A two-person helm module offered good visibility to all corners of the vessel, and the designer even found space to include a sink and refrigeration module to the side and in behind this helm seating. With this settee being the dominant feature, naturally Raptap was right hand drive. This couple intend spending all their time on this level. The ‘hard-top’ flybridge was enclosed on three sides and I would venture to suggest the interior size of this coupled with the generously-sized U-shaped guest settee, would be the precise reason there was no seating below in the rear cockpit. The neat stainless steel and teak step assembly led you up onto a flybridge level that courtesy of this aforementioned overhang, was huge in area – big enough in fact to house the Davco davit, a cradle-mounted 3.4m Gemini inflatable and if you required it, a jet ski as well. Neat moulded steps led you up onto the walkways each side, but interestingly while there was certainly room for it, there was no seating of any description in this cockpit area. Well protected from the elements as I say, by this huge flybridge overhang, this teak lined area provided space for huge storage and refrigeration modules each side of the saloon entry doors, along with an equally grandiose transom module that housed the obligatory BBQ and tackle boxes. Another pleasant surprise here was the size of the rear cockpit. Very easy on the eye, the lines of the three levels of topsides, cabin and flybridge were very much in ‘sync’ with each other.īoarding was user-friendly courtesy of the full width boarding platform, which in itself was somewhat of a rarity as traditionally the central tunnel of most catamarans is higher than it was in this particular instance, and often splits this platform. My first impressions of Raptap were of a vessel unmistakably of Roger Hill’s design, perhaps the only really visibly obvious difference with this model over earlier models being the aft flybridge overhang which stretched right aft so as to fully cover the entire cockpit area. Enlist the services of a predominantly custom designer like Roger Hill however and virtually the sky is the limit. Purchase a ‘production’ vessel and you are very much governed by the constraints and parameters of the more cost-effective style of mass-produced hull, deck and flybridge configurations. Put it down to Hill’s seemingly endless portfolio of ideas, but perhaps more realistically put it down to what over the last few years is an increasingly more discerning band of seafarers who more than ever know exactly what they require in a boat, and are prepared to pay for it. Hill’s latest Roger Hill 13.8m version to hit the water was for a couple whose number one priority was creature comforts – and therefore the parameters were extended in a way seldom seen in a vessel of this size. While prolific catamaran designer Roger Hill has designed a significant number of hulls in the 12-14-metre size range, few are ever even remotely close to each other in layout, power or appointments.
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