VSV Mary Slim

Specifications

Length overall: 22.5m
Length waterline: 20m
Beam overall: 4.2m
Draft: 1m
Weight lightship: 15 tonnes
Berths: 8
Berth cabins: 3
Construction: Composite
Engine: V12, 32 litre, 1650hp C32 Caterpillar
Propulsion: Rolls Royce KaMeWa FF 550 water jet
Auxiliary power: KiteShip kite
Top speed: 43 knots
Cruise speed: 25-30 knots
Range: 1,800 nm
Fuel capacity: 12 tonnes
RCD cat: A

Mary Slim is a Nic Bailey design and was built by Multimarine in 2007. The hull shape was originally based on a military design with the patent for this held by Adrian Thompson. Nic Bailey brought it into the private sector with Multimarine and since then the hull shape has become much more prevalent in the leisure yachting industry. Mary Slim though manages to retain her jaw dropping, futuristic good looks and her owners are still delighted with her performance.

It’s been beautifully built by the way; I want that put on record because that’s important … I’ve had no grief at all [working with Multimarine] I mean it’s been fantastic … they’ve done a superb job. I think they’re probably – I know Darren is standing there – but they’re the only yard in the UK that could have done this. If you’d gone to a more, I can’t say established yard, but a bigger company they wouldn’t have been able to … react to the … owner’s requirements and build the bit of kit that he wants … And it’s obviously a very cost effective process ... You’re the guys … [who] know how to build a semicircular sink but you don’t spend £5,000 on a mould, [you] mould it off a fender … which is fantastic.”

Adrian Thompson, at the launch of Mary Slim, March 2007

Military Background

In 1999 the Special Boat Squadron, Britain's marine special forces unit, acquired a VSV (Very Slender Vessel). It can go faster than any other ocean-going fast pursuit vessel in the world. It is capable of speeds of more than 60 knots, is 53 feet long and cylindrical, with a 10 foot cross-section so it can punch straight through waves rather than go through the top of them.

Read More ++

VSV hulls have lower overall power requirements than comparable Deep "V" planing hulls. This leads to reduced engine size and increased range.

Traditional Deep "V" hulls have two modes of operation; low speed displacement mode, and a high speed planing mode. The vessel may operate only at displacement speed or planing speed. The VSV hull, by comparison, exhivits no discernable planing "hump". The vessel can maintain any speed within its performance envelope, returning full command to the driver.

When traditional Deep "V" boats travel at speed in rough conditions, they jump from wave to wave and land with high vertical acceleration or 'G' force. As the speed of the vessel increases or the sea gets rougher, the G force on landing increases. Peak readings regularly exceed 20G which is sufficient to cause injury to the personnel and damage to the vessel at its equipment.

Deep "V" hulls are the traditional solution for travelling at high speeds offshore. By their nature they are planing craft and spend their time on the surface of the water. They are therefore, on occasion, subject to extreme vertical accelerations created by waves. Wave piercers are not completely novel as designers have been developing slim sharp fronted boats for years that are encouraged to cut through the waves rather than bouncing over them. The VSV applies these principles to high-speed patrol vessels to enable crews to travel at high speeds in adverse conditions in relative comfort and safety.

In the News

VSV MarySlim Nic Bailey Multimarine manufacturing innovative custom composite boatbuilders carbonfibre multihull Centre

VSV MarySlim: Wavepiercing Round Britain

by Multi | Mar 27, 2020 | Multimarine Manufacturing, VSV

VSV MarySlim Wavepiercing Round Britain: 1667.32nm 13 days With its V12 (32 litre, 1650hp, C32) Caterpillar engine, an LOA of 22.5m and a width of just 4.2m, MarySlim just can't help but turn heads. Join us for the MarySlim VSV wavepiecing Round Britain experience. READ THE ORIGINAL WRITE UP FROM PARKSTONE YACHT CLUB ON MARYSLIM'S WEBPAGE A bit of background to the VSV Mary Slim, VSV (Very Slender Vessel), is a wavepiercing Nic Bailey design and was built by Multimarine in 2007. The hull...