Sanlorenzo Sl78 for Sale

Sanlorenzo SL78 Specifications

The specification that most clearly differentiates the SL78 from Italian rivals is the propulsion package. Where Azimut has moved its 78-foot flybridge to triple Volvo Penta IPS pods, Sanlorenzo has kept the SL Line firmly on twin V-drive shaft lines throughout the SL78’s production run. The V-drive gearbox geometry pushes the engines further aft than a conventional straight-shaft installation — the architectural move that frees the mid-ship volume for the full-beam master suite Sanlorenzo positions as a signature of the SL Line. Shaft-drive advocates will point to lower long-term pod-service exposure, simpler fault diagnosis, and straightforward prop-off replacement for a 25-metre owner planning a decade-plus holding period.

The hull is a deep-V planing form developed by Sanlorenzo’s in-house engineering department, with a 70-tonne full-load displacement against a 66-tonne light figure — the 5,350-litre fuel tank dominates that four-tonne delta. At 30 knots top end and a 24–26 knot cruise, the SL78 sits at the upper end of what a GRP yacht of this length and mass can sensibly sustain; the MAN V12-1800 package is the one most press tests identify as the sweet spot, with the MTU 10V 2000 M96L alternative trading roughly one knot of top speed for lower running costs.

Construction is GRP throughout hull and superstructure, laid up at the Ameglia facility alongside the rest of the SL and SD composite lines. Onboard systems lean heavily electric: CMC zero-speed fin stabilisers (standard, not optional), electric thrusters fore and aft, and electric steering all operate from a 24 V DC bus supplied by two Onan 21.5 kW generators. The tender garage hydraulics, louvered flybridge sunroof and drop-down swim platform all tap the same electric-hydraulic system — which keeps the engine room quiet but does mean the yacht is meaningfully dependent on its generator fit when moored without shore power.

Performance & Handling

Speed and pace on the water: With the MAN V12-1800 package the SL78 reaches 30 knots flat-out and cruises at 24–26 knots. The MTU alternative trims top speed to 28–29 knots but is considered the more economical long-distance choice. The deep-V transitions cleanly onto plane in the high teens, and in Mediterranean summer conditions owners typically settle into a 22–24 knot groove. Fuel burn at 24 knots is in the 400–450 litres-per-hour total range, putting the 5,350-litre tank at roughly four to five hours of flat-out planing work between refills.

Range and cruising profile: The 260 NM quoted cruise range is a realistic figure with the MAN pack at 24 knots in moderate conditions. This is plainly not a cross-ocean number — the SL78 is a regional flagship, built for short-hop island work in the Western Med, Balearics, Croatia, the Bahamas and the Greek islands where 150–200 NM legs are the operational norm and fuel infrastructure is dense. Backing off to 11–12 knots displacement pace lifts the figure substantially (Sanlorenzo does not publish a specific displacement-speed range, but competitive equivalents in the 55–65-tonne bracket typically return 600–900 NM at half-plane).

The V-drive shaft line — what it delivers: Pod marketing frames shaft drives as legacy, but on a 66-tonne GRP planing yacht that misses the structural point: the V-drive gearbox locates the engines further aft than a straight shaft line, opening the mid-ship volume for the full-beam amidships master. A pod installation would push engines further aft still, but at the cost of the tender-garage architecture directly above the transom. The SL78 is overwhelmingly a crewed yacht, and the control redundancy of separated shaft and thruster systems is a positive for the professional captain it assumes aboard.

Sea-keeping and stabilisation: At 66 tonnes light on an 18 ft 10 in beam the SL78 carries substantial mass across a relatively narrow footprint, which translates into a predictable roll period and composed motion in a Force 4–5 sea. The CMC electric zero-speed fin stabilisers are standard equipment and function both at anchor (the mode that matters most for how a Mediterranean charter week actually feels) and under way. The deep-V forward sections absorb head-sea work better than the shallower-V Mediterranean hulls common at this length two generations ago.

