Has this stylish new contender got the substance to back up its undoubted style? We test the Bellini Astor 36 on British waters to find out
Bellini Astor – even the name sounds exotic, an alluring hybrid of Italian beauty meets Anglo-American aristocracy. Doubtless that’s exactly what Bellini Yachts was hoping for when it settled on the name of its first new boat in over 50 years.
Founded by Battista Bellini in 1960 on the shores of Lake Iseo, the company started life as a low-volume builder of stylish wooden runabouts similar in concept to those of its better known neighbour, Riva. However, production ceased in 1973 when Battista fell ill, and the company switched to restoring and selling classic boats instead. Bellini Classic still forms a part of the business today, although these days it mostly deals in wooden Rivas from the glory days of the 1950s and 1960s.
It was only in 2023, under the auspices of the founder’s son Romano Bellini (chairman) and nephew Battista Bellini (CEO), that it started building new boats again. With the help of another Italian boat building legend, Norberto Ferretti, and an equally famous designer, Brunello Acampora of Victory Design, the Astor range was born. Starting with the boat featured here, the 36, and followed at last year’s Cannes show by a 58, there are now plans to build an Astor 68 as well.
To our eyes, the 36 is actually the prettiest of them all. With its flared bow, sculpted topsides, walkaround decks and large open cockpit, it’s cut from much the same cloth as its Italian compatriots the Solaris Power 40 (another Acampora design) and Pardo P38, but with one major difference – the Astor 36 comes with a pair of electric folding side platforms as standard.
Elegant lines conceal a surprisingly practical open sportscruiser with safe walkaround decks, a sturdy hard top and plenty of lockers
It’s a significant plus point, given that neither of the others even offer them as optional extras. But the big question here is whether something as pretty as this that looks so at home on its native Italian lakes is equally capable on Britain’s rather less predictable waters? There was only one way to find out…
Somewhat surprisingly Bellini does have a UK dealer – Sebino Yachts based in Christchurch, Dorset. Tucked into the small but very pretty Avon Marina, the Astor 36 looks remarkably at home in this quintessentially British setting with its backdrop of lush green trees and the 12th Century Christchurch priory.
Pottering out through the long winding channel to Mudeford Quay and the entrance to Christchurch Bay gives us a chance to appreciate the Astor’s practical qualities. With its tall bulwarks and wide side decks it’s very safe and easy to move around in the cockpit, although the lack of transom gates on either side of the aft sunpad might prove a little disconcerting for young kids.
The bow can be protected by fixed stainless steel rails or removable carbon-fibre ones
And while the Pardo and Solaris Power both maintain relatively deep walkaround decks all the way to the bow, there are a couple of steps on either side of the Astor’s centre console that reduce the internal depth of the bulwarks around the foredeck, making it feel marginally less secure. To counter this, Bellini offers the option of full stainless steel guardrails or the more discreet removable carbon fibre stanchions and ropes fitted to our test boat.
Life on deck
The fixed bathing platform makes carrying a conventional tender tricky but there is a big locker under the sunpad where you could store a deflated EZ Raft in addition to the usual SUPs, fenders, covers and lines. This whole section of decking also hinges up the other way on an electric strut, giving exceptional access to the two engines – in this case a pair of 300hp Volvo Penta D4 sterndrives.
The central dinette is large enough to seat 6-8 people thanks to folding leaves on both sides of the table. On our test boat, this had been painted the same Sebino Blue as the hull and console as part of a £61,000 package. Four other factory-approved colours are available, or you can opt for your own bespoke colour at an even higher cost. It does look good but heaven forbid you accidentally scratch it.
Both the hull and deck furniture can be painted in a wide variety of different colours
Both benches have extra storage under the cushions and backrests that flip over to extend the length of the sunpad and convert the aft-facing seat into a forward-facing one. The T-top isn’t quite long enough to shade the whole of this area but you can add extended fabric sun awnings on removable carbon fibre poles over the bow and stern if needed.
This space really comes into its own when you drop the two folding terraces, opening up the views and creating a 6m-wide deck area all on one level that extends right the way out to the bathing platform. Once again you can add removable carbon-fibre railings around both of these balconies for extra security.
