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.
Engines and systems
| Engines | Twin Cummins QSB 6.7 diesels, 550hp each, on V-drive shafts, the only engine option Ferretti offers on the 500. |
|---|---|
| Stabilisation | Seakeeper gyro stabilisation is standard, upgradeable to the Seakeeper NG6. |
| Fuel tankage | 1,350 litres. |
| Water tankage | 600 litres. |
| Sound insulation | Extensive sound-damping material in the engine room plus a fibreglass underwater exhaust, aimed at keeping the boat quiet under way. |
What owners and crew report
No named owner or crew testimonial found
As a series-production entry-level flybridge yacht, coverage is dominated by sea-trial write-ups and dealer listings; no named owner or crew account was found in this research.
Yotters research desk
What is good, and what to watch
Strong points
- A genuine entry point into the Ferretti range, not a cut-down boatAlan Harper (Power & Motoryacht) called it a successful entry-level yacht that brings the yard's sophisticated design ideas to a smaller scale without compromising quality or comfort.
- An easily-driven hull with a capable rideHarper found the hull handled 3-5ft seas well on test, with excellent lower-helm visibility and confidence-inspiring build quality, no creaking or squeaking underway.
What to watch
- Only one engine optionFerretti offers the 500 with a single powertrain, twin 550hp Cummins QSB 6.7s, so buyers wanting more speed or a lower-power economy option have no factory choice.
- Small heads and a VIP berth that reads bigger than it sleepsHarper found the heads on the small side and the tapered VIP berth not quite as big as it looks once aboard.
Practical detail
| Price | From around $850,000 for an entry-level boat, rising toward $1 million with options on US market listings in 2026; Ferretti does not publish a fixed base price. |
|---|---|
| Range | A standard range of 325 nautical miles. |
| Performance on test | A two-way maximum of 29.7 knots in 3-5ft seas at half fuel load, cruising comfortably at 25 knots, per Power & Motoryacht. |
| Layout | Three staterooms and two heads as standard, with a two-stateroom version available. |
| What is not published | Ferretti does not publish an as-tested price or an official annual running-cost figure. |
Questions owners ask
How big is the Ferretti Ferretti Yachts 500?
LOA: 15.33 m (50 ft 4 in). Beam: 4.29 m (14 ft 1 in).
Who is the Ferretti Ferretti Yachts 500 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.
What is the Ferretti Ferretti Yachts 500 good at?
A genuine entry point into the Ferretti range, not a cut-down boat. Alan Harper (Power & Motoryacht) called it a successful entry-level yacht that brings the yard's sophisticated design ideas to a smaller scale without compromising quality or comfort.
What are the drawbacks of the Ferretti Ferretti Yachts 500?
Only one engine option. Ferretti offers the 500 with a single powertrain, twin 550hp Cummins QSB 6.7s, so buyers wanting more speed or a lower-power economy option have no factory choice.
What do owners and crew report about the Ferretti Ferretti Yachts 500?
As a series-production entry-level flybridge yacht, coverage is dominated by sea-trial write-ups and dealer listings; no named owner or crew account was found in this research. (Yotters research desk)
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.