Ariete Primo
A 44 metre tugboat converted into an exclusive cruise vessel.
(from an interview with owner Franco Polti published by "Arte Navale" in Oct/November 2007).
"I searched for it far and wide, and I looked at a lot of boats. I wanted a tugboat more than 40 metres long. It's not easy to find one this size. They're normally 30-35 metres. When I saw the Ariete Primo in the Ortona Shipyards I realised right away that this was the boat I was looking for. I fell in love with it".
Home appliance manufacturer Franco Polti (owner of the Vaporella, Vaporetto and Lecologico brands) has set out on a new adventure. He has had lots of boats, ever since he was a boy, when he looked out to sea toward the horizon from the coast of his native Calabria, but these 44 metres and 20 centimetres of steel, these 635 tons with a draught of more than four metres travelling at up to 15 knots with a 2,700 hp engine fuelled by a 90 thousand litre tank, these four decks transformed with a lot of work into an elegant, sober vessel in perfect Old England style, are neither a whim nor a luxury, but a challenge.
"I've always wanted to do something like this", says Polti, "to have a beautiful boat that would be admired by boat lovers the world over, that would convey all its charm and pay for itself with a well-organised chartering plan".
He purchased the boat in 2004, renovated it and redesigned it for its new use over the next two years, and launched it in July 2006. The Ariete Primo is already fully functional. "From the beginning of May to the end of last August the boat did not spend a single day in harbour", says Polti. "American, Russian, Canadian and Spanish clients chartered it to spend unforgettable holidays in Liguria, the islands of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the Azure Coasts". A major American film studio docked the Ariete Primo in Cannes, right across from the Croisette, during the Film Festival and used it as a base for its top management and most prestigious guests.
"It's great to see other people share your dream", admits Polti, "especially when they understand not only the boat's attraction but the way in which it was restored and converted". The work was done with the aim of achieving a very delicate balance in every part of the boat. The tugboat's tiny crew cabins made way for elegant suites with interior design by architect Sergio Allori; the ballast compartments that allowed the Ariete Primo to cut its draught from two to four metres in the waters of the Panama Canal was recovered as living space; the heavy iron decks were replaced by light alloy structures large enough to accommodate a helicopter landing pad. But during this substantial structural renewal, overseen by architect Massimo Gregori Grgic and his team from Yankee Delta Studio, everything possible was done to preserve the boat's history and character. And so the binnacle of the compass, the fire-fighting springald, the big lookout lights, the Panama Eye (a characteristic oval window for the sailor who helped the captain sail through the Canal's hazards unharmed) and other parts of the boat, most importantly its engines, are still the original ones. This skilful balance of old and new, of traditional atmospheres and advanced technologies, is what gives the Ariete Primo its charm.
Polti is honest about his taste in boats. "Of course I love sailing", he says, "and my sons Stefano and Nicola both race successfully. Sailing teaches you to love the sea, and I love the sea in my own way, in my relationship with the light at sea, with the waves and the wind, with its changes of mood, with the power and vitality it expresses. This is why I'm not interested in the big motor yachts.
Sure, they're great, but all that shiny fibreglass, all those structures that come apart at the slightest blow, all that ostentatious polished luxury are things I don't really like, that I don't feel at home with. What I like is a good solid working boat with a strong personality. I see some very expensive yachts seeking shelter in the harbour as soon as the waves come up. It's as if those on board don't understand that that is the most fantastic, most intense time for getting to know and love the sea, for learning to appreciate its character, the mystery of its nature. To me the sea means freedom, perfect freedom; and it's boats like this one, intrinsically rustic in nature, that are best suited to the roughness of life on board, which is one of the most genuine expressions of this freedom". This means that speed also has a new, relative value. "Maybe it's because I'm getting older," says Polti, "but I can't think of anything better than the cruising speed of 12-13 knots that the Ariete Primo can provide under any weather conditions, with its 2,700 hp 600 rpm engine, without ever having to run away from the waves around it. What is the sense in rushing about from one place to another, especially when you're on holiday? Why do I see so many boats moving so fast when there really is no hurry? What are they running after? What are they running away from? Isn't it better to just go?"
