Spanish and Italian boatbuilders design for the Mediterranean first: sun decks, big swim platforms, open cockpits and hulls made for short, choppy seas. Many of them are popular along the Costa Cálida and Costa Blanca, and we see them in the workshop all year round.
Spanish builders
Astondoa. A long-established Spanish yard from Alicante, building motor yachts and sports cruisers. Smaller Astondoa models under 12 metres often have Volvo Penta diesels.
Rodman. From Galicia, Rodman is best known for robust fishing and workboats, and for leisure fishing boats like the Rodman 790 and 1040 ranges. These are working boats built to be used, often with Volvo Penta or Yanmar diesels and shaft drives.
Others you’ll see: Mareti (Spanish-built day boats), Faeton, Bénéteau and Jeanneau boats built in Spain under licence, and numerous smaller Spanish RIB and fishing boat builders.
Service points:
- Shaft-driven diesels need gearbox oil, shaft seal and alignment checks.
- Fishing boats often run long hours at low speed, which can lead to carbon build-up; an occasional run at higher load (within the engine’s limits) helps.
- Deck fittings, rod holders and live wells often leak into the bilge over time.
Italian builders
Saver. Italian open and cabin boats, very common with outboards. Comfortable and practical family boats.
Ranieri. Italian builder of open, cabin and RIB-style boats with distinctive styling, usually outboard powered.
Cranchi. A family yard on Lake Como building sports cruisers and open boats with beautiful finish. Smaller models often have Volvo Penta or MerCruiser sterndrives.
Sessa Marine. Sporty open boats and cruisers, often with Mercury or Volvo Penta power.
Capelli and Lomac. Leading Italian RIB builders. See our RIB care guide.
Pardo, Invictus and Fiart. Newer premium day cruisers and walkaround boats, mostly with modern outboards or Volvo Penta sterndrives.
Service points:
- Modern Italian boats often have complex electrical systems and touchscreen switching, which need careful diagnosis rather than guesswork.
- Teak and synthetic teak decks need cleaning and occasional re-caulking.
- Stylish upholstery and sunpads are often bespoke, so careful seat recovering keeps the original look.
Other brands we see
Axopar (Finnish-designed, built in Poland) and Karnic (Cyprus) are very popular for their sea-keeping. Parker (Poland), Four Winns, Chaparral, Glastron and Rinker (USA) are also common. All can be serviced to the same standard, with the engine and drive determining most of the service schedule.
Engine and drive come first
Whatever the badge on the hull, the service schedule is mostly decided by the engine and drive: Yamaha, Mercury, Suzuki or Honda outboards, MerCruiser or Volvo Penta sterndrives, or Volvo Penta, Yanmar, Cummins or Nanni diesels on shafts. We work on all of them.
See our guides to outboards, sterndrives and marine diesels, or book a service.
