It is a hot and humid Thursday 2nd June and we are at a Venice boat show packed with people who have flocked to the Serenissima to spend the long bank holiday weekend. Against this backdrop, the prospect of a sea trip is particularly enticing; and doing so aboard the Flipper 700 DC becomes a funny experience full of surprises. In fact, the new boat from the Finnish shipyard literally leaves you open-mouthed with its extraordinary stability: even though it is a 7-metre hull, we reach planing speed at just 9 knots and maintain perfect balance up to 15 knots, feeling safe even at higher speeds.
Flipper 700 DC Sea Trial
Already on leaving the Arsenal to head out of the Venetian lagoon, on board the Flipper 700 DC it is hard to resist the temptation to exceed the speed limits: this little toy gives a pleasant sensation of safety and immediately invites you to give it a throttle to take it to the limit and see what it is made of. But of course we respect the rules and wait until we are in open sea, where we can finally push the Mercury Q6 225HP outboard of the Flipper 700 DC. The sea is hardly rough, but there has been bad weather in the previous days and the boat crosses the last long waves with great confidence and calm. It doesn’t even feel as if we are aboard a 7-metre powerboat, however well the Flipper 700 DC goes: we first accelerate to 20 knots, then to 30 and finally dare to break through the 41 knots at 5800 rpm, the maximum performance we achieve during our test, without exceeding 75 litres per hour of consumption. A remarkable result, if we think that there are four of us on board with the 180-litre tank half full. Above all, not a single splash of water hits us: the Flipper 700 DC goes brilliantly, is always stable and perfectly protects both helmsman and passengers from wind and water, even when standing.
The Finnish yard’s little gem has nothing to fear even when turning: we accelerate and decelerate without ever drifting, with the boat always maintaining its course perfectly. This is a sign that the hull has been impeccably crafted, especially the bow. Helping with the ease of handling is the steering wheel, which is extraordinarily soft at low speeds but immediately hardens when accelerating to ensure safe navigation.
Top finishes even for small dimensions
Performance is not the only strength of this powerboat, however. The Flipper 700 DC also impresses with its high level of finishes, as is the case with the entire Flipper range: the teak is very thick, the seating is comfortable and below deck in the bow there is even a double cabin-bed large enough for emergencies, complete with a concealed marine toilet. Completing the furnishings are the aft sundeck, which can optionally be converted into a small dinette, and the fold-down awning under the aft bench, so that it can be pulled out if necessary and kept hidden when not needed, keeping the hull line clean.
But the Flipper 700 DC is obviously at its best as a general-purpose sports boat for day trips to enjoy with family or friends, perhaps doing a bit of fishing, but without being able to resist sailing at high speed for any length of time, and still surprise with its performance. Regardless of its size (after the 650, the 700 is in fact the smallest model in the series), the yard has in short guaranteed top quality, on a par with its big sisters.
Flipper 700 DC performance detected
| RPM | Speed (kn) | Consumo (litri/ora) |
| 600 | 2.4 | 2,3 |
| 1000 | 3.7 | 4,6 |
| 1500 | 6.0 | 6,7 |
| 2000 | 7.5 | 11,6 |
| 2500 | 8.4 | 16,2 |
| 3000 | 13.1 | 17,7 |
| 3500 | 20.9 | 27,0 |
| 4000 | 26.2 | 33,6 |
| 4500 | 30.1 | 50,0 |
| 5000 | 33.0 | 60,7 |
| 5200 | 34.7 | 65,6 |
| 5800 | 41.1 | 75,0 |
Technical Specs
Length | 7.17 m |
Width | 2.48 m |
Fresh Water Capacity | – |
Fuel Capacity | 188 l |
Max Passengers Capacity | 7 |
Engine Power | 135-300 hp / 99-220 kW |
Design Category | C |
For further information: www.flipperboats.fi
