The Skater 438 is not a new model in itself. However, the name and paintwork make "Rhaegal" a special vehicle. The 13.30 metre long powerboat with two hulls belongs to a US owner who takes his passion for "Game of Thrones" (GoT) out to sea. The mother ship's GoT affinity is limited to the naming and typography "Lonian"an 87 metre long Feadship, and the associated 66 metre supply vessel "Hodor". Although the aluminium cat is more of a tender transporter. In addition to dinghies, there is also room for helicopters (Airbus H145), ATVs, quads, crossers, nine jet skis, two Laser dinghies and a Hobie Cat.
Power cat for "Game of Thrones" fans
This fleet of tenders also visually expresses the soft spot for the fantasy world. "Rhaegal" is the name of one of the three dragons born in the Dothraki Sea. With "Drogon", another dragon was previously parked on "Hodor's" cargo deck, a Cigarette 42X rather plain in orange and white and with two Mercury Racing 1350/1100 QC4v. In contrast, the elaborately painted Nor-Tech 560 Sport centre console, named after the high-gloss mother "Lonian", is still parked on the main deck. To complete the confusion: The top deck was already home to a cat from Skater Powerboats in Michigan, a 100-knot 388, which has now been replaced by a ten per cent larger 438 named "Rhaegal".
"Rhaegal" paintwork took four months
All four paint jobs were carried out by Visual Imagination from Missouri, who were commissioned by Custom Marine Sales in Fort Lauderdale. The colour professionals transformed the Skater 438 into a veritable dragon in 1,500 hours of work. Instead of displaying the motif as a whole on the foredeck, the entire power cat became "Rhaegal" from the saga "The Song of Ice and Fire" within four months: with bronze-coloured eyes on both sides, yellow-orange wings and orange-coloured flames, which run out slightly green at the very stern and to which it owes its nickname Jade Dragon.
High-octane petrol gives "Rhaegal" push
Hidden beneath the fabulous hull is state-of-the-art boatbuilding technology. Skater laminated the 3.66 metre wide hull from S-glass, Kevlar and carbon fibres and epoxy resin. An aerospace-grade balsa sandwich core ensures stability and low weight. Rhaegal" is powered by two Mercury Racing engines (1550/1350).
The former output is only achieved when petrol with 112 octane is sloshing around in the two tanks, which together hold 2,271 litres. The eight-cylinder engines each deliver 1,350 hp when fuel with 91 octane is bunkered. This means that a 438 could already reach over 150 knots, like "Rhaegal" in the Race version and not in the alternative Pleasure version. It is quite possible that "Hodor" will use the new addition for the next Poker Run in US waters. Should a new vehicle be added, it would have to be named "Viserion" in the best "Game of Thrones" style. This would then be the third dragon alongside "Drogon" and "Rhaegal"
Technical data "Rhaegal"
- Length: 13,08 m
- Width: 3,66 m
- Displacement (full): 5,440 kg
- Fuel capacity (2 tanks): 2.271 l
- Motor: 2 x Mercury Racing (1550/1350)
