The Boero’s Challenger Pro range has been developed precisely to meet this wide variety of requirements. It comprises various finishing technologies tailored to both the superyacht and recreational boating sectors, including high-gloss systems, specialised formulations for particularly complex surfaces, and application cycles designed for roller or brush application – which are increasingly in demand in Northern Europe – as well as a range dedicated to matt finishes and clearcoat systems designed to enhance metallic and pearlescent colours. Behind this apparent variety, however, lies a very simple principle: to offer applicators maximum freedom without complicating their work.
For this reason, the entire platform has been designed around a small number of catalysts and common components, so as to make the application process as intuitive as possible. This approach takes into account the significant differences between large shipyards specialising in superyachts and the recreational boating sector, where expertise, markets and operating methods can vary considerably from one country to another. Simplicity, in this case, does not mean compromising on technology. On the contrary. It is the result of extensive design work aimed at putting innovation at the service of those who apply it every day. But a system, however sophisticated, is only worthwhile if it can prove its effectiveness in the real world. For Boero Yacht Coatings, the laboratory is merely the starting point.
The real test bed is the sea. Every new coating system is, in fact, validated under a wide variety of operating conditions, from the Mediterranean to the high temperatures of the Middle East, right through to the emerging markets of Asia. It is a time-consuming process, because durability cannot be simulated: it must be observed season after season, voyage after voyage. After all, the performance of a finish does not depend solely on the topcoat. It is the result of the interaction between every single element of the coating system. Primers, undercoats, fillers and topcoats must work as a single, integrated system. If even one of these layers loses its effectiveness, the final result will inevitably suffer.
This is demonstrated by some of the most significant projects the company has undertaken in recent years. Among these is *the Perini Navi Caoz (previously known as Selene and Parsifal IV), chosen as a case study to monitor the evolution of the surface’s gloss over time. Measurements taken over the years have shown an extremely limited decline, confirming that proper design of the entire process allows the depth, uniformity and quality of the finish to be preserved over time. It is not merely a matter of aesthetics. It demonstrates that the protective coating continues to fulfil its function even after years of exposure to the elements.
The challenge faced on a modern IMOCA, as the one of Francesca Clapcich, however, was of a completely different nature, where the level of complexity lay not so much in the protection as in the construction of the livery. The hull featured eleven different colours, numerous overlays, transparent layers and an extremely delicate sequence of processes. In a project of this kind, the product alone is not enough. The contribution of the technical support team becomes crucial; they are called upon to work alongside the shipyard during every stage of the application to ensure colour consistency, precision in execution and the final quality. This is precisely one of the areas in which Boero Yacht Coatings has chosen to invest most heavily in recent years.
The company’s growth has, in fact, been driven by a significant strengthening of its technical support. Within just a few years, the number of specialists dedicated to technical support has practically doubled and now includes professionals based in key international markets, capable of communicating directly in the client’s language and responding swiftly on site. The objective is as simple as it is ambitious: to be present wherever a yacht sails. This philosophy has led to the establishment of an international network of highly qualified distributors, equipped with colour-matching systems, spectrophotometers and staff trained directly by the company.
Today, this network covers the main yachting hubs in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and numerous international markets, with an expansion plan that looks to the United States and Asia as the next strategic areas for development. For a yacht sailing between Porto Cervo, Dubai, Singapore or the Caribbean, being able to rely on the same standard of service means reducing downtime, ensuring operational continuity and preserving the vessel’s value over time. It is a vision that goes beyond the traditional concept of after-sales service.
Designers, yacht owners, management companies, shipyards, distributors and applicators become part of a single ecosystem in which each player contributes to the development of the project. It is from this ongoing dialogue that the laboratory gathers new insights, identifies potential improvements and fuels a process of innovation that is destined to continue indefinitely. The same philosophy also characterises the activities of the Boero Group Academy, the centre inaugurated at the headquarters in Rivalta Scrivia (AL) to host training courses, practical demonstrations and meetings with clients and partners. Alongside the classrooms dedicated to theoretical training, there are two separate application centres: one for the construction sector and one dedicated exclusively to yachting.
It is a place where dialogue between the laboratory and the construction site is a daily occurrence, and where new technologies and application methods are shared directly with industry professionals. However, innovation also depends on the ability to engage with seemingly distant worlds. In recent years, the Boero Group has linked its name to initiatives of great symbolic value, ranging from the restoration of the colour scheme in Havana’s historic centre to the Italian Pavilion at Expo Dubai and Expo Osaka, right through to its collaboration with Ferrari on the Hypersail project.
These are diverse experiences, yet they share a common thread: putting research, technology and colour culture at the service of innovation. It is no coincidence that the company has also chosen to support The Ocean Race, one of the most demanding competitions in international sailing. Because, after all, there is no tougher testing ground than the sea. And it is perhaps precisely this image that best encapsulates the evolution of Boero Yacht Coatings. For almost two centuries, the company has been developing paints and varnishes. Today, it designs systems, builds relationships and supports yachts and superyachts throughout their entire lifecycle. The finish remains the final element to be applied.
But it is also the first to reveal the level of quality achieved by a vessel. Behind that perfectly smooth and uniform surface lies everything that cannot be seen: years of research, thousands of hours of testing, expertise, a keen ear for the market, and a vision that regards the paint not merely as a coating, but as the yacht’s skin.
Matteo Zaccagnino