Handling: The SL78 is not an owner-driver boat in the Princess F45 sense. It is large, heavy and crewed enough that the vast majority of deliveries operate with a professional captain. The main helm sits enclosed on the upper saloon level with a full electronic dash; the flybridge helm carries equivalent instruments and a clear outboard sightline for docking. Throttle response through the ZF shaft gearboxes is deliberately damped — reassuring to a hired captain, slow to an inexperienced owner.

Interior Layout & Accommodation

The SL78 accommodates eight guests across four cabins plus two crew in a single cabin with separated access. The signature layout move is the full-beam owner’s suite positioned amidships — directly beneath the saloon and at the point of least motion in a seaway — rather than forward in the traditional flybridge arrangement. The V-drive gearbox geometry pushes the engines aft and frees the central lower-deck volume that on pod-drive rivals is occupied by the propulsion train. The master runs the full 5.74 m beam, with a centre-line king berth, walk-in wardrobe, and en-suite head with separate shower and tub. Hull-side windows are a full metre deep, dropped into the lowered-gunwale line that is one of the SL78’s defining exterior signatures.

The remaining cabins comprise a VIP forward, a double guest cabin and a twin guest cabin, each en suite. Officina Italiana Design specified each hull’s joinery to individual owner spec as part of Sanlorenzo’s semi-custom programme — the detail that separates the SL78 from a pure production boat in the same price band. Buyers choose wood species (limed oak and walnut are common factory selections; ebony, sycamore, wenge and custom veneers all appear on delivered hulls), stone slabs, leather tones and hardware finishes. Two SL78s of the same year can share an architectural package and still read as materially different yachts — Sanlorenzo’s explicit point of difference against Ferretti and Azimut.

The main-deck saloon is the architectural centrepiece. A lowered gunwale line carries full-height hull-side windows most of the saloon’s length, flooding the interior with natural light in what Officina Italiana Design calls the “floating villa” effect. The saloon combines dining (forward, eight-seat formal table), lounge (aft, U-shaped settee) and a country kitchen (galley opened to the saloon rather than screened behind a bulkhead) in a single open-plan space. The helm sits forward of the saloon on the same deck, behind a slightly raised sole.

The flybridge is the SL78’s most visible structural advantage over same-length rivals that stow their tender topsides. Because the tender lives in the transom garage, the flybridge runs almost two-thirds of the yacht’s LOA unbroken: a bar-and-grill forward of the helm (with Philippe Starck-designed barstools on many hulls), L-shaped dining to starboard, and a clear aft sun-pad deck. A louvered aluminium sunroof over the forward bridge dials in shade rather than simply opening or closing. To maximise the flybridge footprint Sanlorenzo omits exterior stairs; access is through the saloon via an internal staircase, which some owners consider the principal layout compromise.

Aft sits the beach-club architecture. The transom-mounted tender garage stows a 3.85 m Williams jet tender athwartships, rolling it sideways on integrated tracks before lowering it through the hydraulic swim platform — the mechanism that allowed Sanlorenzo to claim a flybridge larger than a 100-footer’s at 78 feet. With the tender out, the freed garage volume and the lowered platform combine into an on-water beach club. The architectural trade-off is honest: the yacht’s best social space only exists once the tender is in the water.

SL78 Ownership: What to Expect

Ownership economics on an SL78 track the pattern for any semi-custom Italian flybridge in the 24–25 m class: high acquisition cost, low residual volatility relative to volume- production rivals, and annual running figures dominated by crew and berth rather than fuel. Key figures to budget against:

