Better built than a Fairline but £20k cheaper? Alan Harper dives into the Astondoa 40 Open, a Spanish success story that’s a steal on the used market
One of the best kept boating secrets in the UK is Spanish builder, Astondoa. Based near Alicante, the firm has been knocking out all sorts of vessels from wooden fishing boats in its early days right up to today’s range of coupés and flybridges, as well as bespoke steel megayachts. It’s a great Iberian success story, but how many people have heard of the brand over here, let alone seen one on the water?
In spite of several attempts to crack the British market, Astondoa never really took off in this country – and that’s exemplified by the fact that our review boat, a 2003 Astondoa Open 40, being offered by Bray Marine Sales for £119,950, sat brand new on the shelf for two years before a buyer was found.
Exactly why this should be remains a mystery. OK, there was competition at the time from manufacturers like Fairline, whose Targa 40 went on to become a modern day classic, but with its sleek, aggressive lines, the Astondoa Open 40 looks equally good and its build quality is also excellent. When we tested one back in 2004, it turned in a more than respectable top speed of 36 knots, and that was with 310hp Volvo Penta D6 engines. The larger 330hp variants would have been nudging 40 knots.
And surely that should have made it a viable contender in this popular sector of the market?
The curved, inward-facing companion seat creates extra headroom down below
In addition to Volvo Penta D6 units, a variety of other power sources were fitted to 40 Opens. We found examples with other Volvo Penta options, including 247hp TAMD74As, 260hp KAD44s and that engine’s successor, the 285hp KAD300. For those seeking greater power, Yanmar’s 6LP-STZE, rated at 400hp, could also be fitted. So irrespective of UK popularity, it appears that Astondoa had all the bases covered.
One thing that certainly impresses on our review boat is the enormous tender garage. Lying beneath a double sun pad, which extends well into the cockpit, the garage is equipped with both an electric winch and an integral set of roller wheels for easy launch and retrieval. Tucked inside our review boat’s garage was a 2.7m dinghy and there was still some room to spare.
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We haven’t tested it ourselves but the word on the street is that the garage is large enough to accommodate a Seadoo Spark and on a boat of this scale, that’s a great asset. But either way, there’s a huge hatch beneath the dinghy space, which lifts to reveal the engines. A second smaller hatch in the saloon offers another way in but the access here is distinctly limited.
Multiple seating zones and unusual angles feel slicker than the equivalent Fairline
The day spaces
In addition to the tender garage, the aft end also offers a compact bathing platform with an integral swim ladder and it’s from here that two steps lead up past the sunpads and into the cockpit proper. Our review boat, which has spent most of its life in fresh water, has had its upholstery renewed and the replacement silver-grey Silvertex fabric looks very stylish.
In terms of layout, the large curved settee to starboard wraps around the table and provides seating for five or six adults. Opposite is a wet bar with a top-opening fridge and storage beneath, and ahead of this is a two-seat unit set at 45 degrees to face the helm.
The skipper gets a fixed double seat, a wood-effect dash and a low-slung screen
This alone puts the Open 40 pretty much at the top of its class but it offers a tad more too. You get a double helm seat rather than a single and it looks as if Astondoa has put a touch more thought into the cockpit design because the seating arrangement, with its elegant curves and easy flow, feels slicker than the angular lines of the equivalent Fairline.
The helm is another stylish spot with white-faced gauges in a wood-effect dash. The double seat is fixed but it’s well positioned for average-sized people and we suspect that most people will choose to helm standing up anyway. If that’s you, be aware that the windscreen doesn’t do much to protect you from the elements – but hey, this is a fast open sportscruiser, so that’s all part of the fun.
The lower saloon takes a hit for larger spaces elsewhere but the quality is lovely
The cruising set up
Stepping through the companionway, four steepish steps lead down into the saloon and galley area. There are curved mouldings everywhere here and as we clamber down the steps, we feel as if we are descending into a very pleasant goldfish bowl.
