Astondoa opinions

[red124]

Dear forum, currently I own a Sunseeker Predator 55. I am considering upgrading to a larger boat with a flybridge for summer vacations in the Mediterranean. The options I am considering are a 2003 Ferreti 72 or a 2007 Astondoa 72/82. There isn't much information available about these boats. Could you please share your thoughts?

 

[red124]

Forgot to post: Both yachts come equipped with similar equipment and both with seakeeper stabs.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Wow, nice problem to have! I’ve got a personal soft spot for Ferretti but I would think that both would serve you well. Astondoa perhaps a bit more reserved in the styling and finish. The biggest potential issue with either will likely be the maintenance history of the engines. If one of the two has patchy service history then I’d potentially be inclined to consider the other.

 

[red124]

Wow, nice problem to have! I’ve got a personal soft spot for Ferretti but I would think that both would serve you well. Astondoa perhaps a bit more reserved in the styling and finish. The biggest potential issue with either will likely be the maintenance history of the engines. If one of the two has patchy service history then I’d potentially be inclined to consider the other.

The Astondoa has a full maintenance history while the Ferreti has a 4 year gap.
Is Astondoa well known?

 

[rafiki_]

Astondoa is a Spanish builder, mainly of commercial vessels. Therefore they have a good rep for build quality. As do Feretti. This will come down to personal choice for you. Feretti is well recognised as a builder of quality leisure motorboats. Probably better recognised than Astondoa, hence possibly easier to sell on, when you are ready to do so. Which boat do you prefer? Have they both been well maintained? These are the key questions

 

[Portofino]

Astondoa is well recognised in the Cote d Azur and Liguaria .Obviously in Spain .
Plenty about .They appear well built . Dare I say it as an ex Sunseeker owner probably better built .

At this size buy on condition and history .Sounds like you know that .It’s residual will depend more on those two factors than how many units were pumped out .

This one’s in our marina and for sale btw .
https://www.boatinternational.com/charter/luxury-yachts-for-charter/panakeia-astondoa-2008

What machinery have the two prospects got ?

 

[red124]

Astondoa is well recognised in the Cote d Azur and Liguaria .Obviously in Spain .
Plenty about .They appear well built . Dare I say it as an ex Sunseeker owner probably better built .

At this size buy on condition and history .Sounds like you know that .It’s residual will depend more on those two factors than how many units were pumped out .

This one’s in our marina and for sale btw .
https://www.boatinternational.com/charter/luxury-yachts-for-charter/panakeia-astondoa-2008

What machinery have the two prospects got ?

The Ferreti comes with:
-Twin MAN v12 1224hp
- 4600L diesel tank
- 2005 Mitsubishi gyroscopic stab
- Original (2003) Miele appliances
- Navigation equipment to be refitted
-Small Kohler gen (9kw) + bigger Kohler gen (17kw)
I´ve visited the boat and there is a slight bathroom smell which sounds like a problem to me....

The astondoa comes with:
-Twin MAN v12 1300hp
-5700L diesel tank
-2021 refitted Seakeeper gyroscopic stab
-2021 refitted Miele appliances
- 2021 Raymarine navigation reffit
- 2021 black tanks, piping and bathroom reffit.
- 2021 reffited aircon fancoils
-Twin big Kohler gen (16kw)


The Astondoa has full service records and seams to have been better tanken care of. And perhaps equipment wise seams like the better choice.
A full sea trial will be taken this next week.

 

[jfm]

Although I would naturally tend to prefer the Ferretti, the Astondoa has much better spec. The Mitsubishi gyro in the Ferretti is a piece of junk. The seakeeper in the Astondoa is much better.

As others have said, Astondoa is a well recognised brand in the med. Regarded as a very good brand, though not ultra premium.

16/17 kva is not big for a generator on this size of boat. Frankly, it’s too small. You need to be prepared to run 2 together when you’re cooking at anchor with a/c and stabiliser running.

Decent generator spec is 17-18 on 58/60 foot boats and a pair of 23kva on 75-80 foot, assuming a correctly sized aircon installation.

 

[red124]

Although I would naturally tend to prefer the Ferretti, the Astondoa has much better spec. The Mitsubishi gyro in the Ferretti is a piece of junk. The seakeeper in the Astondoa is much better.

As others have said, Astondoa is a well recognised brand in the med. Regarded as a very good brand, though not ultra premium.

16/17 kva is not big for a generator on this size of boat. Frankly, it’s too small. You need to be prepared to run 2 together when you’re cooking at anchor with a/c and stabiliser running.

