British boatbuilder SeaKing is developing a 7.00-metre performance boat called the Seven Meter Cross for model year 2026, combining a handcrafted timber-composite deep-V hull with twin Mercury Racing 250R outboards. British Marine highlighted the project when SeaKing joined the association in September, while the builder’s own technical specification now sets out an unusually high-power package for a boat of this length.
Twin V8s produce a combined 500hp
The Seven Meter Cross is specified with two naturally aspirated 4.6-litre Mercury Racing 250R V8 outboards, giving 500hp combined from 9.2 litres of total displacement. SeaKing lists Sport Master gearcases, electro-hydraulic steering and Mercury Digital Throttle & Shift, with combined alternator capacity of 170A.
That is an extreme power installation for a seven-metre leisure boat. The builder quotes a dry displacement of approximately 1,700kg, which produces a stated power-to-weight ratio of around 294hp per tonne before fuel, water, crew and equipment are added.
Builder claims up to 55 knots
SeaKing quotes a maximum speed of up to 55 knots, a cruising band of 32 to 38 knots and a range of up to 100 nautical miles. Those figures are builder estimates and will depend on load, propeller choice, sea state and final setup, so they should be treated as performance targets rather than independent test results.
Fuel capacity is listed at 270 litres, with 40 litres of fresh water. The boat is CE Category C and designed for four to six people, with a single berth and day bed providing limited overnight capability rather than a full cruising interior.
Timber composite instead of conventional GRP
The construction is one of the most distinctive parts of the project. SeaKing specifies a timber-composite deep-V hull with high-gloss wenge deck finishes, while the interior material list includes leather, wenge, shagreen, abalone and mother of pearl. The company is positioning the boat as a very limited handcrafted product rather than a volume-production sports boat.
SeaKing states that total production for the 2026 model year is two boats. That low volume, together with the material specification and twin-racing-outboard installation, puts the Seven Meter Cross closer to a bespoke performance craft than a mainstream seven-metre dayboat.
A historic builder returning with a modern proposition
SeaKing traces its boatbuilding history to 1958 and is renewing its waterfront yard in Leigh-on-Sea. Its British Marine membership brings the company into a wider industry network at the same time as it develops a boat that deliberately contrasts traditional handcrafted construction with modern high-output propulsion.
For Leisure Boat Guide, the project is notable because it sits firmly within the under-12m market while demonstrating how specialised small craft can combine premium materials, digital controls and very high specific power. The first real-world sea-trial data will be important once completed boats are operating outside builder testing.