Heritage OLD 2023 | Benetti Yachts
Benetti Super Yachts
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A HISTORY of
LIMITLESS PASSION
and INNOVATIONS

1873
The year the Benetti journey began

Lorenzo Benetti (1844-1914) purchases the Cantiere Darsena Lucca and founds the Benetti Shipyard. Almost 40 years later, his sons Gino and Emilio take over the family business.

1890
The era of the Best Barque sailing ships

In over 30 years Lorenzo Benetti launches more than 30 vessels, including: 5 schooners, 3 tartanes, 13 brigantine-schooners, 8 “navicelli” boats and 3 cutters.

1921
The Mediterranean’s largest vessel

With a length of 51 meters, the St. George is the largest sailing ship to date. In 1952 she is transformed into a training ship for Navy helmsman students. Today she can be seen on display at the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.

1941
A steel-hulled diesel vessel pioneer

Constructed by the sons of Emilio Benetti, Maurizio and Bertani, Maria is a ground-breaking steel vessel equipped with diesel engines used for the very first time in history.

1962
Delfino 18M, a charming beauty

The first real motor yacht on the market. This legendary “Navette” represents a new boating genre and an unprecedented leisure yachting lifestyle.

1966
Welcome Gabbiano 22M

Following the launch of its first luxury motor yacht Benetti introduces the Gabbiano 22M, which will captivate the attention of personalities as prestigious as Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly.

1967
Mediterraneo 33M: larger size, same beauty

The first large yacht built by Benetti. It showcases a rounded stern and a repositioned wheelhouse, amplifying the living space and comfort on board.

1977
The noteworthy M/Y El Caran

Chosen by rockstar David Bowie, El Caran is a 39-meter-long classic beauty with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure distinguished by a canoe stern design.

1979
The launch of the extra-luxurious M/Y Nabila

With a length of 86 meters for Saudi businessman Adnan Khashoggi, Nabila is the first and largest gigayacht ever built at the time.

1983
A memorable cinematic moment

Showing off her spectacular beauty in different scenes, Nabila appears in the James Bond film starring Sean Connery, “Never Say Never Again”.

1985
The Azimut | Benetti Group is born

The founder of Azimut Yachts, Paolo Vitelli, acquires Benetti, an event that marks the beginning of a new era for the prestigious Italian shipyard. The Azimut | Benetti Group will go on to become the world’s most extensive yacht and megayacht network.

1989
The song “Khashoggi’s Ship” by Queen

Inspired by the legendary parties he attended on board Nabila, Freddie Mercury writes a song that contributes to making her famous worldwide: “And then we took a holiday on Khashoggi’s ship – well, we really had a good good time they was all so sexy, we was bad, we was blitzed, all in all it was a pretty good trip”.

1995
Golden Bay Series: iconic 50M yachts

The Golden Bay Series is an authentic success. She leads Benetti to the creation of a series comprising six more yachts with identical hulls, volumes and systems, then subsequently customized to meet owner requests.

1998
Classic 115 and an iconic beauty: Stella Fiera

A truly innovative 35M composite yacht with three decks. The beauty of the yacht stole the scene at boat shows giving its name to one of the units produced, Stella Fiera.

2000
Everything extraordinary: M/Y Reverie 70M

Benetti promotes the yachting avant-garde with M/Y Reverie 70M. The second largest megayacht built by Benetti. Through her, the company crystallizes its status as one of the few shipbuilders capable of accomplishing highly complex commissions.

2002
Vision 45M Series

The largest fiberglass yacht in the world, with a remarkable commercial success. As the flagship of the composite fleet she is conceived with five double cabins.

2003
Amplifying production, empowering the group

Benetti expands its production facilities by acquiring the renowned “Fratelli Orlando Shipyard” in Livorno. Founded in 1866, during its years of activity it supervised the launches of hundreds of warships, commercial ships, and ferries. The House of Yachting is born.

2004
52M of sophisticated beauty: M/Y Sai Ram

A combination of class and elegance. She is designed by Stefano Natucci, then furnished and decorated with an oriental-inspired style by Lazzarini and Pickering to create sophisticated and relaxed atmospheres.

2006
An high-tech piece of art: M/Y Ambrosia III 65M

A project that initiates Benetti’s interest in developing an eco-yachting philosophy. She is the first yacht in the world to be equipped with a Caterpillar/ABB diesel-electric propulsion system combining two 1,864 kW / 2,500 HP Azipods.

2011
The first of Many: M/Y Nataly 65M

She is the megayacht that marks the first collaboration between the shipyard and RWD, and the first Benetti with a straight bow. An intuition which serves to create extra space on board and more contained spaces for the garage and the technical areas.

2016
The third piece of art for a recurring Owner

Benetti stuns the world again by building its largest yacht to date. Lionheart is also the third Benetti to be commissioned by a recurring owner and marks the beginning of a new phase for the company, leading to the development of the gigayacht hub.

2016
A hub for the production of gigayachts

The creation of a building hub dedicated to the construction of gigayachts over 80 meters is a bold initiative for Benetti. A real turning point in its history and an important milestone for its future.

2019
M/Y Metis 63M

The spaces on board explore an entirely new angle. They appear rotated by 30° and offer an unprecedented perspective that optimizes the views of the external landscape. Metis is the first of five megayachts – and still counting – of the B.Century line born from Benetti’s collaboration with Cassetta Yacht Designers.

2019
The Benetti Giga-Season

With three Gigayacht launched in a span of just 100 days, Benetti celebrates the success of an engineering and managerial challenge. Built simultaneously, M/Y Luminosity 107.6M, M/Y IJE 108M and M/Y Lana 107M, are the three largest motoryachts in Benetti’s history, equipped with cutting-edge technologies and characterised by unique design.

2020
Oasis Deck™, a sea-immersive experience

A true lifestyle concept to be at one with the ocean, the Oasis Deck™ featured on the Oasis 40M is an unprecedented nautical design concept developed by Benetti with RWD. It is a huge success and an iconic element that will define the future of its shipbuilding through yachts such as the Oasis 34M and the B.Now family.

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