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X factor

Boasting exciting speeds, the latest flybridge yacht Pershing promises fun for the whole family.

Written by Maria Roberta Morso

18 October 2018

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Today most yacht owners demand superior luxury and performances, as well as room and amenities to accommodate not just guests but also children and grandchildren. Many of these owners further want the great view a flybridge can offer. The Pershing 9X provides exactly what you might expect of such a luxurious vessel, along with pure adrenaline.

The first hull in the new Pershing 9X series, Najati launched last year. The second model in the X Range, which debuted in 2016 with the 5X, the 9X stems from the fruitful, long-standing collaboration between Pershing and Fulvio De Simoni, whose name has been linked with this brand’s success since its inception.

She’s based on the same 28.14-metre hull as the Pershing 92, in fact. However, despite this and the similar, distinctive superstructure shape, the 9X is not just an updated version of that model. The extensive use of carbon fibre in conjunction with vinylester and epoxy resins represents a major change, lending stiffness and strength to the whole structure. This lets it better react to stress at high speeds. New moulds and a dedicated area in the Mondolfo shipyard exist to optimise this new model’s production.

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Some say the 9X looks like a fighter jet, and indeed she has the power to back up that comparison. Twin MTU 16V2000 M96L engines delivering 2,638 hp each coupled with Top System surface drives and Rolla six-blade propellers allow the yacht to reach an exciting maximum speed of 42 knots, with a sporty cruising speed just 4 knots lower. Under average load (40 percent fuel and water and 12 people on board) and sea state, the deep-V hull should see a sweet-spot fuel efficiency around 24 knots at 1700 rpm, with only 18.3 litres of fuel burned per mile. That in turn lends a range of around 500 nautical miles.

What impresses more is her smooth and linear acceleration and handling. To get the best performance and manoeuvrability, the Pershing 9X features a sophisticated integrated control, manoeuvring, and monitoring system. Surface-drive system operations and new joystick functions combine with touch screens at the helm station. On the flybridge, a second pilot station features the same level of equipment. Interface between engines and drives are managed through a platform designed by Top System and Onyx, while the electro-hydraulic steer-by-wire system is by Xanta Systems. The Easy Set system automatically optimises trim and performances, yet you can bypass it using manual control when and if you prefer. Technology and style go hand in hand to create an ergonomic and user-friendly driving station. Maybe the best we have seen recently. For additional comfort both at anchor and underway, two Seakeeper NG9 gyro stabilizers can be installed upon request.

The impressive style and functionality of the Pershing 9X continues inside.

Najati‘s interiors are designed by Antonio Luppi and Poltrona Frau in close collaboration with the Ferretti Group’s in-house team. The owner asked for a simple, clean look. Rectilinear furnishings help execute the look, as do leather surfaces. On a related note, all leather surfaces, ceilings, bulwarks on the main and lower decks have been manufactured by Poltrona Frau’s Interior in Motion division. The stylish interior decoration and panoramic views through expansive windows combine to create a simultaneously relaxing and sophisticated ambiance.

The large aft deck adds to this feeling. Larger than the one aboard the Pershing 92, it has sunning, dining, and lounging areas. It combines with the saloon to create a huge lounging and entertaining area once you slide open the glass door and adjacent window separating the two. The window slides down into the bulkhead, too, to completely disappear. Chairs in the cockpit are by Dedon while an adjustable coffee table has been manufactured by Flexform. Inside, a Gran Torino sofa and Fitzgerald chairs encircling a glass topped dining table by Italy Dream Design add further touches of sophistication.

The lower deck is also smartly arranged. Accommodation is for eight guests split among four cabins, including a full-beam owner stateroom complete with his and her bathrooms with sumptuous shower stalls. Along with a double and a twin cabin, guests get a VIP in the bow. Unexpectedly,  the bed is turned 45 degrees, to  make better use of the available space. Upon request, the lower-deck layout can feature only three cabins, with the twin becoming a comfortable lounging area. The crew quarters, located between the guest night area and the engine room, accommodates up to three people in two cabins with ensuite bathrooms. The galley is on the lower deck, too. Equipped with Miele appliances, it features functional and fully equipped furnishing by Ernestomeda, whose Yacht Division has been working closely with the Ferretti Group for years.

In traditional Pershing fashion, the Pershing 9X offers plenty of exterior areas to enjoy life en plein air. The foredeck lounging area offers both a sun pad and a seating/dining arrangement, which can be shaded by an awning. The flybridge, meanwhile, blends perfectly into the yacht’s sporty silhouette, featuring a large sun pad and forward-facing sofa. Three helm seats mean you or your guests can join the captain at the extra helm, too.

For those who are fond of navigation data, we can say that the Pershing 9X doesn’t let down even the most demanding owners with her smooth and prompt acceleration. The yacht planes at 17 knots in around 20 seconds at 1450 rpm. After you push the throttle down, in one minute and 20 seconds the yacht reaches a top speed of 43 knots which exceeds specifications. Reducing speed progressively, the yacht navigates at a cruising speed of 38 knots with a total consumption of 886 l/h. At an energetic stride of 24 knots at 1700 rpm, the Pershing 9X registered a modest consumption of 442 l/h during our test as well. Equally noteworthy were the sound levels we registered. At maximum speed,  the level did hit 70.6 dB at the helm station, akin to that of a vacuum cleaner, but it decreased considerably at 24 knots, to a modest 63 dB, which is about the level of normal conversation. (Don’t forget that the decibel scale is a logarithmic one, so a sound seven decibels lower is really much softer.)

If it’s adrenaline you want, the Pershing 9X doesn’t disappoint. She also delivers relaxation in a wide variety of guises. After a thrilling 40-plus knots ride , you and your guests can unwind, taking full advantage of the 9X’s suite of superior amenities.

pershing-yacht.com

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