Luca Bassani was about to merge his Wally creature with Nautor Swan in the late 1890s. And the history of boats, sail and power, would likely change.
This is just one of the countless behind-the-scenes stories that Bassani reveals as he recounts his life as a sailor, entrepreneur, and inventor in the book “A Dream Called Wally” (Piemme, 20 euros) now in bookstores.
A Dream Called Wally – Book
A word of advice, if you want to know the recent history of the evolution of boating, to understand how a passion becomes a reason for living, how from mistakes come opportunities, you must read this book and this video interview:
Luca Bassani, 68, inventor of the iconic nautical brand Wally, tells his story in this unfiltered book, from the time he stepped onto his first boat in 1963 in his aunt’s swimming pool to today’s collaboration with one of the world’s largest shipyards, Ferretti, to which he has handed over his creature.
Fifty years of life at sea, including successes and flops, inventions that revolutionized boating, cruises to the most beautiful places in the world, friendships, disappointments, joys.
When Putin had to get on a Wally
From Saint Tropez where his Wallys moor in the dock of honor to Portofino where sailor Tito Prato taught him to go to sea. From the lawyer Agnelli who told him his boats look like a tile to Berlusconi who wanted him to meet Putin, from Apple taking design lessons from Wally to Leonardo Ferragamo who blew him away with Swans. Just to name the dozens of places and characters that dot the narrative of his life.
This book brings you into contact with an exclusive world, but Bassani “doesn’t pull his punches.” He tells about his world, made of privileges, but also of pitfalls. But he does not consider himself privileged; he calls himself a sailor. And he is, in the sense that he knows how to go to sea, without being afraid to change, improve, dare. Like true sailors who respect and adapt to the unpredictability of nature.
There are not only stories of famous people in his narrative, but also portraits of great nautical personalities from whom, with humility but also healthy arrogance Bassani came into contact in his very long career.
What Wally has changed in sailing and motoring
By reading “A Dream Called Wally” you will find out how and why, as far as powerboats are concerned, today you can sail at high speeds even when the sea is rough, how to save fuel, why the sides that open up were born, when they became more beautiful and comfortable.
One of his clients, Sir Lindsay Owen, compared Bassani to Enzo Ferrari. True, but Ferrari only thought about winning competitions. Instead, Bassani thought about how to be better off on a boat, going fast, yes, but also more comfortable. Enjoying the sea.
If you want to understand how today’s boats came into being, you need to read this book.