The Picchiotti chronicle begins upon the waters of the Arno, where river and destiny were one. In 1575 the family name was already inscribed among the authorised shipwrights of Limite sull’Arno, a Tuscan village whose lifeblood was bound to the current. From Domenico Picchiotti, known as “Beco“, emerged a lineage of builders, and from his name arose the Becolini: riverboats so esteemed that the word itself came to denote every craft upon those waters. Between the late Renaissance and the dawn of the nineteenth century, more than four hundred of these wooden vessels, measuring from eleven to fifteen metres, were launched, carrying grain, stone, and men across Tuscany’s fluvial arteries. Along the Arno and the Medicean canals, the Becolini did not merely serve commerce; they became emblems of Florentine vigour, the first chapter of a tradition destined to transcend the river and embrace the sea.

Between 1855 and 1870, the Picchiotti name crossed a new threshold. In less than two decades the family launched twenty-one ocean-going sailing ships, vessels of stature and endurance that carried Tuscan mastery far beyond its native rivers. With these hulls, Picchiotti passed from the intimacy of local waters to the immensity of the oceans, affirming a vocation for seafaring that would echo across the centuries. B

In 1888 Picchiotti launched Makatea, a 27-metre brigantine with schooner rigging, emblem of the family’s mastery in ocean-going craft. It followed a lineage of brigantines begun in the mid-nineteenth century, when Picchiotti delivered eleven sailing ships within a few years and Nicodemo Picchiotti completed the 24-metre Idra in 1862. By the 1860s the shipyard was capable of producing up to ten brigantines a year, a feat that earned Gaetano Picchiotti the honours of Grand Duke Leopoldo II of Tuscany for his commissions successfully traded in South America.

Between 1886 and 1888 Picchiotti signed the contract for two 17-metre destroyers, known as the Lightning Series, the very first torpedo boats ever built in Italy. From this milestone, the shipyard became a privileged supplier of the Italian Navy. In the same years, at Limite sull’Arno, Picchiotti also produced steam boats ranging from 12 to 25 metres, together with lifeboats and lances, strengthening the link between Tuscan craftsmanship and the nation’s naval forces.

In 1902 Picchiotti built Airone, a 10-metre wooden motor cruiser commissioned by Senator Orlando. This marked the beginning of a distinguished series of Gentleman boats between 10 and 15 metres, crafted for the Italian aristocracy. In 1905 followed Espero, ordered by Count Andrea Fabbricotti of Carrara, regarded as a founding milestone of modern leisure yachting in Italy. The same spirit of innovation led Picchiotti to present its creations at the 1906 Milan Expo, in the edition dedicated to transport.

In 1910 Picchiotti launched Traviata, a 10-metre motorcruiser that continued the line of Gentleman boats between 10 and 15 metres, commissioned by the Italian aristocracy. In the same period Giulio Picchiotti reorganised the production structure, preparing the shipyard to answer a growing number of military contracts while sustaining its reputation for elegance and innovation.

During the First World War, Picchiotti shifted entirely to military production, answering the urgent needs of the Italian Navy. Between 1917 and 1918 the shipyard, in partnership with Baglietto, delivered seventeen MAS units—anti-torpedo speed boats from 9 to 15 metres, powered with 400 HP engines. These fast craft proved decisive in naval combat, with the MAS 15 built by Picchiotti entering legend when Captain Luigi Rizzo sank the Austrian battleship Wien in December 1917.

Between 1919 and 1934 Picchiotti continued its tradition of sailing ships with a series of brigantines built for commercial use. Among them stood the 35-metre Arno, together with Araldo of 29 metres, Simonetta of 34 metres and Florette of 40 metres. These vessels embodied the last splendour of the great age of sail, which drew to a close when Picchiotti delivered its final two brigantines in 1934.

In the 1930s Picchiotti signed a major contract with the Italian Air Force, whose fleet was largely composed of seaplanes. To support their operations, the shipyard designed and built 140 tugboats of 8 metres, each powered by 60 HP engines at 1800 rpm. In the same period Picchiotti also developed a series of 10.5-metre water ambulances capable of reaching 36 knots, further affirming its role in advanced naval engineering for national service.

