In the Bellissima version, the Italia Yachts 9.98 offers an excellent balance between comfort and performance. The boat is easy to trim, very light on the helm, forgiving of mistakes, and can be handled by a two-person crew.
Italia Yachts 9.98 is not a brand-new sailing boat. This small but powerful performance cruiser was built about ten years ago and received excellent reviews right away. Over the years, it has been optimized to perfection, winning the ORCi World Championship twice in a row. Some Croatian sailors are quite familiar with this boat, as they had the chance to study its stern closely during the ORCi World Championship in Šibenik. Three years ago, the Italian Yachts representation for Croatia was taken over by Yacht Match from the Netherlands. Their business principle is unique in offering a complete, turnkey service for clients—handling purchase, outfitting, and later, charter management of the boats. Yacht Match has bases in England, Sweden, and Croatia, allowing clients to choose where they’d like to pick up a boat and sail it.
The Italia Yachts 9.98 that we had the opportunity to test was purchased by a foreign client who decided to keep it in Split. On the day of the test, luck was on our side. It was sunny and clear in Split following the previous day’s bora, and in the afternoon, a pleasant tramontana wind was blowing. Dirk Agter, one of the owners of Yacht Match was waiting for us on the boat in ACI Marina Split accompanied by regional manager Luka Pražić and Nikola Akrap from North Sails sailmaker who was also eager for the test to start. We asked Goran Martinović – Orca, a skilled sailor from Split known as one of the organizers of the Sušac 100×2 and Saint Nicholas races for singles and pairs, to test the boat and give us his expert opionion. Goran is currently employed as a coach for optimist class at Mornar Yacht Club.
CARBON REINFORCEMENT
Even at first glance, the Italia Yachts 9.98 reveals that it is primarily designed for racing. It has a relatively narrow stern and a spacious, well-organized cockpit. The model we tested was equipped for cruising as well. To be specific, the 9.98 Italia Yachts model is delivered in two versions: Fuoriserie and Bellissima. As the name suggests, the Fuoriserie is intended solely for racing, with a stripped-down interior, without any unnecessary equipment like beds, refrigerators or laminate. Bellissima is a compromise; it’s still agile and fast but has a fully fitted interior suitable for relaxed family cruising. The Bellissima interior includes wooden floors, a water tank, and a boiler. Below deck, you’ll find a forward cabin with a double bed, a saloon, and an additional cabin and a toilet. The navigation table is spacious and well-positioned.
So, the interior of Bellissima is thus equipped for cruising, while the outer design is for racing. With the tested model Yacht Match showed us the best of both worlds.
The test yacht, a Bellissima version, allows for both family cruising and racing with friends by simply removing excess equipment. The owner intended to use it for both family and regatta sailing, and when not in use, it is available for charter managed by Yacht Match.
One of the boat’s main advantages is its construction quality. Unlike most boats, where the hull is glued to the deck, this yacht’s hull-deck joint is first glued and then laminated, making it exceptionally sturdy. All partitions and supports are reinforced with carbon, ensuring it doesn’t develop stress cracks after extended use and strain. Italia Yachts 9.98 is designed for heavy-duty usage in serious sea conditions. Due to the durabilitiy, reinforced construction and overall quality, its value holds up well.
FAST BUT COMFORTABLE
The Bellissima version of Italia Yachts 9.98 provides an impressive balance of comfort and performance. Yacht Match can arrange for the customization of every detail with the shipyard according to the client’s wishes. Various winch configurations are available, and all customization options for the mast, boom, rudder, and sails are open. The test model’s engine was a Volvo Penta D1 30, while a smaller 20 HP D1 engine is standard. The fuel tank holds 60 liters and is located in a locker below the cockpit, while the water tank has a 110-liter capacity.
Dirk Agter, the co-owner of Yacht Match, mentioned that the Italia Yachts 9.98 performs exceptionally well in light conditions but also holds up well in waves and winds of 25-30 knots. The yacht is narrow, making it fast upwind. It’s easy to handle with a two-person crew, though ideal for racing with seven crew members. The yacht is easy to trim, light on the helm, and forgiving of mistakes, Agter added.
