On the occasion of the 2025 edition of the Loro Piana Giraglia, Wally introduced the brand new wallyrocket71. This groundbreaking project designed by the prestigious studio Botin Partners and built by the renowned shipyard King Marine is the result of a close collaboration with the Wally’s teamand the visionary owner Giovanni Lombardi Stronati. The project sets out to create a cutting-edge maxi yacht that redefines the limits of performance and innovation on the race circuit.
Wally is therefore about to unleash its second “rocket”, which will explode onto the maxi racing circuit starting with the Loro Piana Giraglia. The goal was to create the world’s most successful maxi, and it was a challenge that Botin Partners’ Adolfo Carrau grasped eagerly. Working closely with Wally, he quickly established that the lighter boats achieved the best combination of performance and rating.
“First and foremost, I want to express my thanks to the owner, Giovanni Lombardi Stronati, whose trust in this ambitious vision from day one made it all possible,” says Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group. “Our gratitude also goes to Botin Partners for their cutting-edge design, to King Marine for their exceptional craftsmanship, and to the best of the best: our Wally team for their relentless passion and unmatched expertise. With the wallyrocket71, Wally sets sail into an exciting new chapter in competitive yacht racing, launching a vessel designed to be one of the fastest in its class. This is not just a new yacht—it’s a statement of intent, a leap forward that once again underscores our deep-rooted commitment to innovation, performance, and design excellence. As the old saying goes, the pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change, the winnersadjust the sails. With wallyrocket71, Wally doesn’t just adjust the sails—it changes the race.”
“We started from a blank sheet of paper, asking how we could beat the most competitive Maxi 72s on corrected time” Carrau said. “When they were designed, it was to a box rule, so many parameters were already set. Now, as everyone is optimising their boats under IRC rules, there is a lot more freedom.”
The new Wally has twin rudders and a high-performance bulb keel, as well as 2.7t of water ballast. And yet, being marginally smaller than the Maxi 72s, it has also managed to shed two tonnes of overall weight. Being lighter, the keel can also be smaller, and the rig marginally shorter, creating a virtuous circle tending towards a boat that is just as nimble as its competitors, but quicker in light airs and in response to a gust.
Only the water ballast is heavier than its competitors – by around 35 per cent. Systems are such that the full 2.7t of water can be pumped from one side to the other in around six seconds, meaning that the boat can tack short and fast. In sail trials, it is hitting its expected upwind speeds of 10.5-11.00 knots with ease and managing to match or even exceed wind speed going down.
Vasco Vascotto, tactician aboard Django – the first wallyrocket71 – declares: “After the experience with the wallyrocket51, sailing Django is truly exciting. It’s the bigger sister, incredibly light and fast, with 2,700 litres of water ballast and a displacement of just 12 tons. After only a few days on the water, I’m really impressed by both the construction quality and performance. The future for this kind of yacht looks brighter and brighter. We’ll be on the start line for the Loro Piana Giraglia, then heading to the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez to close the season.”
Guillermo Parada, strategist of the wallyrocket71 Django, states: “The wallyrocket71 project started about a year and a half ago with the goal of competing against the 72-footers in the Maxi Worlds. We developed a boat that is approximately 3 tons lighter than our main competitors while maintaining similar power and sail area. After the first days sailing in Valencia, the boat’s performance is in line with our expectations: it is a complex and high-performing vessel that requires careful handling but is very exciting. Now we are preparing for the Giraglia race, aiming to test this project led by an experienced team and supported by an ideal environment.”
The yacht was designed to offer uncompromising versatility. For Wally, optimizing solely for upwind or downwind sailing means limiting possibilities and being at the mercy of conditions. The new wallyrocket71 is engineered to perform at its best on any course and in any scenario.