• New-build pricing: New SL78s sold from approximately €4.5 million base at launch (2016–2018 deliveries) rising to €5.5–6.5 million for late-production 2022–2024 hulls with meaningful options and current-spec engines. With production ended in 2024 the SL78 is now effectively a used market.
• Used market: Current brokerage spans roughly €3.5 million for well-used 2016–2017 MTU hulls up to approximately €5.5 million for 2023–2024 MAN-engined late-production examples with light hours. Sanlorenzo holding pattern tends to be flatter than Ferretti or Azimut equivalents, reflecting semi-custom build quality and comparatively low production volume (approximately 29 SL78 hulls over the eight-year run).
• Annual operating costs: Budget €350,000 – €550,000 per year for a fully crewed SL78 run 10–14 weeks. That covers a two-person resident crew, premium Western Med berth fees (Antibes, Porto Cervo and Monaco each absorb €40,000–80,000 for a 22–25 m berth), insurance at ~1% of hull value, CMC stabiliser and hydraulic servicing, MAN or MTU scheduled maintenance on 250- and 1,000-hour intervals, and a fuel budget of €60,000–100,000.
• Charter income potential: A well-presented SL78 can charter in the Western Med at approximately €75,000–110,000 per week high season. Charter use meaningfully offsets running costs but introduces wear that shows up at brokerage three to five years later.

The SL78 does not reward passive ownership. The semi-custom interior, electric-hydraulic systems and Italian joinery all require active engagement with Sanlorenzo’s service network and a quality captain. Buyers who run the yacht seriously find the platform holds its value notably well; those who neglect the service cycle or economise on crew learn the hard way that a semi-custom Italian yacht is an expensive mistake to make.

How to Buy a Sanlorenzo SL78

New vs used: With production concluded in 2024, every SL78 transaction is a used transaction. Mid-production hulls (2019–2021) are the sweet spot for buyers prioritising value: engine and stabiliser systems evolved from launch spec, the hull was dialled in, and depreciation against original MSRP sits at 25–40%. Late-production hulls (2022–2024) command a premium but deliver warranty overlap and the full late-spec electrical package.

Range context: The SL Line today spans the SL86, SL96 Asymmetric, SL102 Asymmetric, SL106 and SL118; adjacent ranges include the SD semi-displacement composite yachts (92–126 ft), the fast-displacement SX line, and the metal Superyacht Division (40–64 m). Buyers considering the SL78 should also sea-trial the SL86 if budget allows — the extra 2.4 m of LOA brings a meaningful jump in lower-deck volume and a larger engine room.

Key Considerations for Buyers

• Engine choice — MAN vs MTU: The two packages are not interchangeable on the used market. The MAN V12-1800 hulls command a modest price premium and deliver the quoted 30-knot top end; the MTU 10V 2000 M96L hulls are slightly slower but cheaper to run over a decade. Engine hours matter: a 2018 hull with 900 hours is a materially different proposition to a 2018 hull with 2,400.
• Semi-custom spec verification: Every SL78 was built to individual owner spec, so two hulls of the same model year can differ in joinery, stone, hardware, tender spec and electronics. Obtain the original build specification document (the “bordero”) from the selling broker and cross-check against what is physically aboard.
• CMC stabiliser health: The electric zero- speed fin stabiliser is standard equipment and critical to charter value. A failing CMC system is an expensive repair (fins, actuators and control electronics all sit in submerged locations). Pre-purchase survey should include an operational test at anchor and under way, plus a review of CMC service records.
• Tender-garage hydraulics: The athwartships tender-garage mechanism is the SL78’s signature engineering feature and its most complex single system. Hydraulic rams, track rollers, platform seals and the interlock between garage door, track and platform all require specialist service. Any survey should include a full deployment and retrieval cycle.
• Service-network continuity: Sanlorenzo after-sales is centred on the Ameglia and Viareggio yards, with authorised partners in the Western Med, Caribbean and increasingly the UAE and US. For boats based outside those regions, confirm that qualified technicians are within reasonable travel distance.

The SL78 is the right yacht for buyers who want a genuinely semi-custom 25-metre flybridge and are comfortable running a crewed operation. It is not a first-time owner-operator step-up from a 50-footer — the complexity, crew demand and cost structure assume a more mature buyer profile. Handled accordingly, the SL78 is one of the best-regarded yachts of its size class, and the pool of well-maintained used examples now entering brokerage is a meaningful opportunity relative to volume-production rivals.

