Sonorous bubbling is interrupted by a roar as the two V8 engines rev up and emit volleys of vroom-vroom. Four flaps tremble in the exhaust flow of the tailpipes. Of course it smokes and smells. It appeals to many senses, this procedure at a standstill, which almost reveals more about the power and potential than the actual sprint through the water. Then the spray and waves seem like background noise. Below is a video of the performance show during start-up.
Raw power and timeless lines from US shipyard
And yes, this is a product of US origin. If you like, the 10.70 metre long "Victoria Z" is the marinised version of a muscle car. Van Dam Custom Boats built a shorter, single-engine sister ship from Van Dam halls on Lake Michigan according to plans by Michael Peters Yacht Design from Florida, who had already built "Alpha Z" in 1998. Peters' brief: to combine raw power with timeless lines and wrap it in mahogany from Honduras.
Married couple as clients of "Victoria Z"
Van Dam's boatbuilders created a dayboat with the highest level of attention to detail that would set new standards in the industry. Ben Van Dam, second generation yard manager, gives insight into the creation process: "Our relationship with this boat began in 2012, and it's the second project we've done with this incredible husband and wife team. Having such a close and dynamic relationship with the owners is a huge help throughout the process. After our first project, our team knew how deep to go in terms of details and the owners' demands."
Retro V8 trimmed for performance
Two Ford 427 engines play a large part in the displacement of almost three tonnes, one might think. Their appearance with outstanding injection nozzles is particularly retro. The engines, which work side by side in the engine compartment, are made of aluminium. Sterling Performance rebuilt them for "Victoria Z" and increased their displacement to nine litres, so that they each produce 550 hp (405 kW) under computer control. The legendary seven-litre V8 units from Ford's FE engine family gained popularity in the 1960s through their use in the Shelby Cobra.
On board, power is transmitted via ZF-63A gearboxes and Arneson ASD-6 surface drives with five-blade racing propellers. The engines are equipped with throttle-body injection and are controlled by Performance Electronics Pe3-8400P control units. If petrol with at least 91 octane flows through the pipes, top speeds of 85 knots are possible at a maximum speed of 5,400 rpm. The fuel is stored in a main tank with a capacity of 386 litres and a smaller tank with a capacity of 212 litres.
Modern old-school yacht building
The car is less orientated towards classic muscle cars: there are no distinctive air intakes or even bumps on the Shelby Cobra, which look like permanently flexing muscle packs. On the other hand, the "Victoria Z" floats in the water as if lowered and has an elongated silhouette with a finely tapered pointed nose, flat windscreen in one piece and a constricted contour. Nevertheless, the stern looks beefy with its four tailpipes, trim cylinders and external, 124 cm long rudder blades in a gunmetal finish, which come from Van Dam's own metalworking shop.
The modern underwater hull is characterised by two steps and three chine edges on each flank. The hull and deck construction consists of a wood composite material with a mahogany outer skin that is planked diagonally. In this process, many thin layers of wood are laminated together with epoxy glue. Ben Van Dam on the process: "Each board that goes into our customised products is carefully selected and sorted according to properties that determine whether it will be used for the structure, the look or, in some cases, both. Each board is cut and bent by hand according to design specifications, with care taken to match the grain throughout the construction process."
Equipment and special features
Some of the boat's more subtle features not only emphasise its timeless design, but also improve its functionality. The bow thruster gives "Victoria Z" maximum manoeuvrability in the tightest of spaces, and the digital Czone circuit allows full customisation of the electrical components and lighting. Particularly impressive are the hand-moulded instrument panel, the elaborate composite lamination of the deck and the horizontally movable engine compartment - all details that remain hidden at first glance, but underline the exceptional art of boat building.
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Technical data "Victoria Z"
- Length: 10,7 m
- Width: 2,6 m
- Depth: 51 cm
- Weight: 2,950 kg
- Maximum speed: 85 Knots
- Motors: 2 × Sterling Performance Ford 427
- Engine power: 550 hp (405 kW) each, total 1,100 hp (809 kW)
- Fuel type: at least 91 octane
- Fuel capacity: Main tank 386 litres, additional tank 212 litres
- Gearbox: ZF 63A
- Drive: Arneson ASD-6 surface drives
- Hull material: Honduran mahogany (wood composite construction)
- Construction: Michael Peters Yacht Design
- Shipyard: Van Dam Custom Boats, Boyne City, MI
