Fiart 35 Seawalker is the 40-knot walkaround vessel (11 m). Test

Few cities in Italy can boast such a visceral relationship with the sea as Naples. Those who have a boat enjoy it, and those who do not have one dream about it. Because a hull is escape from everyday life, it is freedom. And then sailing in one of the most beautiful gulfs in the world is a nice incentive. So it is not surprising that a shipyard like Fiart, based in Baia, which has been breathing this air for sixty years, is now among the best interpreters of one of the major trends in yachting: walkarounds. After the Seawalker 43 and 39, within a year came a new XL vessel, the Fiart 35 Seawalker. We tried this natant (with an overall length of 11 meters) with a pair of Suzuki DF350A outboard engines in the stern for 700 total horsepower.

Fiart 35 Seawalker with two Suzuki DF350A outboards

Aesthetically, the line of the boat runs cleanly from stern to bow. There are no elements that interrupt the profile, but the high broadside makes it safe to move between the bridge and aft seating. At the dock, attention is immediately drawn to the hydraulic platform. This optional (basic is fixed) is one of the yard’s goodies in that it allows outboards without sacrificing the livability of this area. It is this appendage that brings to 11 meters the overall length of this vessel, whose hull length, on the other hand, is less than 10 meters.

How does it work? Thanks to a mechanism (made of steel) this one raises and lowers as needed. When raised it allows outboards to be moved, to take them out of the water. When shallow, it becomes a submerged base for your baths, probably among the fascinated eyes of your roadstead neighbors.

The deck space is well thought out and one moves very smoothly from bow to stern. The area behind the T-Top is formed by a sundeck that converts to a central table with a double sofa. Serving the deck is a wetbar with a cooktop (gas or induction), refrigerator, and sink . The dashboard is double-seated and is covered by the optional T-Top and protected by the windshield. The second living area in the bow consists of a seat immediately below the windshield with a large C-shaped sofa in front that can also accommodate a center table. The result is two different living areas on board.

Fiart 35 Seawalker – Interior

Fiart’s 35 Seawalker is an open walkaround vessel, effectively the essence of a day boat, but the interior surprises. The clean, tapered profile hides qhree beds and truly unsuspected roominess even below deck. The forward cabin is very voluminous, especially in the entry section as well as in the aft, where although it is a structurally lower space, however, there is never a sense of excessive enclosure. The treat? This Fiart motor boat also has a bathroom with a separate shower stall. We are not aboard a cruiser, but as a weekend boat the Fiart 35 Seawalker has more than one trick up its sleeve.

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Fiart 35 Seawalker – Trial

We come to the sea test. Compared to the previous test, with two 300-horsepower Mercurys, here we have two Suzuki outboards of 350 horsepower each in the stern. Among the goodies of this top-of-the-line engine from Suzuki is the dual counter-rotating propeller. What advantages do they have? Better grip on water, so much so that some people call them the 4x4s of the sea. In any case, these Suzuki engines so configured on the Fiart 35 Seawalker have proven to perform great.

The top speed of 40.5 knots is a respectable achievement, but striking is the cruising speed of 25-26 knots at less than 135 liters per hour overall. We had already had a chance to assay the hull, and again it proved to be very good while facing flat water conditions. Six people, 550 liters of fuel and 250 liters of water were on board during the test.

The time when boat and engines struggle the most is the pre-planing phase. Compounded also by the large aft platform and the resulting friction, until you get into glide, consumption is definitely higher. It should also be mentioned that if desired in navigation, the platform can be raised out of the water, so as to facilitate gliding in. After 14 knots however, the platform hardly affects it anymore, as the data below show.The two Suzukis once again demonstrated good responsiveness on the throttles and good maneuverability both at speed and at berth.

Gregorio Ferrari

Fiart 35 Seawalker – Data Sheet

Contact: fiart.com

Fiart 35 Seawalker – Testing with two Suzuki outboards