CROATIA
Leisure
The MAKAI 37 GTS is a high-performance power catamaran engineered to redefine speed, efficiency, and on-water luxury. Designed by MAKAI Yachts, this innovative vessel pairs a revolutionary foil-assisted hull with twin Q-SPD QSD112 surface drives to deliver an extraordinary balance of high-speed cruising and effortless operation.
Q-SPD propulsion was selected as the ideal match for the foiling hull to maximise hydrodynamics, reduce underwater drag, and eliminate the maintenance vulnerabilities typical of traditional high-speed drive systems. The fixed-geometry surface drives allow the vessel to jump onto the plane seamlessly, reaching a top speed of 45.7 knots while achieving an impressive fuel economy of just 2.6 L/nm at a 34.2-knot cruise. With all critical mechanical components housed safely inboard, the system provides whisper-quiet operation, predictable tracking, and exceptional low-speed maneuverability without requiring constant operator trim adjustments.
VESSEL SPECS:
Length: 11.4m (37ft)
Displacement: 9,700kg (21,384lb)
Power: 2 x 370hp Yanmar 8LV-370
Drives: 2 x QSD112
Top Speed: 45.7 Knots
Fuel Efficiency: 2.6 l/nm at 34.2 kts
SUPPLIED BY Q-SPD:
Surface Drives
Propellers
Cardan Shaft
Exhaust system
Steering
“When we began our search for an alternative to traditional stern drives, our primary objective was to find a more robust, reliable system, without deferring to the inefficiency of traditional shaft drive. We wanted to significantly reduce the number of moving parts prone to failure in harsh marine environments. While we evaluated several other surface drive systems, none met our stringent reliability requirements. Those systems relied on complex articulation, and we found ourselves leaning toward staying with stern drives simply because we couldn’t justify the maintenance overhead of those articulating alternatives.
That was until we discovered Q-SPD.
Admittedly, we were initially skeptical. The design - utilising a fixed shaft paired with traditional rudders - left us questioning how the vessel would handle at lower speeds compared to the articulating systems we had researched.
After integrating Q-SPD drives across a number of our catamaran installations, I can say with confidence that our skepticism was misplaced. We have been completely overwhelmed by the performance. The manoeuvrability is exceptional across all speed ranges, providing the precise control we demand for our yachts.
The simplicity of the fixed shaft design provides the reliability we were searching for, without compromising on the efficiency or handling characteristics of a high-performance surface drive.
Safe to say, having experienced the performance and longevity of these drives firsthand, we would never choose to install an articulating surface drive on one of our vessels again. Q-SPD has set a new standard for our fleet.”