Following the great interest received by an 18-metre model unveiled at the latest edition of the Monaco Yacht Show, British yacht design studio Glider Yachts has launched a funding round for its 24-metre sports limousine SL24. Her unusual configuration offers increased comfort and space so that the new model is gathering interest even from outside of the yachting industry.
“When we displayed the 18-metre Glider at Monaco last year, we also visually launched the new Sports Limousine model and we were overwhelmed with the response,” said Rob McCall, Gilder Yachts’ CEO. “Several superyachts identified that they would like the model as a chase boat and several government organisations and tourist boards are looking to have the boats as shuttles for private island resorts.”
The new funding round aims to attract investors to support the next stage in Glider Yachts’ development programme, whose objective is to complete the building of the first SL24 Sports Limousine model. “The boats have been in development since 2007, then we started building the first one in 2015 and it was on the water in early 2016,” continues McCall.
The newly unveiled model offers seatings for up to 12 passengers with two crew and is able to reach speeds of up to 50 knots. Generous spaces on board can be arranged in several different interior configurations designed to perfectly match the client’s needs or the purpose of the vessel.
“Inside a Glider limousine, it makes a conventional tender look like a dinosaur and cramped,” says McCall. “It has a proper head, shower and breakfast bar. In terms of its interior styling, it would even put the top jets to shame. Gliders are more like an aircraft, and we’re working with the people that lead the world in business jet interiors.”
What impresses the most is for sure the model’s performance and stability due to its particular hull configuration. “It performs astonishingly well in rough water,” says McCall. The best seas we had out in it were when we had six to seven-foot seas and we were out with a 7.5-metre Rib. When I looked over, the guy in the rib was completely airborne, but I wasn’t going up and down at all – it is like it’s on rails.” The boat builder states that Gliders boats reduce wave motions felt on board by up to 70 percent in comparison to a conventionally hulled boat.
The first Glider model was built at Burgess Marine, while the next models will be built at Hoverwork in Southampton. In addition to the 18-metre tender and the new SL24, there are plans to create larger models up to 80 metres in length, which are expected to be built starting from 2019.
