10 years after my days of boating in the Adriatic, ...

[MapisM]

I thought you got a Cantieri di Pisa (thought D and P came from that....) so was referring to the city of the leaning tower fame and hordes of tourists...

Aha, got it.
Indeed I considered also CdP, whose Akhir are things of beauty indeed, but with two issues:
Firstly, their smaller model was the 20 (they did begin with smaller boats, but way too old by now), and a 17m headache is already big enough for us.
We'll have to review our fuel budget already, we don't need also an increase of migraine drugs expenses...
Secondly, their best efforts were with boats still built in triple planked mahogany.
And even the latter Akhir 20s, whose hull was grp, still has a wood superstructure.
Stunning vessels in many ways, BUT...
...I don't need to tell you (and some other forumites) what the "but" is about!

 

[MapisM]

Very impressive M. I like it! Do you now have 2 boats or has the previous one gone?
26kts!! You'll be needing a 750,000l fuel tank:encouragement:

Glad that another wood lover appreciates her.
I must say that the interiors were one of her most attractive things for us.
As close as a plastic fantastic boat can get to the home feeling we are already used to.
Far better (imho) than anything from all the usual mainstream builders in this size, bar none.

Speed can actually be a tad above 26kts: up to 28 is still a sustainable cruising speed that she can keep forever (max being 32 to 34 depending on load).
As I mentioned in another thread recently, in the early 90s the guy at the helm in my brief video took part in the Venice - Montecarlo endurance race with one of his stock 52', which is the predecessor of the 55 and 56, all based on the same hull.
AVERAGING 32 knots over 1300Nm - hard to believe, if it weren't in the official race records...!

Ref your question, yep, I did the worst mistake a boat owner can make - i.e. buying before selling.
But chances are that I have found a (very good btw, which makes me feel better!) new home for her, fingers crossed...

 

[MapisM]

Ref delivery trip, we are still unsure about the dates/legs, but as I said we are thinking to take our time along the road, and even if we will not be able to host a party of 200 p), we would be more than happy to have friends onboard with us. More about that in due course...

 

[longjohnsilver]

Glad that another wood lover appreciates her.
I must say that the interiors were one of her most attractive things for us.
As close as a plastic fantastic boat can get to the home feeling we are already used to.
Far better (imho) than anything from all the usual mainstream builders in this size, bar none.

Speed can actually be a tad above 26kts: up to 28 is still a sustainable cruising speed that she can keep forever (max being 32 to 34 depending on load).
As I mentioned in another thread recently, in the early 90s the guy at the helm in my brief video took part in the Venice - Montecarlo endurance race with one of his stock 52', which is the predecessor of the 55 and 56, all based on the same hull.
AVERAGING 32 knots over 1300Nm - hard to believe, if it weren't in the official race records...!

Ref your question, yep, I did the worst mistake a boat owner can make - i.e. buying before selling.
But chances are that I have found a (very good btw, which makes me feel better!) new home for her, fingers crossed...

Wow, 32kts over 1300nm is VERY impressive. Was any refueling needed?

Re owning 2 boats at once, we've all been there. My current total is 4:nonchalance: I must be completely bonkers!

 

[stillwaters]

@Stillwaters:
Hi J, I'm not surprised by your correct guess, but what makes you think she was a steal...?
Just curious, because while I'm happy with the deal I subscribed (if wouldn't have subscribed it if I weren't, obviously), "boat" and "bargain"/"steal"/whatever are words that I always tend to avoid using in the same sentence.

Many congrats on your choice, such a pity though that the pleasure of endless trawling through ads and travelling miles (sorry, kilometres) to view yet another unsuitable prospect, is now finally over for you.
In answer to your question, the DPs on Mondial Broker were one of the makes that seemed to offer a lot of boat for the buck - certainly comparable to some of the better known names. And even if you paid the full asking price (what!!!), a well-built boat with such fully maintained and upgraded MANs, and with just about the right number of hours on them for their age, is surely a comparative bargain against what an equivalent new one would now cost, at maybe 6 or 7 times that?
I'm sure you'll enjoy your DP, maybe if I'm passing by CF I'll get to see just what a bargain you have.

 

[Portofino]

Congratulations M
Since early retirement from 9-5 and much more ,I have all the time in the world ,like train spotting I find myself in Med "ship yards " watching ,looking ,learning .
DP as mentioned on another thread are indeed right up there with build and engineering ,i note it's a sea boat 1st accomodation fits round the deep V hull 2nd .Arguably the right way round .
V nice quality fit out too .

Just ironic in another thread you were trying to defeat my assertion that hull form is the most important thing about a boat regarding enjoyment --or a least right up there .
You have ended up with brand Famous for seakeeping that's gone down the deep V route :encouragement:

Interesting to see some hull pic .s props n rudders and dare I say it the "rails "

DP today
There aren't,t many original owner occupiers ( family's or individual's ) left in boatbuilding and a lot of smaller brands ,without a cooperate blanket are struggling .Outside Ferretti Itama and many others in the stable would have long gone .

Maybe the glory days of boat building are over ? Dunno ?

Anyways -- nice boat hope it gives many years of trouble free simple low maintainance and confortable boating .Should do !

Welcome to another MAN man .

 

[Hardmy]

I'm very envious MapisM, such a fine choice. I would anytime prefer your boat (or an SL, ...) than any mainstream newbuild, irrespective of budget. Wishing you many happy years with your new, beautiful toy!

