It was not easy to find a key that was not obvious. Especially when the theme is the 30th anniversary of a brand like Wally. There are two considerations to make. On the surface, three decades is not a lot, especially when compared to other companies in the nautical sector that have also been on the scene for more than a century.
Usually, and this is true in all fields, it is the intensity which they have been experienced that makes the real difference. And Wally’s story is unparalleled not only in the nautical industry but I would also say in the world of design more generally. Then there is a second element that I like to bring to your attention and it is of a personal nature. Wally’s 30 years correspond, month more month less, to my activity as a journalist in this magnificent context. I started at the very moment when Wallygator, the first extraordinary sai- ling creation from Luca Bassani’s imagination took off, mar- king a before and after in yacht design.
After that, it was a crescendo, marked by unique pieces such as Wally B, Genie of The Lamp, Kauris, Magic Carpet, Kenora just to name a few, hulls that forever changed the way of experiencing the sea and sailing. It was impossible not to be attracted and seduced by the elegance, cleanliness and balance of their exterior lines. When I observed them under sail, with their sails unfurled, or at anchor in a remote bay, the feeling I had was that they were in their ideal place. They had the ability to convey a sense of harmony. Nothing has changed since then. Or rather, everything has changed. The ideas that Luca Bassani brought to yachting have had the effect of a pebble in the pond. I still remember the year the Wallypower 118 docked at the Yacht Club Italiano as ‘guest of honour’ at Open Mind, the design conference we organised with BMW. That was its first official appearance and its lines bewitched even those who had little knowledge of yachting. That boat also marked a new beginning in the way of thin- king about motor boats. It changaed the paradigm. You may have noticed that I have always used verbs declined in the past tense. Actually, it would have been more correct to use the future tense. Because Wally, despite being 30 years old, is still at least another 20 years ahead.
matteo zaccagnino
