Ranieri Next 285 LX: the new extra luxury sundeck on test

Discovering the Next 285 LX, the new luxury open yacht by Ranieri International    

The bad weather that partially affected the Genoa Boat Show did not allow us to test it during the six-day event. That’s why, while looking at it on the ground, beautiful and shameless with its massive bow and sparkling steel bow roller, we were sorry not to have the possibility to say how performing it was.

However, our regret lasted only a few days because, on the sidelines of the boat show, Ranieri International organized an exclusive side-event at the Marina di Varazze where, until next weekend, it is possible to see first-hand the four novelties of the Italian shipyard: the Cayman 23.0 Sport, the Cayman 26.0 Sport and the Cayman 28.0 Executive from the Maxi Rib colletion and the Next 285 LX from the sundeck collection. We at The International Yachting Media immediately took the opportunity to test the new luxury day-cruiser by Ranieri International and, on a nice October mooring brushed by a light libeccio, we had a lot of fun: this open boat is a true marvel.

Exteriors: generous hull and great volumes

As mentioned above, due to bad weather, we had no chance to test the boat during the Genoa Boat Show. However, we took the opportunity to inspect it comfortably inside pavilion C, with an important advantage: being exhibited out-of-water, the Next 285 LX gave us the possibility to observe closely her large hull, whose generous beam enhances the interior volumes, segmented by a series of skids converging in the bow and overturned in the stern, a clear and precise geometric choice to enhance performance.

The hull, embellished with an elegant and oblong black glazing with three portholes on each side, develops in height in a rather marked manner, which makes us think, once again, that habitability below deck is remarkable.

We climb on one of the two stern platforms which embrace the two outboard engines and, through the only access positioned on the left, we enter the cockpit, where a large and welcoming living zone can accommodate up to 6-7 people in total comfort, equipped with a folding electric table which, when adjusted at the same height of the stern sofa and the three swivel seats (two on the sides and one underneath the outside kichenette) turns into a unique sundeck.

The steering console is equipped with two correctly inclined and pefectly legible displays, protected by a large windshield whose edge is represented by a sturdy stainless steel handrail. The double pilot seat is enevelopping and made even more comfortable by the presence of a step, positioned underneath the cockpit, where the pilot can rest his feet while driving.

The bow deck, whose perimeter is delimited by a shiny stainless steel handrail protecting the side-decks, houses a huge sundeck, with a backrest placed in front of the driving position. The floor is entirely covered in Eva teak, beautiful to see, soft to walk on, easy to clean and sun heat-resistant.

Interiors: generous spaces even in height

Opening the sliding hatch with darkened glass, we go down to the lower deck, which does not disappoint the expectations suggested by the hull width.

The cabin, with essential yet refined design, is really spacious and with a good headroom, so much so that we don’t even have to bend our back to stand up in the dinette.

Yes, because the master cabin, dominated by a double bed, can be converted into a lounge thanks to a central manually lifting table.

Positioned on the starboard side, the toilet is equally large, equipped with WC and shower drain.

The VIP cabin, instead, is positioned just behind the access steps. Compared with the Next 240 SH, this cabin is vertically more spacious and can accomodate to guests in total comfort.

Sea Trial: speed and responsiveness in total safety

The day of the trial is perfect to go out to sea. The sea is slightly rough, the temperature is mild and the sky is covered by just a few clouds that shade the bay of Varazze, where our Next 285 still shines with its own light even without the sun’s reflection and is eager to make see what hull it is made of.

The two Mercury 250 V8 4.6 L engines, in their elegant white version, look very promising. As soon as we leave the dock, we begin to warm them up: the progression is robust but snappy, so much so that, between 2,500 and 3,000 rpm, the Next is already on plane. The rudder is responsive, the view is excellent because, even in the “take-off” phase, the bow does not rise but tends to stay on a horizontal axis.

The hull glides gently and, to be honest, we did not expect such a quick escalation (at 4,500 rpm we exceeded 36 knots with an hourly consumption of about 103 liters).

However, this does not mean that we are loosing control of the boat: although the hull is quite high, it does not skid and, the more we accelerate, the more it remains glued to the water surface: this is just a sporty, performing and stable hull, which conveys safety and sturdiness.

Today, the waves are not particularly insidious, so we decided to create some. After some soft and clean turns, we draw a large “8” in the water: when we cross the returning wave at 30 knots, we pass over it without any jolt. The cockpit is perfectly dry.

In other words, this Next 285 LX is really satisfying us, but she has not yet shown us the best of herself.

It’s therefore time to push the throttles forward, adjust the trim and reach the top speed: at 5,500 rpm, we get 47 knots with a (good) fuel consumption of 172 l/h.

Well, Ranieri International has forget yet another masterpiece.

We return to the marina. Our faces (and messy hair) clearly suggest we had a lot of fun. Spacious, comfortable, fast and safe, the Next 285 LX has passed with flying colours. Not surprisingly, she had already conquered us at the boat show.

Ranieri Next 285 LX: Performance

Ranieri Next 285 LX: Technical Specs

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