The Mk III version of the 10m Scorpion sports cabin cruiser is scheduled to emerge from the workshop in late February. She will be appropriately named the Sting.
The first of these new high-spec custom builds is about to commence and in order to accommodate the busy order book, the managing director of Scorpion, Graham Jelley, has set up a separate manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Lymington.
According to Jelley, the build programme is expected to take around 3,500 man hours to complete and he estimates that his workforce can “probably build three cruisers in total next year”.
The first Sting will be available as a demonstration model at Scorpion's Lymington base from March. She is already entered for the Round Britain Race next June in which at least 10% of the entrants are driving Scorpion RIBs.
The Sting has a fine pedigree. The original hull design by Graham Jelley and Dave Marsh has an extraordinary list of accolades:
Round Britain Record: Hot Lemon V, Scorpion Sports Cruiser, trounced the under-30ft world record for the fastest powerboat sprint around Britain. With the North Sea rougher than expected, the circumnavigation was completed in 31 hours 22 minutes and 46 seconds.
Round British Isles Record: Chris Strickland, John Puddifoot, Jan Falkowski and Gordon Compton set a new time for the Round British Isles Record of 72 hours 27 minutes in Sea Hound V, a 10m Scorpion Sports Cruiser - 36 hours faster than the previous record.
London to Monte Carlo Distance Record: Chris Strickland, John Puddifoot, Jan Falkowski and Gordon Compton covered London to Monte Carlo - 2,080 nautical miles - setting a new time of 61 hours and 12 minutes, knocking 2 hours and 3 minutes off the previous record and making this the fastest long distance offshore passage ever undertaken.
Southern Isles Challenge Record: Mike and Dave Deacon in Hot Lemon, set a new World Record. Encompassing the Isle of Wight, Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey and the Scilly Islands and a total 535 nautical miles in just 9 hours 56 minutes - an incredible 10 hrs off the previous record.
So what's different about the Sting? Scorpion is adding a whole raft of upgrades which actually make a difference for the owner and/or driver and their family rather than being mere cosmetic tweaks. Despite the list of racing and endurance achievements and awards, this is, after all, Scorpion's flagship family cruising boat.
You expect superb design, exquisite craftsmanship and excellent handling when you become a Scorpion owner, first and second-hand. The construction and hull design requires no tweaking from the original masterpiece, but the team at Scorpion are providing a number of innovations to the quality and design of certain key components e.g. the windscreen, the cockpit seating, the cabin upholstery and accommodation, adding durability, security and comfort.
New features of the Sting includa a lockable door to the cabin that will be fully lined and boast Alcantara upholstery; a new curved windscreen that is a higher spec overall, and provides even more protection than in previous models.
For comfort and safety in the cockpit, where once they were 'bolsters', now Scorpion is adding sport-styled seating that is electronically controlled to adjust to the right height just for you. As Jelley puts it: “People are getting taller”.
In the cabin, there is the addition of a twin or double berth, recessed overhead lighting and flexi-teak flooring whilst in the galley, there is a new ceramic hob and cabin heater under an opening worktop.
All in all, it's an impressive package.
For more information visit www.scorpionribs.com
