Ranieri Next 370 SH: Comfort, Solid Build, and a Surprising Hull. Sea Trial

Can sportiness and habitability truly coexist in the same boat? It is from this question that the new Ranieri Next 370 SH was born, a 37-foot walkaround with which Ranieri International wanted to bring together two characteristics that are not always easy to reconcile: on one hand, a brilliant and engaging navigation, and on the other, generous spaces and interiors designed for spending not just a day on board, but also a short cruise.

To achieve this, the Calabrian shipyard worked deeply on the entire project, rationalizing external spaces, increasing the level of finishes below deck, and above all intervening on the hull, optimized to improve stability, efficiency, and range. The result is an extremely versatile boat, designed as much for going out with many guests as for setting off with the family to spend a few days away from port.

We tested the Next 370 SH in the waters of Soverato, on the occasion of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of Ranieri International, during which the shipyard presented three new models destined to mark a new phase in its history. After having already had a lot of fun at the helm of the Cayman 41.0 Hard Top and the Cayman 37.0 Hard Top, confirming their extraordinary characteristics, only the Next 370 SH was missing from the list. These are three very different boats from one another, but united by that ability to immediately convey a feeling of solidity and safety that, test after test, is proving to be one of the distinctive traits of the new Ranieri International vessels.

Next 370 SH, the sea trial

It is a beautiful day in Soverato and, after having already tested the two new Caymans, the desire to get back on the water is still strong. Waiting for us this time is a particularly interesting boat, because the Next 370 SH was not created simply to add a new model to the range. In fact, it is the evolution of a project that has already met with considerable market success, and for this very reason, the challenge for Ranieri International was probably even more difficult. When a boat already works very well, improving it without altering its nature is anything but easy. And this is precisely the curiosity with which we step on board: to understand where and how the shipyard managed to intervene on a model that was already highly appreciated, maintaining its qualities while raising the bar even higher.

Our boat is powered by a pair of 350 horsepower Yamaha engines, for a total output of 700 horsepower. The 950-liter fuel tank is at roughly 30%, the 200-liter water tank is full, and there are five of us on board: conditions that are therefore absolutely realistic to understand how the Next 370 SH behaves in daily use. We cast off the lines, slowly exit the harbor, and begin to accelerate: it takes just a few hundred meters to realize that, compared to the two Caymans just tested, we are in front of a boat with a different character.

The boat is very planted on the water, solid, stable. Every movement seems filtered by the hull, and what reaches the helmsperson is above all an impression of great reliability. We progressively push the throttles forward: at 4,000 rpm we are at 18.4 knots and the boat definitively enters planning trim. The attitude remains composed, without abrupt changes in pitch, and the bow naturally settles into the correct position. We immediately understand that this hull is truly remarkable.

However, it is when we start looking for waves that the Next 370 SH reveals the best part of its character. We accelerate, cross our own wakes, change course, and tackle waves from different angles: the Next 370 SH always passes through with surprising ease. Water is opened up by the bow and immediately thrown outward, and even when increasing speed, spray stays far away from the deck. This is a detail that is anything but secondary. We move to the most exposed areas specifically to verify this and, even when crossing waves in a deliberately aggressive manner, practically not a single splash reaches on board.

The feeling at the helm is that of having an extremely robust boat underfoot. It does not try to impress with nervous reactions or brutal accelerations: it does something that is probably even more important for a cruiser of this size, which is to convey safety.

We try a few tight turns. We enter decisively, progressively increase the rudder angle, and the Next 370 SH leans into the hull in a natural manner. The trajectory remains clean, the stern follows without sliding out, and there is never a feeling that the hull might lose its balance. We push further. We counter-steer, cross our waves once again, and accelerate out of the turn, but the boat always stays composed.

The time has come to see how far the Next 370 SH can push itself. When we pin the throttles, acceleration is progressive and very smooth: at 4,500 rpm we are already at 25 knots, then going up to 29 knots at 5,000 rpm and a solid 35 knots at 5,500 rpm. We continue to push the throttles forward until reaching the maximum engine speed of 5,900 rpm, where the monitor tops out at 36.6 knots top speed. An interesting figure especially considering the test conditions, with five people on board and a full water tank. But even more convincing than the number on the display is the way the Next 370 SH achieves this speed: the boat always remains composed and predictable, without excessive lightening of the bow or nervous reactions. Even as we approach top speed, the feeling at the wheel remains that of having under control a robust hull, well-planted on the water and capable of converting the total 700 horsepower of the two Yamahas into smooth, easily manageable progression.

After putting it to the test, we can state with certainty that the work done by Ranieri on the new hydrodynamic design is truly excellent. You don’t necessarily need prohibitive sea conditions to understand if a hull works well: sometimes it’s enough to provoke it, deliberately seeking out those situations that can highlight its limits. With the Next 370 SH we tried multiple times, without ever really succeeding in putting it in difficulty.

