The Navetta 58 is among Absolute’s three world premieres at Cannes Yachting Festival 2026

Absolute is unusual but not alone in building its yachts inland. Based in Podenzano, south of Piacenza, its standalone production facility is surrounded by farmland. It’s closer to Milan, Italy’s economic capital and second-largest city, than it is to the historic port of Genoa, the nearest big city on the Ligurian Coast.

Located over 100km inland, Absolute builds three ranges of motoryachts spanning 47-75ft, a hugely popular market segment where it competes for clients with many of the world’s biggest yacht builders and boatbuilding groups.

Founded by Sergio Maggi and Marcello Bè in 2002 then boosted four years later by the arrival of Angelo Gobbi, their former boss, Absolute has carved a market niche with exterior designs that remain distinctly their own and innovations that keep the brand front of mind for potential buyers. The shipyard was an early adopter of Volvo Penta’s IPS and continues to use the pod propulsion system on all their models.

The high-volume Navetta and planing Flybridge lines remain the core of Absolute’s production, with the Coupé series only including the 48. With the exterior designs of the Flybridge line remaining relatively conventional, Absolute is arguably best identified by its beamy, boxy Navetta models, notable from afar for their upright windscreens and near-vertical bows.

The flexible foredeck lies between the near-vertical bow and upright windscreen that are part of the series’ exterior DNA

Still, Navetta yachts can shift as we found out on sea trials at the exclusive ‘Under the Stars’ event in Varazze, Absolute’s closest equivalent to a ‘home port’ – despite being about 170km by road from

Podenzano.

A walk around the gorgeous Marina di Varazze reveals Absolute is comfortably among the most popular motoryacht brands within the D-Marin facility, which offers waterfront restaurants, shops, offices and a whopping 800 berths at the west end of the town’s seaside promenade.

Yacht Style was among guests on this special occasion as Absolute showed off all three of its 2026 models – the Navetta 50, 58 and 66 – before their world premieres at this year’s Cannes Yachting Festival.

The new Navetta 58 was of particular interest as the long-awaited successor of its hugely popular namesake, which sold over 80 units since its release in 2014 – including a restyled version from 2020 – and has been the brand’s most popular model in Asia.

Absolute Marine, one of Asia’s leading Absolute dealers, was quick to secure an order for the new Navetta 58

Thomas Woo, founder of Hong Kong-based Absolute Marine, the shipyard’s leading dealer in Asia, is among big fans of the Navetta 58, describing it as “amazing” and confirming at least one order for the region.

Powered by two 725hp IPS pod drives, the 58-footer certainly delivers on the water. On our test, it started to semi-plane at about 14 knots (1,800rpm) before reaching 27-28 knots at full throttle (2,500rpm), while proving surprisingly responsive and nimble in the turn.

Looking to cover some distance? Consumption was less than 30 litres per hour at 9 knots, which would enable the Navetta 58 to cover over 750nm with fuel in reserve, due to a fuel capacity of 2,800 litres.

VISUAL CONNECTIVITY

Absolute’s yachts are solid performers, but the designs are best known for their volume and forward-thinking layouts. The builder was among the first in its sector to introduce modular outdoor furniture in the cockpit and aft flybridge, implementing it across all its new models in recent years.

A glass parapet increases connectivity between the full-beam hydraulic platform and extra-long cockpit

Within the Navetta 58’s extra-long cockpit, fully covered by the flybridge, Absolute’s in-house furniture can include two double sofas and two single square chairs. Facing three-person sofas or a trio of double settees around a central high-low, foldable table are among potential arrangements, while technical options include a covered docking station.

Among other upgrades, the cockpit now offers clear, 270-degree views through a glass parapet, glass side gates and extensive glazing in the aft bulwarks, further connecting guests to the sea and surroundings.

The see-through aft end also increases connectively with family and friends using the hydraulic platform, now just four steps down. It spans the full width of the yacht’s expansive 16ft 11in beam, which – for comparison – is 14 inches wider than Absolute’s similar-length 56 Fly.

