The Ferretti Yachts 800 slots into the middle of the builder’s 50- to 100-foot flybridge portfolio. It replaces the Ferretti 780, which saw more than 60 hulls delivered in eight years. The 800 is the new model between the 720 and 860.
Filippo Salvetti’s Bergamo studio did a great job redefining the latest generation of Ferretti models. The 800, 860 and 940 share the same timeless design cues, but are a little more masculine than their predecessors. Most of all, I love their bold, black framing that breaks up structural shapes and windows. It’s particularly evident around the bridge glazing, reminiscent of the work of Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian.
Outside spaces flow nicely too. The Ferretti 800’s swim platform, cockpit and flybridge all contribute to a flexible outdoor lifestyle. The flybridge is half protected beneath an optional hardtop with a sunroof. The yacht also has buttressed side decks and a foredeck terrace, adding yet more outdoor spaces where guests can spend time.
The main salon is conventionally arranged, with a lounge aft and dining forward. Ideaeitalia, a regular partner of Ferretti’s, handled the décor. This Italian studio specializes in soothing contrasts, which, on this yacht, means dark-stained oak veneers, midshade leathers and light upholsteries.
The principal furniture is freestanding. The salon lounge has an L-shape sofa and coffee table to port with a second sofa to starboard. The lounge and glass-top dining table for eight are near patio-style sliding doors that lead out to the starboard side deck, which connects to the foredeck.
Beyond the dining space, three areas can be partitioned with pocket doors: the portside galley, bridge, and starboard-side lobby with a day head and a staircase that connects to the lower deck.
The salon, galley and lobby are on the same level, with the bridge up two steps and organized as a crew space. To port, the bridge has two Poltrona Frau bolster-cushioned helm seats addressing a console with three 27-inch Simrad displays and a three-seat booth to starboard. (The upper helm has two seats with two smaller displays.)
When the bridge and galley are partitioned, guests can still access the stairs and day head. And when the crew are tending to the lower deck or the day head, other spaces can be closed off temporarily. The galley also has a side-deck door, so the crew can work without disturbing guests. Standing in the galley, I appreciated just how much headroom there is, because the galley shares the same height as the bridge.
The Ferretti 800’s accommodation plan includes four staterooms and four heads. Amidships aft, the owner’s space is a full-beam affair with a forward-facing berth, a sofa to port and a vanity/desk to starboard. This en suite has a head and bidet, and there’s a walk-in closet. VIP guests are in the bow, with two more guest staterooms that convert from twins to doubles.
Crew space is beneath the cockpit with three cabins, each for one crewmember.
A watertight door leads from the crew area into the engine room, which houses the owner’s choice of a straight-shaft setup: twin 1,550 or 1,800 hp V-12 MANs. With the former, the quoted top speed and fast cruise are 27 knots and 24 knots, respectively. Hull No. 1 has the bigger engines and should top out at 31 knots with a fast cruise of 27 knots.
In real-world cruising, Ferretti says, every ton of weight added over the basic specification will knock those speeds back by approximately 1 knot. We were on the heavy side of half-load during our runs, with 10 people aboard, nearly full diesel tanks, and about two-thirds water. The best speed I saw was just shy of 27 knots. With those loads, the working range at 24 knots would be around 230 nautical miles, a figure that allows for a 10 percent reserve. Handling was exemplary in the unchallenging conditions. The self-centering steering felt nice.
The Ferretti 800 is a yacht that rises a level in terms of looks, feel, luxe touches and the crewed-yacht experience. Like other Ferretti designs, it is quietly and discreetly rather marvelous.
Pink Night
The Ferretti 800 is built in Cattolica, Italy, a beach resort area on Italy’s northeast Adriatic coast. The town’s late-June celebration, La Notte Rosa (aka Pink Night), is billed as a New Year’s Eve-style party for the summer season. Bars, restaurants and shops are all dressed in pink over a long weekend, and partygoers dance in the streets until dawn. Many people take a midnight dip in the sea to mark the summer solstice, the year’s longest day.
Mark of Distinction
Ferretti Yachts has used the 800 model designation before. The first version debuted in 2010. It had a more obvious raised pilothouse and is still easily identified by the shark-gill signature on the superstructure. Some of those hulls have metallic brown pilothouse roofs that look much better than the description may suggest. Around 30 of that model were delivered.
Take the next step: ferretti-yachts.com
