Overview

From the land of Ferrari, it’s no surprise that the new Sessa C44 pops onto plane in just 8 seconds flat and, pushed by a pair of Volvo Penta D6 ­diesel IPS 600s, this ­stylish cruiser tops out at over 35 mph. Not bad for moving 14 tons of Italian luxury.

The Sessa C44 is a lean express cruiser, accented by a slash of windows in the topsides, but one of its surprises is that we found as much as 6 feet, 9 inches of headroom inside its cabin.  

Interior and Accessories

If you are a buyer appreciative of this boat’s style and performance, you will want to consider your boating usage because Sessa offers the C44 in your choice of two cockpit layouts. The extended cockpit version (for entertaining many) gives you two swoopy dinettes, protected by both the hardtop (with opening moonroof) and a sliding shade aft, while the standard layout ­offers a wide sun pad (no second dinette) with a spacious tender garage underneath. Both versions have a standard hydraulic swim platform that can handle up to a 900-pound tender or PWC, and the tender garage will conceal and protect a small boat up 7 feet, 6 inches in length. The skipper is cosseted in a bolstered helm seat, facing a Euro-styled dash with Raymarine Axiom GPS and ­Volvo Penta engine monitor. Just abaft the helm is an outdoor galley with a grill, sink and drawer-style refrigerator.

Step below into the lower salon, and you’ll find a large convertible dinette to starboard opposite a full galley with a four-burner Kenyon ­ceramic cooktop, microwave/convection oven, fridge, and lacquered eye-level cabinetry.  

The owner’s cabin is lush, with an angled queen berth that allows you to walk on each side (to keep your dignity intact while climbing in or out), plus a leather-topped bureau, full-height hanging locker, and enough stowage shelves and drawers for long weekends. The en suite head features a stall shower with Lucite doors.  

Forward, the guest cabin sports scissoring single berths that combine into a double, as well as private access to the day head with its curtained shower.  

Sessa, a three-generation family builder, might be a new name for some skippers on this side of the pond, but the C44 will add it to their vocabulary.

How We Tested

• Engine: Twin Volvo Penta D6 diesel IPS 600 (440 hp)
• Drive/Prop: IPS pod/Twin 3- and 4-blade counter-rotating nibral T6
• Gear Ratio: 1.82:1 Fuel Load: 175 gal. Crew Weight: 650 lb.

High Points

• Sessa’s North American team has a warehouse filled with parts, as well as a service team for nationwide support.
• A tender garage? Yes! Opt for one of its two layouts, and Sessa C44 offers a garage on the transom, just like a dinghy garage on a large yacht. This can house a dinghy up to 7 feet, 6 inches long with an outboard.
• The choice of two different layouts allows buyers to tailor this new Sessa to their specific needs. 
• A third outdoor galley is hidden in the transom, with a grill, a refrigerator and a sink.

Low Points

• The two fuel tanks, totaling 252 gallons, carry less fuel than competing-model boats, and crimp the range, allowing just over 200 miles at 26 mph. 
• The helm seat is on the narrow side for two people, and the absence of a seat opposite the helm means a companion must join the skipper. 

Toughest Competitor

The Galeon 450 HTC ($1,198,515) is similarly sized, with Volvo Penta V-drive diesels and either two- or three-cabin layouts. No transom garage, but it does offer foldout side decks.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

The post Boat Test: 2025 Sessa C44 appeared first on Boating Mag.

Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

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Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

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Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

Sessa Key Largo 34

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I discovered a smart solution aboard the C35, an idea that’s so simple you just shake your head. It’s a sliding pocket door that separates the midcabin (with a nice athwartship queen berth) and the forward convertible lounge area. Each has convenient access to the well-equipped galley and head.

In the cockpit, you’ll love the double-wide chaise adjacent to the helm. On the water, the C35 proved smart too, besting 42 mph at 3,550 rpm powered by twin 260 hp Volvo Penta diesel sterndrives. Sometimes visibility can be challenging in an express-style boat, but I found clear sight lines from my test boat’s helm.

