SBA: Arcadia A96
New Arcadia A96 brings new competition to the pocket explorer category.
Eye-catching for an Arcadia, don’t you think?
Arcadia A96
Key Facts
Overall Length
96’ 1”
Maximum Beam
25’ 10”
Draft
5’ 9”
Engines
4 x Volvo Penta IPS 1,200 (1,350 Opt.)
Speed (Top/Cruise)
23/19
Beds (Guest/Crew)
10/5
Built
Naples, Italy
DELIVERING
FALL 2023
The Good and Bad
The Good
Volume. Volume. Volume.
Some of the best exterior spaces in the industry/category
2,000 nm range AND solar panels to cover the evening energy load
The Bad
That raw Italian design
Pilothouse design retains “commercial” edges from past Arcadia models
You’ll always feel close to the water. That’s a love/hate feeling.
The Scoop
Before the launch of the A96, Arcadia was never a leader in the “looks” category. Unique? Yes. Eye-catching? Sure. Beautiful? No comment. Rarely does an expansion in size improve a brand’s visual IP. With the A96 it has, and it works really well.
Arcadia 1.0: Arcadia Sherpa 60
Arcadia 2.0: Arcadia A96
The A96 is the newest entry into the market’s Pocket Explorer category by Arcadia Yachts, a seasoned boutique builder out of Naples, Italy who defines its experience as ‘a close proximity to the ocean and one’s natural surroundings’. Arcadia maxed out the A96’s visual potential while staying true to Arcadia’s origin.
With others, length can cause a boring extension of what’s already there. With Arcadia, their outdoor experience starts to make more and more sense. You get an exponential variety of outdoor spaces, even when you’re indoors. Doors/walls slide aside to transform an interior lounge into a floating terrace. Even with those doors closed, floor to ceiling windows keep you feeling connected to the outside world. Arcadia is masterful at this concept, and the A96 continues their quest to create unique yachting spaces.
No brand can compete with the expansive exterior space of the Arcadia line of yachts.
For instance: a fully walk-around flybridge. Its easy to take this feature for granted via blueprints, yet in practice, you’'ll feel like you’re on a mini cruise ship with the ability to circle the deck without having to walk through a pilothouse. A walk-around top deck can be a big “no no” to designers since it kills second level interior space. Many don’t want to take the risk of buyers and builders scoffing at such a feature, yet those looking for an external experience will find their calling in the A96.
If you ever decide to go inside, you’re met with an interior designed by yachting “it” firm, Lobanov Design. To refresh, Lobanov is responsible for the renewal of the Mangusta Maxi 104 and upcoming Maxi 165, the exterior of M/Y Jubilee, design of S/Y A, and many more.
Lobanov Design engineered the exterior of M/Y Jubilee (now Kaos) built by Oceanco in 2017.
While the A96 surely screams Italian design with its darker accents and stone finishes, there’s a new use of natural lighting and woods (below, right) to soften the modern design of Arcadia’s past (below, left). This feels like a very positive evolution.
And an additional view into the A96’s interior design below:
Now let’s jump into technicals.
The Arcadia product line - inclusive of the A96 - is quite efficient. The A96 uses 4 x Volvo IPS engines to get up to a 24 knot top speed, yet the real attraction is its 2,000 nm range at 10 knots. That’s New York, USA to Nassau, Bahamas AND BACK (1,910 nm). Add the vessel’s ability to run its hotel mode (energy required during the evening) solely on solar energy, and you’re certainly operating in a “green” category. Tenders and toys can be stored on the foredeck, a change from the engine room tender storage of past Arcadias, probably so they could fit all four engines.
New York to Nassau and back. Just under 2,000 nm. A pretty hefty run without refueling.
LAyouts
The Scoop
The ultimate reason for this alert? Arcadia has finally taken its talents to a design that suits the masses and might now make its way into the US market, where we have plenty of adventure seekers and volume aficionados who will take the opportunity to purchase.
Fully Equipped: €10.5m
Want more information on the Arcadia A96 and/or other Arcadia products? Email Reed at Reed.Nicol@WaveYachtSales.com for details.
Have a boat you’d like to submit for our Serious Boat Alert? Email to assist@rnmarine.com.
