The yachts by Wally are easily recognizable at any world marina. Each model is a concentration of leading innovations. A person who created the Wally style and made people love it is Luca Bassani Antivari. Here’s his exclusive interview for the readers of "Aquatoria of Luxury Life".

– Mister Bassani, could you please tell us a few words about your professional experience in the yacht world. How was your company established?

– MY EXPERIENCE IN THE YACHTING WORLD HAS NEVER BEEN PROFESSIONAL BEFORE STARTING WALLY, BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A CUSTOMER OF BOATS BOTH FOR RACING AND CRUISING.

– Why did you choose such an extraordinary concept for yachts? Is it a challenge for traditional yacht building?

– BECAUSE I WAS NOT FINDING ANY MORE INTERESTING BOAT ON THE MARKET; I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE ARCHITECTS AND THE SHIPYARDS WERE NOT EXPLOITING NEW AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY; SO I DECIDED TO CONCEIVE BY MYSELF THE FIRST WALLY.

– What are the competitive advantages of your yachts?

– WALLYS ARE FASTER, EASIER, MORE COMFORTABLE, NICER AND MORE SEXY.

– How could you personally characterize your potential customer? His age, occupation, life style, nationality. Could you possibly name a couple of your famous clients?

– AGE STARTS FROM 22 TO 82; USUALLY SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR; SIR LINDSAY OWEN-JONES, MARCO TRONCHETTI PROVERA, VALENTINO, DOMENICO DE SOLE, DOLCE&GABBANA, JEAN ALESI AND MANY OTHERS.

– As is known you won a World championship in 1998 in Mumm 30 class. Do you still take part in races? What are your last achievements?

– LATELY I ONLY SAIL THE WALLY CLASS RACES.

– How does your yacht life style help you in running the company?

– BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF OUR CLIENTS.

– Does the participation in regattas, including the Rolex Cup, enhance the prestige of the yachts, built by Wally?

– YES, AND SHOWS HOW FUN IS SAILING THEM.

– Wally is one of the few companies which try to look in the future of yacht’s design, and in your opinion how will yachts look like in hundred years?


– TODAY WE STILL APPRECIATE THE YACHS THAT WERE BEAUTIFUL 100 YEARS AGO (ONLY THE NICE ONES!); IF THE WALLYS ARE REALLY BEAUTIFUL, THEY WILL BE APPRECIATED IN 100 YEARS TOO!

– This autumn at the Monaco Boat Show Wally presented several novelties at once: Y3K, 70 WallyPower and 47 WALLYPOWER. Could you tell about them in detail?

– Y3K: ELEGANT, COMFORTABLE AND FAST.
70.4 WALLYPOWER: AGGRESSIVE, EXCEPTIONAL IN ANY SEA CONDITIONS, POWERFUL AND COMFORTABLE.
– 47 WALLYPOWER: EASY, MANEUVRABLE, GREAT RUNABOUT FOR ANY AGE.

– What do you like more: to build sails yachts or motor ones?

– SAILS BRING MY HEART, POWER MY MIND.

– Are there any Russians among your customs?

– YES, MORE AND MORE, BOTH IN POWER AND SAIL.

– Do you know anything about Russian yacht building?

– I'VE VISITED ONE SHIPYARD IN MOSCOW AND SAW THE PRODUCT OF ANOTHER ONE; VERY SURPRISING; THEY START TO BE A REALITY IN THE MARKET.

– Have you ever been in Russia? Are you going to visit Russia?

– YES, IN MOSCOW, AND I LOVE MOSCOW, SO POWERFUL AND ENERGETIC.

– Do you have any plans to open a representative office of Wally in Russia?

– YES, WITH A VERY STRONG COMPANY OWNED BY VERY GOOD RUSSIAN FRIENDS.

– Snow-skis are a pretty unusual product for a yacht company – why have you decided to produce it?

– BECAUSE WE THINK THAT ALSO IN THE SNOW-SKI MARKET WE COULD DO SOMETHING NEW AND BETTER, DEMONSTRATING ALSO IN THE SKIS THAT WE USE THE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE THE PRODUCT.

– In what do you see the development of your company?

– IN BIGGER YACHTS, SAIL AND POWER, AND IN FAST POWER BOATS.

Luca Bassani Antivari is a 51-year-old entrepreneur and a yachtsman with almost 37 years of experience. He had been sailing IOR yachts (International Offshore Rule) from 1969 to 1972 and won the Mediterranean Championship and the Two Ton Cup in 1972. In 1979 he introduced class J24 yachts and promoted them in Italy; he had been sailing yachts of this class up to 1987. In 1997-1998 he used to be a helmsman and skipper at Mumm 30 yachts. He came second at the European Championship 1998 but in the same year won the World Championship.

In 1994 Bassani founded Wally, the company manufacturer of custom-made cruising yachts. Several years later Wally upturned the traditional concept of cruising yachts, having implemented new technologies and characteristics. It became the main trendsetter in luxury yachts manufacturing.
Luca Bassani who started the Wallys race in 1993 founded the Wally class in 2000. It is now one of the four divisions of the International Maxi Association allowed to take part in the most important international regattas with yachts over 24 metres. Luca is a member of yacht clubs in New York, Costa Smeralda, Italy and Monaco.

Konstantin Startsev

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