Like the salon’s, I deemed the C35 cockpit’s layout thoughtful and found the boat’s engine compartment serviceable. The Sessa C35 is one boat chock full of good ideas.

Who’d Want One: A cruising couple or small family seeking private, ergonomic belowdecks accommodations.

Another Choice: Regal’s 35 Sport Coupe ($320,724, with twin 220 hp Volvo Penta D3 Duoprop sterndrives).

Bottom Line: $340,000 with test power; sessamarine.com

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The bow thruster is part of a package that also includes a larger generator, air conditioning, a hydraulic swim platform and a Bimini top and entertainment center with a sink, grill and refrigerator on the flybridge.

The full length of the Fly 45’s flybridge is dedicated to comfort instead of sacrificed space for tender stowage. About 11 feet abaft the upper helm, lounges with stowage in their bases wrap around a large table. Forward, the backrest for the companion seat is removable. This allows the area to be converted into a huge sun lounge.

Sessa offers the Fly 45 with two cabin plans. The galley-down arrangement provides two larger staterooms while the galley-up version, which my test model sported, has three cabins belowdecks and the galley on the salon level. I liked that there was a second refrigerator and freezer in the salon to complement the cold stowage in the galley. For engine access, there’s a day hatch in the salon as well as a cockpit hatch. The genset’s forward, and the air-conditioner, water heater and hydraulic pump for the swim platform are outboard to starboard.

Back in the salon, the galley boasts a three-burner stove and a refrigerator. To starboard, the lower helm has the instruments logically placed and the controls are within easy reach.

The head is belowdecks and aft. You’ll discover staterooms with twin longitudinally positioned berths and hanging lockers. One converts to a queen, and the cabin to starboard has access to the day-head.

In the master stateroom, you’ll find an island berth with twin stowage drawers plus a pair of hanging lockers. Like the day-head, the master head has a shower door and a hinged cover that folds down over the commode so you can sit while showering. Bathing is as easy as docking aboard the Fly 45.

Comparable models: Azimut 45 flybridge, Sea Ray 450 Sedan Bridge

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With the popularity of pod drives, express yacht owners have more choices than ever. I found three, each with a different propulsion system-pods, surface drives, and inboards. The best news? They all top 40 mph. Pods let newcomers dock the boat with a joystick as if they were playing a videogame. Surface drives can be trimmed, which offers better performance and versatility. Traditionalists prefer the familiar straight inboard and argue that the addition of a bow thruster provides the captain with maneuverability that’s comparable to pod drives.

Fountain 48 Express Cruiser, www.fountainpowerboats.com 252-975-2000

The Basics

LOA: 51’0″

Beam: 12’0″

Draft: 3’10”

Displacement (lbs., approx.): 24,000

Tansom deadrise: 22°

Bridge clearance: 9’10”

Max. cabin headroom: 6’4″

Fuel capacity (gal.): 470

Water capacity (gal.): 80

Price (w/twin 480-bhp Cummins QSB5.9-480 diesels w/Arneson surface drives): $881,819

Details: The redesign of the 48 Express Cruiser’s interior gives the boat a more contemporary appeal. In the cockpit, the bench seat bottom cushion rises on a hydraulic jack to create a large sunlounge with a huge locker beneath it. The cockpit wetbar is cleverly designed, and the helm arrangement is well thought out. By putting the trim switches ahead of the portside throttles, your right hand always remains on the wheel. Belowdecks, two adults would be comfortable in the midcabin, and the forward master and guest head rival their European counterparts.

Contruction: This is performance-oriented construction with stringers formed out of Coosa composite panels encapsulated in fiberglass, Divinycell foam coring in the hull bottom, sides, and deck, and quad-directionally woven fiberglass with vinylester resin. It’s a lighter boat compared to the competition. It’s also 2′ narrower. Fountain bonds the hull-to-deck joint with Plexus adhesive and seals it with fiberglass tabbing around the perimeter. Rigging is also race-style with the engines mounted on aluminum L-angles through-bolted to the stringers. The compartment is laid out cleanly and with performance in mind with the genset on the centerline and the batteries low.

