Pershing : The Cannes Super-Star...

The SILVER LIGHTNING of the seas is at it again...it's time to proudly parade that long Rooster-Tail once more...


...and we have a WINNER !

Pershing...the best performance yachts of all time...has up-ped its marque by winning 3 awards...and in the process created a furore when the Pershing 64 won 2 back-to-back awards at Cannes in the 'The 2008 World Yachts Trophies Gala Dinner'.

...an incredible three awards at the 31st edition of the Festival de la Plaisance!


THE CANNES PARADE

On 13th September 2008, a splendid parade of yachts crowned the 31st edition of the Festival International de la Plaisance in Cannes, one of the most elegant and eagerly awaited events in the worldwide yachting calendar.

For a while a cloudy sky threatened to spoil the atmosphere of the closing gala celebrations, but in the end the dinner and the Yacht Parade all went off perfectly, even surpassing expectations. And for the Pershing yachts the evening was a momentous triumph.

As usual, the Cannes Boat Show closed with the World Yacht Trophy awards. Organised by Yachts Magazine, these awards are presented to the craft the magazine considers to be the best in the yachting world for that particular year. And this year Pershing’s distinctive combination of class and refinement swept the table with no less that three trophies.


In the Open Yacht Under 24 Mt category the Pershing 64' carried off awards for both Best Design and Most Functional Design, raising the Italian shipyard’s enviable prize record to even greater heights.


Then the Pershing 80’ won the trophy for the Most Innovative Boat in the Open Yacht Over 24 Mt category. This trophy was awarded after an appraisal of the craft’s structural design that guarantees superior overall performance and therefore a more luxurious onboard lifestyle for the owner.

It is no coincidence either that the two Pershing models received nominations in almost all categories, including Best Design, Most Functional Design, Best Decor (best internal layout) and Most Innovative Design.


WHY A WINNER...

These yachts boast numerous elements that make them stand out in this increasingly innovative segment.

First and foremost they are constructed using advanced techniques, such as the special Scrimp System fibreglass vacuum moulding process.


They also include a series of refined features that enhance every moment of life onboard, like the slideaway glass partition designed in collaboration with Besenzoni, the extendable and retractable hard top with its twin electric drive mechanism and the Genius gangplank that doubles as a swimming ladder.


And lastly, these craft boast highly original design elements, such as the special open-view maxi window in the Master Cabin, situated in the centre of the boat, which is a remarkably light and airy feature, thanks to the openable porthole set into the glass.


ADVANCED ENGINEERING

The Pershing 80’ and the Pershing 64’ demonstrate how Pershing insists on adopting only the most advanced technology and providing owners and their guests with new ways of surprising the future. This is the spirit that matches these new yachts perfectly with the brand’s new communication campaign: only the greatest ideas come true.


POWER, SPEED, INNOVATION...

A vision that focuses on the new, the unexplored, the yet to come and the need to improve and put oneself constantly to the test. Pershing is all this. Because ideas only become great when they are transformed into concrete actions. When they prove their brilliance by facing reality.


A GALA WITH A SPECIAL CAUSE

'The 2008 World Yachts Trophies Gala Dinner' ceremony was held in the splendid setting of the Hotel Carlton Inter-Continental beach terrace and the spectacular event was attended by some of the most famous celebrities in the world of international yachting.


The Pershing President, Tilli Antonelli, yacht designer Fulvio De Simoni and CEO Fabio Fraternale collected the awards personally, in front of an audience of a thousand invited guests.


This year, the gala evening, organised once again by Michel Karsenti’s Lux Media Group team, included a major new charity initiative. This involved introducing a subscription fee for every boat taking part in the parade, a move that succeeded in raising 41,500 Euros which the Yachts Magazine Group then donated to the ELA (European Leukodystrophy Association), an institution specialised in helping children suffering from muscular dystrophy .

80 AND 64

Pershing chose to enrol its leading models, the Pershing 80’ and Pershing 64’ at Cannes, as the French Salon is a natural continuation from the success enjoyed by the two craft during the Pershing Sea Show, this summer. This highly original event, in its second edition this year, moored in a number of prestige locations including the Milan Furniture Show, Portorose and Palma de Majorca.


At each of these stopovers the spectacular design and features of these splendid yachts succeeded in attracting attention and enchanting yachting experts as well as the press and the general public. Cannes was therefore the ideal place to continue the cruise.

And once again this year the Festival proved to be a not-to-be-missed opportunity for attracting worldwide attention and sizing up sector competitors. After all, this is an event that Pershing has created a very special bond with over the years and this, combined with its unique, prestigious atmosphere makes it the natural choice for celebrating the opening of the yachting season in style.

For more of our coverage on Cannes 2008...click here.
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Fast Yachts : ARNESON Surface Drive-n

Super-Chargers, Turbo-Chargers, NOS, Compressors...fast cars have their fair share of boosting speeds to keep speedoholics pressing down on the right pedal...


When it comes to boats...the Arneson Surface Drives are the catalysts that converts your boat into a SPEED-DEMON...and at the same time they are efficient and maintenance-free...

NEED FOR SPEED

Conventional propulsion systems (usually assisted by shaft transmission and immersed propellors) allow a good performance for top speeds of 30 knots...maximum 40 knots!

In order to reach speeds in the range of 40, 50, 60 knots at regular intervals and with ease...the Arneson Surface Drives have proven to be the best technology in recent years.

ARNESON AND ITS MODELS

The articulated system, developed by Howard Arneson and known as the Arneson Surface Drive (ASD), allows the driver to change the amount of prop in or out required as per draft conditions.


