Fiskars to launch a new generation Drive sport boat range
The first entrants of the range will be the Drive Sport Console 56 and Drive Convertible 56 cruisers
Fiskars Boats will introduce a completely new boat rangeclass alongside their famous Buster range, which is the most popular motorboat in the Nordic countries. The launch models of the sports-car-inspired Drive Boats range will be 5.6-metre cruisers: the centre console boat Sport Console 56 and the walk-through windscreen boat Convertible 56.
The new range was designed by the famous Swedish racing and performance boat designers Ocke and Ted Mannerfelt in co-operation with Fiskars Boats. They strived to create an inspiring cruiser with excellent manoeuvrability that challenges traditional thinking without compromising safety.
“Drive is an innovative, smart boat with clean lines. It is perfect for people who appreciate good design, meticulous attention to detail, and great performance,” says Boat Designer Ocke Mannerfelt.
The Drive range represents a fresh, more urban approach to boating in the Fiskars portfolio. Boating nowadays entices a completely new breed of people – people who do not necessarily enjoy summer cottages or fishing, but who like to simply moor the boat on the dock or pull it back home on a trailer after a day’s cruising.
“With the launch of the two Drive models, Fiskars will have two ranges of boats covering a wide range of uses from fishing and family fun to cruising and moving people. The Drive range cruisers are designed to be enjoyed by city-dwellers while the Buster range covers a more diverse range of boating activities,” comments Juha Lehtola, President of Fiskars Boats.
The Drive range will be expanded to include all the major boat types. Lehtola emphasises that Fiskars, as a large motorboat manufacturer, has ample resources for professional and comprehensive product development as well as the long-term development of a boat range. This is clearly visible in the design, performance, and quality of the boats.
Inspired by sports cars and racing boats
The main designer, an experienced sports car designer Ted Mannerfelt, drew inspiration for the Drive range from sports cars. Racing boats, the speciality of the Mannerfelt Design Team, also influenced the design. Boats designed by the Mannerfelt Design Team have won almost 20 offshore racing world championships.
Although the external dimensions of the first Drive range cruisers are the same, they are clearly intended for different purposes. The Sport Console is a perfect mixture of the best qualities of a water scooter and traditional motorboat rolled into one – an ideal choice for various water sports activities. The sleek Convertible, which can carry up to seven people, is best suited for idyllic day trips with friends and family.
“When driving a Drive cruiser you feel as though as you have a quality sports car under you. For safety reasons, you sit low in the boat, and you have a car-like instrumental panel and windscreen view,” Mannerfelt describes.
The aluminium frame makes you think of SUVs. The durable, rigid bottom makes the boat not only safe and quiet but also easily manoeuvrable. The Drive boat’s steering response is both distinct and prompt.
“Our competence is unsurpassed, after all Fiskars Boats has been designing and manufacturing boats for 35 years,” Juha Lehtola says.
Both boats have been designed to accommodate 75 to 125 horsepower engines.
Fiskars is a leading global supplier of consumer products for the home, garden and outdoors. Fiskars products are renowned for their functionality and cutting-edge design, and the Group has a strong portfolio of trusted international brands including Fiskars, Iittala, Gerber, Silva, and Buster.
Fiskars is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. The Group recorded net sales of 633 million in 2009, and employs some 3,600 people.
Founded in 1649, Fiskars celebrated 360 years of operations in 2009 as Finland's oldest company.
Drive Sport Console 56
The walk -around centre console Drive Sport Console 56 is a unique cruiser. Its bold design is a mixture of the best water scooter and traditional motor boat qualities all rolled into one. The sporty cruiser offers not only enjoyable driving demeanour but also diverse opportunities for water sports.
The Sport Console styling is extremely car-like, starting with the impressive centre console and the cockpit on the left. The Mannerfelt Design Team’s experience in racing boat and sports car design is clearly visible in the interior design of the boat. The functional and well-thought-out design of the console, luxury seats, and excellent footrests ensure a steady and safe driving position.
The heart of the large centre console is reserved for a chartplotter with a multi-function display. There are two seats behind the console, and the aft holds a three-seat curved sofa.
The walk -around passages on both sides of the console provide easy access to the bow. Below the front of the console is a large lit storage locker that is characteristic of the model, which is big enough to hold water skis, wakeboards, and other large equipment. Lockers on the console and under the sofa as well as the anchor and rope boxes in the aft provide convenient storage space for smaller bits and pieces.
The recommended engine size for the Sport Console 56 is 75–125 hp. The boat is 5.6 metres long, 2.23 metres wide, and it seats five people.
Drive Convertible 56
The walk-through Drive Convertible 56 is a sleek cruiser, which is ideal for day trips. It can carry up to seven people. The fantastic driving experience and cockpit details, which make manoeuvring and moving about onboard safe and easy, are testimony to the designers’ racing boat background.
The layout takes the needs of both the captain and passengers into full consideration. The curving windscreen shelters the back of the cabin efficiently while the walk-through provides safe access to the bow. The cockpit cover that protects the aft is standard equipment. The aft holds a curving three-seat sofa. Additional passenger seating is provided with benches on either side of the bow.
The larger storage lockers are located underneath the bow and aft sofas and in front and inside the consoles with hatches that open from the front of the windscreen. The smaller console lockers and rope and anchor boxes in the aft are perfect for storing small things.
The recommended engine size for the Convertible 56 is 75–125 hp. The boat is 5.6 metres long, 2.23 metres wide, and seats up to seven people.
Drive Boats
Drive Boats is the latest Fiskars Boats range, designed for a range of water sports and leisure activities. Fiskars Boats is the largest manufacturer of aluminium boats in Europe, and has 35-year experience in designing and manufacturing motorboats.