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If you’re looking for a summer boat that’s family-friendly and stylish—designed to take you out on your favorite gulf but also offering the option to sleep on board—the De Antonio D34 is an excellent choice. I arrive at the dock in Lavagna, in the province of Genoa, and among the moored boats, the De Antonio immediately stands out. Perhaps it’s the white hull glistening in the sun, with its slightly boxy lines from the profile to the windshield, a black T-top, and the look of a true walkaround, complete with a stern platform. Then I think about the outboard motorization, and every time I’m amazed by the truly ingenious solution that the Spanish shipyard has devised—a solution that, given market trends increasingly favoring these engines, is paying off for them. For those who don’t know, the main feature that sets De Antonio apart from other walkarounds on the market is that it has designed boats with outboard motors mounted under the sun deck—effectively hidden from view, yet ready to accelerate to full speed when needed. “This model is very popular in all its versions,” explains Giancarlo Pedetti of Pedetti Yacht Sales, “but the real bestseller in this size class is the D34 Cruiser.”
The reason is simple: the De Antonio D34 Cruiser does away with the forward cockpit to make room for a large sun deck above and a spacious cabin below deck, combined with a second aft cabin beneath the helm console, with a bathroom featuring a shower in between. In this way, a 34-foot boat—that is, 10.47 meters in overall length (but classified as a non-registration vessel in Italy, meaning it doesn’t require registration)—becomes suitable both for day use, for classic outings on the water with family and friends, and for cruising the Mediterranean with the option of sleeping on board. The D34 Cruiser’s deck layout makes it particularly livable (for up to twelve people), with dual sundecks at the bow and stern. The rear section of this sundeck is designed to lift up and serve as a headrest when lying down facing the bow.
In the center of the boat, there is a fold-out table surrounded by two sofas that can seat up to eight people. Under the seating are several storage lockers where you can store inflatable fenders, ropes, and anything else you don’t want visible on deck but still want to keep easily accessible. To ensure ample space for the below-deck cabin, the deck level has been raised so high that you must climb three steps on either side of the helm to access this area. A small ledge has been left here to provide a foothold. Heading aft, before going below deck, we see the helm station located forward of the sofas and resting on a cabinet that conceals the refrigerator. The helm station is sheltered by a square windshield that protects the large seat capable of accommodating three people at once. This boat is designed primarily for deck life, but below deck, the Cruiser version can accommodate a family on a cruise thanks to its two cabins: a double cabin located aft and a master cabin forward. Rounding out this part of the boat is a practical galley that can be used throughout the day without disturbing guests on deck, as well as a full bathroom.
Now that we’ve seen what it looks like, let’s move on to sailing. The day of the test is a typical summer day in the Gulf of Tigullio, off the coast of Lavagna. The water is calm, there’s hardly any wind, and the only waves are those caused by a few motorboats out enjoying the day.
The De Antonio D34 I tested is equipped with two 300-cavallo Mercury Verado outboard motors featuring ActiveTrim, a system that automatically adjusts the trim while underway based on the boat’s trim, aided in this by the trim tabs. During acceleration, the two outboard motors—which aren’t the most powerful available—propelled the D34 to 42 knots in 23 seconds during the test, a speed that can be enjoyed safely. In general, it’s easy to handle, and the right combination of hull and engines ensures that even when taking tight turns, both outboards maintain excellent grip on the water.
You can add another 200 cavalli to the stern, split between two 400-cavalli engines, but even in this configuration, there’s plenty of fun to be had. The fast cruising speed is between 4,000 and 4,500 RPM, at which point, at about 25 knots, we have an average hourly fuel consumption of 80–90 liters per hour. During the test with two people on board, a half-full tank (about 290 liters of fuel), and three-quarters of a tank of water (175 liters), at 4,500 rpm, the D34 reached 28.2 knots with an average fuel consumption of around 99 liters per hour. The top speed, with Active Trim engaged, was 44 knots.
Gregorio Ferrari
For more information and quotes on the De Antonio D34 Cruiser, click here
| Length Overall (LOA) | 10.47 m |
| Beam Width | 3.40 m |
| Draught | 0.60 m |
| Displacement | 4.6 metric tons |
| Berths | 4 |
| Cabins | 2 |
| Water Tank | 250 L |
| Fuel Tank | 580 L |
| Engine | 2×300 HP Mercury |
| Max Power | 800 HP |
| Max. speed (knots) Max. speed (kt) | 44 |
| Cruising speed (knots) Cruising speed (kt) | 28 |
| Concept Project | De Antonio Yachts |
| Design, Style & Interiors | De Antonio Yachts |
| Waterlines Hull Design | De Antonio Yachts |
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