I recall going to [Pershing][]’s office in Fort Lauderdale around 2007 and seeing an array of aggressively styled vessels from 46 to 88 feet long. That quay was a powerful sight. There’s nothing understated about the serious performance cruisers for which Pershing is renowned.
Smack in the middle was the 62. Like many Pershing vessels of the period, she had a silver and white finish that shimmered in the sun, set off by a broad, black stripe that accentuated her pugnacious profile. A teak swim platform, cockpit and side decks provided a warm contrast.
Docked stern-to, she had a Besenzoni hydraulic passerelle beckoning guests and doubling as a hoist for the tender, stowed beneath a hydraulic hatch under the cockpit’s sun pad. A section of the sun pad could be removed to allow for a cockpit table, forming a C-shaped alfresco dining area for six.
A glass partition between the cockpit and the main deck was another thoughtful design touch, allowing for comfortable cruising in variable weather conditions. For more climate control, Pershing added power side windows and a retractable carbon-fiber roof over the helm.
As for cruising, hold onto your hats. Like all Pershings, the 62 goes like the ballistic missile that is her namesake. Her standard pair of 1,550 hp MAN diesels mated to Arneson ASD 14 surface- piercing drives propelled the 62 to a 45-knot top end and a fast cruise of 36-plus knots, according to Pershing. At these speeds, those MANs would burn well over 100 gph, but hey, one has to put 3,100 horses to work occasionally, right?
During the four-year run, more than 50 Pershing 62 boats were launched
I’ve sea-trialed a Pershing 56, and I thought the surface drives took some getting used to on that smaller model. When I raised the drives somewhere in the 1,600 rpm range, the boat’s speed jumped tremendously in an eye bat. However, Arneson’s trim indicators, MAN engine readouts and a yachtsman’s intuition all help. And it is fun to see that rooster tail blowing high and far off the stern while the drives make mincemeat of the sea.
Belowdecks, designer Fulvio de Simoni merged clean lines with modern design to create an understated space — particularly compared with the va-va-voom exterior of the 62. Polished pear wood and teak soles contrast nicely with the dark wenge cabinetry. I like that the full-beam, amidships master stateroom and the VIP are accessed via separate, private companionways. A third stateroom is in the bow, and a crew cabin is aft, all en suite.
With her high style and breakneck speed, the 62 sold well. Over the course of four years, Pershing produced more than 50 vessels. Of these, 14 are available, from $624,525 for a 2005 to $1,358,000 for a 2006 model waiting for a buyer on the Spanish Riviera.
The Pershing 62 is yet another example of the Italians’ mastery of producing fast, seductive seafaring machines.