With this navigating philosophy, it should come as no surprise that Polti has already set out on another new project. With a boat that can safety and independently cross the Atlantic, why not attempt to sail around the world? Bit by bit, of course, coordinating the route with chartering on different continents. But leaving plenty of time for the boat's owner to relax on board. The times are changing. Polti belongs to a generation of businesspeople who have learned to balance the time they dedicate to business with the time they spend on themselves, their friends and their loved ones.
Businesspeople who have learned that it doesn't make sense not to take advantage of the opportunities that arise and enjoy the beautiful things in life. And who make no mystery of it.
The proof: at the end of September, when all his foreign guests had gone home, Polti took back his boat to participate in the Audi Invitation Cup in the waters of Porto Cervo on board the Ariete Primo. "You only get to know boats by spending time on board and sailing," says Polti. "Any occasion offers a good opportunity to identify little things that need some more fine tuning, the improvements that can be made, and to come to understand the boat's personality better, the way it moves on the waves and responds to commands".
The most complex "fine tuning" operation so far has involved not the technical aspects of the boat but an essential human component: the choice of captain. "I had four different captains in twelve months", admits Polti. "Being in charge of a boat that frequently has different guests on board, from all over the world, requires some very particular qualities, not only professional but personal". Now he has achieved the right balance. With a very experienced captain and a crew of eight: a chief engineer and his assistant, a boatswain, a cook (Italian, and very popular), two hostesses, a steward and a sailor.
Polti is confident that the Ariete Primo is in very good hands. All that remains to be done is - let go the moorings!
A 44 metre tugboat converted into an exclusive cruise vessel.
(from an interview with owner Franco Polti published by "Arte Navale" in Oct/November 2007).
"I searched for it far and wide, and I looked at a lot of boats. I wanted a tugboat more than 40 metres long. It's not easy to find one this size. They're normally 30-35 metres. When I saw the Ariete Primo in the Ortona Shipyards I realised right away that this was the boat I was looking for. I fell in love with it".
Home appliance manufacturer Franco Polti (owner of the Vaporella, Vaporetto and Lecologico brands) has set out on a new adventure. He has had lots of boats, ever since he was a boy, when he looked out to sea toward the horizon from the coast of his native Calabria, but these 44 metres and 20 centimetres of steel, these 635 tons with a draught of more than four metres travelling at up to 15 knots with a 2,700 hp engine fuelled by a 90 thousand litre tank, these four decks transformed with a lot of work into an elegant, sober vessel in perfect Old England style, are neither a whim nor a luxury, but a challenge.
"I've always wanted to do something like this", says Polti, "to have a beautiful boat that would be admired by boat lovers the world over, that would convey all its charm and pay for itself with a well-organised chartering plan".
He purchased the boat in 2004, renovated it and redesigned it for its new use over the next two years, and launched it in July 2006. The Ariete Primo is already fully functional. "From the beginning of May to the end of last August the boat did not spend a single day in harbour", says Polti. "American, Russian, Canadian and Spanish clients chartered it to spend unforgettable holidays in Liguria, the islands of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the Azure Coasts". A major American film studio docked the Ariete Primo in Cannes, right across from the Croisette, during the Film Festival and used it as a base for its top management and most prestigious guests.
