De Antonio D36 Open (2025-)

• Soft top
• Stern doors
• Cockpit refrigerator
• Chain counter
• 2 x 300-hp V8 Mercury Verado outboard engines
• Deck table
• Swim ladder
• Helm bench seat
• Single Simrad 12” nav system
• Fusion audio system w/4 speakers
• Flexiteek® decks
• Cockpit galley

• Mercury Joystick Piloting w/300-, 350-, and 400-hp engines
• 3.5 kW Whisper Power diesel generator w/sound shield
• Fiberglass hardtop w/high windshield and wipers
• Mercury outboard power choices: 2 x 350-hp V10 Verado, 2 x 400-hp V10 Verado outboards both w/electro-hydraulic steering; 2 x 350-, 2 x 350-, or 2 x 400-hp
• Canvas awning extension for aft and bow sections
• 6’1” tender w/3-hp electric outboard
• 3kW inverter w/2 220 Ah batteries
• Water heater
• Underwater lights
• 12,000 or 16,000 BTU air conditioning
• SeaKeeper 2 gyro stabilizer
• Simrad electronics including 2nd 12” nav screen, VHF radio w/antenna, autopilot
• Bow thruster
• Zipwake® system

Besides its head-turning, innovative exterior, the De Antonio D36 makes use of all available space aboard to make sure this day boat is provided with the kind of room to supply exciting solutions for a wide variety of individual needs while out on the water. In addition, with a pair of proper sleeping quarters, she can deliver overnight or extended cruising possibilities.

Bow

With those flat sides and plumb bow, the design and engineering teams of the De Antonio D36 were able to provide her with deep, wide walkways all around, making it both easy and safe to move about.

Helm and Cockpit

Following her exciting design, the helm offers an equally stimulating control space with a trio of individual, bolstered seats. Note that one-piece windshield providing cover from the wind as well as the sturdy supports for the hardtop.

Aft

Utilizing all the available space aboard, De Antonio Yachts has provided the D36 with its signature design for the aft section.

Living Accommodations

The De Antonio D36, in keeping true to her maximizing space, has provided a pair of quarters more than suitable for overnight stays or even extended weekends away. Entrance to these quarters is to port of the helm console.

Powered by a pair of 499-hp V10 Mercury outboards, our double stepped hulled D36 cut tight turns at speed and while we noticed a bit of slippage, a quick trim of the engines corrected this. She proved nimble and responsive to the helm. Test day saw an air temperature of 63 F, wind of about 6 knots, relatively calm seas with perhaps a foot-and-a-half chop, and a relative humidity of 70%. Our dry weight was approximately 9,920 pounds. When we put her through her paces, we noted a WOT speed of 49.1 mph at 6400 rpm. We found her best cruise at 4000 rpm which gave us a 26.8 mph turn of speed and a range of 496 sm with a 1-% reserve of her 225-gallon fuel capacity. She easily planed between 3500-4000 rpm and 20 mph. During hold shots, we reached 10 mph in 4 seconds, 20 mph is 605 seconds, and 40 mph in 13.5 seconds. All in all, an exciting and controlled time at the wheel.

With modern styling from bow to stern, side to side, and below decks, the De Antonio D36 has been designed and engineered with a nod towards utilizing, and maximizing, all available space. This is evident as soon as you step aboard and take in how everything is not only well planned out but allows for safe movement around the boat.

A great part of the De Antonio plan is to make sure nothing is left to chance and to that end, with sturdy construction, high freeboard, and deep, wide walkways, getting fore and aft, is safe and easy.

The D36, while fulfilling her primary function as a luxury day boat, and quite capable of supplying fun and excitement while out on the water, whether cruising or participating in a wide range of water sports, can also be counted upon to provide comfortable accommodations for overnight or extended weekend travel. With plenty of storage both topsides and below decks, the De Antonio D36 is a versatile boat with lots of get up and go courtesy of several horsepower pairings with Mercury outboards.

If your personal radar screen is lighting up with a boat of this size, check out your local dealer and make an appointment for a visit and a sea trial. Your time will be well spent and somewhat eye-opening.

Remember, life is better on a boat!

Overview

Captain Shelly's introduction, noting the crowded field of flat-sided, plumb-bow outboard boats currently on the market: "De Antonio kind of switched it up a little bit by providing a cleaner aesthetic. So it's an outboard boat, but you wouldn't really know it." She also noted the Spanish word "atrevido" (rendered in the transcript as "ante," meaning bold/daring): "You'll find today I do believe that this De Antonio 36 has got some good spice to it."

