Italia 9.98 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Polli's hull shows very evenly distributed volumes, and those waterline volumes stay the same whether sailing downwind or heeled to weather, so the waterlines create no balance problems and the boat remains easy to steer. The stern section carries an almost circular frame shape with a strongly constricted waterline aft, a form that permits the long T-keel with a slim but strikingly long torpedo lead bomb and a long keel root drawing 1.90 meters. The rudder blade sits almost as deep and works relatively far forward in the boat, placing the helmsman nearly amidships. Structurally, the coherent floor-and-fixture component laminated into the hull gives the 9.98 a stiff backbone without relying on dry infusion processes.

Rig and Handling

The mast is set well aft to carry a larger jib and a slightly smaller mainsail, with the main boom noticeably long and reaching almost to the stern. The genoa overlap stays at 105 percent, and a self-tacking jib was never offered as an alternative. Standard 3D haul points let the genoa sheet leading eyes deflect infinitely, trimming the headsail across a wide five-to-eighteen-degree range to the centerline. On the water, the jib supplies acceleration after tacking, and as soon as a gust appears the 9.98 takes off; close to the wind she picks up, accelerates, and holds pace easily. In a measured eight knots of wind she sailed at just over 40 degrees at 6.0 knots, matching her VPP exactly, and her ORCi GPH of 633 with an IRC TCC of 1.025 underlines the efficiency Polli attributes to harmony between hull, equipment, and sail plan. The wheel — a twin-wheel cockpit layout the designer had already anticipated — delights with sensitivity matching the tiller yet a good compromise between sensitivity and hardness.

Accommodations

Below, the interior is simple, functional, and not very cosy, with a proper navigation station oriented in the direction of travel and a galley offering a two-burner hob, sink, and ample stowage. The forward berth area stays open to the saloon, with berths 1.95 meters long and 1.62 meters wide at shoulder height; saloon berths run 1.94 meters. The aft cabin berth is the tight spot — only 1.28 meters wide at shoulder height, too narrow for two. The Club cruiser version swaps fixed panels for flap doors in the dinette and bow cabin, adds an oven and a slightly larger fabric wardrobe aft, yet weighs just 50 kg more than the racer while keeping the same hull, equipment, and sail plan. Liveability is more than satisfactory and cabin sizes adequate, though there is no stern barbecue and no cockpit table.

Known Issues

The engine is poorly soundproofed, an honest caveat on a boat whose Volvo Penta D1-20 (13.8 kW / 18.8 hp, three-cylinder, 2-blade foldable prop) sits beneath a light composite deck. Sleeping spaces are abbreviated and the stern berth lacks width anchor — consistent with the measured shoulder widths above.

Refits and Ownership

The 9.98 lends itself to measured upgrading rather than rebuilding. A conventional spinnaker rig with pole and fittings is an optional package for ORCi windward-leeward racing, and a 1.40-meter permanently attached carbon fiber bowsprit can be fitted for downwind work. A CNC-milled keel is available as an optional extra for those chasing the last fraction of performance, and the double mainsheet "German Cupper" with added winches is an extra-cost choice. Basic deck gear already includes Ronstan fittings and Lewmar winches; an electric fridge must be ordered separately. The cruiser conversion demonstrated that with a few planning-stage modifications a fast racer becomes a fairly comfortable cruise boat even in light winds.

The Verdict

The Italia 9.98 is a genuinely dual-purpose design: a twice-world-champion racer whose hull balance and rig harmony translate into a responsive, easy-to-steer cruiser with a rigid sandwich structure. She rewards an experienced hand and tolerates light-air cruising, but the aft berth and engine noise remind you she was born to race.

Pros