It is time for the 14th
consecutive Viareggio Gathering of Historic Sailboats – since 2005 the most
important end-of-season Mediterranean regatta and gathering of vintage and
classic sailboats. The event’s main sponsor is the historic Santa Maria Novella Officina
Profumo-Farmaceutica. A small fleet of 5.50-meter international tonnage class
boats will be participating.
THE XIV VIAREGGIO
GATHERING OF HISTORIC SAILBOATS
On October 18-21, 2018 for the 14th
year in a row, the Tuscan city of Viareggio will host the most important and
best attended end-of-season gathering and regatta for vintage, classic, and
Spirit of Tradition sailboats as well as vessels that adhere to traditional and
historical criteria. The event is organized the Viareggio Historic Sailboat Association (www.velestoricheviareggio.org) ,
founded in 2005, and by the Versilia
Nautical Club, which –as it has done every year – will make available its
prestigious headquarters and provide for moorings and welcome venues. AIVE (Italian Vintage Boats
Association) is in charge of vessel tonnage measurement and classification for
anyone wishing to race with a CIM
(International Mediterranean Committee) tonnage certificate.
To register go to https://velestoricheviareggio.org/iscrizione-imbarcazioni/
The Ammiraglio F. Cerri AND SANGERMANI
Trophies
The main sponsor of the event, the Santa Maria Novella Officina
Profumo-Farmaceutica of Florence (www.smnovella.com), whose origins date back to 1612,
will support the XIV Viareggio Gathering of Historic Sailboats in partnership
with the reborn San Carlo water (www.acquasancarlo.it), recently acquired by the same business group.
Other supporters include Antonio Farigu’s Mediterranean
Yacht Maintenance, that specializes in maxi yacht and historic boat
motorization and installations; Picchiani
& Barlacchi (high end metal objects); the sailmaker Millenium; Locman watchmakers, RGB Cube
from Viareggio (advertising graphics) and the Versilia Viareggio Rotary Club, that will award the Challenge
Trophy dedicated to Admiral Florindo Cerri. For the fourth consecutive year the
Sangermani Challenge Trophy, open to all vessels launched by the Sangermani
shipyards and participating in the event, will also be awarded.
THE REGATTA AND SAILING
Ship owners who register for the XIV Viareggio
Gathering of Historic Sailboats and wish to race with a CIM (International Mediterranean Committee) tonnage certificate, but do not possess it, can seek one for their
vessel by making an appointment for measurement with AIVE’s President Piermaria
Giusteschi Conti (cell phone +39-348-3148532).
Participation in the event is also open to vintage and classic sailboats
that do not have a CIM certificate, as well as to sailboats not affiliated with
the Viareggio Historic Sailboat Association and other sailboats wishing to
simply sail or compete against individual vessels. Three regattas are scheduled
to take place from Friday through Sunday. On the afternoon of the last day
there will be an award ceremony at the Versilia Nautical Club.
5.50 METER INTERNATIONAL TONNAGE
CLASS
Once again, Viareggio is looking forward to the
participation of a small fleet of 5.50-meter
international tonnage class boats. Created officially in 1949, this class
of boats raced in the Olympics for 5 times, beginning in Helsinki in 1952 and
for the last time in Mexico City in 1968. These 9.50-meter long keelboats have Bermuda Sloop rigging and sail with
a crew of 3 in regattas. An estimated
800 were built. Nowadays they are subdivided into the following categories:
Classic, Evolution and Modern. The
5.50-meters have been sailed by greats such as Dario Salata, Max Oberti, Giulio
Cesare Carcano, Admiral Agostino
Straulino and Beppe Croce. Among
the 5.50s celebrating the 50th anniversary of their launch is the
Tara and the frequently victorious Carabella. The current president of the
Italy class is Count Fabrizio Cavazza of Rome who is the owner of the 1960
Volpina.
EXHIBITS AND VISITS TO BOATS
UNDERGOING RESTORATION
As always there will be many activities, both
before and after the regattas. There will maritime
technique demonstrations, viewings of vintage vessels on the quays and
visits to berthed ones, as well as tours of the boats participating in the “Welcome Onboard” events. In addition,
there will be exhibits of watercolors and photographs of historic regattas. On
the afternoon of Friday, October 19th, crew members can visit the
restoration work being done on historic sailboats at the Francesco Del Carlo Shipyard in Viareggio. Go to the AIVE website
to apply to be a crew member and participate in the regattas or to go onboard
the Artiglio Scuba Diving Club’s
motorsailer to watch the competitions up close.
THE VIAREGGIO HISTORIC SAILBOAT
ASSOCIATION
The Viareggio Historic
Sailboat Association was founded on October 8, 2005 in this Tuscan city to showcase
and promote the spirit and tradition of vintage sail boating and the historic
and cultural heritage these sailboats represent. The Association is currently
headed by Gianni Fernandes of Florence. His predecessor president was the
well-known Enrico “Chicco” Zaccagni who was appointed Commodore of the
Association. Fernandes is not only a
passionate sailor. Together with his wife Patrizia Cioni he is the owner of the
Ilda, a 1946 wooden hull Bermuda cutter. The current vice president is Riccardo
Valeriani, a nautical consultant and designer and one of the association’s
founding members. The Viareggio Historic Sailboat Association is headquartered
at the Versilia Nautical Club of Viareggio.
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