Destriero

In short

Destriero is a 67.7-metre aluminium motor yacht that Fincantieri built in less than a year at its Muggiano and Riva Trigoso yards in 1991 for one task: to cross the Atlantic faster than any ship before her (Fincantieri, SuperYacht Times). The project grew out of Prince Karim Aga Khan's interest in naval technology; he was then president of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and sponsored the challenge, and Donald Blount designed the hull with styling input from Pininfarina (SuperYacht Times, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda). On 6–9 August 1992, with three gas turbines of about 60,000 hp in total, she ran 3,106 nautical miles from Ambrose Light, New York, to Bishop Rock in 58 hours, 34 minutes and 50 seconds at an average of 53.09 knots, without refuelling and 21 hours faster than the previous record holder, the catamaran Hoverspeed (Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Fincantieri). Fincantieri still called the record unbeaten in 2017, and in 2024 the Italian yachting press reported that the yacht, laid up without her turbines at the Lürssen yard in Bremen, was to be broken up there (Fincantieri, Barche a Motore).

• Virgin Atlantic Trophy, presented by Richard Branson for the fastest crossing with no regulation limits, 5 September 1992 — Fincantieri, press release: 25th anniversary of the Destriero challenge, SuperYacht Times, Fincantieri celebrates 20th anniversary of Destriero record
• Columbus Atlantic Trophy of the New York Yacht Club, for the double Atlantic crossing, 1992 — SuperYacht Times, Fincantieri celebrates 20th anniversary of Destriero record, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Destriero: a record still unbeaten after 30 years
• Blue Riband, which the Italian liner Rex had won in 1933, as described by Fincantieri; YachtBuyer notes that the Hales Trophy itself was not awarded, as it was reserved for commercial passenger ships — Fincantieri, press release: 25th anniversary of the Destriero challenge, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Destriero: a record still unbeaten after 30 years, YachtBuyer, Destriero