The cockpit also contributes to the general feeling of comfort. There are no steps, and during navigation this makes a huge difference. You move from one area to another naturally, without obstacles and without having to constantly watch where you step. An apparently simple solution, but one that in real-world use greatly improves life on board.

Finally, we ease off the throttle and settle around 17 knots, a relaxed cruising speed at which we recorded an overall fuel consumption in the range of 160 liters/hour. More than the absolute figures, however, it is once again the hull’s behavior that convinces us: the Next 370 SH seems built to log miles while always maintaining high comfort and a sense of safety.

With the test completed, the impression is very simple: this boat is a little gem. And Ranieri International has indeed succeeded in the most difficult feat—taking an already very successful design and making it even more mature.

How the Ranieri Next 370 SH is made

The work carried out on the Next 370 SH is not limited to the hull. Ranieri International has also rethought space layout following what it defines as the Sport & Habitat philosophy: sports boat performance combined with the habitability necessary to truly live on board. A philosophy already presented by the shipyard on the occasion of its 60th anniversary.

At the bow, we find a large sunbed with clean lines, equipped with ergonomic supports and sized to become a true relaxation area during anchorages. Reaching it is simple thanks to the two side walkways, wide and protected by flat-section steel handrails. A particularly effective solution even when moving around on board while underway.

The central area is dominated by the helm console. The layout of the instrumentation is rational, visibility toward the bow is excellent, and all main controls remain immediately within reach of the pilot.

The Comfort S Line helm seats used for pilot and co-pilot are two true armchairs, complete with armrests and separated by a practical central storage compartment. They are comfortable when cruising for long stretches and, once at anchor, blend well with the rest of the living area.

Behind them is a true outdoor galley, a choice consistent with the boat’s Mediterranean vocation. The module includes a stainless steel sink, a two-burner induction cooktop, and a 75-liter drawer refrigerator: everything needed to prepare lunch or dinner without being forced to go below deck.

At the stern, the protagonist is the large living area arranged around an L-shaped dinette with a central table. Here too, Ranieri sought to utilize every available inch: through an electric control, the sunbed can be extended quickly, transforming this area into a large platform dedicated to relaxation.

However, one of the features we appreciated most remains the continuity of the deck floor. The absence of steps in the cockpit is not merely an aesthetically clean solution: it makes moving around safer and, especially when there are many guests on board, tangibly changes space usability.

Interiors: four berths and high quality

It is when stepping below deck that the second part of the Sport & Habitat concept becomes even more evident. Ranieri International worked extensively on perceived quality, eliminating visible plastics as much as possible and using natural essences and fine woods, crafted directly in the shipyard’s in-house joinery workshop. A choice made possible by the company’s particular production model, which continues to manufacture many of its vessels’ components internally.

The impression, as soon as you step inside, is therefore closer to that of a cruiser than a simple day boat. The layout provides four berths distributed across two separate areas, but the real standout feature is the privacy reserved for the master cabin. This area can indeed be truly closed off via a hinged door, a solution not so common on a walkaround of this size.

Also interesting is the head compartment, designed with dual access: it can be reached directly from the main cabin or from the dinette, allowing guests to use it without passing through the owner’s private space.

Cabinets, drawers, and lockers are distributed practically everywhere. Here too, the design goal clearly emerges: the Next 370 SH does not aim to be a boat that is only beautiful during a dockside visit, but a vessel on which it is truly possible to load everything needed and set off on a multi-day cruise.

Conclusions

The Next 370 SH is an extremely balanced boat. It does not chase absolute performance at all costs, but prioritizes that combination of solidity, comfort, and seakeeping that, after many hours of navigation, ends up mattering far more than a few extra knots of top speed. The hull is certainly one of the project’s strong points. It is dry, stable, and precise in turns, sheds water excellently, and above all continuously gives the pilot a sense of control. The more you provoke it, the more it seems to want to prove how difficult it is to put it in trouble.

However, it would be reductive to judge the Next 370 SH solely by how it navigates. The great quality of this boat is indeed its versatility. The outdoor spaces allow for spending a day at sea comfortably with many guests, while the four berths, the separate master cabin, the full galley, and abundant storage volumes allow for effortlessly turning day cruising into a true cruise.

Ranieri International has thus succeeded in a task that is anything but simple: improving an already highly appreciated model without losing its identity. The result is a mature, robust, and incredibly enjoyable boat to handle, capable of being fun when you push the throttles and surprisingly welcoming when the time comes to shut them off.

Sea trial data

Ranieri Next 370 SH Technical Specifications

Sources and references

Next 370 SH – FAQ