FROM A TUSCAN BOATYARD TO A BUILDER WITH A POINT OF VIEW
In a market where many yachts look like variations on a theme, Sanlorenzo is that rarer thing, a builder with a point of view. Its boats are instantly identifiable without being flashy, and its approach to the yacht as a designed object, rather than a product assembled from options, has built a following among owners who care as much about how a boat looks and feels as how fast it goes. It is a reputation that took decades to build, and then accelerated sharply.
A Long Road from Wood to Fibreglass
The yard was founded in 1958 in Tuscany and for years built wooden boats. In 1972 it was bought by Giovanni Jannetti, under whom it moved into fibreglass; its first fibreglass model, the SL57, appeared in 1985. The company settled in Ameglia, on the Ligurian coast, in 1999, and the site remains its centre of production for the composite yachts. These were solid, respected boats. The more dramatic chapter was still to come.
The Perotti Years
In 2005 Massimo Perotti, a former senior manager at Azimut-Benetti, acquired a controlling interest and set the company on a different course, concentrating on the superyacht segment. New production sites followed in Viareggio and La Spezia, the latter home to a dedicated superyacht division. Revenue grew from tens of millions of euros in the mid-2000s to several hundred million by 2021. Growth on that scale could have diluted the brand. Instead the yard doubled down on design, bringing in architects and designers from outside yachting to shape its interiors and its exterior lines.
Three Families of Yacht
The range is organised into series, and each has a distinct character. The SL series are the classic Sanlorenzo planing yachts, roughly in the range of twenty-seven to thirty-seven metres. The SD series are semi-displacement boats built for long-range cruising, such as the SD96, with hulls that deliver efficiency and a comfortable ride over distance. The SX line, a crossover, blends sports-yacht attitude with a more open, outdoor-focused layout. The lengths overlap, so choosing between them is about how you cruise and what you want your decks to do.
The Asymmetric Idea
The most striking innovation is the Asymmetric series, which includes the SL90A and SL96A. Instead of walkways down both sides of the yacht, the A series uses a single-side deck layout, freeing up the other side for interior volume. The effect is a saloon of unusual width and light, with a feeling of space that belongs to a much larger yacht. It is an idea that sounds simple and is hard to execute, and it is a good illustration of how Sanlorenzo thinks: by starting with how people actually live on board and designing from there.
On Board
Interiors are where the design thinking is most visible. Spaces are planned around light and the relationship with the water, with large glazed surfaces, generous ceiling heights where the structure allows, and materials chosen for tactile quality rather than display. The outdoor areas are treated with the same care: beach clubs, forward lounges and aft terraces are conceived as rooms rather than leftover space. Aboard a Sanlorenzo it is common to find that the exterior and the interior seem to have been drawn by the same hand, which is more unusual in yachting than it should be, and which gives the yachts a calm, resolved quality that photographs only partly capture.
A Bespoke Philosophy
Sanlorenzo does not treat the yacht as a catalogue item. Owners are involved in decisions about layout, materials and finish, and the yard is known for offering a high degree of personalisation within each series. For a buyer on the second-hand market this has a consequence worth understanding: each boat reflects its first owner’s choices, so the interior of one SL96A may differ markedly from another. A good broker will help you see past the styling to the quality underneath.
What to Look For When Buying
Because these are significant yachts, due diligence matters. Request the full refit history, engine and generator hours, and the most recent survey. Check the condition of the interior finishes, which reflect both the original specification and the way the yacht has been used. Understand how the boat has been operated, whether privately or on charter, and verify the class and flag documentation. Where a yacht has been heavily personalised, think about resale appeal alongside your own tastes.
To see what is available now, browse The Yacht Collection’s selection of Sanlorenzo yachts for sale, chosen for condition and specification. The brokers at The Yacht Collection can explain the differences between the series and help you assess what suits the way you plan to use the yacht.
A Voice That Carried
Sanlorenzo grew quickly without losing its voice, which is harder than it looks. The boats are recognisable, considered and consistently well finished, and collectors follow them for exactly those reasons.
