Mythical boats of the 1980s: “I got a Cranchi 31 Endurance.”

Andrea Losno, a 30-year-old from Alassio (SV), has become the owner of a beautiful and elegant 1987 Cranchi Endurance 31 aboard which he sails for pleasure and offers daily outings to tourists who love the Ligurian coast and the timeless charm of “vintage” speedboats.

Why a 1987 Cranchi Endurance 31

For some sea lovers, powerboats built in the 1980s have a timeless appeal. Starting with their elegant and refined lines, but not only. They appreciate their solid construction, marine qualities and philosophy still devoted to pure sailing. The boats built in this decade were in fact born in a transitional period between the end of classic boating and the beginning of technological boating. Those were years when most shipyards had small sheds where they worked with artisanal methods and boats were built of solid, hand-layered fiberglass. In short, the boats of that period were means that were not yet futuristic, but built well and, above all, with a soul.

No wonder, then, that even today these powerboats are highly sought after in the second-hand market and that even a boy who was still a child when they were launched can fall in love with them.

Putting passion and entrepreneurial spirit together

Just as it happened to Andrea Losno, a 30-year-old from Alassio (SV) who divides his time between working in his family’s real estate agency and his great passion for the sea and boats. For the past couple of years Andrea has in fact become the owner of a splendid Endurance 31, a motorboat with sleek and sporty lines launched in 1987 by the famous Cranchi shipyard. A craft that he searched for a long time and finally found in Naples, already artfully restored and perfectly preserved.

Now Andrea uses it as part of the “SeDiciBarca” project, through which he offers daily cruises in the waters off Alassio, coastal outings, and special events, such as photo shoots and wedding parties, in which he makes his “vintage” jewel available.

Andrea, how did your passion for the sea and boats come about?

“I have been living the sea and sailing since I was a child, as I am originally from Alassio and my parents were owners of several Sciallino gozzo boats, a very renowned Ligurian shipyard based less than 10 kilometers from our home. They had in order, first the 23-foot model, and then to grow the 27-foot, the 33-foot and the 34-foot. I started piloting them from the time I was 8-10 years old, and over time became more and more passionate about boating, until I got my boating license once I reached the age of majority. With Dad, Mom and my brother, we did a lot of sailing aboard those goiters: from Tuscany and its Archipelago, to all of Liguria of course, to the French Riviera, including the Porquerolles Islands.”

From your parents you therefore also inherited the seafaring spirit, right?

“Absolutely. I still continue to sail in the style learned from my father and every time I put the bow out of port I face the sea with great respect and humility, knowing that in the ‘big blue’ you never stop learning. Today sailing along the coast you see everything, improvised and absolutely unaware people, sometimes even uncivilized and arrogant. In the face of these scenes, I feel that I belong to the old school of those who sail sensibly.”

And how did you get the idea to get a motorboat from the 1980s?

“After so much sailing with goiters, I liked the idea of having a faster and more versatile craft. So with a budget between 20,000 and 30,000 euros, I immediately set my sights on a nice motorboat from the 1980s with elegant lines inspired by the old Riva models, true style icons. A vehicle to sail with for pleasure, but also somehow to put into income to pay back my mooring and maintenance expenses, and maybe have an extra income from my job as a real estate agent.”

Is it easy to find a motor boat from that period?

“In short, it is not complicated, but not so trivial either. Today these boats, so to speak ‘vintage’, are back in fashion and the price for well-preserved models is quite high. If, on the other hand, one takes a boat to be restored, in this case the cost of the work rises quite a bit and is not always affordable, besides the fact that it is increasingly difficult to find competent workers, not to mention spare parts for thrusters, etc. Basically, these are purchases that are generally made out of passion, so all the difficulties are gradually overcome. And the satisfaction of owning a vehicle with a history and classic lines is so much.”

How and where did you find your Endurance 31?

“After a long search, also quite expensive between travel and transfers, I finally found it in 2023 in the Gulf of Naples. I felt it was the ideal boat after viewing other similar models, because it was just how I imagined it. The hull was in excellent condition, albeit with that right patina of the past. The Endurance 31 is a beautiful, sleek and snappy 9.30-meter powerboat that at the time of its launch in 1983 was the flagship of Cranchi Shipyards. This particular model is from 1987 and belonged to a gentleman who had found it practically abandoned on a piece of land a few years earlier and had restored it properly, since he owned a boathouse where he did the work and could count on a few skilled workers for refitting. In particular, he added faux teak in the cockpit, widened the aft swim platform, and refurbished all the sundeck cushions and the electrical system. After a couple of years of work, he sailed her himself in the Bay of Naples and islands with his family. He was selling her to recoup some of the expenses of the restoration work.”

Is it possible to know how much you paid for it?

“Once I finished the tour of the boat and also the sailing test, he decided to buy it at the price of 30,000 euros, including land transportation. One can find models of those years even at lower prices, but I preferred a well-preserved and already restored vessel paying a little more. After that I put it on a truck and took it to Liguria, mooring it in the Marina of Alassio. Here I only performed a nice engine overhaul and stop. She was already ready to sail!”

Tell us about the project “SeDiciBarca”…

“It was born even before I found the boat with the idea of using this sporty, classically styled speedboat for day trips, day charters and special events, such as photo shoots, wedding parties, movie sets, etc. A way to pay me back for the expenses of purchase as well as maintenance and mooring. The sailing area is Alassio which is beautiful, especially the waters between Capo Mele and Gallinara Island. We are fortunate to have this little island where you cannot land, but it is in the middle of a wonderful scenery to experience by boat, diving, bathing and snorkeling. I work mainly with foreign tourists. I got in touch with a number of hotels in the area that take charge of advertising the excursions, offering them to their guests and handling the paperwork part. Finally, I have my own Instagram profile.”

What is the “feedback” on your social profile?

“When I post photos of the boat and outings, I receive so many compliments from enthusiasts who comment, express enthusiasm and ask for information. So many also contact me with the idea of replicating my adventure in equal measure, attracted only by the business idea. They underestimate, however, that my project is the result of a lifelong journey, of a long apprenticeship with the sea and sailing, of a passion shared and nurtured by my land and my parents. One thing that particularly pleased me is that Guido Cranchi himself, owner of the shipyard of the same name, contacted me complimenting me, inviting me to the Genoa Boat Show and asking my permission to share my posts again. He even proposed that I sell him the boat. He and his team also helped me reconstruct the whole history of this model and gave me the certificate of approval that had been lost over the years.”

Is there a particularly special outing aboard your Endurance 31 that you would like to share?

“There would be many. One very special moment I experienced last summer. The boat had been chartered for a wedding proposal, and at the moment of the ring exchange a pod of dolphins arrived to seal the scene. A perfect synchronicity that left everyone breathless….”

David Ingiosi