NAUTICALweb - Dalla Pieta' DP 48 Altair

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Text and photographs by Antonio Bignami

DALLA PIETÀ DP 48 ALTAIR

The fact that the Dalla Pietà boats have excellent performing capabilities is almost granted. A successful mixture of applied technologies and intuitive craftsmanship, careful weight distribution and perfect combination of different characteristics concur to produce extraordinary performing boats without the need of extremely powerful engines.

The new Altair 48' presents the foreboding signs of ultimate success. In fact, not only is the DP Altair 48' a very elegant open-deck day cruiser with the above- mentioned characteristics, but she also presents so many new successful features that one might easily leave some behind. Below, I tried to list her most striking qualities: sophisticated and peculiar windshield, cockpit fittings, aft transom garage with hydro-electric lifting port and tender davits, service cabinet in the cockpit, three double cabins, two nice and practical bathrooms and dinette with innovative "puffy settee" recessed in the table leg.

Last but not least, one must consider the proportionate quality/price ratio of the Altair DP 48' given the complete and top-quality series of standard fittings.

TECHNICAL DATA

Designer: Claudio Di Stefano e Cantiere Dalla Pietà
Yard: Dalla Pietà Nautica Venezia; Via dell'Elettronica 21/D; 30030 Malcontenta (Venice, Italy); tel. +39-41-698244 fax +39-41-698292
Italian VAT: 20%

LOA: 48'10"
Beam: 13'7"
Draft from lower tip of propellers: 3'7"
Light displacement: 28,256 lbs.
Full boat displacement: 38,631 lbs.
Maximum passengers capacity: 12
Berths: 6 in 3 cabins

Test boat power: 2x660 hp Caterpillar TD inboard engines
Total installed power: 1,320 hp
Total engines and reduction gears weight: 4,856 lbs.
Light displacement/installed power ratio: 9.69
Type of transmission: in-line shaft with propellers semi-nozzle
Maximum declared speed at 2,320 rpm's: 37 knots
Cruising speed at 1,800 rpm's: 30 knots
Declared fuel consumption at cruising speed: 39 gallons/hr
Range at cruising speed: approx. 405 miles
Fuel capacity: 528 gallons
Freshwater capacity: 185 gallons
Price with standard equipment and test boat power: Lit. 890,000,000 ex VAT.

CONSTRUCTION CHARACTERISTICS

Hull: V-hull
Hull construction material: GRP
Deck materials and characteristics: GRP with Airex sandwich
Bow area: 2 mooring bitts with fairleads forward and 2 mooring bitts amidships, stem fitting with anchor, anchor chain and relative chain locker, 1500 W anchor windlass with two remote stations, cushioned sunning area, 3 manholes, bow pulpit and railings
Cockpit arrangements and fittings: structural GRP windshield, roll bar, sunning cushioned area above the aft garage, transom garage with hydraulic lifting port and davits for tender launching and recovering, side decks, shower with hot/cold water mixer, two mooring bitts with fairleads, cockpit lights, stereo loudspeakers, two-seat pilot's and one-seat co-pilot's settees, service cabinet with sink and 11-gallon refrigerator
Characteristics of the aft platform: integrated platform with recessed swimming ladder, dockside electric connection
Superstructures and windows materials: aluminum fittings and tempered glass windows.

INTERIORS

Layout and characteristics: forward double cabin with two hanging lockers, settees, full private bathroom with shower stall; two aft double cabins with twin beds, hanging locker, full guest's bathroom with shower stall, salon with open galley to starboard and C-shaped dinette with extensible table and recessed "puffy" settee to port. Interiors include Suede-cloth lining, textile upholstery, water-resistant carpet, valuable woodwork with walnut root details
Helm station in cockpit: tempered glass windshield, hydraulic wheel steering, engine remote controls, full engine instruments and indicators, compass, VHF, echo-sounder, hour- counter, flaps control, searching light, GPS, plotter, automatic pilot, engine alarms, rudder angle indicator
Chart table: to port of helm station or in dinette
Galley: L-shaped open galley in salon with granite worktop, cupboards, certified fire-extinguishers, 29-gallon refrigerator, two sinks, 4-burner range, microwave oven, extractor fan, drawers and cabinets.

FITTINGS

Standard fittings: search light, flaps, weather station in the salon. The stereo system is fitted in the salon, in the master stateroom and in the guests' cabins. Chain wash pump, automatic certified fire-extinguishers in engine room, water heater, TV set, 3.2 kW generating set, 8'2"-long inflatable tender with GRP bottom and 6 hp outboard engine.

IMPRESSIONS

SEA AND WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING BOAT TESTING
Wind: none
Sea: calm.

PERFORMANCE
Time needed to reach planing speed: 4.5 seconds
Minimum planing speed at 1,200 rpm's: 15.8 knots
Maximum speed at 2,350 rpm's: 37.2 knots with 1,320 hp engine

EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE

Seakeeping ability, turning and behavior on waves: under way, the Altair DP 48' rides very comfortably, with extraordinary performing capabilities and the unmistakable "Dalla Pietà" style
Wheel and flap response: precise and efficient
Visibility in different weather conditions: excellent
Docking maneuverability: excellent with perfect control of the boat.

EVALUATION OF COMFORT AND FUNCTIONALITY

Deck: elegant and refined with modern and innovative solutions (i.e. lateral openings of the windshield, aft transom garage, etc.)
Interiors: interiors are very elegant and refined with excellent habitability (i.e. 3 double cabins and two large bathrooms) and modern solutions ("puffy" settees at dinette's table)
Passengers' comfort: excellent. Under way, engine vibrations and noise are imperceptible
Helm station: excellent and fully fitted

Chart table: comfortable and practical
Galley: of adequate size, practical and well fitted
Bathrooms: comfortable with large shower stall and easy access
Engine room: excellent
Electrical switchboard and plants: well positioned in the salon, of adequate size, with excellent fittings.

Copyright (C) 1995-2008 Nautica Editrice S.r.l.. Via Tevere, 44 - 00198 Roma (Italy) - Phone +39 06 8413060 - Fax +39 06 8543653
PI 00904971009 - Registration no. 620 19/12/1995 and no. 302 7/07/2003 in the Court of Rome's Press Register.
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without publisher's written permission.
Design: Paolo Ciraci. Other sites: nautica | scubaweb | pescaweb | pagine azzurre | euroweather | eurometeo mobile | meteomed | olympic
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Copyright (C) 1995-2008 Nautica Editrice S.r.l.. Via Tevere, 44 - 00198 Roma (Italy) - Phone +39 06 8413060 - Fax +39 06 8543653 PI 00904971009 - Registration no. 620 19/12/1995 and no. 302 7/07/2003 in the Court of Rome's Press Register. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without publisher's written permission. Design: Paolo Ciraci. Other sites: nautica \| scubaweb \| pescaweb \| pagine azzurre \| euroweather \| eurometeo mobile \| meteomed \| olympic		Homepage Site search Our advertisers Contacts