1998 Mangusta 105

Rebuilt MTU engines

Shaft drive

New Hot Tub on aft deck

New Garmin electronics

New stereo (cost $50,000)

New exterior  cushions

Recent bottom job

Taking the helm of te 105 Mangusta w/ straight shaft drives is remarkably straightforward. There is a conventional wheel. With engines and drives synchronized to one unit, a simple one-handed twisting action steers the boat, and the throttle lever is right at your fingertips.

It seems an extraordinary way to exercise control over such a powerful machine, but it works beautifully and takes just a few minutes to get used to. It helps, of course, that the 105 is superbly balanced, equally responsive to both throttle and helm, and for something of this size and displacement, a positive joy to drive. 

As a long, lean, V-bottom hull—deadrise at the transom is 15.5 degrees—it does have a significant planning hump to get over, and you need to be bold on the throttles to power through the transition. Once up and running the planning speed is a comfortable 20 knots. At 25 knots the big Mangusta are relaxed at this cruise speed. Cruising is what the 105 is all about—with a generous fuel capacity it has nearly a 500NM range at 20 knots and not much less at 25 and you can expect 35 knots with a clean bottom.

Quality was exemplary, even in hidden corners. The insides of lockers and drawers were as beautifully veneered and lacquered as the outsides.

Below decks, the Mangusta 105 has a fairly conventional layout, with a vast, ten-window owner’s cabin amidships, a VIP suite in the bow, and twin-berth guest en suites to port and starboard. Headroom right through the lower accommodation is an impressive 6'8", and the berths are all full size—even the singles are 30 inches wide. 

It’s a similar story aft where the crew accommodation and galley are roomy and comfortable, with a pair of twin-berth en suites and a generous mess. Further aft, the engine room also seems huge, even packed with gensets and air conditioning and water making equipment—as if the MTU V12s weren’t enough—with good headroom and walk around space.

A great lower deck, then—but this isn’t the real story of this spectacular yacht. The Mangusta 105 is one of the shipyard’s best sellers, and according to Overmarine a major reason is its main saloon, which is not where you’d expect it to be.

The deck seating area aft of the helm is a comfortable and sociable place to sit and watch the world go by, if that’s what you want to do. But if you need a little family time or want to entertain some business associates, you’ll find the main saloon much more amenable. Includes a fantastic Hot Tub!

Forward of the helm and down five steps, it has windows on three sides and offers plentiful views. And it cannot be seen from the stern—so even moored to the quay you can enjoy your yacht in privacy.