Aristo – 16m Vripack Stentor 1600 (2004)

Full Description

Aristo is a Stentor 1600, designed by Vripack and launched in June 2004, and one of her best features is where her tender lives. Her boat deck sits a level below the aft deck, so the hydraulic crane and davits can launch the tender without disturbing anyone sitting out above, a small piece of thinking that tells you how she was meant to be used. She is built for the open sea. Her 33-tonne multi hard chine hull is made from 5mm steel plate, with 4mm for the deck and superstructure, and sits on a long keel that helps her hold a steady course, while her flared bow pushes spray and choppy water outwards rather than over the foredeck. She is CE Category A, the rating for open-sea passages, and Vetus fin stabilisers reduce the roll for comfort. Her bow has confident Bay of Biscay looks while her stern would not look out of place on the inland waterways, and that dual character suits her well. A single 185hp Perkins Sabre M185C on a shaft gives her 8 knots cruising and a top speed of 8.5, and with 5,000 litres of diesel in two steel tanks her listed range is about 3,750 nautical miles at 7.5 knots. Hydraulic proportional bow and stern thrusters, with remote control, make berthing straightforward, and with a 1.30 metre draft and a 3.25 metre air draft once the mast is lowered hydraulically, she could cross open water one month and explore inland routes the next. Life aboard is built around a couple, with room for guests. Each cabin has a 2.0 metre French bed and its own en suite with a shower, and the dinette converts to bring her to six berths. The interior is teak with teak and holly floors and 2.0 metres of headroom in the saloon, and Kabola central heating, air conditioning throughout, double glazing and foam insulation make her a year-round home. The Corian galley has a double sink, a Siemens four-burner hob, a combination microwave oven, a dishwasher and a separate fridge and freezer, with a Miele washer-dryer and a central vacuum. Outside, the aft deck has U-shaped seating on teak and a wet bar with its own sink and fridge. With 2,500 litres of fresh water, Mastervolt electrics with two 2,500W inverters, an 11kVA Kohler generator and a 4.5kW isolation transformer, she is set up for long spells away from the dock.