Bellini Astor 36: The Dazzling Revival of Bellini Yachts' After 50-Year Intermission

Half a century after their untimely exit from the boat market, Bellini Yachts is making a splash once more, re-establishing their roots with the launch of their new boat, the Bellini Astor 36. This family-owned Italian yard was once famous in the 1960s for creating wooden runabouts comparable in style and performance to Riva. Unfortunately, following the ill health of its founder Battista Bellini, production came to a halt in the early 1970s. The company then shifted focus to storage, sales, and restoration. Fast forward to 2023, a new generation of Bellinis is bringing the company back to its origins.

The Bellini Astor 36 does not offer any radical innovation in its layout, but it effectively strikes the right chords for an open Med-style sportscruiser. Included in the price are the folding balconies that extend the beam to over 6m when open. A functional looking T-top provides just enough shade to cover the helm and dinette.

The lower deck, while compact, appears well-resolved, with a generous amount of space around the island bed forward, and a subtle double mattress tucked behind the stairs. An assortment of petrol and diesel sterndrive engine options are available to buyers, and uniquely for a niche Italian brand, there’s a UK dealer, Sebino Yachts, based in Christchurch, Dorset.

The Bellini Astor 36, blending the allure of the past with the sophistication of the present, is truly a triumphant return for Bellini Yachts’ trademark glamour to the world of boating.