25th Anniversary of the Destriero’s Record Atlantic Crossing

25th Anniversary of the Destriero’s Record Atlantic Crossing

On August 9, 1992 – 25 years ago today – the motor yacht Destriero set the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing, a record that remains unbeaten to this day.

The monohull, built in 1991 in less than one year in the Fincantieri shipyard of Muggiano and Riva Trigoso, sailed 3,106 nautical miles without refueling, from Ambrose Light, N.Y. to Bishop Rock lightship on the Scilly Isles, England, in 58 hours at an average speed of 53 knots (reaching a maximum speed of 66 knots), claiming once more the Blue Riband, awarded in 1933 to the legendary transatlantic liner Rex.

The yacht also set a record on its return journey, awarded the Virgin Atlantic Trophy by the English business magnate Richard Branson on September 5, 1992, as well as the New York Yacht Club Columbus Atlantic Trophy. 

At that time, the Destriero was the largest unit in light alloy ever built, one of the ships with the highest efficiency, power and technology concentration, a real jewel of the Italian shipbuilding industry. At 67 meters long with a beam of 13 meters and 60,000 HP, the yacht was able to reach average speeds exceeding 60 knots.