Looking for a classical family weekender with an extra dash of panache? The new Flipper flagship could be just what you need
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I t’s fair to say that the Nordic weekender is in a state of flux. While brands like Axopar have deviated wildly from the inherited script with their radically tapered bows, stepped hulls and disruptively intelligent deck layouts, the ‘classical’ high-performance family cuddy (often abbreviated to DC for Day Cruiser) has been plugging away at the heart of Scandinavian leisure boating for decades. Even in its most classical form, it has continued to attract droves of fans for its exhaustively finessed combination of step-through bow, forward cuddy, deep-set cockpit, quick-rig canopy and outboard propulsion – and that popularity looks set to remain for some time to come.
After all, in spite of its compact proportions and the relative conservatism of its approach, a properly sorted Nordic weekender is able to marry generous day spaces with serviceable overnighting facilities and engaging performance. We’ve seen it at various sizes and price brackets over the years from the likes of Yamarin, Bella, Finnmaster and Windy. And as the new Flipper flagship illustrates, if you’re able to lace that proven formula with some edgy design flourishes for extra freshness and sex appeal, the classical DC package can be very tough not to like...
STYLE AND SUBSTANCE
The Flipper 900 DC is a seriously good looking boat. Cast your eye across its profile and you see integrated fibreglass screen struts that seem to extend seamlessly from the foredeck. You see tinted glass projections at the leading edge of the side windows that echo the aggressive ‘lightning-strike’ lines of the lower panels. You see faceted cutaways for the nav lights, raised bases for the aft guardrail stanchions and an angular cockpit layout with clean-cut cushions and a swept wet bar design. It’s a truly cool looking boat and there are plenty of hard working design features to help raise a smile on the inside too.
An asymmetrical layout generates the space for a huge starboard dinette. It uses an aft bench that folds flat above the stern platform and a table that drops into the gap at the touch of a button. Rigged with the infills, that enables you to enjoy an unbroken starboard sunpad that runs all the way from the leading edge of the outboard cowlings to the trailing edge of the helm seats. You can use it as a huge double guest bed for warmweather camping or you can lift the backrest up, fit the aft screen around the bottom edge of the canopy and cocoon yourself inside the cockpit for a more sheltered and private double berth.
