The Purekraft Rova 29 Amphibious is an impressive beast however you look at it, whether on the hard standing tall on its wheels, driving through the surf and up onto the beach, or in the water powering through the swells.
The all-white vessel was crouched down on the tarmac waiting for me at Takapuna boat ramp across from the Beach Café, where Jarrod Hall and the crew were enjoying some refreshment. Called Prevail, the boat has a lot of presence, its raised sheerline forward and vertical windscreen giving it some real authority – even squatting down on its wheels and resting its keel on the deck, the bow towered over my head. Heavy-duty rubbing strakes should afford the hull sides useful protection when coming alongside a jetty, and there are heavy-duty cleats fore and aft and amidships.
The boat is the latest project from Hall Marine Design (HMD) and Purekraft Boats to utilise Anura’s New Zealand-developed amphibious technology, in this instance the S45 electric over hydraulic (EOH) all-wheel-drive system. On land maximum speed is around 9kph with a maximum drive torque of 5700Nm and a continuous run time of approximately 1.5 hours.
On the water, power is supplied by a pair of Yamaha F300 4.2-litre V6 outboards, ensuring brisk acceleration for such a heavy craft and a decent turn of speed. All up, the rig weighs in at around five tonnes, which, with four adults aboard, is approaching the operational limit for S45 amphibious system. With more than four passengers aboard on test day, we offloaded some before raising the boat off the deck. Once the legs were fully extended and locked, they could safely reboard.
Prevail is destined for a life of commuting between a floating berth at Orakei Marina close to the CBD and Waiheke and Great Barrier Islands. So, while this beautifully finished and comprehensively equipped vessel has overnighting facilities, including berths, an enclosed head – spacious enough for comfort, with a button to operate the toilet’s ball valves electrically and a manual backup as well – a galley with Himacs countertops and sink, an induction cooktop and a fridge, a diesel heater, and air-conditioning, its primary function will be ferrying the owner, his family and friends between homes.
Indeed, the finish, from hull fairing and paint to the lined interior and custom-cut SeaDek on the cockpit sole and decks, is everywhere of the highest standards. The carpets and the vinyl panels lining the cabin are fabricated and laser-cut in-house, and a notable feature of the hardtop is the acoustic foam lining the ceiling that reduces noise and enhances comfort.
Prevail is an excellent example of the high standard the team at HMD and Purekraft can deliver. The details are striking, from the stainless-steel trim and finishes (the owners were adamant they didn’t want black) and stitched leather handrails to the beautifully faired hull, coved corners, and compression latches on all the hatches – even the cushions of the suspension seats, which feature four different grades of foam. Underfloor hatches all have gas struts, too, the Himacs wheelhouse table can be raised and lowered electrically, as can the rear cavity window, and even the vessel’s roof-mounted aerials are electric, raised and lowered from inside the cabin.
The boat’s engineering is impressive, from the tidy integration of the Anura S45 system and its associated services to meeting engineering challenges like incorporating cockpit side doors while maintaining a structure strong and rigid enough for amphibious duty where the vessel’s whole weight is supported on its ends. Anchoring is via a Savwinch drum and there’s also a capstan for mooring. Fuses are easily accessible, and the impressively tidy, organised, and labelled console wiring can be inspected through a panel in the heads compartment.
The side doors are great when boarding or disembarking, whether onto a jetty or marina finger or onto dry land, although you can also clamber aboard the boat using the rear wheels as giant steps – make no mistake, the wheels are large! The side doors, which open inwards, have magnets to secure them in the open position, a clever innovation. The cockpit enjoys floodlighting at night, with additional docking lights illuminating the side decks for coming alongside, and the foredeck floods as well. The cockpit drains into corner sumps with automatic bilge pumps – plus a tube to flush and drain the sumps on land. The quick-release fender mount points are a nice detail.
Prevail has a 48-volt electrical setup comprising a bank of four lithium-ion batteries to service the amphibious system, which also powers the air conditioning and a 48-volt bow thruster. The voltage is stepped down to 12V for the rest of the boat, including the electronics suite, 12V and USB outlets, and wireless phone chargers all over the vessel. The batteries are remotely switched by a BEP smart battery hub on the dashboard, and the vessel’s red or white interior LED lighting is controlled using the vessel’s C-Zone system.
Cooking, hot water heating, and numerous power outlets are 240 volts via an inverter, and a pair of AGM 12V start batteries service the outboards. The vessel is also wired for shore power and equipped with Starlink for 24/7 satellite wireless internet access.
Driving the vessel is easy enough, though it’s noticeable she’s a big unit, especially when operating on land. Six cameras provide video feeds to the bank of three Simrad MFDs, including a 360-degree view, ensuring good situational awareness. This awareness is important because there’s no way you can see from the helm what’s directly in front of the boat.
It was a slightly odd sensation getting out of our rather tight parking spot and carefully manoeuvring around the boat ramp car park in near silence (no petrol-powered pump motor to disturb the peace), looking down on the many interested bystanders from high up in the wheelhouse. The transition from terrestrial to aquatic operation was, of course, seamless, and once on the water the boat feels very much like any other.
That this is true is testament to Hall Marine Design’s attention to weight distribution and the hull design itself. The S45 system weighs in at 640kg, plus batteries, and with the nature of amphibious designs, much of that weight is by necessity concentrated on the ends, which isn’t ideal from a boat’s handling and performance perspective. However, the Purekraft Rova 29 behaves much like any other boat of similar length, though it certainly feels like it’s a relatively heavy vessel underway. The Yamaha outboards still provide strong acceleration, even with seven people aboard, and a top speed of 42 knots, while Yamaha’s Helm Master system provides a range of useful navigation features, plus joystick control and bow thruster integration for enhanced control at low speeds.
We made a round trip from Takapuna to Waiheke Island and back, spending a bit of time driving on and off the sand at Oneroa Bay, where the crew also picked up some supplies from the general store. Sea conditions were reasonably good, though there was some chop to contend with in the channels, but not enough to spray water onto the foredeck or to engage Prevail’s three windscreen wiper-washers.
We cruised there and back at a smooth and steady 26 knots – 30 knots at times – with the Zipwake interceptor tabs set on Auto, enjoying the comfort of the bolstered suspension seats and well-placed footrests. With the doors and windows closed, the boat is quiet underway, so the wheelhouse is definitely a nice place to be, no matter the weather.
Anura’s S25 and S45 amphibious systems are not only well engineered and easy to install, says Hall, but the company also offers boatbuilders plenty of support. Anura’s systems are easy to operate with a minimal number of extra gauges, levers, and controls to contend with. Lowering and raising the wheels is achieved with the push of a button, the system’s joystick control is intuitive, and the digital display is easy to understand.
At Waiheke we made several approaches on and off the beach, some of them in quite soft sand, over undulations and low sandbanks. No problems with traction.
With photography and video taken care of, Prevail cruised back to Takapuna where Jarrod and the boys dropped me back on dry land before once again driving back into the sea. It had all been rather easy, really, which is the whole point of amphibious boats. And we still had plenty of juice left in the batteries at the end of the day.
Prevail definitely meets its owners’ brief – and then some. Performing well on water and land, its striking lines make a powerful statement, complemented by a premium but practical fit-out. The attention to detail is especially notable, as is the high level of specification.
On the day it was evident the Purekraft crew responsible for building the boat, some of whom were onboard – was extremely proud of their achievement. Rightly so – Prevail is a worthy addition to New Zealand’s growing fleet of amphibious craft and a great advertisement for the versatility and expertise of HMD/Purekraft Boats.