The main cabin and separate heads are well proportioned, nicely lit and finished to a suitably high standard
Cleverly, the base of the helm seats doubles as a wet bar with a sink, fridge and ice-maker easily accessible from the aft side and an optional induction hob that can only be used once you’ve folded the co-pilot seat forward.
Three rather short steep steps lead down from the cockpit into the cabin. As with most walkaround craft of this length, it’s an open-plan layout but the feel and scale of it is better than you might expect. Rather than try to squeeze too much in, Bellini has kept things simple with a slimline galley area to port with just enough room for a small sink, optional microwave and fridge, a permanent double bed forward and a separate heads to starboard.
Natural light is a bit limited down here, especially with the bow cushions in place, but well-designed mood lighting, plenty of floor space and headroom at the foot of the bed, and an impressively high standard of fit and finish for a new yard ensure you could spend a very comfortable weekend away as a couple.
The second sleeping area under the companionway steps is best suited to kids or as overflow dry storage
There is a second low-level double mattress tucked under the cockpit behind the stairs but unless you’ve got a couple of young kids who are happy to make do with the limited headroom, lack of hull windows and absence of privacy, this is more likely to be used as dry stowage than overnight accommodation.
Most importantly of all, the heads compartment is a really good size with full standing headroom and a proper separate shower cubicle with the toilet hidden under a smart teak bench.
Sporting a vacuum-infused hull, the Astor 36 weighs in at a relatively trim 7.23 tonnes (at least a tonne less than its rivals from Solaris and Pardo). This means it can get away with only offering the smaller Volvo Penta D4 300hp diesels as an alternative to the 350-380hp petrol V8s (both Solaris and Pardo offer D6 options as well). It’s a smart decision, offering enough performance to satisfy most owners without the extra cost and fuel consumption of the bigger D6s. We recorded a top speed of 34 knots and perhaps more importantly fuel consumption of less than three litres per nautical mile at a comfortable cruising speed of 26 knots.
The two platforms form part of the topside mouldings when up but fold flat to extend the cockpit deck when lowered
The medium vee hull doesn’t set any new standards for ride comfort or handling but it responds safely and predictably to steering inputs with a satisfying amount of lean and just a hint of stern slip that helps tighten the turning circle without ever threatening to let go. That flared bow ensured the decks stayed spotlessly dry for the entire trial, and it’s worth noting that even when we stopped in a bit of a swell behind the Needles and lowered the side terraces, neither of them came close to shipping any water.
The helm position is equally comfortable both sitting and standing thanks to an angled footrest that allows you to prop yourself on top of the bolster for a more elevated view over the windscreen. This can be quite handy as I found the top of the windscreen frame was in line with the horizon when sitting down. As with most open boats the big diesels are a little bit intrusive under way but the T-Top stayed impressively still over lumps and bumps without the flexing that can affect some designs.
Bellini Astor 36 specifications
LOA: 37ft 8in (11.3m)
BEAM: 12ft 9in (3.9m)
DRAFT: 2ft 4in (0.8m)
DISPLACEMENT: 7.23 tonnes (dry)
FUEL CAPACITY: 700 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 170 litres
ENGINES: 2 x 350-380hp Volvo Penta petrol, 300hp D4 diesel or 400hp Mercury outboard
CONTACT: www.belliniyacht.it/en/
Bellini Astor 36 costs and options
PRICE FROM: £368,000 ex VAT (350hp petrol)
Upgrade to 300hp D4 diesels:£62,000
Painted hull and deck furniture: £61,000
Teak decking: £4,750
Hardtop with lighting: £27,550
Cockpit fridge: £2,325
Carbon fibre railings: £3,800
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Verdict
The Astor 36 is a convincing return to boatbuilding for this historic Italian yard. It’s pretty, it performs respectably, it’s just the right size for weekends away as a couple or day boat parties of 6-8, it’s not too demanding to berth or fuel, and while we hesitate to say that anything costing upwards of £450,000 is good value for money, it is significantly less than its better known rivals from Solaris and Pardo. If you’re after something a little more exotic than the usual mainstream offerings with the benefit of diesel power, semi-custom looks and folding platforms as standard, this could be just the answer you’ve been looking for.