Decent generator spec is 17-18 on 58/60 foot boats and a pair of 23kva on 75-80 foot, assuming a correctly sized aircon installation.

Well, then the gens on the ferreti are just a joke.....

I really like the Astondoa, it has spent winters on dry storage and service records are amazing. Another nice feature is it has dual cranes, I will be needing a tender (they are not selling the tender) and will take my current jet-sky.

The gen size, I´m well aware that I will be needing both running quite a lot....
One gen can move the aircon, I will be looking at those numbers.

 

[kashurst]

There are loads of Astondoas in Spain. The factory is in Santa Pola just down the coast from Alicante. I am told they are very helpful.
I have been on a few 40 - 50 foot Astondoas and they seemed to me to be very heavily built. If looked after the interiors seem to last well in the med heat as well.
The big 70 - 80 foot ones are very popular. There used to be one in Alicante Marina with a grand piano in the lounge. So I guess the decks are pretty substantial.

 

[red124]

There are loads of Astondoas in Spain. The factory is in Santa Pola just down the coast from Alicante. I am told they are very helpful.
I have been on a few 40 - 50 foot Astondoas and they seemed to me to be very heavily built. If looked after the interiors seem to last well in the med heat as well.
The big 70 - 80 foot ones are very popular. There used to be one in Alicante Marina with a grand piano in the lounge. So I guess the decks are pretty substantial.

That's fantastic to hear! The Astondoa 72 sounds like a remarkable vessel, especially given its reputation for solid construction and enduring interiors.

The image of a grand piano in the lounge of one of the larger Astondoas is truly captivating!!!


I have been talking to a friend who currently owns a Sanlorenzo SL78, who previously had an Astondoa 82, and before acquiring the SL78, was considering an AS8. He has told me that the quality of construction is very good, the service as well, and they tend to be yachts finished impeccably. It seems to me a very good opinion given that Sanlorenzo is probably the best builder in these sizes.

 

[MapisM]

Although I would naturally tend to prefer the Ferretti, the Astondoa has much better spec.

All agreed, with the noticeable exception of the engines.
The 1224 were common rail, while the 1300 were their so-called EDC (nothing to see with Volvo, mind!) engines, which MAN adopted just for a few years, before adopting CR throughout the whole range.
A bit of an orphan engine, prone to electronic faults known to drive crazy also MAN dealers...
Not that this is totally unheard of with CR engines (and their MMDS displays), but at least the dealers are used to deal with them by now, because they are very popular, as opposed to EDCs.

PS: in hindsight, looking at the years of the boats, I'm wondering if by 1300 red124 didn't actually mean the 1360.
If that is the case, forget the above, because the 1360 are just the pimped up version of the 1224, also CR.

 

[Portofino]

I think they went CR circa 04/05 .

It’s got a good history the 07 boat by the sounds of things .

@ op the hours ? Of each any notable difference?

FWIW my 10 season ownership of MAN EDC dated 2003 motors with the MMDS has been uneventful over 700 hrs added .
They are modular construction so 1/2 of a V12 just one bank , but everything else is pretty identical.


It’s actually the later 6.3 screens from 05 upwards that’s are the bogeys .Which this 07 boat will have .

 

[red124]

All agreed, with the noticeable exception of the engines.
The 1224 were common rail, while the 1300 were their so-called EDC (nothing to see with Volvo, mind!) engines, which MAN adopted just for a few years, before adopting CR throughout the whole range.
A bit of an orphan engine, prone to electronic faults known to drive crazy also MAN dealers...
Not that this is totally unheard of with CR engines (and their MMDS displays), but at least the dealers are used to deal with them by now, because they are very popular, as opposed to EDCs.

PS: in hindsight, looking at the years of the boats, I'm wondering if by 1300 red124 didn't actually mean the 1360.
If that is the case, forget the above, because the 1360 are just the pimped up version of the 1224, also CR.

