MASTERS talks to prominent figures from the business world, including Esmée van der Putten & Sim Bleijenberg of Revolt Custom Boats. "With this RIB, optimal enjoyment is number one. Not only in terms of comfort, but also in terms of sailing itself: the Comfort goes incredibly fast – 130 km/h – is seaworthy, extremely manoeuvrable and has unique sailing characteristics."
Photography John van Helvert
Text Bart-Jan Brouwer
Sporty and exclusive
Esmée: "From an early age I grew up with boats. We had a motorboat, which went to Spain on a trailer during the summer holidays. From this passion I rolled into the company Revolt Custom Boats. There was an immediate click. Together with Sim and a number of other partners, we are responsible for everything related to the Revolt Custom Boats brand. For example, it has always been a dream to set up a boat brand and now we have been given this unique opportunity to tackle this together. Furthermore, I am mainly responsible for marketing, events and a bit of sales, but actually I am involved in everything in the company. John Biesheuvel is the founder of Revolt. He is well-known in the RIB racing world. From this hobby and passion he started Revolt. He is very good at building boats and the whole technical story, but in the marketing and sales part he could use some hands. The latest line has been out since April this year, the Revolt Comfort 47. The boat is a combination of sportiness and exclusivity, built down to the last detail: from spacious seats to a sun deck where you can enjoy optimal comfort. With the latest Triple Mercury Verado 600 hp V12 engines, the best is brought together in a boat that you can do anything with. From strolling on the Côte d'Azur, or at 130 km/h with your friends to the next destination. With chilled drinks in the wet bar on board, you can enjoy all the luxury to the fullest. It is fully customisable: colour, upholstery, layout, engines, etc. The customer for whom we produced this first model asked us to make a very 'thick version'. Our client's profile Lover of cars, boats and luxury. In this example, there are sixteen speakers, a luxurious toilet and even underwater lighting. Nothing is too crazy. Do you want gold taps or diamonds in the roof? We'll take care of it. Anything is possible."
Unique sailing characteristics
Sim: "With this RIB, optimal enjoyment is number one. Not only in terms of comfort, but also in terms of sailing itself: the Comfort goes incredibly fast – 130 km/h – is seaworthy, extremely manoeuvrable and has unique sailing characteristics. Normally, a RIB sometimes wants to bounce, but the balance in this boat is unprecedented. Thanks to the Twin-Stepped deep-V hull, the boat cuts through the waves like a knife. That hull is shaped in such a way that it can handle everything from flat water to raging waves. The Comfort is 14.50 meters long and only 3.40 meters wide. Ranker means less friction and therefore more speed. The Mercury engines can be controlled via Joystick Piloting. You have full control over 360°: you can make the boat sail sideways without a bow thruster, rotate it around its axis, moor in tight spaces without worrying about wind or currents. Accelerate, shift and steer: all at the tips of your fingers. But you can also choose other engine brands, that's entirely up to the customer: we only make the boat to order. The person for whom we built this example actually wanted to hang four 600 hp engines behind it. That's typical of our audience: it has to be extreme. The Comfort is not tied to 1800 hp, but it is limited to the width of the engines."
Experience days
Esmée: "What is also very special with this boat: at a speed of 100 km/h it seems as if you are only going 50 km/h. You are not allowed to sail fast in most waters here, which is why we will definitely take this boat to the market abroad. We are fortunate that we are located on the Hollands Diep with the shipyard: there you can immediately go full throttle. It is impossible to describe in words what you feel when you cut through the water in the Comfort, you really have to experience it. For people who are seriously interested, we therefore organize small-scale experience days. We also organize community and boat trips for our regular customers. And in the winter the 'cold claws tour': then we map out a nice route, we all go out on the water, we use the boat for which it was made, we eat somewhere and go back again. In this way, we bring together people who share the passion for boats and can exchange experiences."
All-rounder
Sim: "The boat has the best sailing characteristics, but you have to know what you're doing. When you buy a Ferrari, you also need to know how to drive it. That is why we also offer sailing training for the buyer, to learn the skills/actions of the boat and to be well prepared on the water. It's such a bizarre machine, an all-rounder, as long as you know what you're doing. I have the advantage that I have always been able to sail a lot of boats since I was a child. My father comes from water sports and has a lot of friends with boats around him. I was always the guy who got to take the boats everywhere. I have sailed every car above 100 km/h, but I have never experienced this. You are pressed into your seat when you press the throttle down. Not normal! On the water I sometimes come across boats that want to compete with me, then it's with two fingers in the nose to put the accelerator pedal down and then it sprays away. In short: the Revolt Comfort 47 is my favorite and I can't wait to share this unique experience with you."
Revoltcustomboats.com
