Ferretti 620 11111

Enlarge Photo

The basic 620 is a very nice yacht, but Kelley quickly realized that it needed some massaging to fit American needs and tastes. First to go was the stern passerelle, which is rarely needed here in the New World, and which eliminated some complexity and added space. Next to go was the enclosure around the galley that, again, is de rigueur in Europe, where the cook’s presence should be tasted but never seen. In America, the chef is part of the family and isn’t to be locked away.

This tinkering has created a yacht that is a delight on many levels. She is a powerful performer that is exceedingly comfy for two couples and kids on a weekend, and she’s a yacht that begs to invite your best friends aboard for a barbecue.

Which is not to say that there are not a few, um, Italianate quirks, but none that are either so irritating or so incurable that you wouldn’t buy this yacht. More later.

At first glance, there’s no question that the 620 is Italian, with curvaceous lines, a sheer that romps rather than swoops and a rakish look from reversed transom to swept-back spoiler. Of course, so many North American builders either use Italian designers or steal their ideas that the 620 might well be built in Nebraska. But, no, this is authentic Italiano, from the dual-language electrical panels to the Euro appliances in the galley.



Neither of these, I must add, are the problems I mentioned earlier. The panel labeling is clear, and appliances, such as Miele, Bosch and Isotherm, are now as easily repaired stateside as are GE or Whirlpool.