Correct, I got the numbers wrong: the engines are MAN CR 1360hp. I’ve heard about some headaches with them, but nothing dealers haven’t got controlled.
Hours on the Astondoa are 1100hours and on the Ferreti 1300hours.
The Ferreti has been chartered for the past 8 seasons, I don’t know wether this is a good point or not. Still I find the lack of maintenance records sketchy….
My broker also offered an Astondoa 82 that seamed to need a full paint job so it was off the list immediately, and a SanLorenzo sl72 wich I didn’t like because of the small bathing platform.
Perhaps the Sl is the superior builder, but I find practicality and the ability of carrying a jet sky to be a must

 

[MapisM]

Perhaps the Sl is the superior builder

Not only it is, but their 72 was designed and built during the last Jannetti years, when the general yard philosophy (within a framework of general quality that has always been their hallmark, and still is) was even more oriented towards a no-nonsense, form follows function attitude.
This makes their 62/72/82 the boats where you have the best chances to find one with more than a quarter of a century on its shoulders and ready to endure another without missing a beat.
BTW, all of them have a similar, characteristic shape astern which, while you may not like for the smallish swim platform (consistent with the fact that all three models were designed with a f/b crane), is fantastic for retrofitting a hi-lo platform, if that's your thing.
Personally, I would keep them as originally designed because I'm not a fan of overhanging platforms, but that comes with the territory if you want it hi-lo.
And if you do, you won't find any boats better suited to retrofit it than the SL 72 (as well as 6 and 8), no matter how hard you try.
Anyway, construction quality remains the key difference: Astondoa ranking in this respect is below Ferretti, but with SL it's not even in the same league.

Ref. the engines, OK, I did suspect that.
1224 and 1360 are both CR and almost identical, so condition is the only thing that matters, when comparing them.

 

[red124]

Not only it is, but their 72 was designed and built during the last Jannetti years, when the general yard philosophy (within a framework of general quality that has always been their hallmark, and still is) was even more oriented towards a no-nonsense, form follows function attitude.
This makes their 62/72/82 the boats where you have the best chances to find one with more than a quarter of a century on its shoulders and ready to endure another without missing a beat.
BTW, all of them have a similar, characteristic shape astern which, while you may not like for the smallish swim platform (consistent with the fact that all three models were designed with a f/b crane), is fantastic for retrofitting a hi-lo platform, if that's your thing.
Personally, I would keep them as originally designed because I'm not a fan of overhanging platforms, but that comes with the territory if you want it hi-lo.
And if you do, you won't find any boats better suited to retrofit it than the SL 72 (as well as 6 and 8), no matter how hard you try.
Anyway, construction quality remains the key difference: Astondoa ranking in this respect is below Ferretti, but with SL it's not even in the same league.

Ref. the engines, OK, I did suspect that.
1224 and 1360 are both CR and almost identical, so condition is the only thing that matters, when comparing them.

I’m well aware of this, but my past experience tells me that maintenance and the general condition of the vessel and everything attached is a must.
I had a terrible experience with the 2006 Princess 53 I owned from 2018 to 2020, it had no records at all and it was a great headache. I was the fourth owner…..

I find those Sl (within my budget) to be needing way more work…. Which simply makes them way over budget.

I will be visiting the Astondoa 72 tomorrow morning, the owner kindly offered to haul the boat out of the water (he would take care of that cost) to check out the vessel. And a sea trial will be scheduled soon, my trusted mechanic will be joining.

 

[MapisM]

I find those Sl (within my budget) to be needing way more work…. Which simply makes them way over budget.

Fair enough.
I'm fully aware that SLs, for any given size/age, are usually dearer than just about any other boats.
BUT, that's for excellent reasons.

Just a thought:
the SL62 is obviously more budget friendly than the 72 for any given age/condition, but it's equally well built, and would still be a massive upgrade compared to a Predator 55. Now, each to their own of course, but 'fiuaskme, I'd rather have an SL62 than an Ast72 any day of the week.
BTW, don't forget that all boats are headaches.
So, you don't want the largest headache you can afford - you want the smaller one that is just large enough for your real needs.
And I'm saying this as someone who, after inspecting (in flesh, not on webpages!) almost 80 boats during my last boat search, I paid for a 56 footer almost exactly the same price that could have bought me an 80 footer.
I kid you not.

 

[red124]

Fair enough.
I'm fully aware that SLs, for any given size/age, are usually dearer than just about any other boats.
BUT, that's for excellent reasons.

Just a thought:
the SL62 is obviously more budget friendly than the 72 for any given age/condition, but it's equally well built, and would still be a massive upgrade compared to a Predator 55. Now, each to their own of course, but 'fiuaskme, I'd rather have an SL62 than an Ast72 any day of the week.
BTW, don't forget that all boats are headaches.
So, you don't want the largest headache you can afford - you want the smaller one that is just large enough for your real needs.
And I'm saying this as someone who, after inspecting (in flesh, not on webpages!) almost 80 boats during my last boat search, I paid for a 56 footer almost exactly the same price that could have bought me an 80 footer.
I kid you not.

