Bellini Yacht’s Astor 38 is set to make its UK debut at the 2026 Southampton International Boat Show, giving British buyers their first show opportunity to step aboard the new Italian walkaround. The series model follows the Astor 38 PISTA one-off and is due to become available from September 2026, placing the Southampton appearance directly in the model’s market-launch period.
With an overall length of 11.58 metres in the published Astor 38 specification, the boat sits just inside Leisure Boat Guide’s under-12m coverage limit. It expands Bellini’s Astor concept with more accommodation and deck space while retaining a low-profile walkaround layout intended for day use and overnight weekends.
A larger evolution of the Astor 36
Bellini developed the Astor 38 from the design principles established by the Astor 36, increasing both deck volume and interior space. The boat retains the brand’s open walkaround circulation while adding wider social areas and the range’s characteristic fold-down side terraces at the waterline.
Accommodation is arranged for four berths in two cabins, with an island berth forward and twin single berths aft. The published specification also includes one bathroom, a 3.90-metre beam and capacity for up to 12 people on board, giving the 38 a stronger weekender role than a conventional open dayboat.
Multiple propulsion routes
The Astor 38 range can be configured with petrol or diesel sterndrives as well as outboard power. Published inboard options include twin Volvo Penta V8 petrol engines and D4 or D6 diesels, while Bellini has also developed an outboard Astor 38 variant using twin Mercury engines.
The Southampton debut boat is being presented with twin Volvo Penta V8 engines. Show organisers describe the installation as delivering approximately 40-knot performance, while Bellini’s broader published specification varies with propulsion configuration and setup.
Social deck remains central to the design
The aft cockpit is built around convertible seating and a sunbed arrangement, with the side terraces extending the usable deck area when lowered. Forward, the walkaround deck keeps access open around the helm and cabin structure rather than dividing the boat into separate exterior zones.
That layout places the Astor 38 in the growing European market for sub-12m premium weekenders that combine high-performance propulsion with large open-air social areas and enough accommodation for short stays aboard.
UK debut follows the 2026 model launch
Bellini announced the new Astor 38 series earlier in 2026 after developing the PISTA one-off for racing driver Francesco Castellacci. The builder said the series boat would be available from September, making Southampton an important next step after the model’s launch programme in continental Europe.
The Southampton International Boat Show lists the Astor 38 as a UK debut. For LBG readers, the model is notable not only for its Italian styling but because its 11.58-metre length puts a two-cabin, four-berth luxury weekender just inside the guide’s leisure-boat threshold.