Apreamare 12, upscale Mediterranean feel

At first glance, the Apreamare 12 meters appears to be the kind of boat you’d like for your retirement years. Her profile is traditional, accented with mahogany, and it terminates in a lovely rounded transom common to displacement hull forms. However, the Apreamare 12 actually features a unique hull design that is anything but conservative. The illusion is effected by the melding of a rounded transom with a conventional hard chine modified-V planing surface, which is hidden below the waterline at displacement speeds. The net result? The Apreamare 12 is a wolf in sheep’s clothing!

The numbers recorded during “Yachting” magazine sea trial spoke for themselves. The engines delivered even, smoke-free acceleration and a top speed of more than 28 knots. We found a comfortable cruising speed of 24 knots at a bit more than 2250 rpm. The Apreamare 12 rises easily to a plane and once on top tends to stay there. Pulling the throttles back to 1500 rpm (about 11 knots), we peeked over the transom and noticed an unexpected benefit of Apreamare’s hull form. As the Apreamare 12 slowed, water, no longer separating cleanly from the extended bottom, burbled upward as you would expect. However, instead of finding a high, flat transom on which to create suction and drag, the water dispersed neatly around the Apreamare 12 meter rounded stern, having little effect. This phenomenon allows her to plane at a lower throttle setting than might otherwise be possible. Other aspects of her performance are what you would expect on a well designed planing hull. The Apreamare 12 banks, backs and turns normally and can hold course easily on one engine. A bow thruster is standard and makes docking a snap. Below the waterline, the Apreamare 12 has a moderate entry with chine flats that widen aft. Her efficient planing surface ends with a deadrise of 12 degrees beneath a large swim platform. Her trim tab were necessary only for minor athwartships trimming and maintaining minimal planing speeds.

The hull of the Apreamare 12 is solid fiberglass, but her coring is used in some areas of the superstructure and decks for stiffening. Bulkheads are marine plywood and are fiberglassed to the hull. The Apreamare 12 cockpit has a Mediterranean feel and is trimmed in mahogany, while the sole is paved with teak. It has bench seating at the helm and an L-shape settee and table aft. Three hatched in the sole provide access to the engine room where there is plenty of space to move about. Belowdecks, the fit and finish of the American cherry joinery is well above average, and attractive fabrics, granite countertops, leather and halogen lighting add to the upscale feel. Natural lighting is excellent, thanks to the large stainless steel-framed portlights. The main cabin features an L-shaped settee and a galley area. The master stateroom of the Apreamare 12 is forward and has a queen size island berth and a private head. The guest stateroom has two single berth and a head with private access, as well as access from the main cabin.

The Aprea family has been building boats in Sorrento (Italy) for four generations, and its yachts designs have evolved from the rugged commercial fishing boats that are common to the local waters. This heritage is nearly blended on the Apreamare 12, with engineering and finishing details normally found only on larger yachts. Well-organized piping and wiring are complemented by a very complete standard equipment list.