Gavio considering itinerant Boat Show

Milan - “At the moment we do not have any proposals on the table.” Several seconds pause. “But if others decided to leave UCINA too, then we would sit down and talk it over. But we have to see what the Ferretti and Benetti groups decide to do, and so forth...” Beniamino Gavio, the head of the Baglietto shipyards, made clear signals when he spoke to the MediTelegraph at the yachting brand’s 150th anniversary in Milan on Monday evening. The event was celebrated with the presentation of a special book that traces the history of the group. In attendance were the President of Confindustria, Giorgio Squinzi, a member of the management board of Intesa Sanpaolo Gros-Pietro, Massimo Ponzellini, and Lapo Elkann. In short, Gavio says that for the moment he is not trying to create an alternative to the Confindustria affiliation. But, should more members flee the association he might consider it. In September, the MediTelegraph reported that the idea was circulating, and that Gavio had spoken with Azimut about the matter, at the Boat Show in Cannes. Since Baglietto’s controversial exit from UCINA, at the beginning of summer, the entrepreneur from Tortona, has not changed his objective: “I invited Perrotti here, but he didn’t come.” He explained that it would be necessary to rethink the structure of the association (“either create a mega-yacht division within UCINA, or it is difficult to align the interests of those who make 10m boats, with those who make 60m boats”), including the boat shows, since dark clouds seem to be gathering for them. “Genoa must be rethought,” Gavio repeated, “it has always been the Boat Show of Europe. But it has gradually been outdone by Cannes and Montecarlo. And Cannes is now the most important fair for boats up to 35m in length, while Montecarlo is the dominant fair for mega-yachts. Genoa has been defeated, and the scheduling of the season has added to that. Consider this: next year Cannes will take place on the 10th of October, followed by Montecarlo, and then by Genoa and Fort Lauderdale. This will not work [out well for us].” Could the event be moved? He has an another idea: “We will have to see what the focus of the event should be. I would very much like to see something different: since today we have trouble creating a show in Italy, I would like something different, an itinerant event, perhaps to take place in Taormina one year, in Venice another, and in Sardinia yet another. An event which would also promote the regions and Italy as a whole.” And what about the 2015 pre-show, which Confindustria is holding in Milan before the Expo? Gavio spread his arms, “I don’t know, we will have to study it closely... Clearly we must do something for the Expo. But it is no simple matter to bring our boats to Milan.” The manager of SIAS, who took over from Baglietto two years ago, explained that for the moment the group realizes that there will be a start-up phase, however they have many ideas: “There are now some signs of recovery, especially in the USA. We launched a ship last year, and another this year, plus the little one, the MV 13, and next year we will launch three.” The project is to recover business in the group’s traditional market sectors. “We have redone our entire line of fast boats, then the displacement hulls, we are also working on a small vessel that we are preparing with the Italian Navy, and we have created the MV 13m line (editor’s note: on the model of the old MAS, the military motor torpedo boat of the 1940s) and we have started on the 19, which we will complete in ten months. Next I would like to tackle some open boats in aluminium. Therefore, when we have time, with my designer, Francesco Paskowski, I would like to get back to work and revisit the designs of the Ischia, the Baliaco 16 and 50, the Minorca, the Mallorca, and the Elba. Also a sail boat, too, a pure sail boat, very seaworthy. It is a bit like the concept of the Mini, to recover our tradition by going back to study it closely once more.” Or the 500, which was mentioned more than once during the evening. Is this a flirtation with FIAT’s American strategy? “I am thinking about a small boat for the American market. In Fort Lauderdale I saw the Intrepid, a fibreglass boat at 12m inboard and 15m outboard. I would like to do something like that, 3 outboard motors, fast, to go for a swim, in a competitive price range. We are thinking about all the houses, the villas on the water in Miami - it could be an excellent vehicle for advertising.”