Performance: As if the performance advantage (including a 51.6-mph top speed) with a pair of engines isn’t enough, you can get the twin-stepped 48 Express Cruiser with triple 480-bhp Cummins engines and Arneson drives ($972,727), which push the boat to 63 mph. The twin-engine version I tested planed easily at 18 mph with the engines turning 1950 rpm. If you get caught in rough water, keep the drives trimmed in and you still can make good headway. Of course, in smooth conditions, lean on the sticks and you’ll pull away from virtually any other boat in this class. During maneuvers, it feels like a sportboat.

Highs & Lows

Highs: Arneson surface drives give the boat versatility, not to mention a big edge in top speed when teamed with twin-stepped bottom. Improved styling and interior design make the boat competitive with traditional yachts. Engine compartment layout is easy to work with. Cool convertible sunlounge.

Lows: Don’t like circuit breakers in base of cockpit sink cabinet. White finish on dash panel causes some harsh glare. Midcabin needs some natural ventilation.

Marquis 50 Sport Coupe, www.marquisyachts.com 920/822-1575

The Basics

LOA: 49’6″

Beam: 15’7″

Draft: 3’9″

Displacement (lbs., approx.): 44,500

Tansom deadrise: 16.5°

Bridge clearance: 16’0″

Max. cabin headroom: 6’6″

Fuel capacity (gal.): 506

Water capacity (gal.): 90

Price (w/triple 435-bhp Volvo Penta D6 IPS 600 in-line-6 diesel tractor drives): $1,148,700

Details: The most futuristic looking of our trio, the 50 Sport Coupe has lines that make you stop and stare. Inside, the cockpit has a large aft lounge with plenty of space to move around the adjustable table. You’d want to stock the wetbar with the optional icemaker ($2,810), refrigerator ($2,810), and grill ($2,240) for entertaining. Skippers will appreciate the adjustable seat at the portside helm. The highlight, of course, is the IPS joystick. The salon-level galley is appropriately equipped. The aft VIP stateroom with a queen berth has access to the day head, and the spacious master quarters has a true luxury-suite-style feel.

Construction: Marquis is the only yacht line built in the U.S. with Class A certification in Europe, which means it can withstand 40-knot winds and seas up to 13′. It’s constructed with a unique 3D mold. Instead of pulling the piece out of the molds, sections of the mold pull away from the hull and deck. The hull bottom is solid fiberglass, and the sides are cored with foam below the waterline and balsa above. Stringers are also cored with foam. Aluminum reinforcements support the deck and pilothouse. Engines are installed with a through-bolted rail system. Onboard drains run into a single manifold before dumping overboard at a single outlet.

Performance: The 50 SC was the first express yacht to use triple IPS drives. Marquis chose it to get the boat to top 40 mph-49.2 mph to be exact. The boat was designed for the propulsion system with retractable 15″-long horizontal planes across the transom. Lower them and they keep the boat from getting into that high bowrise (7 degrees or so) that many pod-driven hulls experience at midrange levels. Handling at speed was crisp. With joysticks, the trio of engines/drives can make the boat dance around the docks. Also, you can run the boat on only two engines. With one motor disengaged it hit 28.2 mph, burning 20 gph.

Highs & Lows

Highs: Great maneuverability and efficiency with the triple IPS package. The propulsion choice also makes for a tidier engine compartment. Extendable cockpit makes the boat feel more like a 55-footer. Wide passageways facilitate the trip forward on deck.

Lows: Footrest at helm should be hinged. Needs a gas strut or retaining cable to keep anchor locker hatch from lying over on top of windlass. More stowage for small items in master stateroom would be helpful.

