It’s tough to decide which part of my sea trial in the Cranchi Mediterranée 43 was more fun—steering with my fingertips on the IPS joystick at idle in the Intracoastal Waterway or flying through six-foot seas offshore at 33 knots, hanging onto the wheel. Actually, lounging at the dock in the 43’s comfortable cockpit wasn’t too shabby either. This versatile beauty, which we recently tested in Pompano Beach, Florida, combines the latest breakthroughs in propulsion technology with a sea-savvy performance hull and luxurious Italian styling.

If you’ve met Aldo Cranchi, the fact that our test Mediterranée 43 was equipped not only with the innovative Volvo IPS 600 diesels but also with one of the first IPS joystick controls to hit the U.S. market, won’t come as a surprise. Representing the fourth generation of the boatbuilding dynasty established in 1870 on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como, Cranchi is a forward-thinker who has grown his company, Cantiere Nautico Cranchi, into one of the largest performance boat manufacturers in Europe. The Cranchi line, which ranges from 27 to 50 feet, is now built in three Northern Italian facilities featuring robotics and state-of-the-art construction techniques, and a fourth plant, designed for large yacht production, is in the works.

Cranchi partnered with Volvo Penta on the early trials of the Swedish engine manufacturer’s Inboard Performance System (IPS), which debuted in 2005 (See “The Future of Power,” April, 2006). The hull of the Mediterranée 43 was specifically designed to house the propulsion system’s steerable drive units, each of which turns twin counter-rotating, forward-facing propellers that “pull” the boat forward through the water rather than pushing it.

In addition to incorporating breakthrough technology like IPS into its boats, another Cranchi hallmark is contemporary styling, which was evident as soon as we stepped aboard the 43 at Cranchi Florida in Pompano Beach. The Italian builder started exporting yachts to the North American market in 1994 in a move spearheaded by James Clayton, the energetic president of Cranchi USA. He and his team recruited dealers across the country and personally followed up with owners on any service issues. “It takes you ten years to really get that product awareness and brand acceptance, Clayton says. “We were poorly organized in the U.S. in the beginning. We were trying to take on too much at once. In 2002, we had a great thinking session and decided to [focus on] big markets like Florida, the Northeast, the Great Lakes and California.” That year, they opened Cranchi Florida, with its demo docks strategically located just minutes from Hillsboro Inlet.

We boarded the 43 via its teak-trimmed swim platform, which is broad enough to hold a dinghy. There’s also a dedicated slot for a life raft in the transom. Twin walkways lead up to the cockpit from either side of the platform, although one is currently shut off by a fixed stainless gate in deference to a U.S. competitor’s patent on this transom configuration. A matching gate to starboard allows entry. The rear cockpit holds an inviting seating area with ultra-soft butter yellow upholstery and is served by a convenient wet bar with fridge. The dining table is engineered to tap into the engine room’s hydraulic pump, lowering to form a large sun lounge with the rear seat. A lounge seat to port of the helm and a double foredeck sunpad multiply the tanning options. For shade, the radar arch supports fore-and-aft biminis. (A hardtop version of the 43, due out this year, will turn the cockpit into an air-conditioned upper saloon.)

What really drew my eye, however, was the boat’s raised center helm station. This layout, which Cranchi successfully pioneered on several earlier models, gives the driver a balanced view of the water around the boat as well as a feeling of greater control. The helm seat faces a commanding, wraparound instrument array that includes Volvo’s EVC (Electronic Vessel Control) display. The EVC provides readouts not only of engine status but also of other vital onboard systems via the company’s elegant and efficient CAN-bus (Controller Area Network-bus) architecture. An autopilot, plugged into the network, is also standard.

Using the new joystick, which operates only at low speeds, we pulled out from the dock—sideways—in an exciting demonstration of this new high-tech tool/toy. A touchpad on the joystick pod locks the wheel and gives you complete control over the direction of the rotating IPS drives with the stick. You can steer the boat in any direction, including diagonally, with the fingertips of one hand, pushing the joystick for more thrust and rotating its top to change course.

