In the UK we tend to think of Cranchi as a builder of small to medium sportscuisers but its latest offering blows that mindset out of the water
The all-new Settantotto (Italian for 78) measures over 82ft from bathing platform to pulpit and proved to be one of the most daring new launches at the 2020 Dusseldorf boat show. Viewed from ground-level it towered above onlookers with so much glass in its hull that it felt like you were staring up at a glass skyscraper rather than a boat.
In fact from side-on you could see right through the heart of the boat and out the other side thanks to full height windows on both sides, even on the more private lower deck. To be fair there is much to admire on board the Cranchi 78 including a spectacular beach club that doubles as a vast tender garage.
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It’s large enough to house a 3.95m RIB as well as a jetski when closed but opens up to become a water-level lounge complete with overhead shower and free-standing furniture. There’s another innovation at deck level, where the sliding patio doors extend round one side of the saloon.
It doesn’t really make the entrance any bigger, as the flybridge stairs block access from the sidedeck, but it does make the saloon feel more like an inside/outside space. There’s also a fantastic foredeck seating zone with its own drinks fridge, stereo and wireless charging dock for phones.
The flybridge is no less impressive, boasting a vast teak outdoor galley down one side, a wide array of seating and sunpads as well as a pull-out shower hidden inside a stainless steel pillar.
Three different interior designs are offered, named after Italian cities, and a variety of layouts with either open-plan or enclosed galleys. There’s even the luxury of a deck-level day heads just behind the closed off helm area. Four double cabins, each with ensuites, and featuring their own designer furniture adds to the wow factor.
It all helps to give off a convincing superyacht vibe, although with triple IPS 1350s the Cranchi 78 manages to combine near 30-knot performance with comparatively modest fuel consumption of 386lph at 24 knots for a range of more than 350nm.
It’s a compelling package but may still take a leap of faith for buyers to desert the usual prestige brands for this resurgent Italian yard.
Specification
LOA: 82ft 6in (25.15m)
Beam: 18ft 10in (5.76m)
Displacement: 57 tonnes (125,663 lbs)
Fuel capacity: 5,920 litres (1,302 gal)
Engines: Triple Volvo Penta IPS 1350
Top speed: 29 knots
Starting price: €3.3million (ex. VAT)