modern materials to match. The key feature of these personal watercraft is the NanoXcel hull which allows the ski to be both light weight and highly manoeuvrable. 1-3 person options are available as well as a host of other features such as a tow hook, adjustable steering, water tight storage and of course – cup holders!

The FX HO will set you back £9-10,000 which buys you a supercharged 1.8 litre engine which is plenty of power even for three people to enjoy a thrill ride around a lake or off shore. Plenty of power too should you wish to take advantage of the tow hook and use the FX HO for water skiing or wakeboarding.

Premier Marinas

Premier Marinas offer secure and well serviced moorings for yachts and motorboats. When you insure with Towergate Insurance, be sure to let us know if you moor your boat in a Premier Marina as you'll receive a 20% discount on your premium.

Premier Marina locations include:

• Eastbourne
• Brighton
• Chichester
• Port Solent
• Southsea
• Gosport
• Swanwick
• Falmouth

Technohull RIBs

Technohull also featured at the London Boat show back in January. They were back at the Southampton show with a great display of high performance RIBs. Technohull's performance pedigree is driven by a strong focus on design and use of the latest materials. The design influence is lead by Adam Younger – a British designer notorious for designing cruisers and racing boats.

The hull design used by Technohull results in an excellent all-round performance craft. The step design allows for smooth flotation, high top speeds, fuel efficiency and high maximum speed even from smaller engines.

Princess Yachts V48

Despite appearing at the British Motor Yacht show earlier in the year, the V48 officially launched at the Southampton show. Unlike the Sunseeker 40m yacht featured above which is built for out and out luxury, the V48 has been built to combine performance and functional style.

The V48 features the latest Volvo IPS engines allowing for more thrilling top speeds in addition to precise manoeuvrability. At full throttle, the V48 will reach speeds of around 34 knots (39mph) and all whilst carrying two bedrooms, a galley and a spacious bathing platform. The helm is a comfortable and well thought out place to be which really sums up the ethos of the boat as a whole. The forward cabin also has a clever v-split bed which allows the cabin to be set up as two single beds or one double.

Dragonfly 28 sport

The Dragonfly 28 Sport is a fantastic example of ingenious design. It was designed by Jens Quorning and Steen Olsen who worked for over two years to refine the design and bring their dream into reality.

The outer hulls on the trimaran design fold towards the centre which makes mooring easier, reduces racking space and even allows for the boat to be put on a trailer for transportation. The design also allows for a shallow draft meaning that the 28 Sport can sail in water as shallow as 0.4m.

Convenience aside, the 28 Sport can sleep five people in comfort and reach speeds of around 20 knots (23mph).

Prop guards & kill cords

In closing, we'd like to step away from the glamour and the power and the clever design to talk about something that's simple but important in equal measure. Whilst the super yachts on display at the show are enjoyed by a few, many more are involved with smaller powered craft such as RIBs and jet skis. Whilst boating is generally a safe pastime, power boating sometimes pushes the limits of speed and precautions should be taken to make sure the fun stays safe.

So whilst prop guards and kill cords aren't the most obvious addition to this list of highlights, their use is something that we here at Towergate would like to promote. They are simple things that save lives. And in the case of kill cords, it's a simple case of using them – there's no excuse not to.

www.towergateinsurance.co.uk