Ferretti 68, the Late-1990s Flybridge Behind the 680

Who is looking for a Ferretti 68, and what they find

Type Ferretti 68 into a listings site and you will find a small group of 70-foot flybridges built between 1999 and 2002, mostly lying in Italy, Croatia, Greece and Spain. They are the oldest boats of the 21.2-meter design that Ferretti later published as the 680, and the ancestor of the mid-2000s 681. Every listing we found gives the same 21.20-meter length and 5.63-meter beam that appear on Ferretti's 680 data sheet, with a 1.72 to 1.80-meter draft and about 4,000 to 4,170 liters of fuel.

In the late 1990s Ferretti was in the middle of a growth spurt. Its history notes that the family had decided in 1993 to build only flybridge yachts from 12 to 25 meters, that the order book doubled after the 1994 offshore world championship, and that it had averaged about one new model a year since 1991. The 68 belongs to the end of that period, just before the switch to three-digit model names such as 460, 530, 590 and 680.

The naming is part of the confusion. Through the 1990s Ferretti identified its flybridges with numbers such as 165 Fly, 185S and 210, and its own company history describes the 24-meter Ferretti 80 RPH, with a raised pilothouse, as a late-1990s Genoa show debut. Two-digit names in feet followed, and by 2004 the factory had moved to three digits. A 68 and a 680 can therefore be close relatives built only a year or two apart, which is why the engines and the paperwork tell you more than the name on the listing.

MTU or MAN: the engine question on early boats

The clearest difference between early and later boats is the engine room. A 1999 boat listed in Croatia carries twin MTU 12V 183 TE93 diesels of 1,150 hp, while boats dated 2000 to 2002 are listed with MAN V12s of 1,200 hp, the same power Ferretti quoted as standard for the 680 in 2004. Both are shaft-driven installations.

Neither engine is a problem in itself, but they lead to different ownership experiences. The MTU 183 series is an older design, and parts and specialist labor cost more in the US than for the MAN D2842 family, which is widely supported in Florida. Whichever you find, insist on full service records, oil analysis and a survey by a mechanic who knows that engine. At 2,000 hours or more, expect turbochargers, aftercoolers and heat exchangers to need attention if they have not already been done.

What sellers report for speed and fuel

No magazine sea trial of the Ferretti 68 is available online, so broker data is what there is. The 1999 MTU boat is listed at 25 knots cruise and 33 knots maximum, a 2000 MAN boat at 28 knots cruise and 32 maximum, and a 2002 MAN boat at 24 knots cruise and 30 maximum with a consumption of 280 liters per hour, about 74 gallons per hour, at cruise. A 2001 boat claims 20 knots cruise and 28 maximum. That spread is typical of older boats with different loads, bottom condition and engine health.

For planning, a healthy 68 should cruise in the mid-20s and burn around 70 to 90 gallons per hour doing it, with roughly 1,080 gallons of tankage. At 10 to 12 knots consumption drops sharply, which suits relaxed coastal cruising.

On board: four cabins, crew space and period finishes

Listings describe four guest cabins with an owner's cabin, three heads and a separate crew cabin, plus up to eight guest berths. Expect a salon with flybridge access, a galley that may be separated from the lounge in the European style, and a big flybridge with helm, seating and sun pads. Boats of this age often have lacquered wood interiors, dark leather and original cabinetry that is solid but dated.

Equipment lists on surviving boats show what to expect: Kohler generators, bow and stern thrusters, watermakers, tender cranes, hydraulic trim tabs and satellite TV. Many have had new upholstery, teak and electronics; those that have not will need them.

Buying one from Europe and the real cost of ownership

Most 68s are in the Mediterranean, so a US buyer needs to budget for transport by ship, import duty, a US Coast Guard documentation process and conversion of 230-volt, 50-hertz systems or a large isolation transformer. Those costs add up quickly and narrow the price gap with boats already lying in the US.

Once here, an owner-operated 68 costs roughly $110,000 to $210,000 a year for dockage, insurance, maintenance and a part-time captain. Hold back a refit reserve as well: on a 25-year-old yacht, generators, air conditioning, steering and soft goods are all close to the end of their lives if not already replaced.

Should you buy a 68, a 680 or a 681?

Think of the three names as one hull at three stages. The 68 is the cheapest and oldest, often with MTU engines. The 680 is the same boat as Ferretti documented it in 2004, with MAN D2842 V12s of 1,200 or 1,300 hp and a predicted 33.5 knots. The 681 brought a new window line, an open-view master, a teak interior and common-rail MAN V12s. Price rises with each step, and so does how modern the boat feels.

If budget is the main driver and you are comfortable managing a project, a well-kept 68 is a lot of boat for the money. If you want fewer surprises, spend more on a later 680 or a 681 with documented engine work.