The Forte 47 is a new Mediterranean day boat with an aluminium hull that stands out in a busy market
There are so many stylish new Mediterranean day boat/weekenders popping up at the moment that it’s easy to become a bit blasé about them. Thankfully this new contender from Forte Yachts does stand out from the crowd, not least because it’s built out of aluminium rather than GRP.
The reason for this is that the company which builds it, West Navaltech in La Spezia, also makes aluminium hulls and structures for some of Italy’s biggest megayacht brands, and it says the Forte 47 is built to the same exacting standards as these larger, more expensive craft.
The longest folding platforms we’ve seen on a 47ft Med cruiser
Let’s hope so because with triple 600hp Mercury V12s hanging off the back of the one we looked at in Palma, it needs to be strong – the yard says these will propel it to 47 knots flat out. More parsimonious customers will be pleased to hear you can also spec it with twin Volvo Penta IPS800s instead.
Either way the main appeal is likely to be the size and openness of the main deck space. Once again, the aluminium build plays a part in this, providing sufficient structural rigidity in the underwater hull sections to allow for two of the longest folding balconies we’ve ever seen on a boat this size.
There was only space to lower one of them at the show but that was enough to get a flavour of just how special it felt to be settled in at the main cockpit dinette surrounded by nothing but water.
The flat surfaces and angles reflect its fabrication process
A long, full-width hard top creates plenty of shade over the cockpit while the three individual helms seats are tucked behind an equally protective windscreen for shelter from any wind and spray at speed. A portside door gives access to another foredeck sunpad.
Below decks there’s an open-plan owner’s cabin forward, a shared day heads with a proper shower compartment and a separate mid-cabin with its own ensuite wetroom but limited headroom and natural light.
The tall foredeck sunpad creates headroom for the cabin below
However, this being a custom-built aluminium boat you can play around with cabin layouts, bulkheads and furniture much of which wouldn’t be possible in a moulded GRP craft.
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Forte Yachts 47 Specifications:
LOA: 47ft 0in (14.35m)
Beam: 14ft 9in (4.50m)
Top speed: 47 knots
Engines: Triple 600hp Mercury outboards or twin Volvo Penta IPS800
Price: From €1.95m
Contact details: www.forteyachts.com
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