Scanner Envy 1500: the maxi dinghy. How it sails and price

The Italian school of maxi-ribs never ceases to amaze. Among the 2025 novelties there is a flagship that stands out and raises, once again, the bar. We are talking about the brand new Envy 1500, a specimen that demonstrates the ability of the Novara-based shipyard Scanner Marine to innovate by putting all its experience to good use.

Envy 1500 Scanner

Big brother to the Envy 1400, it is designed for many uses, but it is first and foremost a day dinghy. At 15 meters long by 4.6 beam, it has an exceptional deck plan, if only for the space available, but the design effort put into it has resulted in a very clever layout. There are several areas dedicated to relaxation, all connected yet independent.

Circulation is very smooth and we can see this right from the stern, particularly in the version we are on. The two 600-horsepower Mercury V12s each leave central space for a swim platform, in addition to the two side ones, within which an electronically moveable gangway can be recessed to make access to and from the dock easy. In addition, the two side slips lead us to not feel too nostalgic about inboard engines that would leave this area completely clear and accessible.

Maximum power

Then if extreme power is your focus, you can also install four Verado V12s, for a total of 2,400 horsepower, although, for the sake of the record, already with two engines the performance is decidedly gritty. Let’s move forward a bit to the bow: the aft sundeck forms a kind of island with large walkways around it and a rather large walking surface, all on one level. It is worth noting that, given the absence of an engine room on the Envy 1500 we tested, under the sundeck there is an electrically openable storage to which is also added another locker, obtained by raising the top of the sunbed, a sort of “chest,” very convenient for getting to water toys or masks, fins on the fly.

On board, we liked the presence of a teak sedge all along the deck, and it can be used either as a walkway or as a seat at the height of the center table where, for that matter, there are two large opposing seats. The exterior profile of this boat is tapered with a high bow and a line that slopes toward the stern. The central hard-top, integrated with the windshield, further slims the profile and provides both protection and a 360-degree view when sailing. The bow area, as we said before, is high with the hard-top that is practically flush with the top of the tubular and is in fact a relaxation area with a sundeck in the middle. We have seen the exterior and it is clear to everyone how this maxi-rib is capable of providing unforgettable days on the water.

Below deck

Below deck, however, we had a surprise: up front we have a large cabin that can be divided from the rest of the interior or maintained as an open space with a bathroom on the starboard side, which can have separate shower stalls, and a cabin towards the stern, more recessed, but still very livable.

The Envy 1500 we went on was No. 1, and Fabio Montemitro, owner of the shipyard, explained how the next unit will have an aft berth with as much as 30 centimeters more towards the stern for a total of 2×2 meters. We now come to the part that will surely be of most interest to boaters.

How this maxi-dinghy sails

How do you navigate? As we said before, the version we tested was certainly not the most pushed, quite the contrary. We can judge it as almost conservative or, at any rate, definitely more “cruising” than other available configurations. But we are talking about a Scanner, inflatables that have speed and performance in their DNA. Let us say, therefore, serenely that this model sails excellently already with 1,200 horsepower, half the maximum power that can be installed.

Moreover, as we also saw above, this represents a fair middle ground between performance and livability. Up front, the hull is almost vertical all the way to the bow wheel, which allows for gains in waterline length. The deep V, allows us to cut through waves and keep the deck dry, while the large beam and tubulars that drop aft near the water level allow us to have stability when sailing and turning.

How the Envy 1500 Scanner Navigates

Let’s talk about speed: it’s not the focus of this specimen, but it’s still a sporty dinghy that launched at full throttle touches and exceeds 41 knots with Mercury’s twin-propeller outboards reaching 6400 rpm. That said, maximum comfort in the helm station is experienced, in my opinion, when cruising. Between 26 and 30 knots, with the 360-degree view enjoyed from the helm station, we have ideal cruising with an overall hourly consumption between 200 and 242 liters per hour.

The price of the Envy 1500

Navigation data