Sanlorenzo SL78 vs Competitors

The 24–25 m Italian flybridge segment is one of the most crowded in the market, with at least four credible competitors sitting within ±1 m of the SL78 on LOA. The comparison most buyers actually run is a four-way between the SL78, the Ferretti 780, the Azimut 78 Fly and the Sunseeker 76 Yacht; the Pershing 8X, although frequently grouped at this length, is a different kind of boat and is treated honestly below.

SL78 vs Ferretti 780

The Ferretti 780 is the closest direct rival on paper: 24.01 m LOA on a 5.80 m beam at approximately 56 tonnes displacement — meaningfully lighter than the SL78’s 66 tonnes. Standard power is twin MAN V12-1400s (2 × 1,400 hp), with a V12-1550 option (2 × 1,550 hp) pushing top speed to 31 knots; the 5,000-litre fuel tank delivers approximately 300 NM at cruise. Base new-build price was around €4.8 million with Gen 3 examples currently listing €3.8m–€4.7m on brokerage. Styled by Zuccon International Project with Ferretti in-house naval architecture. The Ferretti is lighter, hits a similar top end on less horsepower and comes with a broader dealer network; the Sanlorenzo will customise more and delivers the lowered-gunwale main-deck architecture. Buyers prioritising dealer liquidity lean 780; buyers prioritising bespoke joinery and lower production volume lean SL78.

SL78 vs Azimut 78 Fly

Azimut runs several 78-foot models; the cross-shop against the SL78 is the Azimut 78 Fly (Stefano Righini exterior, Achille Salvagni interior), not the Grande 78 semi-displacement or the S-series. The Fly 78 measures 23.64 m LOA on a 5.75 m beam, approximately 58 tonnes, and is the first Azimut flybridge to use triple Volvo Penta IPS pods (3 × Volvo IPS 1350 at 1,000 hp each — 3,000 hp combined) for a claimed 33-knot top speed and 25-knot cruise. Base price approximately €4.1 million ex-VAT. Azimut’s case: IPS joystick control, a 20–30% fuel-efficiency claim over equivalent shaft-line boats in the main speed range, and carbon-fibre upper structures to reduce roll moment. Sanlorenzo’s counter is shaft-drive reliability, semi-custom joinery, and the lowered-gunwale saloon. The SL78 is the better choice for buyers planning a decade-plus hold who want the simpler long-term maintenance profile shaft lines offer.

SL78 vs Sunseeker 76 Yacht

The Sunseeker 76 Yacht is the British cross-shop — built at Poole, Dorset, from 2017 and still in production. 23.60 m LOA on a 5.95 m beam with a 53.7-tonne half-load displacement — meaningfully lighter than the Sanlorenzo. Standard power is twin MAN V12-1400 shafts (same architecture as the base Ferretti 780), with a V12-1550 option that recorded 33 knots on test. Fuel capacity is 6,000 litres — 650 litres more than the SL78’s 5,350 — which lifts range to a more useful 500 NM at cruise. Base new-build pricing approximately USD 3.5 million, the engine upgrade a further GBP 60,000. The Sunseeker offers a substantial UK/European dealer network and more fuel range; the SL78 counters with semi-custom joinery, the amidships full-beam master, and the Italian design aesthetic.

SL78 vs Pershing 8X

The Pershing 8X is not, strictly speaking, a flybridge competitor — it is a performance cruiser with a sports flybridge, built by Pershing (Ferretti Group) and designed for 45+ knots rather than 30. The specs tell the story: 25.55 m LOA, 5.86 m beam, approximately 57 tonnes light displacement, and twin MTU 16V 2000 M96 diesels (2 × 2,435 hp, with a 2,638 hp M96L option) driving surface-piercing propellers through TopSystem surface drives. Top speed 45–48 knots. Carbon-fibre superstructure and vacuum-infused epoxy mouldings keep the weight manageable for that horsepower. Used pricing runs USD 4.8–6.8 million. The two boats share a price band but little design DNA: the SL78 is the better long-distance cruiser, the 8X the better point-to-point weapon.

For a full interactive comparison tool allowing side-by-side specification, displacement and price analysis across the SL78 and its rivals, visit the Hulls.io Market Intelligence platform.