In the 1920s and 1930s Picchiotti affirmed its role in the creation of Gentleman yachts. Among them, the Bel Ami, a 14.4-metre Bermuda ketch designed by Murray Watts and launched in 1931, stood as a symbol of elegance under sail. Alongside Bel Ami, yachts such as the 12-metre yawl Omega, the 14-metre Enfola, and several fast motorcruisers for the Agnelli family confirmed Picchiotti’s reputation within Italy’s aristocratic and industrial circles.

Launched in 1932, the 18-metre MY Fiorenza was commissioned by Amedeo Sacerdoti of Turin and built in Limite sull’Arno. With a displacement of 110 GT and a shallow draught designed for river navigation, she was assembled on the Lungarno Serristori near Florence’s Trinità bridge, where a temporary yard was set up for her launch. During the 1930s Fiorenza became a celebrated presence on the Arno, operating as a café-dancing boat that offered cruises with music and dining, embodying both the ingenuity of Picchiotti and the vibrant spirit of Florence.

In 1940 Achille Castoldi raced the Arno prototype designed and built by Picchiotti, reaching 126 km/h and setting the world speed record for the 400 kg class. The 4-metre craft was powered by a 1500 cc, 200 HP Alfa Romeo engine. In the following years Castoldi’s partnership with Picchiotti continued to achieve new milestones, culminating in a record of 151.420 km/h with the Arno 5 prototype.

During World War II, Picchiotti built the VAS series of anti-torpedo patrol boats for the Italian Navy. Measuring 28 metres with an average speed of 20 knots, these units displaced 68 GT and were powered by two Fiat A25 engines and one Carraro engine, delivering a combined 1800 HP. In 1945 German forces destroyed the Limite sull’Arno yard, ending a centuries-old tradition. The Picchiotti family chose resilience, rebuilding in Viareggio and reopening the yard by the sea.

In 1947 Picchiotti launched MY Kontiki, a 36.4-metre wooden motor yacht created from the refitted hull of a former military unit. She became the first leisure yacht built in Italy after the war, symbolising both continuity and renewal for the shipyard. In 1954 Picchiotti delivered MY Aurora, a 19.4-metre yacht whose naval architecture was derived from the celebrated MAS 501 Series.

In 1955 Picchiotti completed MY Liberty S, originally launched as Aurora. With her 36.4-metre wooden hull, she embodied the transformation of post-war naval design into refined leisure yachting. Drawing on military experience yet reinterpreted for private use, Liberty S stands as one of the earliest symbols of Italy’s reborn yachting culture in the 1950s.

Between 1955 and 1961 Picchiotti inaugurated the series production of leisure motorcruisers, with the Versilia line counting eleven units from 13.30 to 17 metres. This success opened the way to other renowned series such as the Giglio, Giannutri and Giraglia, milestones that defined Italian yachting in the post-war decades.

On 14 July 1962 the first edition of the Viareggio–Bastia–Viareggio offshore race was held, an event destined to become one of the most renowned competitions in the Mediterranean. Picchiotti took part with the Giannutri 47’ and the Super Versilia 44’, marking the beginning of a tradition that linked the shipyard to winning crews and celebrated Italian pilots.

Between 1961 and 1966 Picchiotti built the Giglio Series, inspired by the hull lines of the MAS. Constructed in wood and measuring from 10.5 metres, these motorcruisers were powered by twin General Motors 6V53 engines delivering 390 HP, with speeds up to 34 knots. With 52 units delivered, the Giglio Series became one of Picchiotti’s most successful projects, a benchmark in Italian yachting design.

From 1962 to 1967 Picchiotti produced the Giannutri Series, with 28 units built. Measuring 14.5 metres in length with a beam of 3.96 metres, these wooden motor yachts embodied speed and elegance. The Giannutri Series reinforced Picchiotti’s reputation for crafting versatile leisure cruisers, consolidating the Tuscan shipyard’s role at the forefront of Italian yachting in the 1960s.

Between 1963 and 1966 Picchiotti built the Gorgona Series, unveiled at the Milan Fair in 1963. Produced in 12 units with wooden hull and superstructure, the 13.20-metre yachts offered two engine configurations: twin Cummins diesels of 370 HP each or twin GM engines of 300 HP. With a beam of 3.96 metres and a top speed of around 28 knots, the Gorgona confirmed Picchiotti’s leadership in combining performance with refined Italian craftsmanship.

From 1965 to 1969 Picchiotti produced the Giraglia Series, delivering 28 units. Measuring 11.35 metres in length with a beam of 3.70 metres and a displacement of 9,000 kg, these yachts reached speeds of 20 knots. The Giraglia line embodied the balance of reliability, performance, and Italian style that defined Picchiotti’s production in the 1960s.

