ZENJI is a 56-metre sailing ketch built by Perini Navi and delivered in 2004 as the second hull in the yard’s iconic 56-metre series. Named from the Italian word for ginger, originally commissioned as Santa Maria, she carries the full hallmarks of a classic Perini Navi: an unmistakable hull profile designed by Ron Holland, Perini’s own aluminium masts and carbon fibre furling booms, and the kind of racing pedigree that her Bucket and Perini Navi Cup entries confirm at sea. A 2022 refit brought new teak sanding, winch replacements, rigging renewal and a complete interior refresh, with new carpets added in 2025 for a yacht that now genuinely presents like new.
ZENJI’s interior holds a distinctive centrepiece rarely found on any superyacht: the bar in the main saloon is an original piece from the Hotel de Paris in Monaco from the 1940s, installed during a refit and instantly becoming the yacht’s most talked-about interior detail. Perini Navi’s updated interior scheme pairs classic yachting elements with a lighter palette of varnished wood, cream upholstery and navy blue accents, giving the new scheme a timeless quality that suits both the yacht’s age and her racing character.
ZENJI is one of those rare yachts where the crew generates as much of the reputation as the yacht herself. Captain Tim Buck is known for his thoughtful, proactive approach to charter itineraries, working outside conventional boundaries to find the best weather and the most interesting destinations at each moment. The yacht’s chef has a Michelin-pedigree background through his parents’ restaurant in the Netherlands, and serves menus built around local produce: ravioli of oxtail with red wine reduction, eggs royale with caviar and truffle, coconut panna cotta with black olive caramel and mango. Guest-to-crew ratios mean no request goes unanswered.
Deck life on ZENJI offers all the freedom you would expect from a Perini Navi: a Jacuzzi, sun loungers and shaded seating on the flybridge, a custom cockpit with alfresco dining for 12 and a full selection of water toys including Seabobs, kayaks, paddleboards, water skis, wakeboards and inflatable towables. A centreboard gives ZENJI a variable draft for tucking into anchorages larger yachts cannot reach.
Accommodation sleeps 12 guests across six cabins: a master suite with king bed, two double cabins, two twin cabins with Pullman berths for families and a sixth cabin with upper and lower berths. Twin Deutz V12 engines deliver 16 knots maximum and 13 knots cruising with a 3,700 nautical mile range. ZENJI splits her year between the West Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean in winter.
ZENJI’s main saloon bar is an original 1940s Hotel de Paris piece: a conversation starter that makes every onboard sundowner feel like an occasion.
Cream upholstery, varnished wood and navy blue accents give ZENJI’s refreshed interior a timeless quality suited to her sailing character.
The master suite features a king-size bed, private seating area, walk-in wardrobes and a marble en-suite bathroom with tub and shower.
The chef’s background in his parents’ Michelin-starred restaurant shows in every meal: creative, locally sourced and genuinely memorable.
