The first sea trial of GENESIS 31 , the new rib of TROPIDA.
Genesis 31 – Twin 300hp 4.6L V8 Verados
By Thomas P.
In recent years, many shipyards have left behind the traditional design of inflatable boats, creating Ribs with innovative features that stand out at first glance and have their own unique personality.
A typical example is Tropida-Ribs whose boats differ and stand out by providing inventive but at the same time effective interventions harmonized in a particularly aggressive line where the aerodynamics have the first say.
The unique and innovative design of the bow steps and the antidive system of the bow, a trademark of the boats of Tropida, reduce the deceleration of the boat and increase the safety index by preventing the nailing of the bow especially when we travel with high waves having the wind in our stern.
Tropida’s boats are harmonized with the EU directives for CE class B & C. The company has ISO 9001/2015 Certification from BUREAU VERITAS.
All designs of the models are registered with the Industrial Property Organization (OBI) and are protected by the Copyright Act.
The new GENESIS 31 combines the advantages of large Ribs and the flexibility of small ones, delivering particularly high final speeds found only in racing set-ups.
Genesis 31 runs on a hull signed by Adam Younger and Takis Samartzis, which adopts the deep V and the technology of ventilated steps in combination with special shipbuilding elements.
“Genesis 31 is intended for fast day trips and is aimed at those who want to travel quickly and economically without being deprived of luxury and living comforts”, said the owner of Tropida-Ribs, who is responsible for the overall layout of the boat.
On deck
With a comfortable U-shape sofa at the stern that incorporates two additional folding seats as well as the possibility of converting the bow sundeck into an enclosed sleeping area, Genesis 39 can satisfy even those who love nautical camping.
The whole boat is lined with synthetic teak of special aesthetics, with resistance to time and sea conditions and zero maintenance.
The options in the combinations of the upholstery and the colors of the boat are so various that one can choose what he desires.
The hard nose faithfully follows the aerodynamic profile of the boat and offers access to the boat, keeping its upper surface completely clean and free without the presence of dangerous points.
For this reason, it was chosen to place the anchor lower, which comes out of a small opening located under the hard nose.<
The hard nose may look narrow, but it has great depth due to the large bow entry and comfortably hosts the windlass and the anchor chain. At the top it has a small but smart portable socket, ideal for the bow lines.
The bow sundeck can accommodate two adults, while its roof opens with an electro-hydraulic mechanism and reveals a large storage space which is very well finished by gelcoat and has small cabinets on its side surfaces.
Genesis 31 of our test was the hard-top version with adjustable roof – another innovation of Tropida Ribs – so that it can be adjusted to the appropriate height depending on the speed and weather, with just the push of a button.
The instrument panel has the appropriate space for the installation of even large electronic navigation devices, while allowing the pilot to see their indications directly when driving in a sitting position.
Most of the panel is made by carbon, while the left part that hosts the steering wheel and switches as well as the extension where the engines controls are based is covered with very good quality leather.
The helm seats, designed from the owner of shipyard, offer comfort and safety while being supported by anti-vibration mechanisms.
The pilot station in combination with the high windshield and the adjustable T-top is an excellent shelter from the wind and the spray, while on its right and left there are comfortable passageways for the fore and aft movement of passengers.
The front part of the console with its special and innovative aerodynamic design, a trademark of Tropida, it has two separate single seats while at the same time it is a door which is raised revealing the toilet and the bath of the boat.
Genesis 31 can be delivered with either a wet bar behind the helm seats or two additional seats for the crew.
The stern cockpit is U-shaped forming a spacious living area being the main gathering place on the boat.
The stern sofa is raised with an electric mechanism and houses a single storage space underneath.
The two folding seats on the right and left, increase even more the number of seats while if they are raised, they form independent single seats that face the bow.
In the center of the U-shaped sofa, the table is located which is adjustable in height and depending on our choice we can configure a comfortable dining area or a very large berth for sunbathing and relaxing.
To the right and left of the stern living area there are wide gunwales that are lined with synthetic teak and facilitate our movement to the engines. Observe how functional the folding lights, filler caps and cleats are on the rear part of gunwales so that they do not protrude and do not carry the risk of injury.
At sea
With a bow entry of 55 degrees and a deadrise angle at the transom of 23 degrees, the hull of Genesis 31 showed us extremely soft riding while maintaining an ideal cruising angle throughout the whole rpm range, keeping the spray low and away from the deck and occupants.
Our test Rib was equipped with two V8 300hp Verado engines which with a gear ratio of 1.75: 1 were turning 4-blade 14 5 / 8″ x 23″ Revolution stainless steel propellers.
With a wave height of 1-1.5 meters and a very strong wind, three crew members and 200 liters of gasoline in the boat tank, we went out for the first sea trial of the new Genesis 31.
Feeling like I’m in a Saita 7.80 that has grown and with complete confidence in this particular hull, without thinking much I pushed the controls forward and the boat ejected with exceptional acceleration, without any lack, thanks to the wonderful bite of the propellers that in no case they did not lose their waters even when we trimmed the engines very high running at speeds over 60 knots.
The stepped hull creating an excellent lift made the boat run level at high speeds with a consistent trim angle of the engines, while the highly cupped of the four-blade propellers held the bow steady hooked up without any tendency to stuff in the given weather conditions.
Thus, the stepped hull never exhibited a hint of instability despite the high speeds across 4-foot seas, while on down-sea runs the bow refused to dip into the backside of the waves and was passing effortlessly over their peaks.
The level cruising also gave us excellent visibility making handling easier at any speed even when driving while sitting.
Even after 60 knots, the stability levels are enviable, unlike some other boats that you struggle to keep them steady presenting chine walking phenomena, while the hull of Genesis 31 showed us that it can safely handle much higher speeds.
In fact, we were able to perform abrupt maneuvers at high speeds, where the boat showed incredible directivity and obeyed immediately, ignoring the waves and strong winds.
Our ride was perfectly smooth, of course, but what really impressed in the stepped hulls designed by Adam Younger was that wonderful “sweet” damping that you receive even when the Rib bridges the waves running to the limits.
Genesis 31 accelerated to 30 knots in 6.5 seconds, while reaching 40 knots in 9 seconds.
At 3000 rpm we were traveling at 25 knots with a fuel consumption of 1.8 liters per nautical mile. This was also the most economical cruising speed which gives us a range of 111 nautical miles per 200 liters of fuel.
At 3500 rpm we ran at 31 knots burning 2 liters per mile, while at 4000 rpm our speed was 37.5 knots with the engines asking for 1.9 liters per mile.
At the open wide throttle we reached 66.5 knots, a speed that reminds us of racing boats, while the engines reached the maximum rpm recommended by the manufacturer.
The detailed measurements can be seen in the following table:Perfomance data by e-Ribbing
The slip percentages we recorded were impressive. Especially at 4500 rpm, the Revolution propellers showed a slip of only 5.3% while at 5000 and 5500 rpm we observed zero slip with all that entails.
At WOT, the slip was negative, a result of both the high cup of the propellers and the fact that two propellers were running in the water.
The weather conditions we had during our sea trial were ideal to evaluate the capabilities of Genesis 31, as well as the wavelength that perfectly matched the length of its hull.
It is a highly navigable Rib and is aimed mainly at those who want to combine leisure with high performance and a high level of cruising while maintaining very low fuel consumption at cruising speeds….keep Ribbing!
https://e-ribbing.com/en/rib-tests/810-genesis-31-%E2%80%93-twin-300hp-4-6l-v8-verados-en.html
