A powerful, low-profile appearance, lavish accommodations, and sophisticated engineering are the hallmarks of the Ferretti 500, an elegant 50-foot European flybridge yacht introduced in 2004 to replace the popular Ferretti 480. She rides on a modified-V hull with moderate beam, a solid fiberglass bottom, and a unique underwater exhaust system. For a boat this size a three-stateroom, two-head floorplan is the norm. The salon is opulently appointed with leather upholstery and lacquered cabinetry, and the 500’s inside flybridge access is generally seen only in larger boats. If there’s a downside to this posh interior, it might be found in the small, step-down galley forward in the salon. (In fairness, however, European boats do tend to have small galleys.) Note that there are two crew cabins in the Ferretti’s standard layout, and a hatch in the teak-soled cockpit offers convenient access to a compact engine room. Topside, the spacious flybridge features a retractable instrument panel at the helm, an oversized sun lounge to port, and a wraparound dinette aft. The 500’s PWC garage is very unusual in a boat this size. An altogether impressive yacht, 630hp MAN V-drives deliver a cruising speed of 26–27 knots.