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Burrasca, the Perini Navi that continues to write its story

Burrasca brings more than two decades of Perini Navi heritage into a new chapter, with an extensive refit, new sails and a charter programme spanning Mediterranean and international waters

Burrasca, the 58-metre Perini Navi sailing yacht, returns to the spotlight after her 2024 refit, combining charter cruising, regattas and long-distance sailing

Burrasca belongs to a generation of sailing yachts that helped define the modern identity of Perini Navi. Delivered in 2003 as part of the Italian shipyard’s celebrated 56-metre series, she now reaches 58 metres following the transom extension completed during her latest refit. More than two decades after her launch, she continues to cruise, race and welcome charter guests while remaining true to her original character as a large ketch designed for serious passage-making.

From 56 to 58 metres without losing her identity

Naval architecture is by Ron Holland Design, while Perini Navi developed both the exterior and interior design. The hull and superstructure are built in aluminium, with a volume of 497 GT and a beam of 11.58 metres.

Her current 58-metre length also tells the story of how the yacht has evolved. A 2.3-metre extension to the transom created a larger platform closer to the water, changing the relationship with the sea without altering the yacht’s overall character. It is a transformation that reflects the way large sailing yachts are enjoyed today, when time spent at anchor can be every bit as important as the passage itself.

A refit designed to keep her sailing

Between 2023 and 2024 Burrasca returned to the shipyard for an extensive programme of works. The project covered the entire rigging system, the main engines and generators, including the installation of new units designed to reduce NOx emissions. A new set of North Sails was also added.

This was therefore much more than a cosmetic refresh or an update to the guest areas. A substantial part of the work focused on the systems that allow Burrasca to remain, first and foremost, a sailing yacht, maintaining reliability and efficiency over long distances.

Sailing remains at the heart of the experience

Burrasca’s character becomes particularly clear once she leaves the anchorage. In 2025 the ketch won the Grand Prize at the Cyclades Cup, adding another achievement to a competitive history that began with victory at the inaugural Perini Navi Cup in 2004.

That record offers another way to understand the yacht. Her dimensions, generous interiors and extensive charter facilities have not diminished her connection with sailing. Burrasca remains a yacht built to travel under sail, and the renewed rigging and sail wardrobe reinforce precisely this side of her personality.

A home at sea for twelve guests

The current configuration accommodates up to 12 guests. Fraser lists six cabins, including a private office on the main deck that can be converted into a sixth guest suite with a double bed and ensuite bathroom.

The owner’s suite offers an especially generous arrangement, with two dressing rooms, a study and private access to the gym. The layout therefore allows the yacht to adapt equally well to families or groups of friends who want to share the voyage while retaining a degree of privacy on board.

A crew of ten looks after the yacht and her guests, playing an important role not only during navigation but throughout the day-to-day experience of an extended charter.

Wellness far from the shore

One of the less expected features for a sailing yacht of this generation is the range of dedicated wellness facilities. Burrasca includes a gym, sauna and steam room, together with a spa pool/Jacuzzi.

These spaces also show how the idea of charter has evolved over the years. The experience is no longer centred exclusively on the destination or the act of sailing. Time spent on board has become an essential part of the journey, particularly during days at anchor when swimming, sport and relaxation can follow one another without any need to go ashore.

The extended transom platform strengthens this connection with the water, while a selection of water toys, watersports equipment and scuba gear broadens the possibilities during stops along the way.

Five thousand nautical miles beyond the Mediterranean

Twin Deutz engines producing 1,240 hp each complement her sailing capability. Fraser reports a 13-knot cruising speed, a maximum speed of 16 knots and a range of approximately 5,000 nautical miles.

Those figures bring the focus back to Burrasca’s original vocation. She is not simply a large yacht intended to move between neighbouring bays, but a platform capable of undertaking substantial passages. Fraser currently lists her for summer charter in the Mediterranean, particularly Greece, while winter cruising grounds also include the Caribbean and the Middle East.

The appeal of a yacht that continues to evolve

Looking at Burrasca today also offers an insight into how a large sailing yacht can evolve without erasing the qualities that made her distinctive. The Perini Navi and Ron Holland project dates from the early 2000s, but the refit addresses contemporary expectations with easier access to the sea, new sails, upgraded machinery, wellness facilities, connectivity and a greater emphasis on life at anchor.

The result does not attempt to turn Burrasca into an entirely different yacht. Instead, it preserves the character of a large Perini Navi ketch and carries it forward, allowing sailing, travel and time spent at sea to remain at the centre of her identity.

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Fraser Yachts – Burrasca

31 August 2026
© MED Yachting Editorial Team
Burrasca, the Perini Navi that continues to write its story
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The information in this article has been sourced from and adapted from official sources and/or press releases, in accordance with our editorial code of ethics.