On May 6, 2018, the Tringa Boat made its first sea trials. This dayboat of 6,42 m has the particularity of being able to roll on the road thanks to three tires embedded in waterproof chambers, which work like the landing gear of an airplane. Guirec Daniel - the designer - and Gilles Sécheresse - Sales Director - were able to test the behavior of the boat on the road and on the water, which "perfectly fulfills all the expected functionalities" explains Gilles.
Good behavior at sea and on the road
On the road, the behavior is very good. As expected, it reaches a speed of 16 km/h with a 27 HP 4-stroke petrol engine. The launch also went well, as Gilles tells us, and this first navigation at sea allowed to validate the concept of the boat.
First of all, the descent of the hold can be done without interruption. There is an anti-skid device and you just have to completely turn the engine off. " Once again, everything works as expected. The folding of the wheels underwater couldn't be filmed because we didn't have a waterproof camera, but they fit completely into the hull, the flaps close perfectly and are completely watertight, and the water is drained from the front compartment." gilles explains.
" We sailed in conditions that were not very rough, with a little wind and chop and we reached a speed between 20 and 25 knots at 4000/4500 rpm. That's what we expected from a boat that is just breaking in. On the other hand, we are very happy, because the boat gets out of the water very quickly. At 11 knots, we were already on schedule. We are very satisfied with her behavior at sea."
A good perception of the concept
"Overall, people's perception is positive. It's a great idea! It's a road boat, but above all a real boat. On the road, it is quite imposing and reassuring in its behavior. It is high on its wheels, which allows you to drive without questioning. Reassuring in its behavior. On the other hand, it does not leave unnoticed, motorists are surprised, they take pictures."
Validated crossing
The two men also took the opportunity to validate the rolling on the foreshore. The Tringa Boat rolls perfectly on soft and dry sand, especially on a slightly sloping surface, a configuration that could prove to be less easy for the boat's progress.
Some points to improve
The Tringa Boat is still at a prototype stage and this first navigation has also allowed us to detect some points of improvement. "The boat is going to work fine as planned, but we have a few parts to modify to make it even more reliable." explains Gilles.
A new launch is planned in 2 to 3 weeks to revalidate the changes made. Then, if everything goes well, customer trials will be carried out in 5 to 6 weeks. "We're a little behind schedule with a hydraulic tune-up that took a little longer than expected. We are completely in the final stages of the boat's development. Functionally, we've met all of our goals."
From now on, we must think about the design and industrialization of the final boat, which in addition to being designed in Brittany, will also be built in the region. A boat made in France!
