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Text and photographs by Antonio Bignami
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ARIMAR - PIONEER 540
Arimar is a primary manufacturer of safety equipment and, few
years ago, it applied the technology and technical expertise used
in the project and production of self-inflating life rafts to
produce inflatables. Nowadays, the range includes, among other
models, the Pioneer series: elegant and reliable inflatables with
GRP hull. The Pioneer series spans from the 400 to the 540, which
we tested at sea. The Pioneer 540 is extremely maneuverable, very
fast and, like all Pioneer inflatables, is in DTEX 2200 the
strongest material for leisure inflatables.
The tubes are designed
and built with the so-called "organ-pipe" compartments. We liked
some of the boat's rational solutions: the anchor locker may be
opened without removing the forward sunning cushions which are
attached to the flooring. Inside the forward locker of the
cushioned area there is a special fitting for the life buoy; in
the same way, the folded swimming ladder is fitted under the pilot
and co-pilot settee. The cushions may be moved forward or aft over
this settee for different applications. The swimming ladder may be
unfolded and fixed to one of the two base supports of the roll
bar, on one side of the inflatable, in order to avoid dangerous
contact of the swimmers' feet with the engine leg and/or
propeller. We tested the Arimar Pioneer 540 with the maximum power
for registration and testing reasons, but the ideal power is
approx. 70 hp (maximum speed of 37/38 knots and cruising speed of
30 knots with a fuel consumption of approx. 6 gall/hr). If you are
looking for an excellent price/consumption ratio with maximum
performance, the Pioneer 540 offers dry rides, excellent trim,
perfect maneuverability with a 40 hp outboard engine (maximum
speed of 27 knots and fuel consumption at cruising speed of
approx. 3 gall/hr!
 TECHNICAL DATA
Designer: Andrea Orselli/Arimar
Yard: Arimar (Inflatables department), Via Beneficio,
2° tronco, 57/a, 48015 Montaletto di Cervia (Ravenna, Italy),
tel. +39-0544-965466, fax +39-0544-965571
Italian VAT: 20%
Length: 17'8"
Beam: 8'
Inside length: 14'9"
Inside beam: 3'11"
Tube diameter: 1'4"/1'11"
Compartments: 5
Maximum power: 120 hp (suggested: 70 hp)
Light displacement: 574 lbs.
Maximum passengers capacity: 9
Power: 115 SX OR Johnson outboard
Total engine weight: 115 lbs.
Maximum declared speed: 42 knots
Declared fuel consumption at cruising speed(36 knots): 6.6
gall/hr
Road transportation: on small trailer
Launching and recovery: with trailer
Price with standard fittings (LX version): Lit. 16,000,000
ex VAT (12,000,000 ex VAT simple version)
Construction material: Trevira 2200 DTEX covered by a
mixture of plastic polymers
Hull: SVM type (monohedric hull with three planing surfaces)
Standard fittings: forward locker, oars, inflating pump,
aft locker, settee cushion, anchor locker
Standard fittings of LX version: full helm station with
steering wheel, single-wire transmission, stainless steel
grabrails, two lockers, settee for two passengers, sunning
cushioning, swimming ladder, roll bar, inflatable cover, pilot
settee with cushions.
IMPRESSIONS
SEA AND WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING BOAT TESTING
Wind: none
Sea: calm
PERFORMANCE
Time needed to reach planing speed: 3 seconds
Maximum speed at 5,000 rpm's: 42.8 knots
Cruising speed at 3,500 rpm's: 35.8 knots
Crash time with reduction gears: 7 seconds
EVALUATION OF COMFORT AND FUNCTIONALITY
Construction material and fittings: the Trevira 2200 DT EX
confers excellent reliability and safety. The materials and
assembly technology of the inner components are excellent
Lockers: there are 3 lockers under the forward sunning area
and 1 under the pilot settee
Deck materials and characteristics: notwithstanding the
average size, the boat is comfortable and safe.
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