Bellini Yacht Astor 38 “Pista”

In the always distinctive setting of the Principality of Monaco, Bellini Yacht invited us to test the one-off Astor 38 "Pista". One-off because this unit was fully customised for its owner, Francesco Castellacci, an AF Corse driver in the World Endurance Championship and a resident of the Monégasque city.

Monte Carlo as the venue for the test is a fitting choice. A symbol of wealth and exclusivity, the city also reflects the philosophy of Bellini Yacht, a yard that on one hand builds in series and on the other offers a customisation service capable of making every boat built a model in its own right, exclusive to its owner.

There are further connections. Home since 1929 to the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix and, since 1991, within Port Hercule, to the Monaco Yacht Show, Monte Carlo was the most fitting setting for presenting a boat built for a racing driver.

A bespoke project

Castellacci chose Bellini Yacht to build this example, approaching the yard and its customisation department directly. As the driver himself states:

"The Astor 38 Pista came out of a direct dialogue with Bellini and their customisation atelier. What struck me was the highly bespoke approach to the project: it isn’t only about choosing a boat, but about building it together, detail by detail. It was a process in which I could bring some elements of my world, that of racing, into a different but equally technical and carefully executed context. The result is something that fully represents me. The reference to the colours of my Ferrari LMGT3 Evo makes it even more personal, like a direct link between the track and the sea."

The department Castellacci refers to is B Atelier, the Bellini Yacht unit dedicated to customising series hulls. The team, made up of designers, craftspeople and technicians, follows the client through the whole process of defining the project, from the choice of special paintwork to handcrafted trim, from fabrics to detail materials. The approach the yard states for this department is a minimal one, without conspicuous logos or branding, with an aesthetic entrusted to the quality of the craftsmanship rather than to prominent distinguishing features.

Martina Bellini, Marketing Director of the Bellini Group, also comments on the genesis of the project:

"The Astor 38 represents the perfect blend of comfort and performance. When we began working with Francesco Castellacci, we knew we were creating something exceptional. Turning our production model into a one-off was a natural evolution. This yacht embodies our yard’s philosophy: bold ideas, uncompromising quality, meticulous attention to detail and the ability to turn a visionary concept into a refined reality."

The design

The Astor 38 Pista keeps the walkaround layout typical of the range, with generous exterior spaces intended for open-air life on board and interior volumes sufficient for a weekend at sea. The livery takes up the palette of the AF Corse team’s Ferrari: metallic silver for the hull and Modena yellow for the upper part of the windscreen frame. Exposed carbon details appear, including the shell of the helm seats, while the T-Top, painted to match, is built entirely in carbon fibre. On the two folding stern platforms, two metallic red elements have been set that graphically recall the headlights of racing cars. Red also recurs in the upholstery stitching and on the leather steering wheel, its centre marked by a band of the same colour, following a solution borrowed from the racing world.

The exterior

The exterior layout follows the walkaround arrangement, with an island sun pad aft that can be extended because it continues seamlessly with the sofa of the central living area; the backrest of the latter can be moved to enlarge the surface of the sun pad. There is a fixed, extendable table, along with a custom galley unit with sink, cooktop and refrigerator. The wide side decks allow the bow area to be reached safely, where a further sun pad and a forward-facing seat are located. Contact with the water is provided by the two opening stern platforms, positioned 70 centimetres above the waterline: a height chosen to maintain the hull’s dynamic balance both at rest and in waves. The deck is finished in synthetic teak. On either side of the aft sun pad, two opening gates have been installed, intended to increase the safety of Francesco Castellacci’s children while under way.

The helm station

The helm is arranged around a dual ergonomic seat for driver and co-driver, upholstered in selected fabrics and marked by details that recall the seats of the Ferrari Daytona. The dashboard integrates a twin Simrad display, customised in its graphics together with the technicians of the Navico group. The two engines, two Volvo Penta V8 petrol units of 380 hp each, are controlled by a Volvo Penta electronic throttle.

The interior

The fabrics and colours of the interior spaces were also customised with the input of Francesco Castellacci’s mother, an interior designer by profession. Headroom is good, even though the superstructure design remains compact and kept within the profile of the topsides. Forward there is a large double bed; aft, a cabin intended for Castellacci’s children holds a double bed sized adequately for two adults as well. A heads compartment with a separate shower stall completes the interior.

The sea trial

The ergonomics of the helm are good: the triangulation between seat, footrest and throttle allows a comfortable position for people of different heights. The instruments remain readable even in direct light, while the view of the horizon stays good even with the hull heeled. The feedback from the wheel and the Volvo Penta throttles was positive. The hull, designed by Brunello Acampora, proved both soft and agile, with almost immediate response times to the controls and reliable stability even in the sharpest turns. The bow design, not vertical as the current trend would have it, helps keep the waterlines clean when crossing waves of varying height: a condition deliberately recreated during the test by generating several wake waves.

The test was carried out with 54% fuel and 50% water on board, with eight people aboard, in the absence of wind and with a calm sea.

Performance

Engine Speed (rpm)	Speed (kn)	Fuel Consumption (l/h)
1000	5	12
1500	6	18
2000	8	26
2500	9	48
2800	11	62
3000	13	72
3500	18	88
3800	21	96
4000	25	128
4500	29	130
5000	31	142
5630	35	216

Technical specifications

Length overall: 11.58 m – Hull length: 9.99 m – Waterline length: 9.30 m – Beam: 3.90 m – Draft: 0.70 m – Dry displacement: 8,100 kg – Full-load displacement: 9,800 kg – Fuel capacity: 680 litres – Water capacity: 150 litres – Passenger capacity: 10

The Bellini Group

Bellini Nautica SPA has operated in the boating sector since 1960, the year in which Battista Bellini began a collaboration with Piantoni of Sarnico to build boats under the Sebino brand, in a workshop at Paratico. The agreement ended in 1962, when Bellini sold the facility and started, at the former silk mill in Clusane d’Iseo, the production of wooden boats under his own brand. Over that decade the yard built a substantial number of hulls, each marking a step in the company’s technical and stylistic development.

Production stopped in 1973, when Battista Bellini’s health began to decline; the founder died in 1980. His son Romano Bellini took over the running of the company at the age of sixteen, in a period when the business concentrated on storage, sales and restoration of boats. A phase of expansion followed, with the construction of four new workshops and a pool for in-water testing, together with the development of specific skills in restoration and painting.

In 2011 the company began a process of digitalising its operations. In 2019, with the arrival of Martina Bellini, it formed collaborations with international artists, including Britto, Brainwash, Xavier Casalta and Fabian Oefner. The group, today organised into the Bellini Nautica, Bellini Classic, Italian Dealer and Bellini Yacht brands, has premises in Clusane d’Iseo, Falconara Marittima, Rimini, Varazze and San Lorenzo al Mare, and alongside building new boats carries out restoration, refitting and service work. Bellini Nautica states that it conducts research and development into lower-impact marine technologies, including eco-compatible materials in its production processes.

The current range of the Bellini Yacht brand comprises the Astor 36, Astor 38, Astor 58 and Astor 68 models. The Astor 38 covered by this test is a one-off, built to commission for Francesco Castellacci, a driver of the AF Corse team competing in the World Endurance Championship.

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