Twelve metres by three-and-a-half, with a 3,700 kg displacement: that’s Lomac’s formula for cruising. And it’s a decidedly quick cruiser, given that this inflatable does over 56 knots
by Niccolò Volpati
Things weren’t looking too good. There was a leaden sky, with those classic heavy clouds which Murphy’s law dictates were going to dump a lot of rain on us as soon as we were off the coast. The sea was far from shiny smooth. The waves reached at least half a metre, which could have been a problem, given that I was going to get onto a distinctly sporty dinghy. Just under twelve metres length overall, and it is lightweight – unloaded it only displaces 3,700 kilograms. Everything meant that we could expect something in line with the Lomac tradition: a fast, high-performance boat. The power level recommended by the yard is 600 horsepower, but the boat I was about to get on had a full 900.
When you are underway, it is what you expect. It is decidedly sporty, both in acceleration and in terms of general speed. You need to be at 2400 rpm to start planing, going at sixteen knots and using not much more than fifty litres per hour in total. The top speed we got was a thrilling 56.8 knots, despite waves that probably reached 70 centimetres. It was surprising quite how easy it was to steer and manoeuvre, as was the feeling of safety. Going over 56 knots is frankly not my comfort zone, but I didn’t ever feel in danger. At top speed, we positioned ourselves to take the waves on the beam, coming back from the open sea and heading for the coast. And without having to be especially careful about how I was steering, after waiting for a few seconds, the GPS showed a top speed of 56.8 knots.
The cabin has good headroom and is set up so it can be changed from day to night-time use. The bathroom is in a separate room.
The other important figure comes from fuel consumption. Up to 5000 rpm, you stay below 200 litres per hour, which also means less than four litres a mile. And all that while still doing around 49 knots. That is a very respectable speed, and with fuel consumption that is not excessive. Things change, albeit not a lot if you want to get to top speed, and so get full use from every single horsepower developed by the three Yamaha V6s. From four litres a mile you start doing over five, and snapshot fuel consumption goes over 200 litres an hour and gets to a peak of 303. The excellent feeling of control means you can turn tightly at a high speed, without particular problems. Even the ergonomics have been done well.
When at the helm, you are the right distance from the controls, without being glued to the wheel, not even if you decide to steer standing up. The bridge has enough room for a large plotter and a smaller display for engine data. The design of the handle for the joystick is excellent as it is essentially dug out from inside the fibreglass of the console. That means it is never in the way because it doesn’t stick out, while still being right to hand and easy to use.
GRAN TURISMO CRUISER 12.5, MORE ROOM IN THE CABIN
The new version presented just a few months ago at the Cannes Yachting Festival is half a metre longer: so, it goes from 12.0 to 12.5. The hull hasn’t changed, nor have the dimensions, but the volumes below decks have grown. And you can see that just by looking at it. The deck in the bow area is raised precisely to create extra headroom in the cabin below it, and indeed at the entrance, it is a full 185cm high. Even the bathroom has acquired some extra space compared to the 12.0 version, intending to satisfy the needs of those who like to use the boat for a cruise of a few days or more. That is a growing requirement. New buyers are often people who in the past have had larger boats, and who are looking at maxi RIBs in part because they are easy to manage, but they don’t want to do without the pleasure of cruising.
The T-Top is supported by a stainless steel superstructure that looks very strong. It couldn’t be otherwise, given that the inflatable shoots along at 56 knots. In any case, the feeling you get is that you are going to stay firmly attached to the deck, even when the sea is rough and you are inevitably going to take some jumps. The only thing that I didn’t find completely convincing was the windscreen. I’m not talking about the looks, which are distinctly sporty and streamlined, and as they should be on a boat of this type. It is the size that wasn’t entirely convincing. It is big but isn’t huge, and it doesn’t have a wiper. I would have preferred a larger windscreen, with a wiper for the spray, or a smaller plexiglass one that left more visibility free.
The latest piece of good news involves bucketfuls of water. Those were the bucketfuls of seawater that didn’t come on board because the rubbing and windscreen did their job well. There was no splashing or water spray midships or in the cockpit. And despite the awful weather forecast, dark clouds accompanied us throughout the test but without dropping any rain on us.
THE 750-LITRE FUEL TANK MEANS THAT AT THIRTY KNOTS YOU GET 220 NAUTICAL MILES RANGE. WHICH IS A FIGURE THAT CONFIRMS THAT
IT IS PERFECT AS A MEDIUM-RANGE CRUISER.
Engine data
The recommended power output is 600 horsepower, with 900 the maximum it can take. If you aren’t somebody who considers fifty knots to be a cruising speed, a pair of 300 hp engines should be more than enough.
LOMAC NAUTICA S.R.L.
I-20097 San Donato Milanese (MI)
T. +39 02 51800538
[email protected]
www.lomac.it
PROJECT
Federico Fiorentino and Lomac technical department
HULL
LOA 11.70m • Maximum beam 3.58m • Tube diameter 0.68m • 6 compartments • Fuel tank volume 750 l • Water tank volume 80 l • Displacement 3,700 kg • Maximum rated power 3×300 hp
MAIN PROPULSION
3xF300NSB Yamaha • Outlet mechanical power 220.6 kW (300 hp) • 6 V shaped 60° cylinders • Swept volume 4,169 cc • Bore&Stroke 96mm x 96mm • Transmission ratio 1.75:1 • Maximal rotational speed 5000-6000/min • Weight 260 kg
EC CERTIFICATION
CAT B
PRICE
312,000 € including engines, Excl. VAT. 361,000 € Excl. VAT with engines and accessories as tested (February 2022)
(Lomac GranTurismo 12.0, ocean’s twelve – Barchemagazine.com – February 2022)
