Forty years of innovation. Forty years of speed and design. Forty years of constantly charting new paths. Forty years as a protagonist in the history of yachting. These are the forty years of Pershing and a vessel, the Pershing 45, which revolutionized the Open sector with its ability to be “as fast as a speedboat and as spacious as a motoryacht.” Forty years have passed since 1985 and the birth of the Pershing 45, which launched the shipyard and defined the characteristics of a brand always capable of innovating, and of innovating itself, while remaining faithful over the years to a DNA based on performance, the use of cutting-edge technologies, and the utmost attention to design.
Three enthusiasts kicked off
It was 1981 when three enthusiasts, Tilli Antonelli, Fausto Filippetti, and Giuliano Onori, founded Cantiere Navale dell’Adriatico in Fano, specializing in laminated wood boats. However, C.N.A. soon switched to fiberglass and Kevlar, focusing its attention on motorboats. With its encounter with designer Fulvio De Simoni, C.N.A. entered the world of motor yachts. The first model from the newly formed Pershing shipyard (the name is taken from a US missile, ed.) was the Pershing 45, which was presented at the 1985 Genoa International Boat Show: it was an immediate success.
The Pershing 45 phenomenon
Just under 15 meters long (14.80 meters), 4.22 meters wide, with a Kevlar and composite hull built using racing techniques, the Pershing 45 offered (at the time) three double cabins and three bathrooms, a galley, a lounge, and a deck plan that was both sporty and comfortable. Three engine options were available: the standard version with two 380 hp Caterpillars, and two optional ones, two 425 hp Cummins or two 435 hp GMs for a top speed of 37 knots and a cruising speed of 32 knots.
Many models, always with something extra
Since 1985, many models have marked Pershing’s history. From the 1991 Pershing 70, powered by a gas turbine that literally took off at 55 knots, to the Pershing 54, the first model after the shipyard’s acquisition by the Ferretti Group in 1998, which astounded with its maneuverability. Then there was the Pershing 88, which in 2000 marked the shipyard’s entry into the upper range of Open boats, and the 2004 Pershing 115, which marked a new step in innovation with the transition from a shaft drive to a hydrojet combined with gas turbines. The 2007 Pershing 72 also confirmed the constant aesthetic research of Pershing through its partnership with Poltrona Frau. A collaboration that, in addition to the creation of onboard furnishings and elements such as the Pilot House, the command seat that has distinguished Pershings ever since, expanded in 2017 with the creation by Poltrona Frau of the Owner Set: an elegant dedicated collection of suitcases, bags and a whole series of accessories.
Entry into the world of superyachts
In 2015, Pershing began work on its first superyacht, which debuted in 2019: its new flagship, the Pershing 140. Measuring 43.30 meters in length with a maximum beam of 8.55 meters, the 140, the first Pershing built at the Ferretti Group Superyacht Yard in Ancona, ushers in aluminum construction along with new interior layouts, featuring a dedicated owner’s area on the main deck and a beach area that opens on three sides.
Generation X
Just a year after the first superyacht, it was the turn of not just a single model, but an entire series that now numbers six. Generation X was born, combining design, technology, performance, and the use of ultralight materials. It began with the Pershing 7X, whose design recalls elements of the sportiest automotive world.
Pershing Sport Utility Yachts are born
Following Generation X, it’s the turn of the GTX Series, which Pershing is launching in 2023 with the Pershing GTX 116. It is the first Sport Utility Yacht to combine the performance and sportiness that are in the shipyard’s DNA with maximum comfort and exceptional livability. The main deck, which extends from the stern onto two levels – the first in direct contact with the sea and the second dedicated to socializing – are the highlights of a yacht that, at 35.33 meters, redefines the boundaries of the 20-35 meter segment. Thus, after the GTX 116, it’s the turn of the GTX80 and finally, in 2025, to celebrate the shipyard’s 40th anniversary, the new GTX 70.
Avant-garde and innovation
With the 1985 Pershing 45, a true manifesto of Pershing’s vision of boatbuilding, the shipyard’s entire history has been marked by innovation. In technical terms, this was the decision to install surface propellers on its hulls, a choice that today makes Pershing the world’s largest installer of surface propellers for recreational boating. Then came the introduction of waterjets coupled with gas turbines and the use of three engines, as on the Pershing 108. Or the fact that Pershing was among the first shipyards to introduce Volvo Penta’s IPS system on its boats, as well as automatic trim control systems. All this combined with ongoing research into hulls, materials, and innovative features such as hydraulic gangways, solutions that enhance contact with the sea, and retractable windows. Without forgetting the unusual and highly personal colour solutions such as the Silver colour of the Pershing 88: a colour that has since identified all Pershings. Above all, there’s one aspect that has distinguished every Pershing model since the beginning: constant innovation in yacht design, in the fullest sense of the term, combining form and function for maximum onboard comfort.
“Pure beauty, like our boats”
The comparison made by Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group, between Capri and the Pershing yachts was not an excessive one at the event this summer on the so-called “blue island” that celebrated the shipyard’s 40th anniversary. A shipyard that has been a leader in nautical innovation for four decades, always remaining faithful to its DNA of cutting-edge design, exclusive comfort, and high performance.
40 Years of Unmistakable Style
The celebration in Capri was truly a grand one because, as Alberto Galassi said: “Celebrating 40 years of Pershing in Capri had a special meaning. Capri is pure beauty, like our boats, and it was the ideal setting for an extraordinary event that combined spectacle, innovation, and passion. In a breathtaking setting, we recounted an adventure lived at top speed: 40 years of unmistakable style, comfort, and thrilling performance. Emotions that only those who pilot a Pershing can fully understand. This event will forever remain in the eyes and memories of those who experienced it, and above all in the glorious history of our brand.”
Emilio Martinelli
