The 3 boats-in-1 Van Diemen Sports Limousine super yacht tender

The all-new Sports Limousine from Tasmania’s Van Diemen Luxury

Crafts joins the swelling legion of convertible, multi-use boats that

includes the sports coupe-styled Revolver 44 GT and the Kormoran super-transformer.

The Sports Limousine goes a step beyond the basic electric hard-top

convertible, adding an electrically raised glasshouse to create three

distinct body styles for a myriad of on-water uses. It’s a cozy fishing

boat, a roomy, semi-enclosed limousine, and a compact tender in one.

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The key component of the Sports Limousine’s design is its

electrically activated roof, which rises and drops into position by way

of hydraulic arms. In the boat’s most open configuration, the roof panel

rests atop the gunwale, covering the interior cabin and providing a

low, streamlined shape. Van Diemen says this configuration is ideal for

transiting at speed and maintaining clear visibility. The compact 6.6-ft

(2-m) height is also handy for storage in smaller spaces that lack the

room for a high roof, such as inside a yacht’s tender bay or in a home

garage.

The roof can be lifted partially, sealing around the

electrically-raised, wraparound glasshouse to create a covered cabin

space. This limousine configuration gives shelter to up to eight

passengers on the cozy sofas while also offering panoramic views of the

water and shore. The captain and co-captain take the helm outside the

covered cabin.

Fully deploy the roof and the Sports Limousine shields the center

console with a full sun shade, perfect for fishing or diving. The

windows can be retracted to provide a breezy, open-air layout or raised

partially or fully to offer side protection from wind and weather. The

conversions take mere seconds, allowing the captain to quickly adapt to

changing weather, water conditions and passenger preferences.

Van Diemen introduced the Sports Limousine last September and offers

the craft in various sizes from 5.5 m (18 ft) on up, starting at

AU$150,000 (approx. US$114,000) . The model listed on its website is a

7.5-m (24-ft) variant and uses a 260-hp diesel duo prop stern drive to

hit speeds up to 35 knots (65 km/h). Equipment and options include a bow

thruster, hydraulic steering, a Raymarine E 165 chart plotter, teak

decking, a toilet, a refrigerator, LED lighting and a Fusion sound

system. The boat has a listed dry weight of 5,950 lb (2,700 kg). Van

Diemen tells us that the demo 7.5-m model lists at AU$350,000 (approx.

US$266,000).

Van Diemen offers a variety of customization opportunities, including

a choice between aluminum or composite construction, personalized

styling, and a number of engines, jet drives and hybrid propulsion

systems. It’s also started design work on an electric-driven day boat

with three-in-one convertible system.

Watch the Sports Limousine’s convertible system in action in the video below to get an idea of what life aboard is like.