{"id":138742,"date":"2026-03-25T06:48:50","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T06:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/?post_type=review&p=138742"},"modified":"2026-03-25T06:49:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T06:49:07","slug":"astondoa-40-open-used-boat-review-why-this-iberian-gem-beats-the-big-names","status":"publish","type":"review","link":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/reviews\/used-boats\/astondoa-40-open-used-boat-review-why-this-iberian-gem-beats-the-big-names","title":{"rendered":"Astondoa 40 Open used boat review: Why this Iberian gem beats the big names"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the best kept boating secrets in the UK is Spanish builder, Astondoa. Based near Alicante, the firm has been knocking out all sorts of vessels from wooden fishing boats in its early days right up to today\u2019s range of coup\u00e9s and flybridges, as well as bespoke steel megayachts. It\u2019s a great Iberian success story, but how many people have heard of the brand over here, let alone seen one on the water?<\/p>\n

In spite of several attempts to crack the British market, Astondoa never really took off in this country \u2013 and that\u2019s exemplified by the fact that our review boat, a 2003 Astondoa Open 40, being offered by Bray Marine Sales for \u00a3119,950, sat brand new on the shelf for two years before a buyer was found.<\/p>\n

Exactly why this should be remains a mystery. OK, there was competition at the time from manufacturers like Fairline, whose Targa 40 went on to become a modern day classic, but with its sleek, aggressive lines, the Astondoa Open 40 looks equally good and its build quality is also excellent. When we tested one back in 2004, it turned in a more than respectable top speed of 36 knots, and that was with 310hp Volvo Penta D6 engines. The larger 330hp variants would have been nudging 40 knots.<\/p>\n

And surely that should have made it a viable contender in this popular sector of the market?<\/p>\n

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The curved, inward-facing companion seat creates extra headroom down below<\/p><\/div>\n

In addition to Volvo Penta D6 units, a variety of other power sources were fitted to 40 Opens. We found examples with other Volvo Penta options, including 247hp TAMD74As, 260hp KAD44s and that engine\u2019s successor, the 285hp KAD300. For those seeking greater power, Yanmar\u2019s 6LP-STZE, rated at 400hp, could also be fitted. So irrespective of UK popularity, it appears that Astondoa had all the bases covered.<\/p>\n

One thing that certainly impresses on our review boat is the enormous tender garage. Lying beneath a double sun pad, which extends well into the cockpit, the garage is equipped with both an electric winch and an integral set of roller wheels for easy launch and retrieval. Tucked inside our review boat\u2019s garage was a 2.7m dinghy and there was still some room to spare.<\/p>\n

Article continues below…<\/em><\/p>\n

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We haven\u2019t tested it ourselves but the word on the street is that the garage is large enough to accommodate a Seadoo Spark and on a boat of this scale, that\u2019s a great asset. But either way, there\u2019s a huge hatch beneath the dinghy space, which lifts to reveal the engines. A second smaller hatch in the saloon offers another way in but the access here is distinctly limited.<\/p>\n

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Multiple seating zones and unusual angles feel slicker than the equivalent Fairline<\/p><\/div>\n

The day spaces<\/h2>\n

In addition to the tender garage, the aft end also offers a compact bathing platform with an integral swim ladder and it\u2019s from here that two steps lead up past the sunpads and into the cockpit proper. Our review boat, which has spent most of its life in fresh water, has had its upholstery renewed and the replacement silver-grey Silvertex fabric looks very stylish.<\/p>\n

In terms of layout, the large curved settee to starboard wraps around the table and provides seating for five or six adults. Opposite is a wet bar with a top-opening fridge and storage beneath, and ahead of this is a two-seat unit set at 45 degrees to face the helm.<\/p>\n

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The skipper gets a fixed double seat, a wood-effect dash and a low-slung screen<\/p><\/div>\n

This alone puts the Open 40 pretty much at the top of its class but it offers a tad more too. You get a double helm seat rather than a single and it looks as if Astondoa has put a touch more thought into the cockpit design because the seating arrangement, with its elegant curves and easy flow, feels slicker than the angular lines of the equivalent Fairline.<\/p>\n

The helm is another stylish spot with white-faced gauges in a wood-effect dash. The double seat is fixed but it\u2019s well positioned for average-sized people and we suspect that most people will choose to helm standing up anyway. If that\u2019s you, be aware that the windscreen doesn\u2019t do much to protect you from the elements – but hey, this is a fast open sportscruiser, so that\u2019s all part of the fun.<\/p>\n

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The lower saloon takes a hit for larger spaces elsewhere but the quality is lovely<\/p><\/div>\n

The cruising set up<\/h2>\n

Stepping through the companionway, four steepish steps lead down into the saloon and galley area. There are curved mouldings everywhere here and as we clamber down the steps, we feel as if we are descending into a very pleasant goldfish bowl.<\/p>\n

Having such a large tender garage means something has to give and it turns out that that something is the size of the saloon. Headroom of 6ft 5in is good though. It goes a long way towards compensating for the compact dimensions \u2013 and with a plush leather dinette sofa and an array of beautiful cherry wood cabinetry, this cosy section of the boat is actually quite an attractive place to be.<\/p>\n

