Francesco Petrarca Yacht For Sale

The 44.35m Benetti SpA yacht FRANCESCO PETRARCA is offered for sale and is an outstanding example of a classic ship converted for cruising.

Built in wood, and launched in 1941 under the name GERLANDO, she was originally used to transport marble from Carrara in Tuscany to Alexandria in Egypt.

By the 1960s the ship was found languishing in an Egyptian port by the engineer Giorgio Varvaro, who fell in love with her instantly.

And so began the conversion of the ship into a yacht under the direction of the newly qualified naval architect Franco Anselmi Boretti at the Valdettaro yard, in Italy, which saw her re-rigged as a three-masted staysail schooner.

Additional work was carried out at the Camper and Nicholson shipyard under the supervision of marine surveyors from the American Bureau of Shipping, and her owner went on to cruise extensively with her for 20 years before selling her on.

In 1999, she underwent a total refit in the port of Marseille and was rechristened FRANCESCO PETRARCA.

Since then, FRANCESCO PETRARCA has been well maintained, with major refurbishment works carried out between 2017 and 2021, and dry-docking periods every year.

She can accommodate 10 guests across five cabins, including an Owner’s suite with queen-size bed and en suite; both a double and twin cabin with en suites; and a further two twin cabins that share a bathroom.

FRANCESCO PETRARCA’s traditional interiors feature lots of varnished mahogany, giving the sailing yacht a stately atmosphere.

There is a large main salon, with smart TV, settees, a dining table, and a bar area, while the cockpit offers covered alfresco dining.

For sunnier days, there is the option of open-air dining on deck, plus plenty of sunpads, and FRANCESCO PETRARCA also comes with a Zodiac tender and a decent selection of water toys.

Powered by a pair of Caterpillar diesel engines, FRANCESCO PETRARCA yacht has a top speed of 12 knots and cruises at 8 knots, with a range of 3,000nm.