Med sport cruiser-Itama, Baia, XL-Marine

[Spyros]

After selling my rib, I think it is time to upgrade to a sport cruiser around 40 feet. I will be using it most of the time in North Aegean in the Mediterrenean. 2-3 days max to stay onboard at a time. My favorite ones are:

1) Itama Forty
2) Baia One 43
3) XL Marine 43

I would appreciate opinions regarding the above mentioned boats and builders. I have not cruised in any one of them unfortunately, as it is not easy to find one where I live.

Thanks

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

Very nice selection and difficult choice.

The Baia 43 One has the more open layout both inside and outside and is powered usually by IPS or surface drives.
Iniside the One has a large forward cabin, and no second cabin. Possibly as a day cruiser it works better.

Itama and XL Marine are really similar boats. Some details are better on the first other are better on the second.
Obviously the first has a name which a lot since its been around for since the sixties.

XL Marine is a young company founded in 2006 (been successful till 2012) and is made by the people who build Itamas.
XL 43 are custom and if you see some of them you will notice they are all different.
For the name they are a bit more competitive on the used market.

IMO you should also look at the following; Sarnico Spider (IPS and or surface drives), and the Unica 42 (surface drives and IPS and or shafts).
Both these two have hulls by Brunello Acampora and the Unica fully designed by him, and the first having lines by Nuvolari Lenard.

 

[Portofino]

The Baia we looked at them and the open plan lack of 2nd cabin ,and no passerelle ,small bathing flatform , small awkward cockpit table , lack of storage ( day boat ) I think would make extended living more difficult than the other two .
Most come with Volvo Penta D 6 sterndrive ( not IPS ) a few with Yanmar 480 /Anrnesons 8 surface drives .
They are v beamy ,extra wide -- I thought that may pose berth and ride issues ,more likely to slam .
Nicely made well screwed together carbon fibre lightweight hull .

The XL are rare have the deepest v arguably the better riding hull ( old Itama factory guys in Rome ) ,a bit bigger then the Itama 40 by a few cm ,but Yanmar 480,s on shafts ,I have seen one with MAN 450 ,s
Both these boats have a super sun pad , big table , twin cabins and a big bathing platform for the tender .
The XL ,if you look closely the fit and finish is not quite up the Itama. The internal fit out especially a bit cheap I,am afraid to say .
The XL is lighter and a bit faster .
The Itama 4O ,over 100 out there , looks and feels as if it's hewn out of solid granite ,it a bit smaller but 1.1/2 tonnes heavier .MAN 450 on V drives slightly by a few cm narrower hull .
Hidden passerelle in the bathing platform ,better dash etc ,all in all a better quality feel .
It's not as fast as the XL 43 ( 11 tonnes ) and has less of a deep V still 20 degrees so fine seakeeping .
Going forwards I would look @ the engines and potential maintenance - thus eliminate the Baia and the XL .
I think the Itama 4O ( 12.7 tonnes ) has the better interior ,there's plenty of room in the engine room to access the engines too we had a look at a few ,but wanted a slightly bigger one so went for a 14 5 M . Itama 42 ( 17.7 tonnes ) 700 Hp MAN

Problem is the 42/48 is they very rare and the prices are firming up .
Next up is the 46 , @ 23 tonnes , but with V 8 ,s -- either 770 MTU or 800 MAN , there are a few Arnesons as well .
The fuel burn for a 46 will be twice as much as a 40. Along with service costs , part,s etc .

So the Itama 40 ,is neat little package . @ 13 M --- the base engineering and fit out is Ferretti sourced .
As mentioned when you look at the under the skin and details of the XL it's not quit up to the Itama 40 which reminds me of the Porsche 911 of the sea compared to a Lotus or TVR .
The guys at XL have copied the style but imho lost it on the finish compared to the Ferretti --Itama

Naples is the place to go to see them all inc XL ,s

 

[MapisM]

IMO you should also look at the following; Sarnico Spider (IPS and or surface drives), and the Unica 42 (surface drives and IPS and or shafts.

Agreed, that's a good call. Leaving aside the IPS versions, that is.
I mean, it's no secret that I don't like pods, but while I accept that they can be attractive for many folks on some types of boats, they are almost an insult on hulls not designed for them, and with the IPS stuck on their bottom for marketing reasons alone...
On top of your suggestions, I believe that the OP could do worse than including the Magnum 40 in his shopping list.

 

[Spyros]

Yeap, last night I just discovered the Sarnico Spider. Veeery beautiful boat, very modern interior, I am bit reluctant due to the IPS. Also none available online with surface drives...

Itama, Man engines, shafts, very good overall package. Do you know the differences pre and after facelift? I believe it was somewhere in 2007, please correct me if I am wrong?

XL Marine, the most economical of the bunch, Yanmar on shafts, nice modern interior, 2 bathrooms instead of one the Itama has.

Baia, I love the modular design and the open layout. I think it is great and very relaxing and a lot of fun to have friends over, you feel it as a more spacious boat. I would prefer the surface drive option. One bedroom and one bathroom as a negative. Probably not as seaworthy as the rest of the bunch?

If you have any other inputs I would highly appreciate them. Specific things to look for etc. Also what would the fuel consumption be on these boats?

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

I believe it was somewhere in 2007, please correct me if I am wrong?

The only facelift I know of the Forty was in 2010 last ten hulls 100-110 had a white interior. Same interior was then used (till today) on the new 45.
Also later versions 2010 onwards come with Cummins 480hp which runs better and is cheaper on parts then Man 450s and has more torque etc.
Forty was produced from 2006 till 2011 and was replaced by the 45.

Now the old 40 (2003-5) that it is the redevelopment of the old 38 (with rounded windshield as the old Itama 54), smaller interior, a bit smaller cockpit.
The interior was offered in a two plus two or two plus four layout with smaller galley. Basically this is a different boat to the new 40.

It is a smaller boat to the Forty (44 feet LOA), while the old forty was 41 feet.
Build quality is the highest on this model, as they where made by the original Itama craftsman when owned by Bulgari (not much of budget limits), hence Bulgari lost money in Itama.
I think the Bulgari Itama's 2003 till 05 (40, 48, 50, 55, 60, and 76) are the best of the bunch, but are rare to find.

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

Yeap, last night I just discovered the Sarnico Spider. Veeery beautiful boat, very modern interior, I am bit reluctant due to the IPS. Also none available online with surface drives...

Only two or three where made with surface drives, and are rare as the sun in Britain.
I just sold a Spider to a client who I made two years looking at Itama Forties, and he loves it.
The sea-keeping is amazing as are the details and its conception of space is beyond belief.