Between 1965 and 1969 Picchiotti launched the 75’ Series, a limited production of six units. At 22.85 metres in length with a beam of 5.45 metres and a displacement of 54 GT, these yachts embodied the transition toward larger motor yachts. The 75’ Series reflected the Tuscan shipyard’s growing ambition and its capacity to blend scale with elegance.

Between 1966 and 1970 Picchiotti produced ten units of the Mistral 55’ Series. At 16.38 metres in length with wooden hull and superstructure, these yachts reached a top speed of 22 knots. The Mistral line confirmed the Tuscan yard’s growing reputation for combining reliability and performance in series-built motor yachts.

In 1968 Picchiotti delivered MY Sunny Dream, a 31-metre motor yacht with wooden hull and superstructure, 154 GT. From 1968 to 1970 the shipyard also launched four 90-foot semi-displacement motor yachts, a limited series that confirmed Picchiotti’s pioneering role in the creation of large Italian leisure yachts.

Between 1969 and 1979 Picchiotti produced sixteen units of the Cariddi 55’ Series. With a length of 16.85 metres and powered by twin GM 420 HP engines, these yachts reached 23 knots. Among the last series to be built entirely in wood, the Cariddi line represents the closing chapter of a construction tradition that had defined Picchiotti for centuries.

Presented at the 1970 Genoa Boat Show, the Tiger Series introduced innovative hull lines by designer Paolo Caliari. Measuring 12.30 metres with a beam of 4 metres and a displacement of 8,500 kg, these wooden yachts were powered by twin Caterpillar 205 HP engines for a maximum speed of 28 knots. In the same years Picchiotti also expanded its range: four Lupo di Mare yachts of 16.5 metres were launched between 1970 and 1971, followed from 1971 to 1975 by four 68-foot motor yachts.

Launched in 1970, MY R. Paolucci measured 29.76 metres with a beam of 7.5 metres. Built with a wooden semi-displacement hull, she was powered by three CRM diesel engines of 1,700 HP each, reaching a maximum speed of 27 knots. Among the last large Picchiotti yachts constructed in wood, she stands as a milestone in the transition toward new materials and design eras.

Between 1976 and 1980 Picchiotti produced the New Series, a line of semi-displacement motor yachts that embodied the evolution from traditional wooden construction to modern techniques. These yachts combined Italian design elegance with improved performance, consolidating Picchiotti’s reputation as a pioneer in the new era of leisure yachting.

In the 1980s Picchiotti inaugurated a season of bold innovation, launching yachts of unprecedented scale and vision. Among them, al Mabrukah ex Al Said and TM Blue One stood out as symbols of Italian mastery brought onto the international stage. With their avant-garde architecture and imposing dimensions, these creations marked a decisive turning point, affirming Picchiotti as a leader in redefining the very language of contemporary yachting.

In 1989 Picchiotti was acquired by Perini Navi, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the shipyard’s history. Under Perini’s ownership, the Picchiotti name was relaunched in the segment of motor yachts, while preserving the legacy of Tuscan craftsmanship and centuries of tradition.

During the 1990s Picchiotti returned to its heritage with the creation of the Gentleman’s Yachts, a line that united Tuscan tradition with refined contemporary design. These yachts recalled the elegance of earlier leisure craft while embracing modern standards of comfort and performance, confirming Picchiotti’s timeless role in the Italian art of the sea.

Under Perini Navi, Picchiotti returned to motor-yacht construction with a distinctly Tuscan spirit. From La Spezia and Viareggio came the Picchiotti–Vitruvius line—most notably Exuma (50 m, 2010), Galileo G (55 m, 2011) and Grace E (73 m, 2014)—aluminium explorers celebrated for range, efficiency and Italian refinement. This season consolidated the Picchiotti name in contemporary yachting

In 2021 Giovanni Costantino, through The Italian Sea Group, acquired at auction both Perini Navi and Picchiotti, safeguarding two names that embody the very soul of Italian shipbuilding. More than brands, they are pieces of history interwoven with the cultural and maritime destiny of Italy, recognised worldwide as symbols of artistry, innovation and excellence. With this act, Costantino ensured that centuries of tradition would not be dispersed, but renewed, placing Tuscany once again at the centre of global yachting.