850
The Ferretti Altura 690 is a 68-foot luxury motor yacht with a flybridge that was produced by iconic Italian boat-building brand Ferretti between the years of 2005 and 2010. A pioneer of the “live-on-board” concept for medium to long-range coastal cruising, the Altura 690 impresses with a durable painted hull, cutaway bulwarks, masses of outdoor lounge space and classic interiors with a dash of Italian style. The product of a collaborative design effort between the in-house Ferretti Yachts team and naval stylists Zuccon International, this yacht was nominated for a host of awards and dozens of models were sold to discerning buyers across the globe.
Sprawling sunpads to the front and rear of the flybridge highlight the possibilities for elevated sunbathing up on this fiberglass-lined living space. An L-shaped sofa and cocktail table, a wet-bar with a grill and an icemaker, and an easily assembled Bimini top round out the entertaining options up here, while a starboard side upper helm offers superb visibility and an elemental piloting experience.
A Portuguese Bridge-style sofa and a pair of curved sunpads with marina-facing views dominate the lengthy foredeck, while a transom sofa with a dining table out on the sheltered, teak-lined aft-cockpit offers a more sedate place to enjoy aperitifs and leisurely lunches. Curving side-steps lead down to what must be one of the most spacious full-beam hydraulic swimming platforms ever seen on a yacht of this class, and you can easily store a modern water tender on here.
Elegant interiors in opaque teak and glossy cherry are redolent of the golden age of sailing, though with the sort of space and amenity you would never find on a vintage yacht. Plush carpeting, upholstered Poltrona Frau furnishings, cinema-screen side windows and ample cabinetry await as you drop down a couple of steps from the cockpit level to enter the salon. There is an L-shaped sofa in here alongside a bespoke coffee table and a trio of armchairs, while forward steps lead up to a starboard side formal dining table with a sofa and seating for up to six guests. Furuno radar, Raymarine GPS and Simrad VHF are paired with electro-hydraulic steering, thruster controls, a docking joystick and plenty of analogue instrumentation to create the perfect main-deck helm for longer voyages across a range of conditions.
As is common with many European yachts the galley is located on the lower-deck but remains brightly lit thanks to lozenge-shaped portholes and an open atrium overhead. The kitchen features granite-effect work surfaces, a stainless-steel sink and Bosch appliances. There are three en-suite bedrooms on this level, including a starboard twin, a VIP double to the bow and a privately accessed owner’s stateroom to aft with a transom window, a queen-sized bed, a work-desk, full-height closets and a timber-lined bathroom with a waterfall shower. There is also space for a crew quarters with its own head and a bunk berth down here.
A pair of 1218MHP MTU 8V M93 diesel inboard engines allow for top speeds of around 32 knots with cruising speeds in the high 20 knot range. At a solid cruising pace of approximately 11 knots, you can expect a range of more than 500 nautical miles, ideal for extended trips spent island-hopping.
