Cranchi’s A46 is an interesting boat for all sorts of reasons. Primarily it is an excellent showcase for this Italian builder’s ability and ambition. But it also demonstrates where yacht design is going, how priorities are changing and, as such, how we are using our boats now, compared to 10 years ago.
Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender Key Facts
- LOA 14.25m
- Model Year 2021
- Cabins 1
- Max Speed 35 knots
- Status In Production
- Yacht Type Express Cruiser
- Use Type Weekending
Review Video
Looking back a decade, there is a strong chance a boat like the A46 wouldn’t have been built, and certainly that few builders, including Cranchi, would have been brave enough to do it.
Back then, 46ft was prime sports yacht territory. It still is, but that length now shares territory with luxury sports boats, superyacht chase boats and GT weekenders, any one of which describes the Cranchi, as does all three.
The A46 is one of a group of luxury yachts designed for day use but also offering the strong offshore performance a chase boat needs, the kind of big, open but exquisitely smart decks that superyacht guests and owner-operators will love as well as a very useable interior, and it is the interior that sets this boat apart.
The A46’s most obvious rivals, boats like the Wally 48 or Windy SR44 Blackhawk, have fairly low, slender topsides, whereas the Cranchi is tall and powerful above the waterline. This creates the volume for a deep, spacious four-berth interior that makes this a true weekender.
Feel the Quality
The finish across the yacht is every bit as good as the A46’s big sisters, the flybridge 67 and 78, with lots of solid teak, chunky stainless steel work and vibrant upholstery with colour-coded pads along the walk-around decks. It’s also a tactile yacht, there is always something to touch or hold and it is always lovingly finished.
The design works in all the modern boating must-haves. Most are options but include an extending deck with folding wings and a hydraulic swim platform that creates a wraparound stern terrace just a few inches above the water.
Power compliments the A46’s easy, usable style with Volvo Penta IPS650 engines delivering around 35 knots and some efficient cruising at 20-25 knots. IPS joystick control makes this an easy boat to handle as a couple, reinforcing the boat’s high-quality, versatile feel.
Easily accessed, the main cabin is deep and bright with glass on three sides and opening ports for ventilation.
Where the deck can luxuriate in space, the interior has to work hard to deliver its assets, with lockers worked in wherever possible, a neat pull-out TV and a fridge.
Depending on how you plan to use the boat, the main cabin will work as a lower salon, the cute angled club chair joining a forward bench seat. The bench can pull out into a double berth, the club chair adding an air of owner’s cabin to things.
The mid-cabin lies amidships and is impeccably finished with lots of detail, discreet lighting and hull-side glass. Headroom is minimal but you can sit up in bed, the twin berths quickly converting to a double with the help of a pull out central support.
What really makes the interior is a proper toilet and shower compartment, the separate stall a key luxury feature that makes this boat feel so much more usable.
Triple bolster helm seats are set in front of a tall graphite console, the race boat feel enhanced by the central helm with space for two big MFD screens for your navigation needs. The joystick sits neatly to one side of the throttles, its location ideal for the skipper to stand on the starboard deck and walk the boat onto a stern-to or alongside mooring.
The three thickly upholstered bolster seats are well protected by a raised windshield, wrapping around the helm console.
The A46 shines brightly wherever you look but nowhere more than on deck. With the aft wing sections folded down and the swim platform lowered to a flush finale, the deck looks spectacular and will make for a great platform to swim off.
The central seating and helm design creates a full walk-around deck design so moving around the boat is always safe and easy, the journey always set within tall, thigh-high, bulwarks and a grab rail always to hand.
The main seating starts with a sun pad that merges into a dining area, hinged backrests allowing guests to face in or forwards, when underway. A solid teal table is joined by an equally timber-heavy wet bar with space for a grill, sink, ice-maker and refrigerator.
Past the helm, the forward lounge has a raised sun pad, that creates the headroom for the cabin below, and the option of a forward bench to create a surround of seating.
As good as the seating plan is, what lies above it is possibly the star feature. The optional hardtop delivers superyacht-level style and stature with various paint finishes adding to the moment. The slatted, fin-style sunroof is what you’ll find on the Cranchi’s flybridge flagship models but best of all, the wonderfully architectural side A-pillars create a sense of privacy and protection for the guests, glass inserts adding to the sense of specification.
The hardtop lies above the dining and helm areas, leaving the aft and forward sun pad open but it also acts as the platform for additional canopies and shades across the boat.
This sector is all about luxury yachts with premium price tags. If you’re looking for maximum bang for your buck, this isn’t for you. But if you want to make a statement and enjoy yourself it is most certainly worth a look.
As with most boats in this class, a lot of the thrills and frills you see come at an additional cost. The full hydraulic deck package, with the two wings and terraced aft platforms, will set you back around €90,000, the spectacular hardtop another €48,000. Paint options run from around €20,000-60,000 with a full teak deck costing €22,000.
On the technical side, air-conditioning and a generator will need to be added. Ultimately, you will need to find an extra €250,000 on the base price to get something like the test boat.
Our Verdict
There are probably very good reasons why Cranchi decided to call this boat a Luxury Tender - the superyacht cache is unlikely to hurt nor put any type of potential buyer off. But this boat is a lot more than a tender, or a chase boat for that matter. Displaying real confidence, attitude and cool, plus a cabin you can spend a few nights in, the A46 is simply a great luxury yacht. It would be even better if that superb hardtop and the aft deck wings were standard.
Looking to own a Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender? Use YachtBuyer’s Market Watch to compare all new and used Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender Boats for sale worldwide. You can also order a new Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender, customized to your exact specifications, with options for engine choice and layout configuration. Alternatively, explore our global listings of new and used boats for sale and find your perfect boat today!
Rivals to Consider
It says a lot about the yacht market that something as theoretically niche as a luxury weekender chase boat has a fair bit of competition.
As already mentioned, the Windy SR44 and wallytender48 are obvious rivals as is the Fjord 52. All three can fit into the chase boat and stand-alone sportsboat categories and all three are IPS powered, reflecting the versatility of Volvo Penta’s pod drive system, found on everything from 25m flybridge boats to these hedonistic sportsters.
The larger Fjord 52 and Windy have a similar four-berth interior with the Fjord offering the option of a separate forward cabin. The Wally is pure next-generation sportsboat cool with a single open cabin but plenty to get excited about on deck. Wally also offers another option, the typically rakish Wallytender 43 with a cuddy-style cabin.
The Windy and Wallys are 40-knot boats, the Fjord not far behind at around 38 knots. All three have the same walkaround decks as the A46.
Considering a new boat? Explore Cranchi's entire current range to find the model that best suits your needs, and compare it with alternatives from competitors to ensure you make the perfect choice.
Specifications
- Builder Cranchi
- Model Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender
- Length Overall 14.25m
- Beam 4.33m
- Draft 1.7m
- Hull Fibreglass
- Cabins 1
- Berths 4
- Yacht Type (Primary) Express Cruiser
- Use Type (Primary) Weekending
- Cruising Speed
- Max Speed
- Fuel Capacity 1,500 Litres
- Fresh Water Capacity 300 Litres
- Engine Model 2x Volvo Penta IPS600
Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender Layout
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Main Deck
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![Main Deck Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender]()
The standard main deck arrangement with dinette and sun pad
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![Main Deck Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender]()
The optional balconies make all the difference
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Lower Deck
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Standard lower deck layout
![Lower Deck Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender]()
The standard lower deck with convertible dinette forward
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Optional convertible salon
![Lower Deck Cranchi A46 Luxury Tender]()
There is the option to have a fixed double berth
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