VELA EXPERIENCE: THE SWAN ONE DESIGN WORLDS
My meeting with Leonardo Ferragamo, president of Nautor's Swan, creator of the event and of the Marina di Scarlino
From 13 to 17 October, the Swan One Design Worlds took place at the Marina di Scarlino, or the one-design World Championship of the Nautor’s Swan shipyard, fulcrum of the vela experience. This prestigious event is much more than a simple regatta. It is a real world parade of Swans as all the best of the Finnish shipyard’s production is concentrated in the Tuscan port.
The Swan One Design Worlds are the first world championships dedicated to the One Design classes. With around 26 boats from 10 nations, divided into the ClubSwan 50, Swan 45 and ClubSwan 36 categories. This luxury regatta is one of the two events that gave birth to the Swan Experience; which in fact also included a one-yard Boat Show where the splendid Swan 78, Swan 65, Swan 54 and Swan 48 were exhibited.
Vela experience: Swan
Participating in a regatta of this level was a unique experience. I had the privilege of being able to live up close and to get on board one of the most beautiful and elegant boats for navigation in the Mediterranean Sea, the Swan 115 “Solleone”, a majestic dream sailing yacht of 115 feet.
Describing the feelings experienced in words is not at all easy. At the same time I felt like a small dot in the middle of the sea but also a member of a crew capable of mastering the delicate power of the Solleone. I immersed myself with my body and mind in the silent blue to fully listen to the sweet and thunderous sound of the wind that gave life to the Nautor swan sail. Gliding elegantly among the waves and experiencing the comfort and high performance of the Finnish shipyard’s models helped me to truly understand what triggers the love for sailing.
The Marina di Scarlino: a vela paradise
The epicenter of this vela experience signed by Swan was the Marina di Scarlino, one of the safest and most protected tourist ports in the Mediterranean. It’s located between the fabulous Maremma area and the Tuscan archipelago, just a few miles from the beautiful Elba Island. There are 580 berths from 10 to 36 meters, up to 4 meters of draft and another 380 for boats up to 12 meters located along the adjacent canal harbor.
This location, surrounded by numerous scenic, cultural, artistic and eno-gastronomic beauties, is a sailors’ paradise. The nearby hills of the natural parks create a mild microclimate and sea and wind conditions that are perfect in every season.
Leonardo Ferragamo
I sincerely thank Leonardo Ferragamo, the Italian entrepreneur in love with sailing at the head of Nautor’s Swan and the entire Boat Show for the great hospitality. The Finnish shipyard, which he acquired together with other investors in 1998, boasts more than half a century of history and experience in building high performance sailing yachts. The Finnish brand is admired and recognized around the globe for the perfect combination of style, quality, performance and great reliability.
Swan Experience partners
Among the partners of the Swan Experience there is also Automobili Lamborghini, present throughout the event with the possibility of carrying out test drives. Other important partners were present: Aon, Banor, Sease, Ferrari Trento, Disaronno, North Sails, Quantum Sails, Garmin, Slow Food Presidium, Michela Nicoli, Bottega Conticelli, Uyn, Rigoni d’Asiago.
Stefano Cigana
