This year’s summer garden party Salute to Style at The Hurlingham Club in July will see the debut of a new modern speedboat powered by a historic engine. It’s called the Aeroboat and it is made by yacht design studio Claydon Reeves. The engine is a Rolls-Royce Merlin V12.
The Aeroboat is not only shares its powertrain with the legendary Spitfire, it is also inspired by the aircraft in terms of design. Some of the features borrowed from the iconic plane include the sweeping tail design, authentic air intake scoop, throttle and switchgear.
Claydon Reeves will make 12 Aeroboats in total, each of which bespoke to the customer. Each “super yacht” will be powered by a reconditioned, fuel-injected Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 engine, de-tuned to 1,100 bhp. That’ll be enough for a top speed of 75-95kts.
The Aeroboat may look retro and it may have an ancient engine, but everything else about this boat is modern. You will find lots of carbon fiber, Kevlar and lightweight wood veneer in the boat’s construction. Cockpit trim, engine specifications and exterior finishes are all customizable.
