The Esse 890 is designed to cater for a variety of uses. The basic concept is that of a daysailer for sporty day trips. The boat can also be used as a racer for regattas. Those who wish to spend longer weekends on the water can opt for a more comfortably fitted-out ‘weekender’ version. The basic idea remains the same in all cases: a well-organised, functionally fitted boat that can be handled by a small crew and puts the fun of sailing first.
The design is by Felci Yacht Design, the Swiss shipyard’s in-house design firm. The hull shape is narrow and elongated, typical of the brand. With a hull length of 8.90 metres, the Esse 890 is just 2.48 metres wide. This means it can be easily transported on a road trailer. The weight is also low for a yacht of this size: fully equipped, the vessel weighs only around 1,600 kilograms. Just under half of this is accounted for by the ballast in the keel. The hull of the Esse 890 is made from carbon fibre using a vacuum infusion process with epoxy resin. The deck is a sandwich construction made from GRP, also laminated with epoxy resin.
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Lifting keel and carbon rig
The standard carbon-fibre rig from Pauger is well suited to the yacht’s sporting ambitions. The sail area upwind is around 50 square metres; an 85-square-metre gennaker is provided for broad reach. A retractable carbon gennaker boom can also accommodate a Code Zero. The self-tacking jib makes handling easier and is designed to simplify tacking. For use on inland waters, an overlapping genoa can be selected as an alternative. The deck layout is designed to allow for unhindered movement and the most direct handling possible. This ensures that the Esse 890 remains manageable even with a small crew or when sailing solo.
The keel can be raised hydraulically by 40 centimetres. This makes transport easier and provides more manoeuvring space in harbours or shallower waters. The standard draught is between 1.70 and 2.10 metres.
From daysailers to weekenders
Below deck, Esseboats opts for a modular layout. In both the daysailer and racer versions, the interior remains simple and focused on the essentials. The Weekender variant offers a more homely layout and additional hull windows that let more daylight into the interior. This allows the boat to be adapted to different requirements. A defining feature below deck is the asymmetrically arranged lounge above the keel box. The Esseboats team also refers to this feature as the ‘chaise longue’. Whilst the interior is not designed as that of a full-fledged cruising yacht, it does offer the possibility of spending the night on board and undertaking short cruises. It is precisely this combination of a sporty day sailer and a simple weekender that forms an essential part of the concept.
The base price for the superbly built and, moreover, very well-equipped Esse 890 is 129,000 euros in the basic daysailer version, without an engine or sails. Including 19 per cent VAT, the gross price is 153,500 euros. The detailed test report, including an assessment of the sailing characteristics, will appear in issue 25/2026 of YACHT. This issue is due to be published at the end of November.
The new Esse 890 will be on display as a world premiere in January 2027 at the boot trade fair in Düsseldorf.
Technical Specifications: Esse 890
- Designer: Felci Yacht Design
- Fuselage length: 8.90 m
- Length at the waterline: 8.30 m
- Width: 2.48 m
- Draught with lifting keel (standard): 1.70 – 2.10 m
- Draught with lifting keel (short): 1.50 – 1.90 m
- Weight: 1.6 t
- Ballast/percentage: 780 kg / 49 %
- Sail area when sailing close-hauled: 50.0 m²
- Lift-to-drag ratio: 6.04
- Gennaker: 85.0 m²
- Engine: outboard or inboard engine
Michael Good
Editor Test & Technology