Award / Design Distinction

Captain Eric Brandon: "The D36 won the European Boat of the Year in class in 2023, [not] only because of her striking styling, but because of the brave hull design that solved several problems with[out] outboard-powered boats. Plus, she's a 36-footer with a tender garage."

Hull Sponsons

Captain Eric Brandon identified the hull-side extensions ("sponsons") as more significant than even the double-step hull design: "Even more important than the double-step hull are the port and starboard hull extensions at [the] transom, providing buoyancy to support the 1,400 pounds of iron on the transom, [keeping her] on level [trim] she runs at all times."

Ride Quality

Testing conditions: approximately 1–1.5 foot chop.

Bow entry: "The D36 cuts right through these slight rollers without any bumping, and that's because her dead rise is about 50 degrees where the bottom cuts through the short chop." Captain Eric Brandon's overall impression: "Realistically, she's a solid build. I feel comfortable in the water."

Visibility: "The visibility [from] the bow is just expansive. Nothing blocking your view at all."

Spray: Running at approximately 4,000 RPM in the chop, some spray was noted — attributed by the captains more to wind conditions than to hull shape.

Specifications (Test Boat)

• Length overall: 37 feet, 7 inches
• Beam: 11 feet, 2 inches
• Empty weight: 9,920 pounds
• Test engines: dual 400-horsepower Mercury V10s
• Test weight: approximately 13,600 pounds, with a full load of fuel

Performance Numbers

• Top speed: 49.1 mph at 6,000 RPM (test weight); captains noted at half fuel load she ran over 50 mph
• Best cruise: 26.8 mph at 4,000 RPM, burning 21.8 gallons per hour
• Range at best cruise: 248 statute miles, with a 10% fuel reserve
• Plane threshold: approximately 3,500–4,000 RPM, 20 mph
• Hole shot 0–10 mph: 4 seconds
• 0–20 mph: 6.5 seconds
• 0–30 mph: 10 seconds
• 0–40 mph: 13.5 seconds

Hull Design — Bow Rise / Sponson Function

Captain Eric Brandon explained the stern bottom design: "The boat's bottom design of the stern virtually eliminates bow rise [when] getting on plane. We normally think [of] sponsons on the side of the hull, but these sponsons are extensions of the hull that add buoyancy for stern lift and longer waterline for speed."

Helm Layout

Centerline compass at the tilt-base steering wheel. Starboard: digital throttle controls and joystick piloting for the outboards. Outboard of that: VHF, within easy reach.

Displays: Two 12-inch MFDs, with tactile buttons below including controls for the electrically actuated sunroof, Fusion audio head unit, and bow thruster. A phone cubby with power is also present, along with an analog fuel gauge — which the captains noted they always appreciate seeing.

Zipwake system: Replaces traditional trim tabs. Captain Eric Brandon's assessment: "It's really very ingenious. You can put this on auto mode — it'll level your boat and feel the difference in weight on each side, and keeps your boat steady and flat, level the entire time. No touching it again... taking away those traditional trim tabs that people step on, get in the way, they're kind of clunky. These are outta the way."

Anchor System

All ground tackle, including the windlass, comes standard on the D36. Captain Eric Brandon noted the anchor roller/design avoids a "complicated launching device that some boats have that can fail." A simple up/down switch is provided, with ample locker space to reach in and clear snarls. Stainless pop-up cleats are located nearby.

Bow

Sun pad: Large enough for at least three people.

Gunwale height: 21 inches. Walkway width: 15 inches. Freeboard: 62 inches from waterline to gunwale — captains noted this keeps occupants well up out of the water while running.

Additional features: Fender clips on both port and starboard; clever gunwale cutouts for stowing flat fenders, described as lightweight, easy to access, and space-efficient. Full windshield with wipers on both sides.

Cockpit

Reached via a 5-inch step down. Grab rails are placed throughout under the large hardtop, along with the electrically actuated sunroof and a glass panel above the seating area.

Hardtop note: Optional; a soft top is standard equipment. Captain Eric Brandon: "Either one serves the purpose."

Galley Area (Under Glass Panel)

Sink and induction cooktop, with storage below and refrigeration on either side (two fridges on the test boat; an ice maker option is also available instead of one fridge). A center drawer provides additional storage. Below, additional seating/storage converts by lifting a lid, storing items, and flipping it to reveal a bench seat.

Cockpit Seating

C-shaped configuration, seating five to six. The hardtop extends fully back over this area. Captain Eric Brandon praised the upholstery quality: "They didn't go cheap on the cushioning material. It's nice, it feels soft, but still firm enough. It's nice and thick as well — they didn't cut any corners on the upholstery at all."

