Racing sailing yacht SIMBA

with deck saloonketch

Overview
SY SIMBA – 25 M KETCH (1988). Launched in 1988 and formerly named Marisa, S/Y Simba was the first Perini Navi commissioned by an owner who would later return to the yard for a second yacht. A world champion in offshore powerboat racing and a lifelong engine enthusiast, he immediately recognised the technological originality behind Perini Navi’s approach to sailing. His choice was significant: it demonstrated how the yard’s innovation already resonated beyond the traditional, inward-looking circle of sailing purists, attracting individuals driven by performance, engineering, and technical intuition rather than convention.

Design Identity
At 25 metres, Simba expressed a refined balance between compact dimensions and architectural clarity. Her interiors, as reflected in the warm wood panelling and rational layouts, were conceived for comfort and continuity rather than spectacle, favouring usability and proportion. The main saloon and guest areas reveal a design language focused on coherence: soft forms, integrated storage, and an atmosphere that privileged life on board over visual excess. Every space was designed to feel purposeful, calm, and naturally connected to the yacht’s overall rhythm.

Signature Advances
Simba’s significance lies not in a single radical invention, but in what she represented: a point of convergence between sailing innovation and a mindset shaped by high-performance motor sport. For an owner accustomed to speed and mechanical precision, Perini Navi’s automated systems and engineering logic were immediately intelligible. This early crossover appeal confirmed the yard’s broader relevance. Simba proved that Perini Navi’s technological vision could speak fluently to different cultures of performance, establishing a dialogue that would later become central to the brand’s identity.

Notable facts

• Type: Sailing yacht, ketch rig
• Length: 25 m
• Year launched: 1988
• Former name: Marisa

Specifications

• Builder: PERINI NAVI
• Naval Architect: Murphy & Nye
• Exterior Design: Murphy & Nye
• Interior Design: PERINI NAVI
• Length overall: 25 m
• Vessel type: S/Y (sailing yacht), ketch
• Launch year: 1988
• Former name: Marisa