Absolute 47 Fly Sea Trial. Don’t call her little!

The continuous renewal of Absolute models continues with the arrival of the 47 Fly.

Absolute Yachts joined the latest boat shows with the new Absolute 47 Fly, a model which renovates the range of the Italian shipyard since it lowers the bar and allows to enter the Absolute world from a 14-meter size.

With this model,indeed, Absolute Yachts introduces the design, the spaces and the materials we have already seen and appreciated on the latest bigger models on the entry level of the Fly range.

The result is a 47-foot boat for which the definition of “little” would be too restrictive. Fitted with three cabins, wide and comfortable exteriors and an additional cockpit with a table in the bow, the new Absolute 47 Fly has nothing to envy to many flybridge models of bigger size.

We tested her and we realized that these renovated characteristics are perfectly combined with those that have made Absolute models famous all around the world, such as maneuvrability, low fuel consumption and unique comfort at sea, both in the interiors and on the flybridge.

Absolute 47 Fly Sea Trial

We test the 47 Fly under undemanding weather conditions. The sun is shining, the temperature is perfect to wear a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and the sea is absoleutely quiet.

It’s an excellent opportunity to fully enjoy the flybridge of this boat, especially considering that that of the model we’re testing is completely open since it is equipped with no hard-top.

We seat in the interior steering console, we start the two Volvo IPS 650 engines and we leave the port of Varazze with extreme ease thanks to the joystick control system. The boat is fully loaded, with 9 passengers on board, full fuel tank and the water tank at 70%.

Thanks to the total absence of waves, we can detect the performance of the 47 Fly quite easily. So, we set the flaps to zero and push gas throttles down. The speed increases progressively. At 1,200 rpm, we are already running at 6 knots and, within just 13 seconds, we can get the boat on plane at almost 13 knots while the fuel consumption decreases gradually.

We accelerate a little more and, finally, we reach the cruising speed, that is 22 knots at 3,400 rpm with an overall fuel consumption of just 7 liters per nautical mile. These consumption levels are not bad, especially considering that the l/nm consumption continues to decrease with increasing speed.

At 3,600 rpm, we register a consumption of 6.7 l/nm. At 3,700 rpm, the latter reaches 6.7 l/nm with a top speed of 28 knots.

The noise inside is very low: about 70 Db in the rage between 2,000 and 3,200 rpm.

I climb on the flybridge to fully enjoy the sensation of the wind in my hair.

I try to perform some turns and the 47 Fly reacts in a precise and well-balance way. Sure, I can’t expect the same agility than a sporty boat but, for a flybridge model, it’s enough.

I draw some circles in the water to test the turning radius, which is good, and I intercept my wake to find out how the 47 Fly reacts to the impact with the waves.

The waves that I can raise are modest, but the boat does not seem to feel the impact either. Being in the highest part, therefore the one most subject to vibrations, this is an excellent indication of the quality of the hull.

I am in the open sea, but I want to try to maneuver in the strait, simulating a possible mooring. A boat of this size is often steered exclusively by the owner, so I want to test whether it is easy to maneuver without a professional crew. The Fly 47 moves in tight spaces, certainly the joystick helps, but everything seems to be very light and it is not hard to quickly move the weight of the boat.

I let my colleagues take the helm, conscious that, with the Fly 47, Absolute Yachts has certainly succeeded in creating an easy-to-steer and extraordinary seaworthy boat.

Absolute 47 Fly Performance

Test conditions: 9 passengers on board, fuel tank at 95%, water tank at 75 %

Weather conditions: no wind, no waves

Absolute 47 Fly Interiors

The division between the interiors and the exteriors of the 47 Fly carried out by the shipyard enables the boat to accommodate more than a single family. It is no coincidence that the lower deck houses three cabins – two of which are double – and two bathrooms.

More specifically, the master cabin is positioned in the bow and equipped with a transversal walk-around double bed. On the right side of the cabin, a door leads to a private bathroom with separate shower box.

On the left side, instead, a huge walk-in wardrobe offers a considerable space where the owner can put his clothes in total comfort. The natural light floods this cabin with excellent brightness and some lateral windows offer a breath-taking view on the sea.

The VIP cabin is furnished with a double bed and occupies three quarters of the left side of the boat.

The only detail that suggests that this cabin is not the owner’s one is the absence of an exclusive access to the bathroom. The VIP cabin, in fact, shares a single bathroom (located in the corridor) with the twin-bedded cabin.

The VIP cabin, however, is distinguished by other details. The double bed, for example, is positioned in the middle of the cabin and has excellent dimensions while, on the aft section, a door gives access to a true walk-in closet that is significantly bigger than the forward one.

Going back to our initial reasoning, it is easy to assume that this layout will be appreciated by all those who want to have a cruise with their own children and a couple of friends without sacrificing essential spaces on the upper deck.

The dinette, in fact, is well-equipped to accommodate guests and is a smaller copy of the ones that can be found on the bigger fly models.

The dining area/living room is positioned in the middle of the upper deck, well lit by the windows that envelop the entire length of the dinette.

A L-shaped galley, instead, is located in the aft section to serve both the indoor and the outdoor table.

Absolute 47 Fly Exteriors

Our description of the exteriors of this boat cannot but start from the flybridge. In the version we’ve tested, due to the absence of a hard top, this area is completely open, which enabled us to appreciate the large sun pad enveloping both the bow and the left side of the steering console. From there, you can enjoy both sunbathing and navigation from a privileged position. Moving aft, a wet bar is positioned on the left side and precedes a dining table surrounded by a U-shaped seating.

Below deck, the outdoor cockpit equipped with a table and covered seating leads us to the bow. The side-deck is comfortable and the starboard one gives instant access to the indoor steering console. The forward cockpit is equally equipped with a telescopic table that, according to the position selected, can turn into a large sun pad or into an additional dining/relaxation area.

Going back to the stern, we find out a hydraulically-operated platform that, when immersed, can accommodate a tender.

Unlike many recent Absolute models, the 47 Fly does not have a crew cabin and we immediately notice the absence of the traditional external access to it. After all, a boat of this size does not necessarily require a crew and one less cabin in the stern has allowed to free more space for the two guest cabins on the lower deck.

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