Modular furniture is used in the cockpit and aft flybridge

The brand’s emphasis on clear views continues along both bulwarks, where the central sections are replaced by side railings to expand views from the interior.

Further forward, glass inserts and side rails also improve visual connectivity with the water around the bow, where guests are well catered for. The foredeck includes a C-shaped sofa, table and an island sunpad where the aft end can be lifted forward to become a backrest for aft-facing seating.

The flybridge, accessed by port cockpit stairs, has been completely revised and starts with a clean aft deck that can accommodate sun loungers or the same style of modular furniture used in the cockpit. The new layout offers clear access to the rest of the flybridge, which includes an L-shaped outdoor galley and bar to port, opposite an L-shaped dinette to starboard.

The refreshed flybridge layout includes aft space for loose furniture and easy access to the wet bar and forward social areas

As if that’s not enough, the forward port corner is occupied by a full C-shaped sofa that can sit as a standalone social area or companion seating for the twin-seat helm station to starboard.

INDOOR-OUTDOOR

The interior has also been transformed, with the former split-level saloon replaced by a single-level social space surrounded by full-height windows. In addition, the décor has been toned down and evened out, with an emphasis on natural materials and colours replacing the plethora of high-gloss black surfaces in the 2020 version.

The single-level saloon includes sliding side doors to starboard, where owners have the option of a coffee corner or six-seat dining table

While the aft galley remains on the port side, the former C-shaped dinette has been replaced with freestanding furniture options to make the most of new sliding saloon doors on the starboard side, which allow for a cross-breeze, greater views and easier access to the side passage.

By the sliding doors, Absolute offers either a coffee table with chairs – which increase the feeling of space and ease of access – or a longitudinal six-seat dining table that can electronically slide to starboard when not in use.

Aft view of the saloon shows the high-low foldable table and C-sofa to port, plus the full-height glazing that surrounds the interior

This enables a roomier passage forward to the lounge, which has a C-sofa and a high-low, foldable table to port, facing a chair and long cabinet to starboard. This area is separated from the raised helm station by full-height slats that create a measure of privacy while still allowing light and communication.

LOWER LEVELS

To port of the helm are stairs to the accommodation, which is another of Absolute’s traditional selling points. The Navetta 58 is near Absolute’s sweet spot as it’s currently the smallest model in the range to include two full-beam en-suite cabins with forward-facing beds, as well as a third guest cabin.

The three guest cabins include a raised full-beam master suite forward

From the saloon, it’s only five steps down to the brand’s signature forward master suite, which is flanked by two huge oblong windows, each about 5ft long and close to 3ft high. They’re enormous. To port is a vanity desk and storage plus forward access to the full-width bathroom, while to starboard is a full-length cabinet and aft access to the walk-in wardrobe.

Once you head back out to the stairway, you start to appreciate the 3D nature of Absolute’s ‘lower deck’, which encompasses multiple levels. Aft from the master suite, it’s a further two steps down to the day head, on the port side.

The full-beam VIP suite is midships

One more step down is a lobby that leads starboard to the guest cabin with sliding beds. Aft is the full-beam VIP suite midships, which has an open-style bathroom to port with an enclosed toilet aft and shower forward. However, there’s more to explore from the lobby, as two angled steps forward lead down to a small utility area including space for a washer-drier.

The lower-deck offerings don’t end there. From the swim platform, the port steps lift to open access to a full-beam crew cabin that has twin beds, natural light through transom windows and portholes, and a bathroom that includes a door to the engine room.

The saloon’s sliding side doors benefit views, ventilation and indoor-outdoor connectivity

Absolute’s flagship Navetta 75 was unveiled in 2022. However, the other six of the seven Navetta models have debuted within the last two years, with the Generation 2026 trio following the releases of the 62 last year, and the 53 and 70 in 2024. That rapid production run doesn’t even include new product from the Flybridge line.

It’s a remarkably concentrated output from a company that will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2027, while Absolute fans in Asia can now look forward to the arrival of the new Navetta 58, a model that has truly elevated a brand icon.

absoluteyachts.com

Note: The original article appears in Yacht Style Issue 91