SPORTY CHARACTER
Our expert Goran Martinović – Orca tested the boat, checked for himself the featuers of the boat and shared his observations:
At first glance, the yacht looks very elegant, reminiscent of early 20th-century classic displacement yachts but modern and meticulously crafted. It has a lowered bow and a slightly flattened underwater hull at the stern. The elegant, large bowsprit for the gennaker follows the lines of the hull, with the anchor neatly hidden. On deck, the low-profile and cleverly concealed furling system for the genoa is complemented by jib furlers without any rails along the broad side decks. The cockpit is arranged so that everything is within reach, and the look is completed by the elegant John Mast. When setting off, the sailboat eagerly responds to every throttle command, and a turn of the helm wheels brings an instant reaction, revealing its sporty character.
The test model we had the fortune to try out was equipped for family sailing, so we were ready to go in in a few minutes literally. Hoisting the sails went mostly smoothly, with a minor issue when unfurling the jib. I got the impression that the jib sheet guide, or lead, could be positioned a bit more optimally. As it is, all the stoppers are on the cabin. The part of the line that crosses from the deck to the cabin roof is in mid-air, which can create difficulties when handling the foresails. Also, in my opinion, the way the bow window is bypassed could be improved. All in all, we hoisted the mainsail and unfurled the genoa. The first impression, even without much trim, was very good. Nikola in the cockpit could furl and close the jib without much trouble. Those who aren’t used to a system without a traditional jib track may need to think it through a bit, but everything works perfectly without much effort. At the helm, it pulls a bit more towards the wind, but since this is a test model and it was equipped relatively recently, I assume this issue could be easily solved with a bit more attention to mast trimming.
EVERYTHING IS WITHIN REACH
The tramontana was blowing at 12-18 knots. Without too much trimming, the sailboat performs solidly upwind, reaching speeds of 6.2 to 6.7 knots with classic displacement behavior. When hit by gusts, it heels without causing much drama on board. It shows excellent stability at 17 to 18 knots, requiring only slight easing of the sail upwind to maintain a normal heel angle. The crew consisted of four people. Even at higher angles of heel, the rudder remains in the water and handles well, with only a slight increase in weather helm. Estimating the exact upwind angle was challenging without more precise trimming, but the inhauler system allows the jib to be pulled very close to the boat’s centerline, ensuring excellent upwind angles. The mainsail sheet winch is positioned right next to the helm, allowing the helmsman to handle mainsail trimming easily. The mainsheet traveler control is also within easy reach, making adjustments simple during sailing. It seems that an additional adjustment system for the backstay might be helpful, as it’s challenging to tighten during sailing. A minor inconvenience is that if not carefully managed, lines can easily end up around the helm column or pass through the steering wheel. We hoisted a large gennaker on the top of the bowsprit, sailing at about eight knots in 15-knot winds. The gennaker is equipped with a sock for hoisting and lowering, which makes handling much easier. The boat’s downwind and gust performance is excellent. Only during gybing does one need to be cautious so that the sheet doesn’t catch on the wheel.
We sailed actively with a two-person crew, who managed everything without difficulty. There are no high loads on this boat, even in moderate winds, allowing it to be handled with minimal crew—definitely a plus for family sailing. Overall, the impression is excellent! The Italia Yachts 9.98 is set up and tuned for comfortable and easy, yet sporty, sailing. It performs very well at sea, is easy to handle, and has excellent stability. The cockpit is wide and spacious, making movement between the bow and stern very easy.
The Italia Yacht 9.98 sailboat is designed for comfortable and quite easy yet sporty sailing. Not difficult to handle, stable, and has a spacious cockpit. The communication from bow to stern is easy.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Overall Length: 11.3 m
Hull Length: 9.98 m
Beam: 3.54
Draft: 1.9 m
Displacement: 5000 kg
Main Sail: 37 m²
Jib: 32 m²
Spinnaker: 84 m²
Gennaker: 105 m²
Engine: Volvo Penta D1 20/30 HP
Fuel Tank: 60 l
Water Tank: 110 l
EC Certification: RINA Category A
Design: Matteo Polli / Italia Yachts
Interior Design: Kristian Macchiut (KMD)
Base Price (excl. VAT): €218,360
Price of Tested Model (excl. VAT): €291,300
Dealer: YM Yachts & Brokerage, ACI Marina Split (by appointment),
Contact: +385 91 919 0001, email: luka@yacht-match.com,
www.yacht-match.com/italiayachts
