DALE 23 News
Latest photo gallery of the DALE 23 build – click on images to view full gallery.
The new DALE 23 is a high speed open launch bringing DALE sea keeping, performance and build quality to the day boat market.
The first build is commencing in the New Year and will be delivered to Corfu in Greece in April 2010.
The owner was looking for boat that would suit watersports such as skiing and wakeboarding, yet also have good cruising abilities with plenty of open space to make good use of the Mediterranean climate.
Looking at various RIBs and various centre console fast fishing boats brought the realisation that somewhere there would always be a compromise.
However DALE were to able to provide the ideal answer.
With our heritage of fine build quality, superior sea-keeping and exemplary upwind ride, we could provide a boat that had head-turning style (an important consideration in glamourous Med marinas!) and a hull that would be ideally suited to getting out as often as possible in the choppy waters around Corfu.
As the owner pointed out to us, in an area known for uncomfortable seas, having the right boat for the conditions can make the difference between getting maximum use from your investment or having to keep it firmly attached to the pontoon.
Part of the hull’s superior performance comes from the strength of its epoxy/carbon fibre/foam composite construction, and this is also a build method that retains a higher stability of structure in hot climates. The hull will be finished in dark blue awlgrip for high UV resistance and high colour retention – this boat has the ability to look as good in 10 years time as it will on launch day.
As you’d expect given its warm-water home port, this boat will be equipped with bathing platforms, boarding ladders and a sun canopy.
The DALE 23 will be powered by a 6 cylinder VW turbo diesel developing 265bhp – the same engine as found in the VW Audi Group’s luxury cars such as the A8 and Q7. It is around 200kg lighter than similar models which is enough of a weight saving to provide performance on a par with a 300bhp petrol engine and a fuel range of around 250nm at a 20 knot cruise. Max torque is 550nm at 2000rpm.
As well as it’s light weight, this engine is super quiet. Where a conventional engine has a passing noise level of around 75 decibels, this model reduces that figure to around 65 decibels. On paper that doesn’t sound much, but to the human ear it’s a noise reduction of about 50%.
The power will reach the water via a Mercruiser Bravo 1 sterndrive running a stainless steel prop.
You can view more details of the DALE 23 here, but please come back to this page regularly to see updated photos of the build.