As well as fulfilling the role of a demonstration catamaran for potential Cheetah clients to test sea keeping and stability in the rough waters to the south of the Isle of Wight, the 8.5m has been MCA coded and is certified to run angling and leisure trips. ‘Free Spirit’ has been fully MCA coded for 12 passengers plus two crew to category 3, enabling voyages up to 20 miles from a safe haven.

As with the entire Cheetah series, a variety of different wheelhouse configurations are available to suit each client’s requirements. Currently underway is a new extra long wheelhouse which can be shortened to meet the client’s specified ratio of deck space to internal space. The extra long wheelhouse is extremely practical for applications such as hydrographic survey, where operators have exact requirements with regard to housing for computer installation and external practical data collection. Additional accommodation and storage space is also available forward of the helm in the hulls.

With a beam of 3m, the 8.5m Cheetah is extremely stable at full passenger capacity. ‘We have had the boat full and all passengers rush to one side to watch fish being bought up over the port gunwale and the deck has hardly tilted, said Cheetah designer Sean Strevens. ‘The stability is just incredible.’

Free Spirit has been fitted with a windscreen which allows all passengers to get the most from trips running along the spectacular Undercliff Coastline, renowned as the largest urban landslide complex in North Western Europe and an excellent demonstration of Cretaceous strata when observing from the sea. Back to back seating for 12 passengers runs fore to aft, with storage underneath.

Ventnor Haven is a small tidal harbour where a sand bar builds up at the entrance, necessitating annual dredging. With a draught of just over 1ft ‘Free Spirit’ is able to maximize the time frame of exit and re-entry from the Haven, typical of the entire Cheetah range where shallow draught gives more flexibility to commercial operators restricted by tidal harbours.

The new 8.5m hull is exceptionally soft riding and comfortable into head seas whilst maintaining good steerage in big following seas. Cheetah Marine will be exhibiting on the Honda pontoons at the Southampton Boat Show next month