Thank you for your opinion. The only issue with the SL62 is the lack of 4 cabins and 4 bathrooms (+crew), I’m changing the Predator as we are planning on spending all summer aboard, in the past we just spent days and we have never slept aboard with the kids. Also one of the reasons why I feel that having a stabilizer is really important.
The plan is to see if it works for two seasons and if it does I will be taking on a new build (if I like the Astondoa it will be an As8, if not an SL78)
I tend to find that condition is a must when buying second hand, specially when not planning to keep it for a long time….
We are a family of 5, and we will be taking 3 guests at most of the time.

Yesterday I visited the As72: I really loved the layout, condition seamed flawless (cosmetically and tecnically), and an amazing stack of maintenance records. The boat is really ready to go.
I liked that both twin bed cabins have an additional retractable bunk bed, the owner cabin is just wonderful with a wonderful bathroom and the VIP just as well. (the VIP size is like the owners in my current predator). This vessel has been 1 owner only, and everything has been kept tip top.

The Ferreti was at the same marina, I won’t be visiting it as I saw a couple of cracks in the gel coat…. Also the general outside condition didn’t seam nice. The broker told me it was a charter vessel, but it is the worst condition charter boat I’ve ever seen.

I also visited a Princess 72 which I didn’t even consider for a minute, and an As82 which needed to much work.

 

[Portofino]

You analysis reading it sounds sound .

There’s quite a lot of tatty boats around wanting TLC ( aka €€€ spend ) in this size segment inc all marques . Priced accordingly but if you don’t want to tackle one then the Astondoa is the one .

You are correct about condition .I viewed a few SL 57 s and 62 s a few years back …like you thinking spending more time on board .In the end other stuff ( ways of spending leisure time ) crept in so we didn’t make the move .
They were OK ish but as you say layout wise compromised , bathing platform and if I seem to remember correctly there’s a step up to the dinning table area from the saloon ( iam used to flat floors - little dog ) .Also no helm door on the 62 .
Rear cockpit table/ dinning area a bit inferior too .IMHO .The teak is real and thick but there’s only so many times it can be sanded back .Meaning that replacement bill is always looming in a med boat circa 20 + yrs ? .A big bill btw .

So don’t hang your hat on SL sixty somethings Mk1 and Mk2 s from 95 - 2007 ish ? Also common as muck ..they built a lot . We have two aside each other in our marina .

Better layouts existed .
I know quite a few Italians are seasonal boaters and they hanger there boats in the off season .In the long term this keeps there condition and because a yard looks after them stuff gets fixed , maintenance is kept on top, and recorded just like what you are seeing with this Astondoa .

 

[red124]

You analysis reading it sounds sound .

There’s quite a lot of tatty boats around wanting TLC ( aka €€€ spend ) in this size segment inc all marques . Priced accordingly but if you don’t want to tackle one then the Astondoa is the one .

You are correct about condition .I viewed a few SL 57 s and 62 s a few years back …like you thinking spending more time on board .In the end other stuff ( ways of spending leisure time ) crept in so we didn’t make the move .
They were OK ish but as you say layout wise compromised , bathing platform and if I seem to remember correctly there’s a step up to the dinning table area from the saloon ( iam used to flat floors - little dog ) .Also no helm door on the 62 .
Rear cockpit table/ dinning area a bit inferior too .IMHO .The teak is real and thick but there’s only so many times it can be sanded back .Meaning that replacement bill is always looming in a med boat circa 20 + yrs ? .A big bill btw .

So don’t hang your hat on SL sixty somethings Mk1 and Mk2 s from 95 - 2007 ish ? Also common as muck ..they built a lot . We have two aside each other in our marina .

Better layouts existed .
I know quite a few Italians are seasonal boaters and they hanger there boats in the off season .In the long term this keeps there condition and because a yard looks after them stuff gets fixed , maintenance is kept on top, and recorded just like what you are seeing with this Astondoa .

I believe SL got the layouts right in this last generation of the Sl range.
And defectively true that in Spain and Italy you can find the best and worst examples of any maker…
The Astondoa is currently in Mallorca and has been carefully maintained by a reputable shipyard, I’ve used them from time to time and they really work well. I know there are cheaper options (with lots of work needed) but I would rather start with a tip top vessel, you are right when saying that all boats are headaches: but I don’t think the headache is only dependable on size but more on general health of the vessels and all systems.

72 feet seams as a great size for a family motor boat, layouts have less compromises and there is enough space the kids and toys.
I’m also looking at getting a new Seadoo as the current owner wants to keep his and my predator is sold with mine…