The F4.3 is based on a 37ft 4in hull and has an overall length of 42ft 10in

When choosing a boat, owners can sometimes feel they have to compromise between spaciousness or beauty. Designed by Camillo Garroni with an interior by Valentina Militerno De Romedis, the Prestige F4.3 is a boat where one side of the coin doesn’t preclude the other, offering both room and good looks in just 43 seaworthy feet – and at a price point that will be a welcome surprise to many.

“Prestige has always been a market leader in the flybridge segment, and we want to stay there,” says Michelangelo Casadei, General Manager of Groupe Beneteau’s Motor Yachts Business Unit.

The F4.3 includes a hydraulic swim platform; a hardtop is among options

“We have different strategic targets to keep our customers loyal and find new ones by providing the best onboard experience with a well-positioned product at the best-possible price. The F4.3 is an excellent example of this business strategy.”

The exterior design of the F4.3 is plain and simple. A long black hull window starts narrow at the bow, gradually increasing in width as it flows aft and ends in an upwards swoop that gives ‘oomph’ to the profile. The flybridge is nestled low into the superstructure, leaving the exterior looking slim while creating plenty of outdoor area for fun.

The cockpit has a mirror-facing C-shaped sofa set to starboard

Moving in to explore the boat itself, a hydraulic passarelle gives easy access from the dock, and a hydraulic swim platform gives even easier access to and from the water. A storage space for sports equipment and water toys opens directly onto the platform and there are just a few steps on the port side up to the aft cockpit. Things are already looking good.

SIDE ENTRIES

The cockpit, with its C-shaped banquette and adjustable table shaded by the overhang, and glass fashion plates with the Prestige logo, seems super classic until you start looking for access to the saloon – and can’t see any.

The interior is accessed by side doors

Not that you can’t access the saloon from the cockpit; it’s just that you need to enter the interior through either of the sliding glass doors on each side of the wheelhouse. This is because the galley runs the entire width of the aft saloon, connecting with the cockpit by the opening of a wide flip-up window.

It’s a bit hard to distinguish ‘indoor’ and ‘outdoor’ spaces on the F4.3. The galley is technically ‘in’, yet it has the same caulked teak flooring as the ‘out’ cockpit. With both side doors and the aft window open, both air and people can circulate through it easily. This creates an entirely functional yet imminently sociable space where cooking, talking, drink mixing, and laughing are all part of the package.

The galley offering an aft view through a large, flip-up window

It’s an unexpected setup that increasingly makes sense as you imagine the practicality of enjoying your daily life aboard, close to your friends and family. Cooking and cleaning up again will have to happen, but it will be that much nicer if it’s all part of the party – and happens to enjoy an excellent view aft.

INSIDE LIVING

The layout and interior design are by Garroni and De Romedis’ Lab Project, both frequent collaborators with selected Groupe Beneteau brands.

Moving forward from the galley, you step up into the saloon where the interior living area features a comfortable C-shaped sofa and an adjustable table arrangement to port of the helm station. If extra berths are needed, the table can be lowered and covered with cushions to create a double bed, increasing guest accommodation to six.

The dinette can be converted to a double berth, when needed

Materials and colours are light and bright, while large, glazed surfaces give excellent visibility all around. The indoor helm is on the starboard side, incorporated into the living space but with everything you need to operate the boat safely nearby and within easy reach.

From the saloon, it’s just a few steps down to the guest cabin. Set in the bow, it has a centrally placed queen-size bed that offers excellent views through the hull windows. A mirrored closet and plenty of additional storage space make longer stays aboard perfectly feasible.

Materials and colours are the same as the ones used throughout the boat, giving a sense of unity. Attention to small things like the elegant doorknobs give an extra touch of luxury. From a practical standpoint, two access points to this cabin’s bathroom mean it can also be used as the day head for additional guests.

The master cabin with en-suite bathroom is midships

The owner’s cabin with en-suite bathroom is nestled midships in the heart of the boat, down a couple of steps from the guest cabin. While headroom can’t accommodate an NBA player, the centrally placed bed gets excellent views just above water level and the space doesn’t feel cramped. There are plenty of storage spaces and closets, and the bathroom is well appointed with a separate shower.

AND THERE’S MORE

But the F4.3 is a flybridge yacht and it’s time to explore that key outdoor space. The access stairway and the outdoor helm station are port, leaving the entire starboard side free for a banquette and a large sunpad next to the helm, a setup that says sun, fun and friends.

An impressive flybridge is an F-Line signature

Speed is also part of the picture, and it’s time to see how the F4.3 performs. From the up-on-high viewpoint of the upper helm, we start the twin 440hp Volvo D6 V-Drive engines that power this vessel and exit our berth, gradually accelerating as we leave the port behind.

The boat handles smoothly, starting to plane at around 12 knots. At 20 knots, fuel consumption is 48 litres per hour per engine due to a well-engineered hull that doesn’t drag or resist forward motion. Easing the speed up to 25 knots and 3,200rpm, consumption is still under 120 litres per hour overall. We try a few tight turns, and the sensation is of stability and manoeuvrability.

At full throttle and 31 knots, the F4.3 cuts through the water smoothly with minimal roll and barely a creak to be heard. The boat has Groupe Beneteau’s Seanapps monitoring and assistance system that controls all onboard equipment and streams cruising data, so you’re always aware of potential problems before they happen. This is a safe, solid, dependable and fun boat to helm.

The foredeck has an integrated triple sunpad flanked by grabrails

The good times don’t stop on the fly though, because the F4.3’s foredeck has a sunpad that can easily accommodate three people lounging in the sun or toasting the sunset. And a closer look at the transom reveals an optional extra that’s sure to please: an open-air grill and cooking station that are sure to kickstart many a fun evening.

“It’s very difficult today to get a fully configured flybridge yacht onto the market at less than €1,000,000, but that’s what we aim to do with the F4.3,” Casadei says. “With this model, customers looking to enter the Prestige family can find their boat.”

An outdoor grill offers an enjoyable cooking station facing the cockpit

And even if family isn’t the first thing on your mind, Prestige’s hard work will make for easy living aboard the F4.3, a boat that’s an ideal choice for those looking for big fun in a smaller package.
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