[dropcap]A[/dropcap]fter the exciting new 48 Wallytender world debut last autumn, at this month’s Miami Yacht Show Wally has launched a new, powerful and super high-performance outboard version of the stylish day cruiser in an elegant, deep Tyrrhenian Blue color.
“As a hotspot for the outboard yachting lifestyle, Florida is the perfect place to unveil this thrilling new model. With four 450hp outboard racing engines primed to unleash astounding speeds, the 48 Wallytender X will undoubtedly turn heads with its unique match of power and style, the perfect choice for anyone who loves innovative high-performance boats,” comments Stefano de Vivo, Managing Director of Wally.
Having reviewed a number of propulsion options for its outboard model, Wally selected Mercury’s state-of-the-art 450hp Verado R powerful engines, manufactured in the US; they are the lightest and most fuel efficient outboards on the market, with the best power-to-weight ratio. Combined with a hull design and a light carbon fiber construction from the in-house experts at Wally and Ferretti Group, the result is impressive: high top speeds and very low consumptions for extended range. Preliminary sea trials recorded a top speed of 55 knots and a cruising speed of 40 knots with a range of 320nm, which can extend to 350nm at 36 knots.
With such remarkable performances, combined with a deep-V hull, the 48 Wallytender X ideally complements the fast-paced boating way of life favoured by many Florida-based selective owners. Day trips to Bimini or the Florida Keys are within easy reach. The spacious and elegant suite on the lower deck, featuring carbon fiber decking with furniture and panels in teak, allows for cruising in total comfort. With tilting outboards, the minimum draft at which you can cruise with engines lifted can be reduced to 2 feet 4 inches (70cm) at full load.
Alongside the performance advantages of outboard engines, the 48 Wallytender X provides a quiet ride thanks to reduced noise and vibration, as well as being easy to maintain. The propulsion system also features user-friendly joystick controls for easy manoeuvring.
A challenge for owners of boats with outboard engines can be the access from the stern, with banks of multiple outboards prohibiting easy boarding or entry to the water from the aft. Not so with the 48 Wallytender X: as a first in its category, Wally has ingeniously split the four engines to the flanks of the boat, with two on each side, allowing the installation of the retractable hydraulic boarding passerelle/swim ladder to provide direct and easy access to the water or the shore.
The deck layout of the 48 Wallytender X is as welcoming and comfortable as the inboard version, including generous seating, sunbeds and alfresco dining catered to by the well-equipped galley unit. And with the sideways-opening bulwarks that boating enthusiasts have come to know and love from Wally, the open “beach” effect on the aft of the boat is a remarkable feature also included as a standard in this model.
“We are very proud of what we have achieved with the breath-taking 48 Wallytender X,” comments Luca Bassani, Wally founder. “We have been able to maintain the strong aesthetic identity of Wally and the many practical features already found on the inboard model, perfectly suited to serve the needs of clients who prefer the outboard experience in their boating lifestyle, including top speeds and high levels of performance coupled with unrivalled seakeeping.”
