The handling is sharp and engaging
and the 58 has a keen turn-in
of around 28 knots. Between 13 and 17
knots, as the boat gets over the hump,
there is a dip in economy but interestingly,
range isn’t signifi cantly lower at full speed
than it is at 11 knots.
The handling is sharp and engaging
and unlike some pod drive boats of this
size, the 58 has a keen turn-in that doesn’t
immediately fl atten off into a frustratingly
wide turning circle. The majority of our
22nm journey is spent on the fl ybridge at
a helm position with excellent ergonomics.
With an adjustable seat and steering wheel
and throttles that fall naturally to hand,
skippers of all shapes and sizes will be able
to fi nd a driving position that suits them.
It’s the same story at the lower helm,
where plentiful adjustment makes sitting
for longer cruises perfectly comfortable,
but the real highlight is how easy it is to
stand at this helm, something that isn’t
possible on many
of the Absolute’s
rivals. Combine this
excellent standing
position with the
side door and
sensible position
of the IPS joystick
on the starboard
side of the dash, and
controlling the boat
and communicating
with crew from this
driving position
becomes brilliantly simple.
The side door is an option (€3,300) but
it isn’t something that all of the 58’s closest
rivals have and it’s something that once
you’ve experienced, you are unlikely to
want to sacrifi ce. The communication and
ventilation benefi ts are obvious but it also
allows an easy fl ow of people through the
boat when at anchor and means that guests
can come and go from the bow and head
down to their cabin without trekking
around to the cockpit to get back inside.
INTELLIGENT SPACE
We tie up in Varazze and it’s the fi rst time
we can get a proper look at the 58’s styling
without it being sandwiched between
other boats. The looks won’t suit all
tastes but at these dimensions that glass-
dominated superstructure is lengthened
to such a degree that the boat disguises its
height more successfully than the smaller
models in the range. And the pay off
for the boat’s height is an interior that
is bursting with space. No area feels
cramped or compromised and you
need to constantly remind yourself
that you’re aboard a boat that has
a total length of just 17.24m (56ft 6in).
The main deck links the cockpit and
saloon effortlessly thanks mainly to
Absolute’s use of a galley-aft layout.
The galley is totally open plan without
an option to section it off from the saloon
but a sliding glass partition does at least
offer some separation. It’s a boat that has
little in the way of layout customisation
but the standard three-cabin, three-
bathroom confi guration is so well
proportioned this isn’t really an issue.
There are some clever touches too,
like the optional wet bar mounted on
the transom with a sink, grill and pop-up
lights for barbecues and a clever extending
sunpad in the cockpit that sees the seat
backrests move inboard and padded
infi lls slot in to create a full-size sunpad
to supplement the ones on the foredeck
and fl ybridge. It’s a boat peppered with
practical thinking and impressive storage,
both on deck and
within the interior.
If there’s some space
going free, you can
bet that Absolute
has fi lled it with
a cupboard or
drawer, for instance,
under the small sofa
opposite the small
dinette – a real treat.
Engineroom access
is excellent and
typifi es the thought
that has gone into this boat to make life
on board as simple as possible for the
owner operator. For quick checks, there’s
a hatch in the cockpit but if you want
to have a proper look around there is
standing access through a watertight door
via the optional crew space in the transom.
It will come as little surprise that the
full-beam master cabin delivers on space
and comfort so let’s focus on the clever
design of the VIP cabin in the bow. By
using an angled island berth and vast hull
windows, there is an air of the mini master
cabin about it. There is nothing mini about
the ensuite which, according to Absolute,
is even larger than the one on its 60.
Guests in the twin cabin may not be
quite as comfortable as those in the VIP
but it’s still a well-proportioned cabin with
twin berths that, as an option, can slide
together to make a double, and a bathroom
of its own that also offers day head access.
A substantial staircase with thick teak
treads leads up to the fl ybridge where
space is shared between a generous
central dinette, dedicated sunbathing
space forward and free space aft that can be
fi lled with furniture of the owner’s choice.
A couple of sunloungers free of the shelterGreat views out
from the saloon and
dining area opposite
the open aft galleyMirrored saloon
doors aid privacy
in harbourof the hardtop might suit more dedicated
sun worshippers. And don’t worry if you
overheat, as Absolute has thought of this
and installed a shower in the aft part of the
dinette moulding so you needn’t stray too
far from your lounger to cool off. It’s also
worth nothing that this, sensibly, is where
the liferaft storage is – just where you want
it at the boat’s highest point.
The hardtop, as usual, is an optional
extra but it’s one that most will go for and,
considering the boat’s length, it’s integrated
neatly into this slightly top-heavy design.58BOAT REPORTThe angled galley has
plenty of storage