Itama 70 sea trial: the archetypal Made in Italy open motor yacht
Anyone who has spent time aboard an Itama knows that some things are not up for discussion. The long, uncluttered bow, the windscreen wrapping around the cockpit, the open-air helm, a low profile with no superstructure rising above the deck line. Mario Amati, who founded the yard in 1969, maintained that an Itama should not change every year to chase fashions. The 70 respects that rule. It does, however, try to answer a question that sooner or later comes up on a 21-metre open: how much can you ask of life below deck without taking something away from life on deck?
The yard’s answer rests above all on one choice: the owner’s cabin aft, in a layout with three cabins and three bathrooms. We tested the 70 at its world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, before it went on display at the Genoa International Boat Show. Itama owners had already seen it in July at Porto Rotondo, during the Itama Power Circle. The first unit, the boat shown at the shows and used for our test, was launched on 21 May at Ferretti Group’s yard in Marina di Ravenna, with the owner and his family attending.
The second chapter of the relaunch, with a new designer
For those unfamiliar with the story, the name Itama is the founder’s surname, Amati, spelled backwards. The brand has been part of Ferretti Group since 2004, and the current range comprises the 45RS, 54, 62RS, 70 and the 75 flagship. The 70 is the second of the five models planned in the brand’s renewal and was previewed in January at boot Düsseldorf. The first was the Itama 54, a 16.44-metre model designed by Tommaso De Luca and launched in Ravenna on 11 July 2025. From that boat the 70 inherits the bow sunpad recessed into the deck and the design of the glazing that runs along the hull side.
For the exterior lines, however, the group turned to a different designer. The project is by Vallicelli Design, the Rome-based studio founded in 1976 by Andrea Vallicelli, the architect and full professor of Industrial Design at the Faculty of Architecture in Pescara who designed “Azzurra” for the America’s Cup in the 1980s. He made his name in sailing but developed his career in motor yachts, and here he was asked to work on one of the most recognisable identities in the Italian boating industry. The interiors are by IdeaeItalia, the studio of Alessio Battistini and Davide Bernardini, which has a long-standing collaboration with the Forlì-based group: it has handled the interior design of a dozen Ferretti Yachts models and a couple of Wally yachts.
The boat is built in Marina di Ravenna, at the site Ferretti acquired from Rosetti Marino in March 2023. The group invested around €40 million in it, followed by a further 40 million for new production areas and a research and development centre. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to increase the group’s production capacity by around 20%.
Exterior design
The profile is what you would expect from an Itama. Vallicelli’s most significant intervention is one that is barely visible at first glance: the hull-to-deck joint has been moved to the highest part of the hull, at the edge of the deck, and the rubbing strake now coincides with the sheerline. The result is a convex line from bow to stern which, according to the yard, gains deck area, especially forward. The transom follows the rake of the stem, which makes the lines more cohesive.
The movable bathing platform takes a tender of up to 3.25 metres, launched directly from the stern without a crane. The cockpit is reached through a two-part door: the upper section opens on a pantograph mechanism, while the lower section folds outwards to become a step.
Aft is the large sunpad that no Itama goes without. An integrated backrest links it without a break to the U-shaped dinette with teak table, so that those sunbathing and those seated at the table share the same space. Opposite, to starboard, the wet bar comes as standard with sink and fridge; an ice maker, a grill or cooktop and a second drawer fridge can be added, up to two cooking points. When the bar is not in use, an optional cushion turns it into a chaise longue and adds another sunbathing spot to the cockpit. The electric bimini, with integrated lighting, is complemented by side curtains and an aft extension that widens the shade when needed. On the starboard side, a side passage is used for boarding.
The helm is to port, with a seat for up to three people. As standard it has two 12-inch Simrad touchscreen displays, which can be upgraded to 16 inches, the size chosen for the first hull. The Xenta electro-hydraulic steering can be paired with a manoeuvring joystick, useful in harbour. Xenta also supplies the trim tabs and the thrusters, with the stern thruster optional.
