Absolute Yachts Feedback

In my search for our next boat with enough headroom for someone who is 6’ 6”, I’ve recently had a chance to walk through an Absolute Navetta 68. It has more than enough interior space and the headroom works for me, but I’d like to get any insight you have on running these boats or with the service and support from Absolute and/or their dealers (OneWater in my area). I know there are many brand preferences on this forum, so if you want to compare it to other boats in the size range, I’m also considering Princess and Sunseeker Manhattan.

I will be happy if I get a 78" minimum in the key areas. I would also prefer shafts, but I am open to IPS pods after talking with several people who have had them for years with good experiences. The two biggest negatives I hear on pods are the recommended annual maintenance (which everyone says NOT to skip) and if you hit bottom. Regarding Sunseeker, I learned today that insurance options on the Sunseeker are very limited, as many carriers will not even consider owner-operator policies on the larger boats due to past experiences.

Liam - I decided not to buy the Navetta 68. In the end, the interior was simply too "condo-like" for my wife, and I also didn't love the 5' 9" draft for Bahamas cruising. I did talk with a former dealer who sold a number of these boats, and their one concern is the boat does not track well in a following sea. I hope this helps.

After many months of searching for the next boat, I've decided to purchase a Sirena 68. In the process, I evaluated in some detail a Princess S66, Princess F68/70, Sunseeker Manhattan 68, Absolute 68, Ferretti 670, CLB65, OE70, Grand Trawler 62, Grand Banks 60, Fleming 65 and Marlow 58. If anyone is interested in how I came to that conclusion, I would be happy to provide more details to you directly.

My assessment of the Ferretti 670 was incomplete. There was only one available for me to try and get on in South Florida, but due to some complications with the listing, we were unsuccessful in scheduling a tour on two different occasions. When we did connect with the broker we learned that one of the motors needed a major rebuild within the first 50 hours - and the extended warranty on that rebuild was about to expire. So we decided to pass. It looked like a nice boat in pictures, but never got to review it in person.

The primary operating concern with the Absolute is that does not handle well (specifically it doesn’t track well due to the hull shape) in following seas. This was feedback from two different people who had run these boats. Those same people were otherwise complimentary of the build quality of the boats. My secondary concern was styling. The boat interior design is very nice, but too much of a “condo” feel and not enough of a boat. You can argue the Sirena is also more “condo like”, but it still felt like a boat to us. I’m also biased towards a shaft boat over pods, so that also made the Sirena a better option. Regarding Princess, we like the design and styling of several different models, but in the end we liked the combination of spaces on the Sirena better.