Tuccoli T295 Montecristo: the XL cruising vessel (10 m). Test and price

To look at it from the outside you would never tell, but this is a natant. Better yet, a natant. And one that doubles up for you. We’re talking about the new Tuccoli T295, available in both Montecristo, i.e., cruising, and VM versions, i.e., the one more designed for fishing. It is clear from the outset that with this model the shipyard did not want to create an extreme luxury craft, but a simple, intelligent and, above all, practical unit that could be within the reach of as many boaters as possible. After all, it is a sensible choice given that we are talking about a 10-meter, so not a very small boat, certainly, but not an exaggeratedly large one either.

Tuccoli T295 Montecristo

What the numbers do not tell, however, is the layout and on-board choices that bring so many practical solutions. Let’s start with one key element. There are two true double berths on this Tuccoli, one forward and one aft, below deck, with significant heights in the second one as well. All this despite the presence, aft, of a huge storage on the starboard side, two meters deep and quite high, where, for example, a partially inflated SUP can be accommodated. How is this possible? The freeboard has been raised and also the level of the cockpit walkway for a boat that is bulky and mighty, but not ungainly.

The Tuccoli T295 was born with the philosophy of fishing boats, that is, those marine boats that allow you to sail a lot in safety, but in the Montecristo version, despite the basic layout, it is the desire to have a good cruise that is the protagonist. The cockpit is large and spacious as typical of fishermen, but it can be equipped as a dining or lounging area with a small table for example. A hatch then gives access to the aft platform, which is very well usable despite the presence of the outboards.

Going forward, the salon area on the deck can be set up in various ways. It can be completely enclosed and have a sliding door aft, let’s say this is the “four season” configuration, or have uprights with windshields and side windows that circulate air well. In the first case, especially in the hottest days of summer the more air circulates the better. When in doubt, the shipyard has also provided the option of installing air conditioning on board. Very important and appreciated are definitely the roof vents that circulate air well throughout the room under the hard-top.

Rounding out the exterior amenities under the roof is the galley, on the starboard side, with induction or gas stove top (the latter standard). On the port side is a small table with a couple of seats and under the seat a refrigerator. This is certainly not the main place to set up to eat since, as we said before, there is the equipped cockpit, but it still represents a protected space to sit. Completing this section is the dashboard from which we can steer the craft and which gives us a good view of the sea around as we will see in the course of the test.

The interior: it doesn’t look like a 10-meter vessel

Before moving on to the sailing test, let’s go down to see the interior of this cruising vessel. Surprising is the volume of the main cabin in the bow, which is shaped like a “rhombus” not being positioned along the longitudinal axis of the boat, but diagonally.

The feeling here is that there is just so much space, but what I like even more is the height with which the second berth is accessed, which for a vessel of this size is unique. This was made possible by a particular geometry that allowed for a large access with which to lie down easily and have a kind of anteroom, but most importantly a good height above the head when lying down. In the configuration we saw, there was perhaps a lack of privacy between the two sleeping areas, which was easily achieved even with not too invasive solutions. The bathroom, despite all the space we “ate” between the outside locker and cabins, is respectable with good height. There is no separate shower stall, but it is comfortable and the available floor area is good.

How does this Tuccoli navigate

Let us now turn to the sailing test. We are dealing with a 10-meter that is not particularly light since it has a displacement of 6,970 tons. The robustness and muscularity we mentioned earlier, in this sense, are all felt. Pushing her, aft, we have two Suzuki DF300 AP 300-horsepower engines with which we reached 36 knots of top speed with a total consumption of 183 liters per hour. Actually with this propulsion she could do much more, we are talking about at least five or six knots, but during the test one of the engines was struggling to get all the revs. At cruising speed, between 24 and 25 knots, we had good cruising comfort with a total consumption around 70 liters per hour with the engines at 4,000 rpm. So this vessel proves to be an excellent solution for those who want solidity and power in all conditions.

How much does the Tuccoli T295 cost – Cruise version VS fishing version

• The T295 VM (the fishing version) has a starting price of 159 thousand € + vat
• The T295 SF Montecristo (cruiser layout) is priced from 189 thousand + vat

Tuccoli T295 data sheet