Absolute’s new flagship, the Navetta 75, has stayed true to the yard’s heritage with the space available and its comfort when underway.

by Barche – photo by Alberto Cocchi

If you measure it, it is just a matter of sixty centimetres. The Navetta 75 is the new flagship of the Absolute range, stealing the crown from the smaller 73.

When we talk about a 23-metre, that might not seem like a lot. The latest in the dynasty gives a good idea of how the Podenzano-based yard has evolved after its first outing – four years ago – in the world of big boats coming in under the EU 24-metre limit. It has become a reference point in that crowded and highly competitive sector.

The firm is doing so starting from its DNA, from what has always set Absolute navettes apart: they are roomy, quiet and have plenty of natural light. You must get on board and do a few miles to feel how quickly you feel at home.

I shall start from the master cabin, one of its strong points. It is on the main deck and, being full beam, gets the most out of the maximum width of the boat. A technique used on much larger yachts that gives the owner sole use of nearly a third of that deck. The two large side windows guarantee luminosity, and there is complete silence far from the engine room: at cruising speed, all you hear is the sound of the waves on the hull. It is the same story at the other end of the deck, with the cockpit stretching deep into the stern, with many usable surfaces thanks to the terraced approach.

The indoor dashboard is exceptionally well designed, and being raised means you get good sightlines looking forward. A joystick can be fitted in the stern to help to moor at the quay.

Any separation from the swimming platform is hardly noticeable, thanks to the two expansive side decks and the central part of the transom made of glass. That means you get luminosity and even more feeling of space with a view of the water. Still in the cockpit, the same approach has been taken with the “perforations” on the sides, which provide a view, light and some breeze.

Quietness is ensured primarily by the choice to go with IPS propulsion systems on the Navetta 75: there isn’t much engine vibration, and what there is comes deep down right in the stern. So, what do you hear at cruising speed? Just the wind and the sound of the water in the wake.

It is worth pointing out that the sofas and furniture are free-standing both in the cockpit and on the flybridge so buyers can customise the layout.

The lower deck contains the owner’s suite and three guest cabins with as many bathrooms as possible.

The first thing that struck me amidship, in the middle of the large central lounge, was the enormous floor-to-ceiling window surface and, by contrast, how small the supports were. So, what does that do? It creates genuine confusion between what is inside and what is outside.

There is so much room, but the perceived space is still more remarkable. The lower deck is set aside for guest accommodation, with three cabins and the same number of bathrooms.

Here, one notices that its access takes a different entrance from the one that leads to the main suite, one of the details that shows how Absolute has taken a close look at on-board traffic and separated the foot flows to make it easier for the crew to work and give the guests greater privacy. For example, to get to the flybridge on the Navetta 75, there are two sets of stairs, fore and aft, and two doors that open onto the side decks. Furthermore, you get to the crew area from the swimming platform.

The fly deck on the Navetta 75 has an endless feel to it, almost as if it were another boat sitting on top. Going aft, it stretches practically to the taffrail, while towards the bow, the angle of the windscreen – nearly vertical – leaves the greater useable surface area.

 When underway, the Navetta 75 shows that it has all of the qualities of the 73. The waterlines have been slightly stretched, but they keep the same look. So, the performance is good, both in displacement mode and when planning.

There are two IPS 1350s in the engine room, with two small transmission shafts, which means that the two Volvo Penta D13s can be closer to the middle of the boat, which helps with the trim; you hardly feel it when you are planning or come back down, with just a slight change in pitch angle. With the throttles opened right up, we got to 25 knots, using 385 litres of fuel an hour (and 15.40 litres per nautical mile).

One of the most exciting areas on the  Navetta 75 is the bow “triangle”, which is similar to the living area in the cockpit. There is also a large sun pad, two sofas, and a table that can fold down.

But the Absolute 75, as a true navetta, hasn’t been made for speed. You get the best out of it going slower, for example, at 18 or 19 knots, and the best cruising speed is 18 knots (220 litres per hour, 12.22 litres per mile), or for longer distances, 11 knots, where fuel consumption goes down to 69 litres an hour, so 6.45 litres per mile, to give a range of as much as 620 miles.

Engine room
The only power option available is to fit two Volvo Penta IPS 1350s with two D13s producing 1,000 horsepower each. Two small jackshafts mean the engines are closer to the middle of the boat to improve weight distribution.

PROJECT
Absolute Technical and Style department

HULL
LOA 22.82m • Maximum beam 5.61m • Light mass displacement 15,500 kg • Fuel tank volume 4,000 l • Water tank volume 1,110 l 

MAIN PROPULSION
2 Volvo Penta D 13 IPS 1350 • Outlet mechanical power 735 kW (1,000 hp) • Bore&Stroke 131mm x 158mm • Swept volume 12.8 l • 6 Cylinders • Maximal rotational speed 3000/min • Weight 2,458 kg

EC CERTIFICATION
CAT B • Max 18 people on board