Ferretti Yachts 500

• LOA: 15.33 m (50 ft 4 in)
• Beam: 4.29 m (14 ft 1 in)
• Engines: twin Cummins QSB6.7, 550 hp each
• Top speed: about 30 knots
• Cruising speed: about 25 knots
• Cabins: 2 standard, 3-cabin option (4 to 6 guests)
• Exterior design: Filippo Salvetti
• Interior design: Ideaeitalia

The gateway to the flybridge family

The 500 sits at the foot of the Ferretti Yachts flybridge line, below the larger models that climb towards the 30 metre 1000. Ferretti first showed the project at a private group preview at the Monaco Yacht Club in September 2020, and production units followed over the seasons that came after. At 15.33 metres overall it is a boat an owner can run without full-time crew. The idea was to give first-time Ferretti buyers a genuine flybridge yacht.

That entry position shapes every decision on board. The 500 keeps the raised flybridge and the full-beam saloon that define the house style, then packages them at a size two people can berth and manage. It won a World Yachts Trophy for interior design in the 13 to 20 metre class in 2020, before the first hull had even splashed. For many owners this is the boat that carries them from weekends into longer coastal cruising.

Salvetti lines on a compact hull

Filippo Salvetti drew the exterior, and his signature shows in the long window bands and the low, tapered superstructure. The glazing runs almost unbroken down the hull sides, which brings daylight deep into the lower cabins and gives the profile its stretched look. A GRP hull and superstructure keep weight in check for the 550 hp Cummins engines below. The flybridge carries an aft dining area with a C-shaped sofa and a table that extends for larger groups.

Deck flow was a priority on a boat this size. Side decks wrap forward to a bow sun pad and seating area, so guests can move around the yacht without crossing the helm. The cockpit opens to a bathing platform at the transom for swimming and tender work. Salvetti kept the detailing restrained so the 500 reads as a smaller member of the same family.

The entry-level Ferretti flybridge, built for owners who berth the boat themselves.

First of the Ideaeitalia interiors

The 500 was the first Ferretti Yachts model dressed by the Ideaeitalia studio, which took over the cabin design from the group's in-house team. Owners choose between two decor moods, both leaning on light woods and soft neutral fabrics. The main deck holds an open-plan saloon and galley with a lower helm forward. Full-height side glazing keeps the space bright at anchor and under way.

Below deck the standard plan gives two cabins for four guests, with an owner's suite and a VIP. A three-cabin option raises capacity to six for families who need the extra berths. The full-beam master sits amidships where motion is gentlest, with its own bathroom. Storage and headroom were worked hard to make a 15 metre boat feel like a permanent home afloat.

Cummins power and easy handling

Twin Cummins QSB6.7 diesels, each rated at 550 hp, drive the 500 to a top speed of around 30 knots. A relaxed cruise sits near 25 knots, with a quoted range of about 325 nautical miles at a gentle 10 knot passage speed. The planing GRP hull is tuned for stability at rest and a clean ride in a moderate sea. These are common-rail engines with a strong service network, which matters to owners running without professional crew.

Handling was designed around the couple who will berth the boat themselves. Bow and stern thrusters and joystick docking ease the stress of tight marinas, helped by a raised lower helm with clear sightlines. The flybridge helm gives an open view for cruising in fair weather. Nothing about the running gear asks for a hired captain, which is central to the model's brief.

Who the 500 is built for

This is a boat for the owner-operator moving up from a 12 to 14 metre sportcruiser who wants a true flybridge and a recognised Italian name. The size keeps berthing fees and running costs within reach of private owners rather than charter fleets. Its natural water is the Mediterranean coast and similar cruising grounds where day hops and marina nights are the rhythm. Families value the three-cabin option for summer weeks aboard.

In the wider market the 500 competes with mid-size flybridge yachts from other established European yards. Its case rests on the Salvetti styling and the Ideaeitalia cabins, backed by the group's dealer and service network. For a buyer who wants the brand without the crew, it is the logical door into the range. Resale is helped by the strength of the Ferretti Yachts name in the used market.

Design

• Exterior: Filippo Salvetti
• Interior: Ideaeitalia
• Naval architecture: Ferretti Group Engineering Department (Product Strategy Committee, chaired by Piero Ferrari)

Who it is for: Owner-operators stepping up from a sportcruiser who want a genuine flybridge yacht at a size they can run and berth without full-time crew.