Doral Venezia
By Capt. Rob Smith
Doral’s intention was to obsolete the Monticello, but after the dealer’s got involved and a little preliminary footwork, the choice was obvious. The public wants a choice. Either you want the 8’6” beam or the 9’4” beam. Now that may seem a little space to care about, but it has deep implications and, as it turns out, adds a lot of usable space. Now, you have a new choice, the Venezia with a 9’4” beam and an additional 10” width in the cockpit for seating and entertaining space.
Starting at the stern
All dock connections come into the starboard corner while the walk through transom door is on the port side. The swim platform has a four step swim ladder and room for the family to play or to party. Across the stern wall is a large grab handle to use. If you opt for the adjustable aft seat, it really doesn’t affect the space on the swim platform appreciably.
Aft entertainment and seating space
Here is where you begin to feel the difference that 10” makes, in the cockpit seating. Just standing here, you think you are on a much larger boat. The seating swings from across the back of the helm, down the starboard side and across the stern wall. We had the extended aft seat which allows you to extend it back another 10” (seems to be a theme) and add filler cushions to expand this are further. A handy wet bar with sink and dedicated space for a carry-on cooler is just inside the cockpit from the walkthrough on the port side.
Bimini extensions bring cover over much of the aft cockpit and connect to the forward swept arch overhead. Benches offer storage room and a table sets up for al-fresco dining or an afternoon round of Texas hold-em. Checking on the power plants is a bit quirky to me. You can lift the engine hatch part way for a quick sniff, but to do daily checks, you pull the aft facing bench out to lift the hatch for full access. This model has about 21 different engine packages you can order from a single gas or diesel to dual packages. With a single engine you have excellent access around the engine as well as plenty of room for the generator.
Forward cockpit
At the helm is a twin helmsman’s bench seat with a port side lounger across from it for your navigator or a few friends and family. I always appreciate the elegant touches of wood at the dash on all the Dorals. This particular model also had the upgraded Cabriolet upholstery that feels much like leather. Helm electronics include a standard Clarion with dash remote, Raymarine Chartplotter GPS unit and marine VHF.
Interior Accommodations
The entry into the cabin is a translucent green tinted sliding door that invites the daylight or stars to peek in. Plenty more light and fresh air enters through the hatch in the cabin roof. The large round-shaped dinette gives everyone space to enjoy a meal. I especially liked the fact the table pivots to make it smoother and more graceful to get behind the table. I also thought the bottle rack for your favorite wines next to the steps was a good idea and neat use of space. The galley includes all the amenities you need to prepare meals for a weekend or to entertain a crew for a sunset cruise. You have anthracite granite aspect countertops, electric stove, microwave and refrigerator. You also have a full wet head in the cabin and a mid cabin large enough for two adults to relax in overnight.
Measuring Up
The all-new Venezia measures 26’0” hull length, 26’5” length overall. With the swim extension, her measurements move on out to 29’0” overall. Her beam width measures 9’4” and her standard dry weight is 7,000lbs with a 4.3 Mag engine. She carries 75 gallons of fuel and 30 gallons of fresh water. Cabin height measured up to 74” with height in the mid cabin reaching 38” cabin top to cushion.
Test Results
I tested the Venezia in the ICW waters outside of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. I found she reached planing speed in 4.9 seconds and up to 30mph in 11.4 seconds. Her best cruise speed was about 29.1mph at 3000rpms for a cruising range of 169 miles on a full tank of fuel. Her top speed reached 47.8mph at 4550rpms with a single 375hp Volvo 8.1Gi installed.
Conclusions
It seems that Doral’s choice to listen to the dealer network and customer input has developed a winning combination of size and style that the growing family will enjoy. So, you can either trailer the boat or not, and if not you gain a wonderful bonus.