As on the brand’s latest models, the foredeck is reached through an opening in the centre of the windscreen. The companionway to the lower deck, by contrast, has been moved to starboard. As a result, anyone heading to the bow sunpad does not cross the path of those going below, and vice versa.
Interior design
Below is a lower deck without steps: all areas are on the same level, and you can move from stern to bow without changes in height. The hull windows incorporate the portholes and bring natural light into an area that on opens tends to stay in half-light. To starboard, the dinette has an L-shaped sofa with storage lockers and an extendable table. Opposite is the corner galley, with a TV of up to 55 inches set into a bulkhead which, on this unit, is mirrored to increase the sense of space on board. Storage has been carefully distributed: lockers along the corridor and, under the stairs connecting the two decks, space for a washer-dryer.
IdeaeItalia worked with leather and wood and offers two palettes: warm date tones or lighter shades of azure.
The choice that most shaped the layout is the owner’s cabin aft, a position more common on larger opens. According to the yard, it makes better use of the space and reduces perceived noise. The bed is central, with the private bathroom to port.
The VIP cabin occupies the bow. The third cabin, to port, has a French double bed and, on request, a Pullman berth. It is the solution for those cruising with children or an extra guest. Its bathroom can also be reached from the corridor and serves as the day head, so guests do not have to enter the cabins.
On request, a single crew cabin with separate bathroom is available, reached from the aft sunpad without passing through the guest areas. Owners who run the boat themselves can instead turn that space into a storage room.
Hull and propulsion
The planing hull is in fibreglass, with shaft drives. Displacement ranges from 36,000 kg light to 43,000 kg at full load. The tanks hold 4,100 litres of fuel and 700 litres of water. With that fuel capacity, the yard declares a range of 290 nautical miles at cruising speed with the standard engines and 280 with the more powerful ones. For those who spend a lot of time at anchor there is the Seakeeper NG14 gyro stabiliser, optional but already fitted to the first hull.
Who it is for
The 70 remains an open in the most classic sense: you drive it in the open air, you live in the cockpit and on the bow sunpad, and the declared speeds point to cruising above 30 knots. Compared with earlier Itamas, it adds three cabins with private bathrooms, an owner’s cabin moved aft, a proper galley and a bright lower deck. It is designed for those who want to reach a distant anchorage quickly and be able to spend the night there with family or friends. The 1,400 hp version already covers this programme; the 1,550 hp version adds a couple of knots for those who see speed as part of the pleasure of being at sea.
The test
The calm water along the coast off Cannes allowed us first of all to assess the performance of the twin 1,550 hp MANs with five-blade propellers, which took the boat to a top speed of 38.7 knots at 2,370 rpm. At this speed the hull of the Itama 70 runs smoothly and without vibration, even when crossing wakes in the busy waters off Cannes. The ideal cruising speed is around 25 knots, a good compromise for reaching your destination with relatively contained fuel consumption. Underway, the open deck configuration gives a clear view of the horizon and of any obstacles, but it also makes the cockpit fairly windy. Then again, opens are not built for anyone fresh from the hairdresser: they are built for the thrill of speed and for enjoying the sea at anchor. Even so, the Itama 70’s handling is beyond doubt, with a hull that combines speed and responsiveness and keeps the turning circle tight even at higher speeds. The Xenta electro-hydraulic steering responds very well, smooth and with good feedback, and features an Autocourse function that, above 12 knots, automatically returns the helm to centre after a turn.
Test conditions
People on board: 12
Liquids on board: fuel 1,854 litres – water 571 litres
Engines: 2 x 1,550 hp MAN with five-blade propellers
Specifications
LOA: 21.23 m – Hull length: 19.30 m – Waterline length: 17.21 m – Beam: 5.30 m – Draught: 1.75 m – Light displacement: 36,000 kg – Full-load displacement: 43,000 kg – Fuel capacity: 4,100 litres – Water capacity: 700 litres – Maximum persons: 16 – Engines: 2 x 1,550 hp MAN V12 – Alternative engines: 2 x 1,400 hp MAN V12 – Layout: 3 cabins + crew cabin (opt.) and 3 bathrooms.