Comitti Isola 33, Q

Broker’s Comments

And now, for something rare but very special: if you’re a fan of the Boston Whaler, the archetypal American center-console style runabout, then this Italian beauty will pique your interest. Built for a James Bond fanatic, the Comitti Isola 33, Q is a boat to pay attention to—007’s choice.

The Italians add a flair to their boats that others seem to miss, and the Isola 33 by Comitti is a stunning example of this truism. Comitti has been crafting spectacular launches since 1956 on the southern shore of Lake Como, just outside Como itself. They still craft a full mahogany runabout, following the tradition of the Riva company in Sarnico, based on the shores of the neighboring Lake Iseo. Comitti Boats are dedicated to delivering sumptuously finished yachts of jewel-like quality. They feature a sharply vee’d monohedral hull to optimize sea-keeping and handling in more broken water—a feature that is sometimes missing in other ‘lake boats.’

This deep-vee walkaround has all the practicality of her US cousins, yet she has a style that is all her own. The hull is lushly coated in a Midnight Blue pearlescent paint job that sets her apart from the crowd, and her center console (topped with a beautifully wrought polished stainless steel T-top) conceals a surprisingly spacious forward heads compartment. Three bolstered sports seats stretch across her helm, placing her skipper centrally, directly above the keel, protected by a smoked glass screen, with all control switches within easy reach. Power is provided by a pair of Cold Fusion White Verado V8 300HPs, with fully electronic Mercury controls, Joystick docking, Skyhook, and enough oomph to rocket you and your guests to your destination. Unlike a traditional cockpit boat, Q is very safe to move about, with high bulwarks to protect you as you head forward from the aft seating area past the fully-fitted wet bar and up to the forward cockpit. There are substantial handholds all the way through, and the T-Top frame is especially useful for bracing against. Once up forward, there is a u-shaped seat with a hi-lo table, and a forward-facing seat is set into the molding of the console. Should anyone need to freshen up, then the forward console hinges at the press of a button, opening to reveal an exquisitely finished heads compartment, which is very much more The Ritz, with exotically marbled walls, an Italian glass basin, and a hidden WC—so she is a truly useful little engine.

Taking her for a brisk sea trial out on a lumpy Solent, she is very well-behaved; her three and a half tons flatten most bumps, and her keen stem and sharp angles cut and thrust any spray well aside. A distant growl from her Verados and a gentle nod of her bows are all there is to remind you that you are running at 35 knots into a head sea.

Please do come and see her—she is very lightly used and could pass for a new boat. She is different, with character in spades, and would grace any South Coast harbor or equally work in Florida, the Med, or up in the Baltic. As the mighty Desmond Llewellyn said in his last frames playing Q, ‘Always have an escape plan…’ and this Comitti Isola 33 will ensure a speedy and stylish alternative to jumping in the DB5.

Press’s Comments

For Comitti it is customary to build fascinating vintage-style motorboats. This year, however, the yard based in Como, Italy has gone much further by proposing the new Comitti Isola 33, which maintains the family feeling, taken on a boat inspired by sportfishers. The fishing center-console boats have to be practical, with no frills, but full of technical gear useful to all levels of anglers.
Comitti, however, wanted to give their personal interpretation and design a boat with the peculiarities of a sportfisher but with an added touch of class and flair. Just consider that with two 300HP Mercury Verados the boat has a maximum speed of 44 knots: thia boat is still very fun to drive.

What we love of this boat is the details: look at the small space underneath the control console, accessible through a (standard) electro-hydraulic hatch. The little cabin is fully lined with light joinery and sports a hidden WC and a crystal sink, plus enough room to use it as a dressing / changing room.

– BoatMag International – November 2017.