Benetti New Web Site

Benetti presents its new web site. Founded in 1873 by Lorenzo Benetti who acquires the Darsena boat yard near Lucca. Lorenzo managed the yard for forty years till 1914, building in his time more than thirty vessels; five schooners, three tartanes, thirteen brigantine-schooners, eight “navicelli” boats, and three cutters.  Lorenzo is followed by sons Gino and Emilio who rename the business to Frattelli Benetti, and in 1921 launch the St. George, which at 51 meters is the largest sailing ship to date.  The St. George is in 1952 transformed into a training ship for navy helmsman students, and today can be seen on display at the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.  1927 sees more of the Benetti family getting involved in the business with Giuseppe and Virgilio; Gino's two sons succeeding him, while Maurizio and Bertani, Emilio heirs also join the company. Bertani and Emilio will in 1941 launch Maria the first diesel powered steel hulled ship.  In 1954 the yard is split into two parts; Fratelli Benetti concentrating on sailing and motor boats, and M&B Benetti yard which is dedicated to commercial vessels. In 1960 Benetti enters yachting with the semi production Delfino 18M, which with the updated Super Delfino 19 meter which arrived in 1964 will be delivered in 21 units in eleven years.  Delfino is followed by the larger Tirreno 22.40 meters in 1962.  Emilio's nephew Giuseppe take the helm in 1963, and is helped by his son Lorenzo who will become an important figure in Benetti's yachting expansion.  Benetti shows the scope of super yachting in 1965 when it launches the Mediterraneo 28 meters delivered in two units, the size expands more with the Mediterraneo 33M in 1967 delivered in three hulls in three years.  In 1978 Benetti launches Vanina, a two tonner aluminium made sailing yacht designed by American architect Kauffmann to compete in the Admirals cup, and is joined by sister-yacht Wagner the following year.  In 1980 the largest super yacht of the time and Benetti is launched for owner Adrian Kashoggi as the Jon Banenberg designed 86 metres FB116 titled Nabila at launch is delivered.  After a couple difficult years in bankruptcy Benetti is acquired in 1985 by Azimut Yachts founder and owner Paolo Vitelli.  This creates the Azimut-Benetti Group and two years into this ownership launches the first yacht, the steel built 45 meters FB202 titled Rima to a design of Terrence Disdale, which becomes a semi-custom series as it is followed by a second hull FB204 in 1988.  In 1988 a big feat surrounds Benetti with the building of FB206, the 27 meter Azimut Atlantic Challenger powered by quadruple 1850hp CRM engines with Riva Calzoni jet propulsion for speeds up to sixty knots, which makes a failed attempt to win the Blue Ribbon for the fastest Atlantic Crossing, failed because of a engine problem. Following the collaboration in 1991 for the updated second generation 45M semi custom series the Zuretti and Natucci duo is confirmed to design the 50 meters Golden Bay series, which arrived in 1997 and is delivered in seven hulls in eleven years. 1998 sees an important strategic move with the purchase of the Moschini yard in Fano completed in 2002, and the launching of the first fiberglass built Benetti 35 metre Classic, which will sell 27 units in an eight year production run.  Following the success of the 35m Classic the fiberglass line is expanded in 2003 with the 30M Tradition, and then into more models from the smallest thus far 85 Legend produced in 2006 to 2009, to the Vision 45m build in three units from 2011 to 2014.  In 2000 the 70 meter FB222 is launched, titled Reverie she is at the time the second largest Benetti in length ever built, sixteen meters smaller to FB116 but bigger in volume by 207 gross tons.  In 2003 Azimut-Benetti Group buys the Fratelli Orlando shipyard in Livorno, which will open as a hub for mega and giga yacht production over eighty meters in 2016.  In that same 2016 Benetti goes bigger to eighty meters after 36 years as it launches the 90 meters FB262, this again superseded after three years with the 108 meters FB275.  Currently Benetti offers seven yacht series; Custom, B.Loft, B.Now, B.Yond, Oasis, Motopanfilo, Class, and B.Neos. Benetti semi custom line offers fourteen models which start with the fiberglass build Oasis 34M and goes up to the semi-custom steel build B.Now 72M Oasis Deck.  Benetti new web site takes you around with the following buttons; Home, Yacht Families, House of Yachting, Service Net, News and Events, and Contacts.  Benetti is also on social media, with bottom right links taking you to its Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Linkedin pages. 
www.benettiyachts.it 

Production History (only semi-production series showing) 

Delfino 18M 1960-64 (21) *includes Super Delfino

Tirreno 22.40 m 1962-66 (6)

Super Delfino 19 m 1964-71 (21) *includes Delfino

Mediterraneo 28M 1965-66 (2)

Gabbiano 22M 1966-69

Mediterraneo 33M 1967-70 (3)

Super Gabbiano 23m 1969-73

31,50 1969-73 (5)

26 D 1973-77 (5) *25D project

26 1974 (1) 

26 md 1974

25 S 1974-76

26 S 1976-83

27 mtr 1976-81

23 S 1977-83 (8) *22 S project

21 D 1979-83

1985 Paolo Vitelli Azimut ownership

45M 1987-88 (2)

Allseas 40 1989-91 (2)  Azimut ownership

45M (ii) 1991-94 (2)

Golden Bay 50m 1997-2008 (7)

Classic 115 1998-2006 (27)  Benetti enters fiberglass semi-production series

Vision 140 2002-10 (14)

30M Tradition 2003-2009 (20)

56M 2005-12 (4)

59M 2006-11 (6)

Classic 120 2006-10 (20)

85 Legend 2007-2009 (6)

64.5M 2009-11 (2)

Class 105 Tradition 2010-13 (5)

Class 93 Delfino 2010-16 (14)

47M 2010-14 (3)

Classic 121 2011-17 (10)

Crystal 140 2011-18 (9)

Vision 145 2011-14 (3)

Supreme 132 2012-20 (13)

Supreme 108 2014-17 (5)

Fast 140 Veloce 2014-19 (7) *Azimut Grande 140 project

Fast 125 Vivace 2015-21 (11) *Azimut Grande 126 project

FB800 50m 2015-18 (3)

Mediterraneo 116 2016-21 (10)

Delfino 95 2018-21 (11)

Diamond 145 2020-24 (7)

Oasis 40M 2020- (30

Oasis 34M 2022- (13

B.Now 50M 2022-25 (21

B.Yond 37M 2022- (9

Motopanfilo 37M 2021- (10

Class 44M 2025- (2

B.Now 67M 2025- (5

Benetti debuts in yachting with the Delfino 18M in 1960