The Arneson Surface Drives are among the most efficient marine propulsion systems in the world. Their surface-piercing propeller design reduces underwater drag by 50% compared to conventional submerged propeller drive systems. The only surfaces to contact the water are propeller blades and a protective skeg. This results in higher overall speed, quicker acceleration, and a better payload to power ratio... AND... 50% less drag significantly improves fuel economy while lowering operating costs.

For work, pleasure, gas, diesel, or turbine power systems capable of torque outputs exceeding 30,000 ft. pounds, the Arneson Surface Drives come in ten model sizes and various configurations for each model. Available in, Aluminum or bronze castings, straight or drop-center models, 12 or 24 volt compatible systems, plus the new Arneson Dual-Fin surface drives available in the ASD8 and ASD10 models.

BENEFITS

Some of the benefits commonly associated with Arneson Surface Drives are :-

1) More Speed - 15% to 30% speed increase over conventional systems

2) More Efficient - 15% to 30% increase in fuel efficiency

3) Easy to maintain - Corrosion resistant

4) Flexibility - Propellors can be adjusted when underway.

5) Comfortable - Less Vibration than Inboard or I/O applications

6) Platform-Independent - Adaptable to a wide range of engine applications, whether gas, diesel, or turbine; and of various outputs.

INDUSTRY SPEAK

Pershing - one of the most famous makes of Italian luxury yachts, has the Arneson Surface Drive on almost all of its range - from the Pershing 50 to the Pershing 90!


Alessandro Diomedi says "Arneson is simply a more efficient system, that means going faster with the same gas, therefore arriving to destination earlier, therefore burning less fuel.

Or going at the same speed at but with less RPM as compared with a conventional shaft system.

In all, more efficient means saving on gas too, and it's more and more important nowadays.

On top of that there are great advantages in terms of handling of the craft, maintenance and usage in shallow draft, that come with the Arneson system.

Which is why we install only Arneson on our range and not as an option but as a standard."

The fact that Pershing use various models of the Arneson Surface Drive over their range should put a lot of misconceptions to rest.

We will be see more and more extensive use of this technology as the Indian market matures for the kind of boats that use the Arneson Surface Drive. Read more...

"It's all about selling emotions..."

Tilli Antonelli - a name that sends ripples in the Italian yachting fraternity...doesn't need any introduction. This true-blue Italian apart from being the Founder and President of none other than the most passionate line of yachts - PERSHING - believes that 'It's all about selling emotions' when it comes to yachts.


It was clearly a matter of good fortune for Team GIIRA when Mr. Gautama Dutta of Marine Solutions invited us to have a light chat over breakfast with the man himself. Little did we realise what we were in for until we got down to talking about everything from yachts, Italian design, Valentino Rossi - and most importantly - emotion.

GIIRA Yachts, proudly presents to everybody a small encounter with the man who is the Vision behind Pershing.

THE MAN

At one glance, Tilli seems like a very calm and composed man, relaxed in his chair. His demeanour is very much of a royal and at the same time humble man. Until you reach out your palm to shake hands - that's when you realise the power behind his calm exterior.

That's when we start talking about Pershing (obviously)...about how Tilli was initially just a sailor, who excelled at this passion...and as he moved ahead in terms of competitive racing...how one thing led to the other...and Pershing came about.


He makes it sound as something very simple, but to sustain a successful run from 1981 onwards until now, is surely a feat of its own.

Born in 1955 and happily married with 3 children, his love for boats started as a young boy and he went on to sail on the 'Moro de Venezia' alongside Raoul Gardini. And it was around this time, that he made the highly intuitive move of becoming a boat constructor.

We talk about how the Pershing is in a class of its own. That's when Tilli brings to our notice about how it is the love for what you do that is the key to what you do.

ON INDIA

In terms of India, we ask Tilli about his insights regarding India and the Indian market over the next few months and down the years. To this he replied that in a year or two time there would be a good change in the market and people would be more acceptable to owning a yacht and to appreciate everything that went into it.


When queried if they saw making any special changes for Indian requirements, Tilli mentioned that the Pershings that would be sold would require very little changes in order to cope up with Indian conditions and yacht-owning culture.

Also, he mentioned that there would definitely be a couple of Pershings in India by the time the Mumbai International Boat Show happens next year.

NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS

"When it is sold, it is just the start..." - with these same words, Tilli emphasized on the fact that buying a boat is just a small part of the process but nurturing the ownership is what Pershing is all about.

Tilli mentioned to us that they have seen this current scenario that the Indian market is undergoing in other countries, and how they have coped with it. He mentioned that what they have done previously is nurtured owners to use their Pershings optimally.

Also, they have literally parented Pershing owners to ensure that both them and the boats are happy at the end of the day. As he said, it is all about the PERSONAL TOUCH.

ON A LIGHTER VEIN

The entire conversation was about power, passion and a gamut of positive emotions personified. We ask of Tilli's well-known passion for bikes. He tells us all about how important form and design are important as well as POWER, when it comes to him chosing a bike for himself.

He happily mentions about Valentino Rossi who he says is as jovial in real life as he is on TV...and a proud friend of his.

His words and style are typically Italian since he talks about all things Italian - love and emotion.


He makes something as technical and mechanical as yacht-making sound as though it is some emotion mechanically replicated. It is not much a surprise when we get to know that he is still completely involved in all the work processes that go hand-in-hand to complete every Pershing coming out of its yard in Mondolfo, Italy.

It is this passion that goes into making Pershings keep them at the top of our hearts also.

Thank you Tilli...
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