Across from the dinette, the galley is also quite compact. And while there\u2019s a double hob, sink, microwave oven, fridge and storage, what there isn\u2019t is an abundance of is worktop space. Happily though, Astondoa has done what it can to mitigate that with a set of bi-fold wooden covers above the sink and hob, which fold back out of the way once the food prep is done.<\/p>\n

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The high-gloss cherry wood cabinetry of the owner\u2019s bow cabin feels very welcoming<\/p><\/div>\n

As for the boat\u2019s two cabins, they are both pretty well sized. Behind the saloon, the guest cabin has good headroom with enough space above its twin beds to allow people to sit up and read a book in comfort. There\u2019s also a centrally mounted bedside unit incorporating a set of drawers and at the foot of the beds is a dressing area, a settee and a pair of lockers.<\/p>\n

The master cabin is also well appointed with a central double island bed and overhead lockers on both sides, plus a pair of wardrobes and a useful pull-out drawer beneath the bed. There\u2019s also lashings of that lovely cherry wood, giving the cabin a warm and welcoming (as well as quite premium) appeal. The boat\u2019s heads, meanwhile, is situated between the owner\u2019s cabin and the galley. It\u2019s a fairly big space, with a toilet and shower in a wet area alongside a glass screen to help keep the sink and storage unit dry.<\/p>\n

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The spacious guest twin gets a handy changing area and plenty of storage<\/p><\/div>\n

The big question<\/h2>\n

Clearly then, the Astondoa 40 Open is a boat with an awful lot to offer \u2013 and that takes us back to the question of its popularity problems in the UK. One man who bucked the trend and bought his 40 Open four years ago is Thames boater, Lee Reynolds. Lee explained he spends a good deal of time in Spain and was therefore perfectly conversant with the Astondoa brand: \u201cIt\u2019s a lovely boat,\u201d he says. \u201cTo anybody that\u2019s after a good-looking high-quality sportscruiser, I\u2019d say just go and enjoy it.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s plenty of headroom in the guest\u2019s midships twin to sit up in bed and read<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cInitially, it was the layout that attracted us. I\u2019ve got quite a large family and the boat has a very social layout. We\u2019ve had large parties on board and it\u2019s always been great. And as for the quality, Astondoa doesn\u2019t skimp on anything. The doors shut beautifully, everything\u2019s really solid and the finish of the wood is really good.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile I only use the boat on the Thames, I\u2019d say it\u2019s an easy boat to handle. The manoeuvrability is excellent. It\u2019s got a bow thruster and twin engines so it\u2019s very easy to control and it drives beautifully when you get it out on the open water. We\u2019ve been really pleased with it. It\u2019s a great boat.\u201d<\/p>\n

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A decent size of bathroom\/day heads sits between the bow cabin and the galley<\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019re considering an Astondoa 40 Open, the bad news, as you might expect, is that you won\u2019t find much local choice. Look further afield though \u2013 to Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands, for example \u2013 and your options will broaden considerably.<\/p>\n

While importing a vessel from abroad can have cost implications in terms of transport and VAT, our internet trawl for Astondoa 40 Opens found purchase prices that are more than reasonable. Our review boat, for example, is on the market for around \u00a320,000 less than a Fairline Targa 40 of similar vintage. And given how much it offers, that makes it a very serious contender.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s a massive engine hatch in here and (apparently) space for a Sea-Doo Spark<\/p><\/div>\n

Astondoa 40 Open specifications<\/h2>\n

HULL TYPE:<\/strong> Deep Vee
\nRCD:<\/strong> Category B
\nLOA:<\/strong> 40ft 0in (12.19m)
\nBEAM:<\/strong> 11ft 7in (3.6m)
\nDRAFT:<\/strong> 3ft 7in (1.1m)
\nAIR DRAFT:<\/strong> 11ft 4in (3.46m)
\nDISPLACEMENT:<\/strong> 8,500kg
\nFUEL CAPACITY:<\/strong> 767L
\nWATER CAPACITY:<\/strong> 295L (fuel figures below estimated on the basis of 64L\/hr @ 24kn and 12L\/hr @ 6kn)
\nFUEL CONSUMPTION:<\/strong> 2.7L\/nm @ 24 knots
\nRANGE:<\/strong> 230nm at 24 knots with 20% reserve<\/p>\n

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One of the best kept boating secrets in the UK is Spanish builder, Astondoa. Based near Alicante, the firm has been knocking out all sorts of vessels from wooden fishing boats in its early days right up to today\u2019s range of coup\u00e9s and flybridges, as well as bespoke steel megayachts. It\u2019s a great Iberian success […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":418,"featured_media":138747,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[1593,344],"review_manufacturer":[],"review_category":[2978],"review_type":[],"review_award":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/138742"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/review"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/418"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138742"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/138742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":138757,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/138742\/revisions\/138757"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/138747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138742"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=138742"},{"taxonomy":"review_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_category?post=138742"},{"taxonomy":"review_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_type?post=138742"},{"taxonomy":"review_award","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_award?post=138742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}