The company's trajectory makes the 11.98's ambitions intelligible. Founded in 2011, Italia Yachts built its reputation quickly: the 13.98 won four major titles including the European Yacht of the Year award within two years of the yard's founding, and the smaller 9.98 claimed successive ORC World Championship titles. When the time came to stretch the concept into a 40-foot class, Polli simply extended the successful 9.98 formula while pushing the design language toward something even more radical. The first 11.98 launched in 2019, and Ott Kikkas's Sugar 3 promptly won the ORC Worlds in Croatia in a highly competitive fleet of fifty boats — an emphatic statement from a boat on its maiden season.
Hull Form and Design Logic
The 11.98's hull is the key to everything, and understanding it dissolves the initial visual confusion. Polli's philosophy centers on keeping drag to a minimum through a low wetted surface area — and the measured waterline of the unladen ship is just 10.06 metres, almost two metres less than the hull length. This deliberate shortening of the waterline means the wetted surface stays small in light winds and low heeling angles, reducing drag. As the breeze builds and the boat heels, the flat hull sides press down onto the water, stiffening the boat upwind and enabling faster planing when reaching with the gennaker set.
The result is a hull with maximum beam amidships, a fine entry forward, and an overhang at the stern where the aft sections tuck in hard under the deck, producing the heavily flared topsides that draw the eye. The flat round bulkhead at the stern is both pronounced and very flat, and the waterline tapers dramatically at the rear — characteristics that look unusual at rest but behave purposefully under sail. Full sections amidships build righting moment quickly as the breeze builds, and the boat then trims down by the stern, loading the flat sections precisely when they are needed.
Construction follows the standards you would expect from a yard competing in offshore racing. The hull and deck are hand-laid E-glass and vinylester laminate with a thirty-millimetre PVC foam core; below the waterline a solid laminate runs along the centreline and around the keel and rudder areas. Main structural loads are carried by a composite sub-frame incorporating carbon unidirectionals for key structural members.
Rig and Sail Plan
The fractional rig is a nine-tenths fractional configuration with twin aft-swept spreaders, discontinuous rigging, and a full-width chainplate base. The sailplan's proportions are carefully considered: a minimally overlapping headsail combines with a mainsail featuring a mini square-top headboard and decent roach, allowing a generously sized mainsail to operate within a single backstay. This arrangement keeps the centre of effort well controlled and allows the boat to be trimmed accurately across a wide wind range.
The standard specification runs an aluminium mast and boom with 1×19 wire rigging — a combination that is forty kilograms heavier than the rod-rigged Axxon carbon spar option. Upgrading to carbon composite is a significant investment but one that aligns with the boat's intent. All blocks, rails, cleats, and winches come from Harken, and the stoppers are Spinlock throughout. Multi-adjustable 3D haul points and a variety of efficient trimming devices are fitted as standard from the shipyard, reflecting the 11.98's expectation that her crew will want to dial in sail shape precisely.
The boat is available in two distinct base configurations. The Fuoriserie is the pure racing version, fitted with tiller steering, short cockpit thwarts, a tuff-luff forestay profile, and provision for a symmetrical spinnaker. The Bellissima is the sports-touring specification, with twin steering wheels, extendable cockpit benches, a fixed bowsprit, and a furling headsail. Components from both versions can be cross-specified to suit individual owners.
Helm and Handling
On the water, the 11.98 delivers an experience that stands apart from contemporary production sports cruisers. The rudder blade is slim but deep, positioned far aft under the boat — a consequence of the distinctive stern geometry — and the lightly built boat reacts to every deflection of the very directly adjusted steering. Small inattentions from the helmsman register immediately in performance, particularly in steep, short chop. This is not a forgiving boat for the inexperienced, and it is worth being candid about that.
Experienced sailors, however, will find the feedback deeply satisfying. The 11.98 is silky smooth and light on the helm, responsive and comfortable to steer — the kind of boat where the autopilot sees little use and the wheel becomes contested among the crew. In gusty conditions averaging thirteen knots, the boat recorded 7.2 knots upwind at a true wind angle of forty degrees — impressive numbers for a production yacht even with cross-cut Dacron sails rather than dimensionally stable laminates. The German mainsheet system runs back to just ahead of each steering wheel, within easy reach of both helmsman and trimmer, keeping the critical trimming relationship tight and intuitive.
