First season with Alexandra (Ferretti 480)

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I thought I owe you an update as the forum's expert advice in closing the deal was invaluable. So how did the new for me Ferretti 480 or Alexandra perform? In short, flawlessly! We have done approx 800 NM since Itook ownership in the end of June. Alexandra has proven to meet my expectations regarding comfort with good accomodations in the 3 cabins and spacious salon, good performance and very low noise levels all over the boat. The MAN engines also run very clean, I have not washed the transom a single time! Also the fuel consumption is reasonable for a craft above 20 tons with more than 1200 hp installed. Typically I measure 5,5 - 6 l/NM between fill ups. We normally cruise between 20 to 26 knots (1500 - 1800 RPM) but the whole speed range from tick over to 26 is very usable all day and there is plenty of power for acceleration and climbingthe waves. The boat slices nicely through steep and high inshore waves and offshore the boat is pushing through with stability and comfort. When the limit closes one can still maintain 15 knots with a flat running angle against the wind. The top speed is slightly above 30 knots. I would have expected a bit more but the prop setup is clearly optimized for cruising speed with very large5 bladed wheels. The overall running feels very relaxed. The engines are slightly under revving at the top with 2150rpm (should be 2200), this needs to be addressed. The stability both at rest and under way is very good, there is very seldom a need to touch the tabs which btw are wired the oppositeway compared to most boats (the right switch moves the right tab etc). Also the large amount of technical systems have worked trouble free.

Some pictures below. Note the deep and sharp bow entry. Also the height of my old boat (Phantom 38) is almost the same as the Ferretti but the Ferretti is almost one meter wider.

 

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Whitelighter

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Excellent news. Im pretty sure your 48 is a development of my 150 - lots looks very similar (I cant remember the year of your boat).

Fuel consumption seems very good, on our delivery trip we were averaged 8.5l/nm from my 550Hp Detroits thought the hull was very dirty and the props were scrubbed by a diver but by no means flawless
 

PowerYachtBlog

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Excellent news. Im pretty sure your 48 is a development of my 150 - lots looks very similar (I cant remember the year of your boat).

Fuel consumption seems very good, on our delivery trip we were averaged 8.5l/nm from my 550Hp Detroits thought the hull was very dirty and the props were scrubbed by a diver but by no means flawless

Jez the 480 (longer to feature larger engines) was a development of the Ferretti 46 as Mike F had in the past. In reality the 480 was a demand by the customers as many felt the 46 was a bit under powered with twin Cats 435hp.
Your hull was later used albeit modified quite a bit (bit wider and deeper aft) for the 53 launched n 1997. But the bow deadrise angles and spray rails positioning is very much similar.
To this date the 53/530 was Ferretti best sold boat, fold by the 460.

Thank you for the photos. Is nice to see some Ferretti's up North.
 
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Alexandra is from 2001 and has MAN 610s. The 480 succeeded the 46 with an extended bathing platform (the hull extends all the way aft). The lay out and hull clearly stems from the 150 Fly. The fuel consuption goes steeply up at higher planning speeds. The sweetspots seems to be around 20 knots and below 9. At 20 knots the best speed is accieved with some tabs down.
 
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Deleted User YDKXO

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Jez the 480 (longer to feature larger engines) was a development of the Ferretti 46 as Mike F had in the past. In reality the 480 was a demand by the customers as many felt the 46 was a bit under powered with twin Cats 435hp.
Your hull was later used albeit modified quite a bit (bit wider and deeper aft) for the 53 launched n 1997. But the bow deadrise angles and spray rails positioning is very much similar.
To this date the 53/530 was Ferretti best sold boat, fold by the 460.

Thank you for the photos. Is nice to see some Ferretti's up North.

Absolutely correct. I did have a Ferretti 46 and it was a bit underpowered with the Cat 3208TA 435hp engines (about 26kts max) which is why Ferretti lengthened the hull and fitted larger engines. Actually for short time this new version was called the 48 before it was changed to 480 in line with other model names in the Ferretti range

Btw to avoid confusion the 460 was actually a development of the 43 so despite the similarity in names, the 46 and 460 were different boats

Actually I too thought that the 150 became the 46 because as baylabayla3288 points out, the layout is pretty much the same. The 53/530 is a fair bit beamier than the 150 which tends to suggest it was a different hull. But yes you're right, the 53/530 was one of Ferretti's most successful boats and we were certainly very happy with the 53 we had after the 46

Glad to hear that bb3288 is happy with his boat. By my reckoning that makes it 4 forumites with Ferrettis now:D
 

Whitelighter

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According to my manuals they offered the 150 with the 435hp cats as well.

Mind you they reckon mine would hit 31knts and I can't see it based on current performance. 1800rpm is giving 19knts and Max rpm is 2300. I'll see what she does after a scrape and fresh anti foul.

Lovely boat the 480, im very impressed so far with the engineering on mine.

What was the WL length of the 460? The docs for the 150 show WL length as 13.38m and the LOA at 15.40m
 
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What was the WL length of the 460? The docs for the 150 show WL length as 13.38m and the LOA at 15.40m
As I said don't confuse the 46, 460, 48 and 480. The 46 became the 48 for a very short period and then the 480. The 460 was a development of the 43. The 46 and 460 were not the same boat
 

PowerYachtBlog

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According to my manuals they offered the 150 with the 435hp cats as well.

Mind you they reckon mine would hit 31knts and I can't see it based on current performance. 1800rpm is giving 19knts and Max rpm is 2300. I'll see what she does after a scrape and fresh anti foul.

Lovely boat the 480, im very impressed so far with the engineering on mine.

What was the WL length of the 460? The docs for the 150 show WL length as 13.38m and the LOA at 15.40m

They never delivered one of those. The hull of the 150 comes from the 145 (45). I have seen 150s with 600hp MTU and 609hp Cats.
She was the faster with the Cats (most modern engines of the group) achieving 31.5 knots on trial in a medium load.

The 53 was also offered with 610hp MAN in the first year (1997) but Ferretti never actually sold any of those.
 

Whitelighter

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They never delivered one of those. The hull of the 150 comes from the 145 (45). I have seen 150s with 600hp MTU and 609hp Cats.
She was the faster with the Cats (most modern engines of the group) achieving 31.5 knots on trial in a medium load.

The 53 was also offered with 610hp MAN in the first year (1997) but Ferretti never actually sold any of those.

Im not surprised, and those are the engines I had seen.

Though the technical section of the (very comprehensive and nicely put together) Ferretti manual lists the CAT 435 engines and a set at 500Hp, then the Detroits and finally the MTUs
 

PowerYachtBlog

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Im not surprised, and those are the engines I had seen.

Though the technical section of the (very comprehensive and nicely put together) Ferretti manual lists the CAT 435 engines and a set at 500Hp, then the Detroits and finally the MTUs

Cause the Cats 3406 600hp was officially released in the fall of 1994. The first boat I have seen with those engines was a Raffaelli 52 Maestrale hull number one which came in Malta in Summer of 1995.
I think that boat might have been one of the test boats with those engines.
 
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