Powerboat with suspension

The system was invented by members of a team that also developed the Kinetic suspension system currently found on off-road vehicles such as the Toyota Landcruiser Prado and Nissan Patrol, along with the McLaren MP4 12C and P1 supercars.

The suspension allows the hulls to move up and down with the waves, without transmitting all of that movement to the superstructure. It also keeps the bow from lifting too high when accelerating, and lets the boat bank more effectively into turns.

An additional optional feature, known as the Deck Attitude Control System, uses an onboard computer to automatically adjust the suspension to compensate for rolling seas.

This keeps the deck level when the catamaran is stopped – something that will make transferring passengers a great deal easier. Especially offshore transfers.

This isn’t the first boat suspension system, says Nauti-Craft’s Chris Heyring. But it is, he said, the only patented marine suspension system that requires no power to function.

Instead, it uses sophisticated interrelated hydraulic systems which allow an unprecedented amount of body/chassis control in big seas, in both the roll and pitch axis while controlling heave but allowing free warp (articulation) of the pods/hulls.

Nauti-Craft also makes much of the fact the technology should enable boats to go faster and use less fuel. And because the boats are apparently able to handle larger waves, smaller boats should be able to perform tasks currently undertaken by larger, less efficient vessels.

The 8m (26.25ft) 2Play recently completed sea trials in Western Australia, and is now on its way to its public debut at Mercator Media’s Seawork 2014 that runs from 10 – 12 June at the ABP Port of Southampton.

Visit Nauti-Craft on stand V38.