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Belle Brise, when rebuilding means giving a yacht a new life

New engines, systems and electronics, but the same Perini Navi identity: Belle Brise shows how much a superyacht can change without losing its history

Built by Perini Navi in 1993, the 48-metre Belle Brise returns to the water after an extensive rebuild combining heritage, technology and a new operational life

In 1993 she was called Corelia. More than thirty years later, the same 48-metre hull is back at sea as Belle Brise, following a programme that goes far beyond the traditional meaning of a refit.

Built by Perini Navi and kept by the same owner throughout her original life, Belle Brise underwent an extensive reconstruction at Lusben in Livorno between 2023 and 2026. Engines, generators, electrical systems, piping, navigation electronics and numerous onboard systems were replaced or comprehensively overhauled. At the same time, much of the yacht’s original identity was preserved.

It is precisely this balance that makes the project interesting: how much can a yacht change without ceasing to be the same yacht?

Not a new yacht, but a new life

Belle Brise belongs to Perini Navi’s 48-metre ketch series developed in the early 1990s, when the shipyard was consolidating a new approach to large sailing yachts: substantial dimensions, ocean-going autonomy and sail-management systems designed to reduce the number of people required for manoeuvres.

The yacht has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, while both the original exterior and interior design were developed by Perini Navi.

The rebuild did not attempt to erase those origins. On the contrary, one of the declared objectives was to preserve them, updating what time and technological progress had made necessary without turning Belle Brise into an entirely different yacht.

Below the surface, almost everything changes

The most significant transformations are often the least visible.

The engine room was extensively reconstructed and two new 800 hp MAN V8 engines were installed, together with new exhaust and emissions-treatment systems. New Caterpillar generators were added, alongside numerous pumps, air-conditioning components, electrical systems, wiring and switchboards.

The wheelhouse moved away from its old analogue consoles to contemporary Furuno navigation equipment, while new monitoring and connectivity systems were installed, including a Starlink configuration.

The lifting keel, one of the yacht’s most technically complex features, also underwent major work, including replacement of its main hydraulic cylinder.

The result is not simply a yacht restored cosmetically. Much of its technical heart now belongs to a far more recent generation.

Sailing remains part of her identity

Belle Brise is not a motor yacht with masts serving as visual decoration. The original Perini Navi concept was centred on sailing, and the rebuild has maintained that philosophy.

The aluminium masts underwent non-destructive testing, restoration and repainting. Cabling, lighting and spreaders were updated, while the original Perini Navi winches and hydraulic systems were overhauled.

The sail-management system was also modernised while retaining the principle originally developed by Fabio Perini: bringing many operations together through hydraulic systems and centralised controls, making it possible to manage a large ketch with a relatively limited crew.

It is a practical example of how a rebuild can introduce new technology without erasing the original design philosophy.

Restoring rather than replacing

The approach is different again inside. Here, the objective was not to make Belle Brise unrecognisable or to turn her into a yacht that looks newly built in 2026.

Work included restoration of the solid mahogany joinery, marble surfaces and numerous original details. Even original switches and outlets were restored, while lighting was converted to energy-efficient LED technology.

Other areas, where safety and functionality required more substantial intervention, were completely rebuilt. The galley, for example, received new insulation, pipework, professional appliances and a walk-in cold store.

The boundary between preservation and replacement was therefore different throughout the yacht. Each space was approached according to what could still be retained and what genuinely needed to evolve.

Safety evolves too

A yacht designed in the early 1990s now has to meet technical and regulatory standards that have changed considerably.

Belle Brise’s transition to commercial status under the Maltese flag required work to satisfy American Bureau of Shipping and Malta Flag requirements, including upgrades to firefighting systems, emergency procedures and life-saving equipment.

These features are rarely visible in photographs, yet they are essential when the objective is not simply to restore a historic object but to return it to contemporary operational life.

Belle Brise is now commercially registered as a 2026 rebuild.

48 metres that retain their history

Belle Brise measures 48.15 metres overall with a beam of 9.20 metres. Her lifting keel changes draught from 3.32 metres when raised to 7.65 metres when fully lowered.

She accommodates eight guests in four cabins and has a declared cruising speed under power of around 12 knots, with a maximum of 14 knots.

Yet perhaps the least interesting figure associated with Belle Brise is her age.

After a project of this scale, it becomes difficult to determine where the yacht of 1993 ends and the yacht of 2026 begins. The hull, proportions, parts of the interior and, above all, the character belong to her history. The systems, safety equipment, electronics and much of the engineering belong firmly to the present.

The value of what already exists

The project raises a question that concerns an increasing part of the global superyacht fleet.

When a yacht has a sound design, substantial construction and a recognisable identity, does age necessarily have to lead to replacement?

A rebuild of this scale demands considerable resources, expertise and investment, and it is not automatically the right solution for every yacht. Belle Brise does, however, demonstrate that in some cases there is a third route between keeping a yacht exactly as she is and commissioning an entirely new vessel.

What still has value can be preserved, while what no longer meets contemporary requirements can be rebuilt.

It is an approach that goes beyond heritage. It also touches on how the yachting world may begin to view its existing fleet over the coming years.

A new chapter in Monaco

Following her return to the water and subsequent arrival in Malta, Belle Brise will appear at the Monaco Yacht Show from 23 to 26 September 2026, where she will be presented to the international superyacht community and prospective new owners.

The yacht is currently offered for sale at €19.95 million.

Beyond the sale itself, however, Belle Brise brings a more interesting story to Monaco than her asking price: that of a yacht born more than thirty years ago that did not need to become something completely different.

She was simply given the tools to continue her journey.

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Belle Brise

22 September 2026
© MED Yachting Editorial Team
Belle Brise, when rebuilding means giving a yacht a new life
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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.