Pershing 45, the iconic motorboat that changed sailing 40 years ago

In Italian motor boating, open boats - those best suited to living in the 'sunny' conditions of the Mediterranean - are a fundamental part. Today's ones owe their birth to the Pershing 45, which this year celebrates its 40th anniversary. The story, in reality, begins in 1981 when Tilli Antonelli, Fausto Filippetti and Giuliano Onori founded Cantieri Navali dell'Adriatico in Mondolfo, not far from Fano, and launched the first boat. Two years later, in 1983, the meeting with the emerging designer Fulvio De Simoni gave birth to the idea of ​​Pershing and the first 45' was designed. A size that in the mid-80s seemed the right size to achieve good diffusion. "We wanted an innovative boat and that was definitely it: at the time there was no 45-foot open boat with three cabins and three bathrooms, a central engine and the ability to sail quite quickly with little power. It was suitable for many types of people: from a young family with financial means to a larger one, because it had an internal space availability that was slightly outside the standards of the time" explains De Simoni, who has become one of the masters of design. No sooner said than done, it was built with a hull in Kevlar and composite made according to the techniques applied in the world of competition: hence a robustness much superior to that of a 'traditional' boat but with a significantly lower weight: 10.5 tons for a 15-meter (the exact length is 14.8 meters) which also had a sporty and very elegant line.

Produced in two versions, Open and Flybridge, the Pershing 45 was born in a panorama already accustomed to speed boats and sports boats, but not yet ready for the possibility of combining them with considerable liveability. Qualities that the new model immediately made its own, opening an incredible path for the range to come. One of the secrets is a medium-deep V hull with large external lateral skids (for good support at medium speeds), and four internal longitudinal skids, made especially for the stern area, thus increasing overall maneuverability and improving turning. The deck, in typical 80s style, had a large clear bow, entirely flush (i.e. without impediments) and usable as a sunbathing area along its entire length. In the cockpit, however, the helm station is placed behind the windshield, raised to improve visibility. Just aft, here is the cockpit furnished with a large L-shaped sofa, central table (convertible into a sunbathing area) and piano bar on the wall. Finally, on the transom, a flat surface that can be transformed into a solarium and a ladder to facilitate bathing and climbing back on board. The difference between the models lies exclusively in the superstructures, completely absent in the Open version, and with a rigid and opening top (the awning similar to the hood of a car cabriolet) in the Flying Bridge version.

For a sporty and sleek hull, the Pershing 45 immediately struck for its volumes and on-board liveability. Taking advantage of the over 4.2 meters of beam, in fact, De Simoni was able to create an unexpected layout and space by offering a standard of three double cabins and three bathrooms, in addition to the internal galley with lounge. In the specific case of the Open version, the third cabin (the one at the far stern) could optionally be transformed into a tender garage, at the owner's discretion. As for the engines, at the time of launch, the shipyard proposed three: a pair of Caterpillars of 380 HP each, replaceable by 2 Cummins of 425 HP, or by 2 Gm of 435 HP. In terms of performance, the maximum speed expected was a good 37 knots, with 32 knots as the indicated speed for the cruising regime. Today, some original examples can still be found with prices between 175 thousand and 200 thousand euros, while since 1998 the Pershing shipyard (the former Cna) has been part of the Ferretti group and continues to build yachts - longer as the trend dictates and with many cabins - with a sporty layout and powerful engines. But the reference to the glorious 45 is always there. "The most important 'must' of a Pershing, beyond its size, is to offer speed in the greatest possible comfort. We created it 40 years ago, before the others" underlines De Simoni.