The cockpit is wide and spacious, and the option to fit or remove cockpit lockers depending on racing or cruising mode adds practical flexibility. The helm position on the side deck behind either wheel allows the helmsman to feel the boat's balance through the fingers and react to shifts before they become corrections.
Accommodations
Below decks, the 11.98 arrives with the same willingness to confound expectations as the exterior. A conventional-sounding symmetrical layout — twin aft cabins, galley to port, navigation station to starboard, symmetrical saloon, double forecabin — does nothing to prepare you for the reality. Immaculate gloss white surfaces dominate the headliner, inside faces of the hull, worktops, and cabinets, producing a dazzling freshness that reads as genuinely contemporary rather than cosmetic.
On the Bellissima specification, soft vanilla lighting floods evenly from behind minimalist tan leather-faced lockers in the saloon and from beneath the bunk fronts. Carbon-faced cabinet fronts are available as an alternative. The furniture itself is made almost entirely from composite materials and sealed with gelcoat surfaces — a choice that keeps weight low but produces an ambience that is clean and spare rather than warm.
The galley and navigation areas are arranged symmetrically at the same height, with the navigation work surface designed to double as a galley extension — a space-efficient solution in a boat where the cabin superstructure has been pushed well forward to liberate cockpit volume. Two heads compartments, also symmetrically arranged, can be fitted with toilets or shower rooms according to the owner's specification.
The aft double cabins are generously proportioned and suitable for two adults. The forecabin berth, however, is short at 1.90 metres and positioned well into the bow — comfortable for one but cramped for two. The saloon sofas can be converted to berths by removing the back cushions, adding sleeping capacity. The accommodation has been deliberately laid out with symmetry fore and aft to facilitate sail stacking and crew weight distribution when racing offshore — a detail that reveals the boat's priorities clearly.
One practical limitation worth noting: the saloon can feel narrow, and when sails and kit begin accumulating below decks during offshore racing, passage through the accommodation becomes an obstacle course.
Known Options and Ballast Variants
The 11.98's engineering extends to several unusual ballast configurations. The standard lead T-keel carries cavities that can be filled with foam and plastered over at the standard specification, or filled with additional lead granulate — a useful option for offshore work or shorthanded cruising where additional initial stability is valued. A water ballast system using tanks of around 400 litres per side, filled alternately, is also offered — an approach borrowed from the offshore racing world that allows dynamic trim adjustment without permanently increasing displacement.
An alternative fin keel without a ballast bulb is available for owners seeking a more favourable IRC measurement. The carbon fibre bowsprit is a significant practical addition for owners planning to fly asymmetric or symmetrical off-wind sails, and the dual drum winch arrangement for A-sail sheeting is a logical companion.
The Verdict
The Italia 11.98 is a racing boat with touring credentials rather than the reverse. Its ORC world championship win in its debut season was not luck — it reflects a coherent design philosophy executed with conviction. The hull shape, rig balance, helm sensitivity, and deck layout all serve the goal of going fast and being easy to trim. The accommodation, while modern and striking in its gloss-white minimalism, makes no pretence of competing with a dedicated bluewater cruiser on comfort or stowage.
The analogy that fits best is the one the testers reached independently: this is an Alfa Romeo, not a family estate. It rewards skill and attention with a level of feel and performance that production sailing rarely offers in this size range. Those whose season mixes coastal racing, class regattas, and the occasional family cruise will find it an outstanding platform. Those primarily seeking comfort below decks will find their priorities only partially served.
Pros
- Outstanding helm feel and feedback — light, direct, and confidence-inspiring for experienced sailors
- Proven ORC/IRC racing pedigree from first launch season
- Two base versions (Fuoriserie and Bellissima) allow genuine racing or cruising specification
- High-quality hardware package throughout — Harken, Spinlock, full trim systems as standard
- Striking, original interior with composite furniture keeping weight low
- Ballast options including lead granulate fill and water ballast tanks for different use cases
- Carbon spar and bowsprit upgrade path for serious racing
Cons
- Very sensitive steering will challenge inexperienced helmsmen, especially in a steep chop
- Forecabin berth is short and cramped for two adults
- Saloon can feel narrow with sails and crew gear aboard
- Composite interior has a spare, functional ambience rather than a warm, cruising feel
- Carbon rig upgrade carries a substantial cost premium over the standard aluminium specification
