I wasn’t the first to be surprised by the De Antonio D50 Coupe. From a Fort Lauderdale dock the boat reads like a traditional day yacht — a big sunbed at the transom suggesting hidden sterndrives. But when I boarded the Spanish builder’s flagship and someone pressed a button near the helm, that four-person sunpad lifted on an electric hatch to expose four white Mercury Verado 300-hp outboards.
“The engine hatch and enclosure that surround the outboards make the De Antonio unique,” said Lucas Hackathorne of Nautical Ventures, the brand’s U.S. distributor. “It gives the boat the look of a sterndrive vessel, which appeals to many buyers who want a full swim platform, while delivering the performance and serviceability of outboards. Because the outboards are protected by the enclosure, they require less maintenance, particularly in saltwater climates like South Florida.”
De Antonio calls this arrangement an “engine chest.” It’s offered on most models across the builder’s production range, from 28 to 50 feet, and showcases the company’s tendency to rethink familiar layouts. The firm, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Barcelona, uses the chest to combine the clean transom lines of a sterndrive boat with the advantages of outboard propulsion.
Another clever touch is the sunbed’s convertible backrest. It tilts back to reveal a deep locker sized to accept an 8-foot tender and a small electric outboard. The inflatable sits on its side and is raised with a manual crane; there’s a dedicated engine mount and a charging receptacle. If an owner prefers not to carry an inflatable, the space serves as generous stowage.
On the foredeck, a feature that drew the most attention was a soaking pool in place of the usual sunpad. Built with acrylic over the fiberglass deck and framed in stainless steel, the pool fills with seawater at the push of a button via an intake system. It provides a safe, shallow spot for children to splash or a cooling plunge for adults while anchored. When it’s time to get underway, another button drains the pool. According to Hackathorne, the soaking-pool option can add roughly $30,000 to the base price, and choosing a jacuzzi option adds approximately $5,000 more.
The D50 Coupe enters a rapidly growing day-yacht segment, where buyers want larger, luxurious open boats for day trips to sandbars or relaxed coastal cruising. The Coupe shares much with De Antonio’s D50 Open introduced in late 2022; the primary distinction is the Coupe’s fully enclosed helm deck, which offers protection and comfort in less-than-ideal weather while preserving the open, social layout on deck.
Although the D50 is designed first and foremost as a day yacht, it’s capable of weekending. The standard belowdecks layout includes two cabins and a head. De Antonio injects fresh thinking into the accommodations: the amidships lounge is a U-shaped seating area with an ottoman that converts to a queen berth. Hackathorne pointed out that the space serves as more than a simple sleeping area—you can relax there with air conditioning and the stereo, making it a genuine social space rather than a single-use cabin.
Roomy interior volume is aided by the D50’s deep hull with tall, straight topsides and an axe bow, a profile that gives the boat a contemporary European look and should provide reliable offshore performance. I did not get to sea trial the Coupe, but De Antonio engineers say the axe bow helps push water to the sides as the boat moves through waves, and the hull design is stepped to enhance handling.
At anchor, the D50’s wide beam contributes to stability. “I often tell people you don’t need a Seakeeper on this boat, because it’s so stable,” Hackathorne said. The Coupe can be fitted with two, three, or four Mercury outboards, for a maximum advertised output of up to 1,600 hp. In builder-conducted performance runs with twin 600s the boat reached a top speed of 48 knots and cruised near 30 knots. At cruise the reported fuel burn was about 40 gph, yielding roughly 1.17 miles per gallon. With the drives trimmed up, the tips remain just in the water due to the engine chest design, but that trim does not affect the use of the sunpad; passengers can occupy the sunbed at any engine trim setting.
The D50 Coupe I saw in Florida was priced near $1.3 million and included numerous options, from a hydraulic swim platform and generator to joystick piloting and bright orange upholstery that contrasted nicely with the cool gray hull. “We can spec out the boat according to the owners’ needs, so they can make it their own,” Hackathorne said.
Specifications
LOA: 48’8”
Beam: 14’4”
Draft: 2’3”
Dry Weight: 25,353 lbs.
Fuel: 396 gals.
Water: 118 gals.
Standard Power: (4) 300-hp Mercury Verados
Max. Power: 1,600 hp
This article was originally published in the August 2024 issue.