You don’t want to take this retro-looking gentleman’s runabout on the Great Loop, but it sure would be fun to cruise around your local harbor.
The Hermes Speedster, made in Greece by the UK-based Seven Seas Yachts, is a state-of-the-art version of a classic 1930s runabout but with lines drawn to resemble the iconic Porsche 356 Speedster from the 1950s. When it was first made, four years ago, the boat was powered by a Rotax engine. Now, in our eco-conscious age, it’s driven by a 100kW electric motor with a 30kWh battery pack.
With the Rotax engine, the Hermes topped out at about 45 mph. With the new electric motor, it hits 36 mph. If you throttle back to 6 mph it can run for about nine hours without recharging, but the boat will be silent and leave no fossil fuel emissions behind.
The Hermes Speedster is named for the fastest god in Greek mythology; Hermes delivered his messages on winged sandals. It’s just a little more than 22 feet long, with a beam of 5’ 9”, and a displacement of just 1,510 pounds.
But it has a fine entry, parting the waves, and its patented hull shape gives it a soft ride. And it’s stable, with a low center of gravity.
The design elements from the Porsche include the cut-down, chrome-framed windshield, bucket seats, chrome retro gauges on a leather dash, and twin air intakes on the rear sun pad. The boat also has a Porsche-like retro convertible top that can be set up in seconds.
It also has a high level of craftsmanship in the richly appointed cockpit that would be equally at home in the Hermes French fashion house as well as inside a vintage Porsche. Read more:
