Italian Styled Vintage Runabout

Persephone II is a particularly interesting 1965 Donoratica wooden day cruiser, with a wonderful connection to one of Italy’s most admired small boatbuilding traditions.

In 1965, Cantiere Navale Donoratico, an Italian boatyard on the Tuscan coast, was globally celebrated as an elite manufacturer of racing rowing sculls. Its beautifully engineered wooden boats, often constructed by master craftsman Lido Filippi, dramatically reshaped the sport by outperforming the traditional American built Pocock shells. While best known for Olympic rowing shells, the shipyard also produced a limited run of elegant wooden speedboats and vintage runabouts.

Persephone II sits beautifully within that heritage. At 16ft, with a 6ft beam and shallow 1ft draft, she is a charming and manageable classic wooden day cruiser, ideally suited to relaxed river use, summer cruising and days afloat. Powered by an Evinrude 60hp engine, she combines Italian sporting pedigree with the practical enjoyment of a compact classic launch.

With her wooden construction, attractive proportions and unusual Donoratica provenance, Persephone II offers something a little different from the usual classic day boat, full of character, history and style.

Specification

Specification

Boat name: Persephone II
Type: Day cruiser
Builder / Manufacturer: Donoratica
Year built: 1965
Length: 16ft
Beam: 6ft
Draft: 1ft
Construction: Wood
Engine manufacturer: Evinrude
Engine power: 60hp
Location: Penton Hook Marina, Staines