The high performance luxury superyacht Pershing 108 was launched at Fano on the Adriatic coast of Italy earlier this year with three V-16 engines in the 2000 range of MTU’s  high speed diesel engines installed as prime movers rather than two larger units in the same manufacturer’s 4000 series that would have yielded about 500 bhp more. On the face of it a strange choice, worth examining for its logic; but first more about this fast (load displacement service speed 35 kts) innovative sports yacht. Pershing 108: Photo courtesy of Ferretti Group The Pershing 108‘Pershing’ indicates a brand name with an honourable pedigree in the Ferretti group of yacht builders, and the model identifier ‘108’ refers to the length of the boat in feet (about 33 m). Interestingly, the  propulsion system is an  Arneson Surface Drive  coupled to each engine to turn six-bladed surface-piercing Rolla propellors; a system which the manufacturers claim, a... [More]