Customization options: 10 upholstery color choices; a full cover package is included (even the hardtop has a cover) to protect cushions from the elements; 14 Flexiteak deck color/caulking options; two gray hull colors offered in addition to white.

Mechanical Space Access

Located beneath the lunch/seating area, accessed by lifting a pad. Captain Eric Brandon noted the tight access: "This space looks mighty tight down below." Captain Shelly, who accessed it, added: "It's a little awkward getting down here, but once you're in, it's not so bad."

Contents (port side): 3.5 kW Whisper Power diesel generator, battery management system, and house batteries.

Forward: One of the fuel tanks, centerline water tank. Easy access to bilge pumps and through-hulls.

Starboard side: Hot water heater and access to some AC systems, plus a large storage compartment.

Under-Sun-Pad Storage / Tender Garage

Captain Eric Brandon measured the space: approximately 6.5 feet long, 2 feet wide, and nearly 5 feet to the top. His assessment: "If you're planning to go ashore, this space could service as a tender garage. It can even handle an inflated six-foot soft-bottom inflatable, or even a larger one if you roll it up and inflate it with an electric pump. It's also good for water toys, wakeboards and the like."

Caution: A strong fabric mesh separates this space from the outboard motors — noted as a wet space, unsuitable for items like PFDs that shouldn't get wet, though it does provide access to the hidden engines beneath the sun pad.

Sun Pad

Dimensions: 88 by 80 inches. Diamond-cut stitching pattern.

Nearby features: Fuel and water fills (starboard side), boarding gates on both sides, and push-button hatch access to the engines below.

Hidden Outboard Engine Bay

Captain Eric Brandon listed the benefits of concealing the outboards: "Number one is reduce the noise inside the cockpit — you don't hear the engines going. Normally they're quiet as they are, but they really are quiet." Easy access is provided to oil fill checks on both engines via the flap atop each Mercury.

Safety benefit noted: No exposed stern-drive propellers for kids to trip over near the swim ladder: "The propellers are way inside. Mom and dad don't worry about the kids down below swimming off of this ladder right here. So there's protection built in. It has a common sense factor, also a big safety factor."

Swim platform: 134 inches wide by 35 inches deep. Captain Shelly noted the propeller-distance benefit directly: "On any other outboard boat, I'd be standing in the water right now, or sitting on the engines. This is such a cool use of space. We can still walk all the way around and have the flexibility of an outboard boat and have the aesthetic."

Engine storage benefit: Engines can tilt up completely out of the water, eliminating the need for a lift to prevent lower-unit corrosion.

Engine Options

The test boat was equipped with 400s. The captains' assessment based on BoatTEST's experience with vessel displacement: "We think you'll find [the] 300s or 350s quite satisfactory" as alternatives.

Below Deck — Atrium

Reached via four fairly sizable steps down.

Headroom: 6 feet, 7 inches.

Starboard side: Head, with sink, electric toilet, and a wet-head configuration (separate shower receptacle), storage below.

Port side: Electrical panel (AC on one side, DC on the other), battery switches, and a hidden forward compartment housing Whisper Power generator controls and LED lighting controls (color-selectable).

Below-Deck Use Note

Captain Eric Brandon reminded viewers this is primarily a day boat, so below-deck spaces serve a different function than on a dedicated cruiser.

Forward cabin: Described as a good spot to duck into during a passing rain shower — windows admit light, outlets power devices. Kids can nap up front on the berth; for an adult siesta, a push-button-actuated seat transforms into the foot of the bed.

Favorite Space — Aft Lounge

Captain Shelly's personal pick: "My favorite space on the boat is actually back here in this lounge, kind of living room. So many times in the afternoons in South Florida, you get stuck in these rainstorms and everybody has to huddle downstairs and awkwardly sit on beds. So I like that they've turned this into more of a living room space where everybody has kinda their own designated spot to sit, lean back and converse while we wait out the rain."

Convertibility: Still functions as a berth — a refrigerator is located below, and the seating slides forward with backrest cushions converting to filler cushions to form a large berth.

Closing Reflections

Captain Eric Brandon, noting he eventually got time at the wheel: "I must say, those [twin] 400 Mercury pushed this boat really well as we motored back to the De Antonio dock in the Miami River. I couldn't help but think that the company has packed a lot of features into this boat for a very good price. They've been able to do that by making most things standard that you need and keeping the options list short."

Joystick assessment: "When we left the dock this morning, the joystick piloting was tuned in pretty good, so those slow-speed maneuvers were pretty good. But then once we got her out there, she really performed admirably."