“We were the first with the joystick and we made it standard on the boat. It takes twenty minutes to learn the system, and a novice can dock the boat.” Clayton says. “It removes the main impediment to boating [docking], after money. Within five years, all Cranchis above forty feet will have a joystick. My prediction is that within fifteen years, eighty percent of the industry will have it.”

After driving with the joystick along the ICW, impressing both ourselves and passing yachtsmen, it was time to take the 43 out in the Atlantic for a sea trial. As soon as we entered the inlet we knew we were in for a thrill ride. It was blowing 20 mph with whitecaps on the ocean and the waves were five to six feet. We gamely tried to record speeds and decibels as the yacht launched off wavetops and landed—remarkably softly—in the troughs. Acceleration was excellent with the turbos engaged, and we saw a top speed of 33 knots on the GPS, even under these conditions. (Cranchi reports a top end of 37.45 knots in calmer water.) Even more remarkable, if I can decipher my shaky notes, the sound level in the open cockpit at 3000 rpm was only 84 dBA. There was not one rattle or bang.

But all good things must come to an end, so we headed back in to the ICW, where the placid water allowed a tour of the cabin. Here again, designing the yacht with IPS in mind had a positive impact. “With the IPS inboard installation, we’ve gained two-and-a-half to three feet in the mid-cabin,” Clayton says. The raised center helm also provides additional headroom in this exceptionally spacious cabin – we measured 6 feet, 11 inches in the entry and 7 feet over the stylish chocolate-colored settee. Cranchi’s designers found room for an island double berth here by placing it athwartships. Side windows and opening ports let in light and air. Unlike many mid-cabins, it is also quiet, thanks to good noise insulation, the buffering action of the fuel tank between it and the engines, and the fact that the air-conditioning compressor is in the engine room rather than under the berth. The only reason I can see not to use this stateroom as the master is the fact that it shares access to the rear head with the salon.

You also can make a good case for using the roomy forward stateroom, with its abundant locker space, as the owner’s cabin. It has a private head with telephone booth-style shower. Both heads feature elegant glass sinks, but then, the interior décor throughout the yacht reflects its builder’s contemporary Italian flair. The joinery is oak with a matte finish, with the saloon overhead cabinets in contrasting dark, African wengé wood. The sole is teak. This combination makes the saloon a highly inviting room for entertaining. Its L-shaped settee provides an intimate setting for chatting or dining. Opposite, the compact galley features frosted glass cabinets with dedicated racks for glassware and china. The stainless, Isotherm refrigerator is much larger than on a typical Italian boat. “Cranchi learned from being in the U.S. market, and improved their boats by being here,” Clayton says.

The North American market has proven resilient to the strong euro so far, he reports, at least where Cranchi is concerned. Today, Cranchi sells about 60 yachts per year in North America, making it a significant player in the import market, while still remaining an exclusive, technology-forward brand. Cranchi USA 800-CRAN CHI; www.cranchiusa.com.

Specifications
Base Price............$624,397
LOA.............................45'4"
Beam...........................13'6"
Draft..............................2'9"
Weight (dry)..........22,700 lb.
Fuel.........................291 gal.
Water.........................79 gal.
Power....2x 435 hp Volvo
Penta IPS 600 diesels
Performance
RPM Knots GPH
1000 5.55 0.84p
1500 8.15 2.53
2000 16.57 5.8
2400 19.43 6.46
2600 21.64 5.51
2800 24.69 8.54
3000 28.69 10.31
3200 29.75 8.81
3400 31.72 14.90
3500 33.28 16.10
WOT 37.45 11.73

Performance figures furnished
by Cranchi USA. Speeds measured by GPS in Pompano Beach, FL, with two people on board, in calm seas, fuel: 70%, wind: 10 mph, water temp.: 72°F, air temp.: 72°F