Goldfish 36pi Supersport Rib
It’s a well known medical fact; watching goldfish is therapeutic and relaxes the mind. I’ve got news for you; the goldfish I was watching was anything but relaxing or therapeutic. However unlike the golden variety that swim around in ponds and tanks, the goldfish, I’m referring to is 36 foot long, 10’2” wide and boasted a low grey profile. It looks menacing but let loose on the open sea, the Goldfish 36Pi Supersport is an awesome beast with a performance to drool over. Until last years Round Britain race, I must confess I had not heard of the Norwegian RIB builder but after their Yanmar powered 36 footer had led for most of the gruelling marathon, we were all curious to know more about this unique craft. For starters, the build quality is second to none, some might even say superb. When testing any new boat, it is important to establish what market it is aimed at and it fair to say, the 36 Pi is not marketed as a family cruiser, despite having two berths. This boat will find favour with the sports car enthusiast who wants and electric performance coupled with a very high degree of safety. Before putting the 36Pi into production, Goldfish built a prototype that underwent every conceivable test during its development. It was widened, lengthened, the deep V was adjusted and even the steps were moved around until the Goldfish designers were confident they had the ultimate ‘marine sports machine’. Stepping aboard this exquisite work of art I was tempted to ask where the toilet and galley was but I was unsure whether my pathetic sense of humour would have been appreciated. The accomadation aboard is spartan but practical as, when travelling at around 80mph, it imperitive that everyone aboard is comfortable. The driver has a clear view of the instrument panel which feature large Livorsi instrumentation and ahead of driver and co-pilots are matching Raymarine Chartplotters which include speedo and depth sounder etc. Racing style twin lever throttles and gear levers connect to the engine room which is covered by a smooth operating electric powered hatch which also doubles as the sunbed. Two Yanmar D-MAX power packs punching out 760hp are installed in a staggered formation as the 36Pi has a relativally narrow beam and transmission is via Imco SCX drives. Forward of the cockpit console, a large hatch raises, revealing the accomadation. It is best described as spartan with a V berth formation. Goldfish do not boast of sumptuous living area aboard the 36Pi but there is adequate room for staying aboard overnight although you would have to find shoreside washing and toilet facilities. Now you know the layout of the craft…how does it perform? My host for the trial was James Sydenham who was part of the crew of ‘Lionheart’ the Goldfish 36Pi that clinched the runner-up medal in the 2008 Round Britain race. ‘Lionheart’ would almost certainly have secured overall victory had it not been for a failed sterndrive during the marathon which cost valuable time. After firing up the two Yanmar’s by a remote control gadget (how lazy can you get) we then proceeded to leave the marina. I’m sure a Formula 1 car is not the easiest to manoeuvre at slow speed and the 36Pi is no exception. 
Because the drive units are close together, it’s not so easy to manipulate as a more traditional sterndrive installation. However after a few anxious minutes we were soon clear of the berth and heading out into the open expanse of Poole Harbour with its 10 knot speed limit. After passing through the harbour entrance the two throttle levers were thrust forward and it was ‘hold on tight’ time. Thankfully the cockpit, with Goldfish’s own designed shock adsorbing bolster seating boasts adequate grab handles as they are needed. While sea conditions were far from smooth, the Goldfish inspired enormous confidence as it swept out into the channel at 75 knots. There is a screen but wind pressure certainly restyled the hair and even when the wheel was turned hard, there never appeared a hint of losing grip. Surprisingly there was little need to touch the trim buttons. A trip to France seventy miles away would take less than an hour or a dash to the Channel Isles, a little longer, this boat was easily up to the task. Few of us have the opportunity to travel at speeds approaching 90mph on water unless you are an offshore racer. Now here is a boat, with a racing pedigree that is available to Mr Joe Public with a budget of £350,000 to spend. As James Sydenham explained, “Because of the 36Pi high performance, it would be foolhardy to sell it to a raw novice as in the wrong hands it could be as lethal as a gun. However there are many owners of high performance cruisers who are looking for something ‘special’ that gives an extra buzz and this is where the Goldfish 36Pi fits the bill. Although spending upwards of quarter of a million pounds, owners still have to consider economy and the two Yanmar’s provide tremendous value for money in terms of miles per gallon.”
On a scale of 0-10 the 36Pi gets a 10 for performance and safety, we give it a 10 for build quality, a 10 for economy and 2 for living accomadation. Although diesel power is a popular choice, Goldfish do offer the 36Pi Supersport with petrol options either twin Mercruiser 496 MAG producing 850hp or twin Ilmor MV10 725’s punching out 1450hp and we would be interested to see performance figures of the Ilmor option.
