The new Seawalker 39 from the new generation of Fiart charmed us with its performance at sea, functionality and refined aesthetics, characteristics that this Italian manufacturer cherishes on its yachts
At the 2021 Cannes show, Fiart presented their models of the new generation – daily cruisers 35, 39 and 43 ft. in length, easily recognizable by their beautiful, rounded bows. Thanks to their new Croatian dealer, Navis Marine, Fiart set up their new 39-foot model at the Split Boat Show this spring. This beautiful yacht came equipped with outboard engines, while in Cannes we had the opportunity to see the version with in-built engines.
The builder crated a hull that works equally well with inboard and outboard engines. The first thing we noticed upon stepping aboard was the innovative aft platform, surrounding the engines to reach the sea, allowing for easy and functional communication. The unit we tested had a catwalk (option) and two 350hp Mercury Verado engines. With inboard engines, Fiart Seawalker 39 has a small aft staircase with two movable steps instead of the platform.
From there, you can climb up to the cockpit, furnished with a large sofa and a dining table, which all can be lowered an joined to create a large sunpad surrounded by cushions. This part of the deck can be protected by an awning, which when not in use is hidden in the hard top. Right away we’ve noticed how wide the new Fiart is: 4 meters above the water line. Mid-deck there is an aft-facing bar with a fridge, an ice-maker, a sink and a cooking stove, with two skipper seats in front of it.
This part of the deck is protected by the mentioned black hard top, descending all the way to the windshield. The bow with another sunpad is easily reached by a single step up and the passages are protective and high enough for safety, as are all passages aboard the new Fiart Seawalker 39, decorated with a teak strip that runs around the entire deck. Fiart are very skilled at creating a true marine vessel with all the necessary safety and other elements, as we once again confirmed at the entrance to the interior, with another railing for safety.
The interior is divided into two cabins – one in the bow, with a double bed, and one aft, with two single beds – as it is mostly designed for short daily trips or romantic cruising – or cruising with friends, seeing how it sleeps four. The cabins are served by a full-size head starboard.
On the day of our test, the sea in front of Split was ideal – calm sea and light westerly wind – so we had an opportunity to enjoy everything this powerful little boat has to offer. We achieved planning at 4000 rpm and 19 knots, but with 500 rpm more, at 4500 rpm, we reached 26 knots (140 l/), and at 5000 rpm our speed was 34 knots (200 l/h). Somewhere between those two lies the ideal cruising speed of the new Fiart Seawalker 39 (depending on the conditions), but we have found the yacht calm and unbothered by waves at all speeds.
After reaching top speed of 42 knots, we had to head back ashore, sad our test lasted so short, but more than happy we were given a chance to meet this lovely new model. If all of this sounds like your navigation style, make sure to check out this and other Fiart models.
Text Darko Šupuk
Photos Fiart