Having such a large tender garage means something has to give and it turns out that that something is the size of the saloon. Headroom of 6ft 5in is good though. It goes a long way towards compensating for the compact dimensions – and with a plush leather dinette sofa and an array of beautiful cherry wood cabinetry, this cosy section of the boat is actually quite an attractive place to be.
Across from the dinette, the galley is also quite compact. And while there’s a double hob, sink, microwave oven, fridge and storage, what there isn’t is an abundance of is worktop space. Happily though, Astondoa has done what it can to mitigate that with a set of bi-fold wooden covers above the sink and hob, which fold back out of the way once the food prep is done.
The high-gloss cherry wood cabinetry of the owner’s bow cabin feels very welcoming
As for the boat’s two cabins, they are both pretty well sized. Behind the saloon, the guest cabin has good headroom with enough space above its twin beds to allow people to sit up and read a book in comfort. There’s also a centrally mounted bedside unit incorporating a set of drawers and at the foot of the beds is a dressing area, a settee and a pair of lockers.
The master cabin is also well appointed with a central double island bed and overhead lockers on both sides, plus a pair of wardrobes and a useful pull-out drawer beneath the bed. There’s also lashings of that lovely cherry wood, giving the cabin a warm and welcoming (as well as quite premium) appeal. The boat’s heads, meanwhile, is situated between the owner’s cabin and the galley. It’s a fairly big space, with a toilet and shower in a wet area alongside a glass screen to help keep the sink and storage unit dry.
The spacious guest twin gets a handy changing area and plenty of storage
The big question
Clearly then, the Astondoa 40 Open is a boat with an awful lot to offer – and that takes us back to the question of its popularity problems in the UK. One man who bucked the trend and bought his 40 Open four years ago is Thames boater, Lee Reynolds. Lee explained he spends a good deal of time in Spain and was therefore perfectly conversant with the Astondoa brand: “It’s a lovely boat,” he says. “To anybody that’s after a good-looking high-quality sportscruiser, I’d say just go and enjoy it.
There’s plenty of headroom in the guest’s midships twin to sit up in bed and read
“Initially, it was the layout that attracted us. I’ve got quite a large family and the boat has a very social layout. We’ve had large parties on board and it’s always been great. And as for the quality, Astondoa doesn’t skimp on anything. The doors shut beautifully, everything’s really solid and the finish of the wood is really good.
“While I only use the boat on the Thames, I’d say it’s an easy boat to handle. The manoeuvrability is excellent. It’s got a bow thruster and twin engines so it’s very easy to control and it drives beautifully when you get it out on the open water. We’ve been really pleased with it. It’s a great boat.”
A decent size of bathroom/day heads sits between the bow cabin and the galley
If you’re considering an Astondoa 40 Open, the bad news, as you might expect, is that you won’t find much local choice. Look further afield though – to Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands, for example – and your options will broaden considerably.
While importing a vessel from abroad can have cost implications in terms of transport and VAT, our internet trawl for Astondoa 40 Opens found purchase prices that are more than reasonable. Our review boat, for example, is on the market for around £20,000 less than a Fairline Targa 40 of similar vintage. And given how much it offers, that makes it a very serious contender.
There’s a massive engine hatch in here and (apparently) space for a Sea-Doo Spark
Astondoa 40 Open specifications
HULL TYPE: Deep Vee
RCD: Category B
LOA: 40ft 0in (12.19m)
BEAM: 11ft 7in (3.6m)
DRAFT: 3ft 7in (1.1m)
AIR DRAFT: 11ft 4in (3.46m)
DISPLACEMENT: 8,500kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 767L
WATER CAPACITY: 295L (fuel figures below estimated on the basis of 64L/hr @ 24kn and 12L/hr @ 6kn)
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 2.7L/nm @ 24 knots
RANGE: 230nm at 24 knots with 20% reserve
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