Sessa C52, www.sessamarine.com 954-925-2955

The Basics

LOA: 52’0″

Beam: 14’7″

Draft: 3’10”

Displacement (lbs., approx.): 36,000

Transom deadrise: 16°

Bridge clearance: 18’6″

Max. cabin headroom: 6’5″

Fuel capacity (gal.): 528

Water capacity (gal.): 158

Price (w/twin 775-bhp Volvo Penta D12-800 in-line-6 diesel inboards): $1,159,000

Details: The C52 is set up best for long-tem cruising, with a tender garage and sleeping room for six. The large sliding sunroof opens to let in ample natural light to warm everyone seated on the portside lounge. There’s a smaller seat to starboard around the cocktail table. The wetbar comes standard with a refrigerator and stove. A clean helm layout is finished in glare-cutting tan. Belowdecks, the sleeping arrangement has two longitudinal berths in the aft starboard stateroom with a full-sized bed in the cabin to port that has access to the day head. The forward master and day heads both have standup showers. A portside galley is well equipped.

Construction: Following conventional construction techniques, Sessa lays up the C52 with a solid fiberglass bottom, and the sides and deck are cored with foam. Ditto for the stringers and bulkheads. To reduce stress on the front of the top section of the windshield and pilothouse, the glass is thicker and helps support the structure. In the engine compartment, substantial aluminum mounts are through-bolted to the sides of the stringers and bolted into tapped aluminum plates in the tops of the bearers. Accessories in the forward section of the compartment can be easily checked, but clearance diminishes as you head aft beneath the garage.

Performance: There’s no better way to know how a boat handles rough water than to actually run in it. My test conditions served up seas that averaged 3′ with 6-footers popping up at regular intervals. We made good headway at 21 mph and 1700 rpm. I used only a little negative trim on the tabs to keep the ride level, and it remained rattle- and shudder-free. It weighs 8,500 pounds less than the Marquis, has a shallower deadrise than both competitors, is devoid of big prop tunnels, and runs a competitive 41.3 mph. Handling was predictable.

Highs & Lows

Highs: This is a boat you want in bad seas. The small stowage tray forward of driver’s feet is perfect for cell phone or wallet. Only boat of the three with eye-level stowage lockers in master stateroom and the only one with a garage.

Lows: Watch your head as you walk between the two berths in the aft cabin. Same goes for the engine compartment beneath the garage. Fiddle the stainless-steel countertop in galley. Anchor locker needs a chainbox.

The Bottom Line: Experienced cruisers who want extra sleeping capacity and tender stowage will favor the traditional look and build of the Sessa C52. Owners stepping into their first larger boat will love the ease of handling and docking that the IPS drives and a joystick deliver in the Marquis 50. But the best combination of performance, fuel economy, price, and comfort-thanks to its updated, contemporary interior design-is delivered by the Fountain 48.

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The helm is centrally located, but up front there’s a huge sunpad that’s 8″ below the deck height, and underneath that is a fully decked out cabin.

The belowdecks area on the Open 28 sleeps three. Aft is a one-person berth running athwartships with a private head nearby. It has a vacuum-flush commode, pull-up shower, and European freestanding sink.

The galley has a refrigerator and much stowage, including a 1’6″-by-1’6″-by 1’3″ locker in the sink base. At the aft end of the galley, there’s a sportcoat-compatible hanging locker. In the bow, you can hang out on the lounge or lower the table to convert it to a V-berth.

Sessa is a 50-year-old company and puts its experience to good use in the Open 28’s strong construction. The boat has a solid fiberglass bottom with cored hullsides and deck. The stringers are molded in separate grids with a large one aft and a smaller one forward under the cabin. A shoebox-lid-style hull-to-deck joint is fully bonded with fiberglass.

At the helm, two people can lean against the padded post. Yamaha digital instruments are well placed as is the Raymarine C70 plotter. The large windscreen and silver finish on the instrument panel ensure minimal glare.

Aft, the wetbar facilitates entertaining while the aft wraparound lounge provides more comfortable passenger space. A gate closes off transom passage.

Running in windy conditions provided little challenge for the boat. It doesn’t get moved off course despite its high profile, and it tracks well through maneuvers. It planed in less than 5 seconds and held the attitude at about 20 mph, so you could even use it for towing boarders or toys. The Open 28 is a true do-anything boat.

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