Thought to take care of a new type of demand, the new Perini has been developed jointly by Philippe Briand and the design team from Perini Navi, whose aim is to repeat with that range the success of their wellknown steel ketches.

The election of Philippe Briand as the architect of the sloop aimed for performance that we present here opens a new era in the history of Perini Navi. Until now, although it is sure that some units of the blue ships that Perini has in Viareggio had left influenced in their design by Ron Holland or Ed Dubois; their boats have always had the unmistakable mark of the house, with the shapes and the parameters created by the cabinet of Perini. On the other hand, this new model offers, its own personality where if something stands out, is the style created by the French designer.
They say in the company that a client eager to combine the quality and the reliability of Perini with a kind of more dynamic navigation was the catalyst of the project. The sloop format with flush deck, interrupted by a glassed deck house but not very voluminous, and equipped with a relax cockpit plus an ample manoeuvre area has demonstrated its effectiveness on sailboats over thirty meters and for that reason it was approved. For the election of Briand the recent units signed by the designer from La Rochelle were wor th as much, among which Hamilton II stand out, as well as his experience collaborating with the CNB shipyard, of similar size to Perini.
Both the length and displacement parameters, as well as the decision to build in aluminium and the distribution of the accommodation were worked jointly between the future owner and the team of Perini that immediately saw the possibility of turning the sailboat into a future semi-series. Next was the work along with Briand, who recommended the use of a retractable bulb keel, a carbon mast with PBO rigging and a pair of tanks for water ballast. These had to compensate when sailing close hauled the disadvantage in the righting moment that the aluminium construction caused when the weight of the ballast was removed to move it to the hull and the deck.
The planned 135 tons displacement is medium or light, and will force Perini to watch the thicknesses in their construction. Combining that weight with a ver y long load waterline length and, mainly, a sail area that has a great height proportion, Briand promises high performance when close hauled, even improved by the depth and the effectiveness of the keel. The designer admits that in open courses, on the other hand, some knots would have been gained if an ultra light construction had been chosen, the weight having been reduced to 110 tons as on Hamilton II.

FLUSH DECK BUT WITH MANY DETAILS
The concept created combines originality with all the elements that nowadays are considered desirable on a boat of this length and performance. The plans show a deck of great modernity whose stern area, lowered by means of a recess on the transom and over the garage, tells about its search for aesthetics. Two minimal steering positions but equipped with lateral bench are complemented with a complete centreline console for the screens and the switches of the systems. The main sheet traveller is mounted over a flying arch that is used as a support for the awnings and the biminis, without obstructing or making look awful the silhouette of the deck house. This one is born as a natural continuation of some coamings of smooth curved volume that welcome on their thickness the ventilation outlets. The windows form a single spot whose clean finish over the teak deck gives an even cleaner aspect to the whole. The use of folding bollards and open chocks, stanchions or shrouds integrated on the bulwark, a prolongation of the hull, also help to reduce the visual obstructions. The same effect is obtained with the concealed furlers, the folding anchor hawse holes and the use of magic-trims deck that regulate the sheets hidden below. In front of the mast finally there is a coach roof descending to the crew quarters and hatches to access to the storage of a second tender and the life rafts.

ACCOMMODATION AMIDSHIPS
Used to the additional volume given by the steel construction and the fly bridge disposition, the design team at Perini Navi had to think about everything once again to create the accommodation of the new yacht. The exercise has been useful to not only take advantage of the space in a more rational way but also to choose new materials, much more modern that the usual panelled wood on board the Perini ketches, and mainly to create a new way of construction.
The examples along with this text show an extensive use of composite for pieces of furniture by the bulkheads, beds supports, stools and individual pieces. That, coupled to a well-taken care in the election of the coatings, plus a precise specification of the thicknesses and supports, will bring an immense weight saving at the time that it expands the available space when moving towards the hull and the deck the inhabitable volume.
The layout displayed offers two guests’ cabins that add up to the owner’s cabin astern, at the time as it concentrates the daily life in the glassed saloon and the relax cockpit, this last one connected by an ample companion way.The crew area includes a galley, a mess, the Captains’ cabin and two cabins with superposed bunks for the crew.

NEW RANGE
The will of Perini Navi is to create from this new project a range of new and faster sailboats, taking them to study very carefully all the options. The ballasted folding keel stands out, a sophisticated technology device that is, nevertheless, essential if one wants to combine the correct draft to cruise under sail and the ease to enter a port. They also decided to use composite for the deck house and the coamings that are added as a single piece over the aluminium deck. The rigging includes a staysail detachable stay and a brake for the halyard of the main. The provision for two tenders, one of which surpasses the 5 meters, is another sensible election to ensure the operation of the yacht. The same thing is valid for the central engine room, with space for the engine and two generators, and that for its volume and construction allows being MCA compliant. The facilities of the old Beconcini shipyard, recently acquired by Perini in La Spezia, will be the home of this collection of sailboats for whom, on the publishing date, they were still looking for a name. The unit under construction will be delivered in spring of 2008.