The Rhea range, which starts a shade smaller than the 25 footer featured here, has something of a cult following in its parent country France, especially down the Western Atlantic seaboard where the pulse of the ocean is never far away.

It is not hard to see why, as this is an eye-catching boat that manages to be both purposeful and pretty at the same time. However, there is more to both of these attributes than simply mixing a can of blue pigment in with the hull’s gelcoat. Its lines are reminiscent of an earlier era whereby topsides had ‘tumblehome’, which introduced a degree of barrel-like curvature. Instead of turning out slab-sided, the 750’s stern quarters taper in, and this is why it seems so shapely, an impression emphasised when you notice that the curves are offset against a clean, straight bow complete with moulded squared stem section. It all serves to reinforce the notion of a traditional wooden hull with fishing boat origins. The wooden rubbing strake and taffrail that tops the coamings enhance this further, as well as being highly practical, of course.

The wheelhouse is set quite well forward, which means that the cockpit is certainly generous. Even with the built-in seat lockers down either side and the intrusion of the midships engine box, there is still loads of clear deck space. This runs right round the superstructure to a roomy foredeck, where a neat seat is moulded into the deck housing. There are many practical touches here, including teak handrails set around the wheelhouse area, plus several beckets inboard of the coamings to tie on fenders. That said, stainless handrails along the bulwarks might have been a better idea, affording both something to hold on to as well as somewhere to secure those fender lanyards.

The majority of stowage around the cockpit is confined to the seat lockers, although the under-deck bait well can double up as useful additional storage if out-and-out fishing is not your thing.

The wheelhouse boasts both a door in the aft bulkhead (which can be left open most of the time as it is sheltered by the overhang) as well as a side door that gives onto the main helm station. We say ‘main’, because you can steer the boat from the cockpit via a tiller and an optional second throttle control.

Back in the wheelhouse, things are quite snug with a basic galley area behind the helm (with adequate console space for instruments) and a small dinette complete with extra hinge-up seat. There is excellent visibility right round, but, because of the amount of glass here, you can soon get pretty warm. If you have had to shut the starboard hand door because of spray, then an opening window to port would improve ventilation, but Rhea does offer the option of a deckhead hatch.

The opening down to the fore-cuddy can be shut off by a wooden hatch that doubles as a fiddled chart area. This aside, though, it is a matter of pulling a curtain across for any privacy, especially when using the loo built-in beneath the vee-berth. There is no separate compartment.

The vee arrangement is sizeable enough for the odd over-nighting expedition and there is space aplenty for kit, not just under the berths but also in a cavernous glory hole running back under the wheelhouse sole.

The boat’s inboard power – which can be selected from a variety of makes and models from 160-260hp – is readily accessible beneath the large, gas-strut-supported engine box cover. In this instance we had 240hp of Yanmar on tap, which gave a flat-out 25 knots with a well-mannered 20 knots maintained at an easy-running 2800rpm. The hull is happy to run slower without becoming nose up and untidy, but to do it justice it likes to be up and at ’em, allowing the vessel to punch down and circumvent any spray. As one might expect from a long-keeled craft, it turns flat, but you have plenty of control. Try easing the sidedoor open to perch half-in and half-out – that way you will mirror this fine vessel, by sitting comfortably and looking the business.

North Sea Maritime

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