The Seakart 335: Part 2 – Handling, Ergonomics & Comfort

In this week’s article, we are getting up close and personal with the layout of The Seakart 335 as well as explaining how the design converts into distinctive handling for an utterly unique experience.

Seating layout

Something that makes The Seakart 335 really stand out from other tenders or RIB’s in the same size range is the layout. The Seakart has a central seating location for the helm – if you are running one-up for fully loaded, having that central positioning in the boat gives lots of options for balancing the load so the boat runs nicely in all conditions.

Having the layout of 3 seated across the stern allows the driver to share the experience with the passengers – unlike a jet ski or a RIB where the passengers are either behind or in front of you. Sharing the experience is half of the fun!

The Seakart boasts 5 full size seats – all forward facing - this is unusual for a vessel of this size. The design of the rear seats are very reminiscent of a sports car bucket seat with bolster cushions giving extra support to really hold the driver and passengers in place during the tight turns that this vessel can achieve. The backrests for rear seats are also of a good height, (up to shoulder blade height for a 6’ adult, or shoulder height for shorter adults) for supporting the motion at high speeds with stainless steel handles to give the passengers extra grip!

The 2 seats slightly forward of the midships allow leg room for adults, have a handhold each side for additional support and although have lower back rests that the rear seats, still give more support than other tenders or RIBs this size. The height of all the seats (in relation to the tubes) is lower than normal which really gives the feeling of sitting in the boat and not perching on top – and gives the helm a real race car feel!

Rear platform

The design of the rear seats has also been cleverly integrated with the splash proof transom! The high transom prevents the backwash from flooding the rest of the boat when slowing down.

You’ve also got a retractable bathing ladder as standard as well as extra handles which makes re-boarding the Seakart really easy. The bathing ladder works nicely with what is a sizeable platform for a small tender, there is lots of space to get on and off, in and out of the water. On the transom is also the ski hook – being easily accessible from either the rear seats or platform makes attaching your water toys quick and simple.

Helm

When you are sat at the helm, you immediately feel comfortable, secure and in control with the height-adjustable sports style steering wheel at a comfortable distance. The engine cover which is located underneath the console conveniently has footrest indents to really lock yourself in as a driver if you are throwing the boat around having some fun!

On the steering wheel is the ever-alluring green Start button and Red Stop button. For me, this is the first thing you see when you take your seat – it is such an invitation and really sets the scene for the experience to come.

Another noticeable difference is the Seakart does not have a throttle lever. Instead, the throttle is located on a paddle accelerator behind the steering wheel on the right hand side with the neutral / reverse paddle on the left. This gives a massive benefit that the driver can keep 2 hands on the steering wheel at all times rather than 1 on the steering wheel and one of the throttle lever like a traditional RIB.

Having a paddle accelerator enhances the sports car feel – as the power is literally at your fingertips. Being able to keep both hands on the wheel also means that you can make full use of the accurate steering that The Seakart has. Instead of 2 or 3 turns of the wheel to achieve full lock, like most other boats, The Seakarts steering wheel only rotates one ¼ turn mimicking a racing car. The small movements of the wheel enables the driver to really throw The Seakart around and is great fun on a slalom course!

Also on the steering wheel is the remote control for the Fusion audio system. The Fusion system is able to connect to your devices via Bluetooth, or USB located in the console, which is then easily controllable via the remote control. If you have the 180hp engine option, the engine trim will also be on the steering wheel – so everything you need is at hand.

Lifting the console cover you reveal the instrument switched and removeable battery isolater key. Whenever you are leaving the Seakart, it is generally good practise to fully isolate the system, so it does not drain the battery, this is done by turning the battery isolator switch by a ¼ turn. Here you will also find the USB connection for the speaker system should you wish to connect your music that way instead of Bluetooth. In this console you can find the navigation lights, onboard or underwater light switches as well as the bilge pump and blower switches.

Sat nicely on the either side of the console are the wing mirrors. These are most useful with towsports and for helping survey the surroundings for other vessels.

Storage

Behind the switches in the console is a deep storage section which is ideal for any paperwork you may need to carry as well as drinks and a small grab bag – should you wish.

Under the rear seats reveals two hatches giving access to the engine room. Here you will find the flushing attachment as well as the battery. As explained in our previous article, a jet engine uses sea water to cool certain parts of the engine and exhaust system, so when you are finished using The Seakart and you are putting it away at the end of the day it is very important to flush the whole system with fresh water, so it removes any of the corroding sea water that has been used to cool the system.

Under the front seats are two small storage sections ideal for snacks / drinks / mobile phones or small grab bags. Anything you may need to keep dry on a leisure day trip!

Comfort

Of course, the whole fibreglass structure of the boat is cocooned by the inflatable collar which also adds and element of comfort. When stationery and having fun or beached, the tubes can act as an extra seat or somewhere to rest against and in the unfortunate event of an impact can act as a protective cushion.

Handling

The hull on the Seakart has been cleverly designed to have a deep V at the bow and then the underside flattens out towards the stern. The deep V allows for the waves to be split into two which means The Seakart can cut through the waves better than a shallow V hull. The flatter hull at the stern gives the Seakart a lower angle on the plane which gives more stability as it is riding more on the water than in it. It is this lower angle combined with the ¼ turn accurate steering that creates the “drifting” sensation akin to that you would experience in a rear-wheel-drive car. With the high power to weight ratio and when the driver can get the sweet spot of steering and power it is an awesome feeling.

With the 180hp option – there is the L-mode which reduces the power to approx. 80hp which allows less experienced drivers to experience this unique handling sensation.

Whether you’re accelerating to achieve maximum speed or slowing down to explore the ocean and surrounding scenery, the Seakart 335 guarantees a fun, fast thrill.

Look out for Part 3 next week when we will be looking at quality and customisability.

To find out more about this high-end craft, visit the website searific.co.uk or contact them at info@searific.co.uk.

The Seakart 335 will be available to view at The South Coast Boat Show, taking place at Ocean Village Marina on 7-9 May.