"It's great to see other people share your dream", admits Polti, "especially when they understand not only the boat's attraction but the way in which it was restored and converted". The work was done with the aim of achieving a very delicate balance in every part of the boat. The tugboat's tiny crew cabins made way for elegant suites with interior design by architect Sergio Allori; the ballast compartments that allowed the Ariete Primo to cut its draught from two to four metres in the waters of the Panama Canal was recovered as living space; the heavy iron decks were replaced by light alloy structures large enough to accommodate a helicopter landing pad. But during this substantial structural renewal, overseen by architect Massimo Gregori Grgic and his team from Yankee Delta Studio, everything possible was done to preserve the boat's history and character. And so the binnacle of the compass, the fire-fighting springald, the big lookout lights, the Panama Eye (a characteristic oval window for the sailor who helped the captain sail through the Canal's hazards unharmed) and other parts of the boat, most importantly its engines, are still the original ones. This skilful balance of old and new, of traditional atmospheres and advanced technologies, is what gives the Ariete Primo its charm.
Polti is honest about his taste in boats. "Of course I love sailing", he says, "and my sons Stefano and Nicola both race successfully. Sailing teaches you to love the sea, and I love the sea in my own way, in my relationship with the light at sea, with the waves and the wind, with its changes of mood, with the power and vitality it expresses. This is why I'm not interested in the big motor yachts.
Sure, they're great, but all that shiny fibreglass, all those structures that come apart at the slightest blow, all that ostentatious polished luxury are things I don't really like, that I don't feel at home with. What I like is a good solid working boat with a strong personality. I see some very expensive yachts seeking shelter in the harbour as soon as the waves come up. It's as if those on board don't understand that that is the most fantastic, most intense time for getting to know and love the sea, for learning to appreciate its character, the mystery of its nature. To me the sea means freedom, perfect freedom; and it's boats like this one, intrinsically rustic in nature, that are best suited to the roughness of life on board, which is one of the most genuine expressions of this freedom". This means that speed also has a new, relative value. "Maybe it's because I'm getting older," says Polti, "but I can't think of anything better than the cruising speed of 12-13 knots that the Ariete Primo can provide under any weather conditions, with its 2,700 hp 600 rpm engine, without ever having to run away from the waves around it. What is the sense in rushing about from one place to another, especially when you're on holiday? Why do I see so many boats moving so fast when there really is no hurry? What are they running after? What are they running away from? Isn't it better to just go?"
With this navigating philosophy, it should come as no surprise that Polti has already set out on another new project. With a boat that can safety and independently cross the Atlantic, why not attempt to sail around the world? Bit by bit, of course, coordinating the route with chartering on different continents. But leaving plenty of time for the boat's owner to relax on board. The times are changing. Polti belongs to a generation of businesspeople who have learned to balance the time they dedicate to business with the time they spend on themselves, their friends and their loved ones.
Businesspeople who have learned that it doesn't make sense not to take advantage of the opportunities that arise and enjoy the beautiful things in life. And who make no mystery of it.
The proof: at the end of September, when all his foreign guests had gone home, Polti took back his boat to participate in the Audi Invitation Cup in the waters of Porto Cervo on board the Ariete Primo. "You only get to know boats by spending time on board and sailing," says Polti. "Any occasion offers a good opportunity to identify little things that need some more fine tuning, the improvements that can be made, and to come to understand the boat's personality better, the way it moves on the waves and responds to commands".
The most complex "fine tuning" operation so far has involved not the technical aspects of the boat but an essential human component: the choice of captain. "I had four different captains in twelve months", admits Polti. "Being in charge of a boat that frequently has different guests on board, from all over the world, requires some very particular qualities, not only professional but personal". Now he has achieved the right balance. With a very experienced captain and a crew of eight: a chief engineer and his assistant, a boatswain, a cook (Italian, and very popular), two hostesses, a steward and a sailor.
Polti is confident that the Ariete Primo is in very good hands. All that remains to be done is - let go the moorings!
The Ariete Primo when Franco Polti bought it. The work included dismantling of the iron decks and replacement with strong light alloy structures. The interior layout was completely redesigned, being careful to redistribute weights correctly.
View of the big upper deck.
Interiors in the living area.
The owner's suite.
The charts area on the pilot bridge.
