Yacht design trendsetter: the history of the Wally shipyard

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Erede della BTicino – azienda che per prima ha concepito i dispositivi elettrici come oggetti di interior design – Luca Bassani cede nel 1989 l’azienda di famiglia al gruppo internazionale Legrande per una cifra intorno ai mille miliardi di lire. Diventa quindi uno degli uomini più ricchi d’Italia e, nell’attesa di decidere come impiegare il resto della sua vita professionale, si regala una nuova barca a vela.

For the Bassani family, yachting has always been much more than just a way to spend one's free time. In the family history there have been 25 boats of various sizes and vocations. This extensive nautical experience, gained by Luca Bassani as a child, has not only enabled him to become very familiar with yacht design from a technical and construction point of view, but also to successfully compete as a racer. Both as helmsman and skipper Bassani has won many trophies and championships in various classes, culminating his sporting career with a first place at the world championships in the Mumm 30 class.

In 1989, the yacht design scene was fairly static. Racing regulations such as the IMS and IOR harnessed the design of new boats within very rigid schemes, which aimed not at improving boat performance, but at gaining rating advantages. Bassani therefore decided to make a clean slate of all preconceptions and imagine a boat that would best suit his tastes and needs as a cruiser and racer. He then contacted the best yacht designers of the time and presented his ideas. Bruce Farr responds by proposing a boat with a mast far aft, rigged with a single large furling genoa and no mainsail. Certainly comfortable to use when cruising with the family, but a disaster in regattas, not only because of the reduction in sail area, but also because it is almost impossible to sail upwind. German Frers he listens to the proposals of that strange Italian, but then proposes nothing more than a 'I'll think about it'. He probably considered it risky for his good name to get involved in such an innovative project.

So Bassani decides to turn to a young naval architectwho would probably have been more inclined to go down new paths. Luca Brenta had just designed Marisa, a fast boat with a very wide stern, making it more comfortable and liveable, both in the cockpit and below deck. The young designer immediately fell in love with Bassani's ideas and together they began to design the first Wallygator.

Wallygator

The sail plan, in its proportions, came from the Soling, a monotype widely used in northern Europe, with only a rail forward of the mast to obtain a self-tacking jib. The many solutions, which would later become almost obligatory for boats of a similar size, were motivated by the Bassani family's cruising experience. The retractable bollards and the sheets hidden under the casing (the famous Magic trim) served to make the boat safe even for children. The carbon mast, with a simplified rig thanks to the quartered spreaders, was useful for getting rid of flying stays and other amenities that only served to complicate the sailor's life. The many hydraulic and electric servomechanisms made the boat manoeuvrable by a very small crew: just one person. A result that for a boat of 83 feet (25 metres) was certainly not easy to achieve.

Wally Solo Timoniere

Another source of the yacht design choices of the Bassani-Brenta duo was the love for the minimalist style, elegant yet functional. Hence came solutions such as the low deckhouse with arrow-shaped windows; the retractable anchor nose; the jib rail recessed into the deck and all those details that showed down to the smallest detail the passionate care that the future owner and the young designer had put into that boat.

Dettaglio Design Wally

Once in the water Wallygator, constructed entirely in carbonShe kept all her promises: she was easy to sail, fast under sail, comfortable and safe. For two years, the revolutionary yacht made a fine show in the most picturesque bays and the most exclusive ports around the Mediterranean. The response from other owners was such that Bassani began to think about starting a small series production, just to satisfy the first requests that came from other tycoons of industry and finance, fascinated by this new boat that broke all the rules.

Thus, in 1995, the Wally shipyard was bornwhich today boasts no less than three product lines (sail, motor and displacement vessels) and dozens of superyachts sailing the seas around the world. Always with great style and distinction. Because despite the fact that its design is still the most copied by shipyards of every latitude and longitude, all it takes is a glance to recognise one of Luca Bassani's boats.

Wally Power 118

Sources: Top-yachtdesign.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_button dimension=”outline” corner_style=”full_rounded” size=”medium” icon=”mk-icon-home” url=”/” align=”center” margin_top=”30″ margin_bottom=”0″ margin_right=”0″]Torna alla Home[/mk_button][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Sviluppo Europa s.r.l.
Via Albricci, 9 - 20122 Milan
P.I. 10282190965
unique code: M5UXCR1
[email protected]


Province Register Office. chamber of commerce Milan Monza Brianza Lodi
Fiscal Code is the VAT number
REA number MI-2519496
Share Capital 10,000

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