PARKER SORRENTO 100

Behind the wheel of one of this year's most outstanding new boats

- Alex Smith

When cold 30-knot winds roll in unchecked from the east, Essex can be a sobering place to go boating. It was with good reason then that the guys at boats.co.uk decided to confine our drive of the new Parker Sorrento to a more placid test zone, tucked safely away from the raging sea on the gentle waters of the Crouch. That at least would allow us to see if the combination of a stepped hull and twin 300hp Verados could deliver on Parker's promise of 46 knots - and although we have no wish to ruin the suspense, it absolutely does.

Right from the start, pick-up is urgent, handling is agile and, in spite of those winds lashing at the elevated structure of the new Sorrento, control over trim is very easy. It's the simplest thing in the world to throttle on to 46.8 knots, and when you want to play, there's loads of heel available, as well as unrelenting grip from the props. Of course, none of this should come as a great surprise. After all, outboard-powered sports boats are what Parker is all about. But when you think how much this boat packs in, both for the cruiser and the day boater, its gregarious light-footed potency starts to seem all the more impressive.

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