Is the Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender the best 14-meter walkaround in 2021?

L’evolution of the boating and leisure market, in which the pandemic has also played a key role, has led to the emergence of a generation of boats that, despite their large size, are in fact designed as daycruisers. A shipowner today seeks a space on the sea where they can be comfortable and safe with their guests and family. There is the ever-expanding mega-tender market, those boats that precisely accompany mega-yachts on their cruises even without necessarily being embarked.

Then there are those who see a 14-meter boat with four berths (plus an optional two for crew) as a means with which to go on a cruise with their family. Cranchi has sensed all these needs and developed what promises to be one of the most interesting walkarounds of 2021: the Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender, the 14-meter multifaceted walkaround that combines all these possibilities.

Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender

It all hinges on a well-made hull (Aldo Cranchi design), a deck plan conceived by those who have a thorough understanding of the needs of sea-goers (Cranchi Study and Research Center), and then attention to aesthetics and details. For this aspect, artistic direction has once again been entrusted to Christian Grande. The result is a boat with sharp, clean horizontal lines, without excess, but with a strong, muscular character.

Now let’s get on board together and see what it looks like.

With a very small circle of colleagues, I am welcomed at the Italo Monzino Marine Test Center in San Giorgio di Nogaro by Paola Cranchi who, with her siblings Guido and Elena and partner Franco Monzino, represents the fifth generation at the helm of the shipyard. We often talk about “family feeling,” but on the A46 LT this concept takes on concrete meaning. As soon as I am on board I feel the sensation of being in a place that is precisely familiar (the
Cranchi E26 Classic
) and what triggers the connection are certain details, such as the teak walkway between the two sundeck cushions, the color choice or, again, the teak on the bow.

“With this model,” explains Paola Cranchi. continues the path begun a few years ago. For our boats, we no longer just want the ultimate in performance and seaworthiness, but also a plus in terms of aesthetic care and design. In this you can definitely see the hand of Christian Grande who is unifying in the art director role this vision.”

Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender – Blanket

Starting from the stern, there is immediately abundant space on both the aft swim platform, which can be moved in up/down and cross directions, and on the sundeck, which covers a locker that can accommodate a two-meter tender. Just the mobility of the swim platform comes in handy for launching and hauling the tender. We add, then, that the masonry in this area is breakable. Opening with a servo-electric mechanism, they greatly expand the surface area of the cockpit (over 5 meters) with two terraces on the water, in complete continuity with the cockpit floor. Moving around the deck level one encounters just two steps, which makes it very easy to move on board without any hindrances or obstacles.

In the middle of the boat, the second area of the deck plan, we find steering console, bar and table towards the bow and aft where additional seating and comfortable spaces meet. The centerpiece of this area is the kitchenette, true Italian boat style, which is adjacent to the cockpit and houses wet bar with grill and griddle, refrigerator, and ice machine. Aft of the bar, however, we find a table with double seating, one on each side. The dashboard, set in front of a triple sports seat, is comprehensive, equipped with the latest screens, yet intuitive and suitable for even the most inexperienced boater.

This area is protected by a large state-of-the-art hard-top, which is lightweight and very durable, equipped with integrated lights and hi-fi and a laminated canopy. The hard-top cover can be extended aftward with carbon supports. At the far bow we find a sundeck with additional seating at the bottom of the deckhouse, Portuguese deck style. There is a sundeck in front that doubles as an adjustable coffee table and a refrigerator underneath, so you don’t have to walk across the whole boat to cool off.

Cranchi A46 – Below Deck

Below deck, however, are very functional modular solutions. The dinette becomes a sleeping area, which, with the aft, full-beam cabin and bathroom with separate shower stall, makes it easy to spend the night aboard.

Cranchi A46 – Navigation

Now that we’ve seen what it looks like, it’s time to figure out how it navigates. Powering the boat tested were two Volvo Penta D6 engines with IPS 650 transmissions for 480 horsepower each. At the helm, the feeling is of a responsive and all round agile vehicle, capable of reaching over 36 knots of top speed. In general, the economical cruising speed, which is enjoyable both from the point of view of sailing and from the point of view of fuel consumption, is around 2600 rpm, when at 22 knots the boat consumes less than 90 liters per hour total. The feeling on the helm is of a boat that is soft, but fun to handle, responsive in turns and powerful enough.

Overall, it really seems that Cranchi has achieved the goal set with the creation of this model, which is to create a simple, versatile, and fun vehicle suitable for experiencing the sea day 100%.

Gregorio Ferrari

Data Sheet of the boat: Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender

Performance: Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender

*Data collected during the test of Motor Boats.