What is obvious when you board the Deny R9 is the degree of finish: from top-of-the-range, hand-sewn. This 9 m long semi-rigid is built in a small Italian construction site in Sicily. The will of this manufacturer is not to produce in large series, but rather to make beautiful products with great care in construction and finishing.
Thus the French importer, the company "Sur La Vague" based in Le Lavandou had to cry to have boats for sale and will have to limit itself to 3 models for this year, not one more! It is rare when it is not a construction site that encourages consumption...
We tried the Renier R9, it is the first model in the range. A 6 m model, the R6 is announced and other models up to 11 m are in the pipeline.
A very smooth passage
The Renier R9 in our test was powered with a 435 hp Mercruiser petrol board coupled to a Z-Drive. An outboard model is already sailing in Italy and should arrive in France in the fall of 2018.
The V8's purr, well masked by the sunbathing that covers the engine hold, slowly takes us out of the harbour. To facilitate manoeuvring, a bow thruster is also available as an option.
The acceleration is clear and the boat quickly reaches a cruising speed of 30 knots (maximum speed 40 knots). On board the crew remains very comfortably seated. Indeed this hull has a comfortable passage to the sea. The well marked V on the bow does its job well when you encounter waves and the 2 socks at the back, quite low on the water, cushion the landing after a wave jump.
Life on board
During navigation, passengers can walk safely on deck as the boat is flat and does not pitch up. There are plenty of seats and the large bench behind the helm station, which can accommodate up to 5 people at a time. In addition to the 2 sunbaths, everyone will find a comfortable place.
On the practical side, we will notice the bimini which comes to be stored all around the engine compartment, well hidden by cushions. A really practical and aesthetic storage. In terms of layout, this boat is equipped with a kitchenette area behind the helm station with a small sink and the possibility of fitting a stove. A small tablet unfolds in front of the kitchen.
The highlight of the visit is under the console that contains a toilet. We are surprised by the interior space ideally ventilated by a porthole. This reduction is well finished in white gelcoat. If one cannot stand upright, the volume is more than sufficient for use.
Finishing details
Quite wide (3.30 m), this semi-rigid is not transportable. The manufacturer has provided an electric pump, installed at the rear to easily see the boots inflated and deflated for transport. It should be noted that the valves of the compartments are all hidden in the trunks, none of them are visible, which further increases the feeling of finish.
Indirect LED lighting (17 points of light) provides good visibility at night everywhere.
Finally, the console is large enough to accommodate all the electronic equipment needed on this type of boat. We would have just appreciated a windshield a little higher for the grown-ups.
What about the outboard version?
In its outboard version the Rénier will be available with the same rear sunbathing, but the version that replaces it with a rear saloon with a table seems well suited for sailing on our coasts. It is in this configuration that the next R9 should arrive at Le Lavandou. We look forward to discovering it soon.
