Minncraft Boatworks to debut Summit 26 Runabout at MIBS
Minncraft Boatworks has announced the completion and unveiling of its first edition Summit 26 Runabout. The launch of Hull No. 1, the first Summit 26, will be in January 2016 and will be showcased for its first public viewing at Miami International Boat Show, scheduled for February 16-20, 2017. Minncraft Boatworks will be showcasing the Summit 26 on site at its in-water slip at the Old Marine Stadium, reception booth 560.
Minncraft Boatworks hand crafts its motorboats in the U.S. Each features design aspects reminiscent of a classic nautical era, complemented by technology and the appointments of the present. The Summit 26 was conceived with the idea to craft a collector’s showpiece.
“The hull has sleek modern lines yet it evokes that nostalgic feel of the Great Gatsby or Camelot age of long carefree weekends by the sea with classic runabouts gracing the horizon,” Minncraft Boatworks founder Rob Sheppard said. “Indulgences abound— designed for the soul of a Maritime connoisseur we have integrated technology and contemporary embellishments with the spirit of timeless nautical legacy.”
The vision of Minncraft Boatworks, said Sheppard, “is to craft custom, completely hand-built wooden boats. Committed to building and launching limited edition hulls, our attention to detail will always be peerless. We offer our customers something no one else in the world does: a finely hand-crafted, custom designed, luxury runabout featuring the finest boatbuilding materials available, along with the integrated technology of iPad/smartphone automation.”
The direct drive propulsion allows for cruising quietly or slicing through the water at commanding speed. V8 power and integrated touchscreen technology are among its features. The design includes a hand-planked wood composite hull with white oak frames, cold molded bottom and sides with a solid mahogany and teak top layer finished with fiberglass encapsulation, and a blueprinted bottom. Its engine power is from a Mercruiser 5.7L 330HP with multi-point electronic fuel injection. Custom metal work and hand-laid teak add to the lines. Features include both nine- and seven-inch Raymarine customized function monitors — one for audio control, digital switching and engine monitoring and the other for navigation and chart plotting — with an integrated iPad control system and a Rockford Fosgate amplifier. A pro-grade six-speaker sound system delivers sound. Topside features include Phillip Cato designed upholstery, including front and rear bucket seats with side comfort bolsters and featuring dual center consoles with electronic positioning controls.
The stylized hardware and dashboard instrumentation are functional with the iPad touchscreen master control of interior accessories including a motorized upholstered engine hatch cover, a teak cockpit floor with built-in insulated cooler featuring a motorized lift to convert it to a dining table. Lighting treatments include LED lighting throughout the interior, bulkhead, engine bay, underwater transom and custom built-in rub rail navigation lights.
Sheppard has plans for Minncraft Boatworks to launch others in 2017. Sea trials of the prototype were “thrilling and rewarding,” and “allowed my team to adjust and fine tune design details for the Summit 26 production line,” he says.
For more information, visit MinncraftBoatworks.com.
