Wally principal hints at another WallyCento

Wally's principal, Luca Bassani has said that he hopes to start construction on a third WallyCento sometime in the near future. Where it would be built is not clear as the Ancona facility is currently at a standstill, so the likelihood is that it would be built with a reputable subcontractor. But speaking to SuperyachtNews.com at the recent Monaco Yacht Show, Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, who owns Magic Carpet³, said he would be delighted to see another WallyCento on the water:

“I would love to see three or four of these 100-footers racing against each other, but even having two is already a miracle,” he commented. “Apart from anything else, it’s crazy to build a big, pure racing boat that three years later is worth nothing. It has to be able to do more than just break records and it’s much easier with this new generation of yacht than it was on the old boats like Alfa Romeo – there was no way you were going to turn that into a cruiser.”

Magic Carpet³ was the second WallyCento to launch in May 2012, nearly a year after Sir Charles Dunstone’s Hamilton, but she is the original WallyCento as the boat around which the WallyCento Box Rule was conceived. SuperyachtNews.com was invited to sail the yacht, with her owner on board, during the Monaco Show, just prior to her transfer down the coast for the Voiles de Saint-Tropez (in which she came third overall in the overall results for the Wally class).


The yacht was built at Wally’s own facility in Ancona, Italy, and designed by Reichel-Pugh, whereas Hamilton, a Judel-Vrolijk design, was built at Green Marine in Hythe. The two yachts – along with others such as Nomade IV, the Finot-Cong 100’ built by Maxi Dolphin – represent the beginnings of a class for 100ft maxi racer-cruisers with full interiors, as opposed to the stripped out, pure racing maxis like Rambler 100, Alfa Romeo or Wild Oats.

“Lindsay has built three boats with Wally and has been the client closest to myself in terms of ideas and philosophy about what a sailboat can be and should be,” said Bassani before leaving the dock. “Wally is renowned for this difference and Lindsay has really embraced what we’re all about.”

Profile links

Wally

Reichel Pugh Yacht Design

Green Marine Offshore Composites Ltd.

Maxi Dolphin

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