Re the delivery trip, you are probably aware that the attractivness of Croatia did substantially increase in the last couple of years. Hence, (at the risk of kicking down an open door) you might consider planning your cruise for May/June (and avoid July/August)? BTW - you should pay a visit to Corfu and Paxos before continuing to CF! ;-)

 

[benjenbav]

Looks like a really nice boat.

 

[Bouba]

MapisM congratulations! That is a fine looking vessel, a person could do a lot of humanitarian work with a boat like that

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

Congratulations Mapis. Looking for a boat was hard work, now its time to start the fun.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Deleted User can say what he wants, but there's much more than just tuna in CF

You are right. I did once see some frozen chicken nuggets in the Conad supermarket in Carloforte and they were a rare treat for me that evening

I have to agree though about fish in the N Adriatic. As a regular visitor for business and pleasure to the Veneto and Friuli regions I can most certainly testify to the quality of fish and shellfish served in restaurants in that area, not to mention the excellent Prosecco and other wines. In fact I think you should keep your new boat in the N Adriatic rather than going back to CF, just for the culinary delectation of any guests you may invite on board

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Which btw gives me the opportunity to re-link the same nice pic he used, because I'm well aware that "DP56" alone probably doesn't tell a lot to most folks outside IT...

You already know that I think your DP56 is a lovely boat and I am delighted the seatrial went well. I think you made the right choice

 

[petem]

P, I thought I was going to beat you in the boat buying buying stakes but in my case, defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory. Anyhow, enough of that and I'm sure that there's not a more suitable boat out there for you. I hope she brings many years of pleasure to you and S.

 

[Pinnacle]

Well done P! :encouragement:

I hope the boat brings you and S every joy. Does it have stabs? If not, will you install some and will they be hydraulic or electric ( like Barts)?

Keep posting pics please.

 

[MapisM]

Wow, 32kts over 1300nm is VERY impressive. Was any refueling needed?

Yup, I'm pretty sure that they had no way to store enough fuel on that boat to reach that sort of range, particularly when running at WOT most of the time.
And even if I don't know how many fuel stops they had to make along the road, coming to think of it, the official average speed in that endurance race must have been calculated without taking into account the time lost in refueling, I reckon.
I mean, at 32 knots that boat is very close to her max speed, so it's not like they could recover all the time wasted at fuel docks by running at 40+ kts...
Still amazing nonetheless, also because I was told that sea conditions were mostly very good, but not always, and they had a pretty bumpy ride, in places!

 

[MapisM]

an equivalent new one would now cost, at maybe 6 or 7 times that?
I'm sure you'll enjoy your DP, maybe if I'm passing by CF I'll get to see just what a bargain you have.

Impossible to tell vs. a new one NOW, but she's already in the "7 times" ballpark if compared to what the first owner paid for her thirteen years ago, go figure...!
So, yes, on this basis (and a bit of man math on top ), I guess you can use the term bargain.

Re passing by CF, that would be a pleasure!
We always have some bubbly bottles in the fridge waiting for an excuse to be opened, and a visit from any forumite is an excellent one! :encouragement:

 

[MapisM]

Just ironic in another thread you were trying to defeat my assertion that hull form is the most important thing about a boat regarding enjoyment

Trying to "defeat" your assertion is a way too strong definition of what my point was in that debate, L.
All I was saying is that the difference between a decent hull and an excellent one, most of the time and for most pleasure boaters (myself included!) is not so critical.
Based on hull alone, a few boats I considered were even better than DPs (e.g. Tecnomarine T62, Italcraft C58, Alalunga 20), according to most experts I spoke with.
But many other boats I evaluated were right at the opposite end of the scale (I won't name those! )...
Still, I considered them all, with eyes wide open.
At the end of the day, even the most carefully evaluated choice is always a compromise.
If I should name what was for me the single more relevant factor, it definitely ain't the hull.
Probably it's the overall construction quality, also under the skin - something in which imho DP is about on par, among all other boats I've seen, only with the SL62 and the Riva 54.
Which in fact, we ruled out just because a tad too big and too small respectively...

 

[jfm]

Wow, congratulations MM. Really nice boat with quality and clever design.

Sheesh, MM buying a P boat. Think I need to go and lie down, then look for a Northern Marine :encouragement:

Looking forward to more pictures please

Is she VAT paid? (ROTFLMAO!!!!!)

 

[MapisM]

Re the delivery trip, you are probably aware that the attractivness of Croatia did substantially increase in the last couple of years. Hence, (at the risk of kicking down an open door) you might consider planning your cruise for May/June (and avoid July/August)? BTW - you should pay a visit to Corfu and Paxos before continuing to CF! ;-)

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep that in mind.
We will have to deal with some time constraints though - not so much for the length of the trip, but for the initial timing.
I'll post the plan in due course, anyway. It would be very nice to catch up with other asylum members along the road! :encouragement:

 

[MapisM]

Looking for a boat was hard work

Yeah W, as you probably remember it all started more that one year ago - though with a longish interruption in between, for family reasons.
I wouldn't call it hard WORK, though.
Yes, it ain't easy. And yes, often it's a waste of time and money.
I've lost count of how many times we drove and flew to see boats all around IT, and also to the Baldricks and Portugal.
But we enjoyed the process, and in some occasions it was also a distraction from other daily troubles...
...so, while I'm not saying that I would be happy to start again anytime soon, I'm not complaining at all.
There are far worse ways to use time, than travel around nice places and check out boats! :encouragement: