Halfton Class Italia

After the 2014 Laser Masters Worlds in France I travelled to Rome and had the opportunity to have a look at a few Italian Half Tonners, while my family and I enjoyed the hospitality of the Massucci family (Claudio and Roxana) who own the ex-New Zealand Farr Half Tonner Gunboat Rangiriri.

Gunboat Rangiriri - October 2014

Unfortunately Rangiriri's engine was being repaired, having developed a serious fault just before I arrived, so I wasn't able to get out for a sail on this iconic yacht. However it was great to see this Rangiriri in largely original condition, with some adaptations for cruising but otherwise looking almost as she did when she won the Half Ton Cup in 1977. She still sports the name of the Royal Akarana Yacht Club (Auckland) on her transom, and the owners are keen to reinstate the Maori 'tiki' emblem that was also originally painted on the other side of the stern.

Further down the coast, in Anzio, a couple of other Half Tonners had assembled at the marina off Anzio Yacht Club, being the Farr 31 Loucura, winner of the Italian Half Ton Nationals in 2013 and looking in immaculate condition, and the Ceccarelli designed Stern (ex-Stern Weber which finished third in the 1987 Half Ton Cup) - a replacement for Massimo Morasca's 2014 winning yacht Elana Celeste. Other Half Tonners were expected to arrive over the week for an upcoming regatta off Anzio.

Aboard Loucura with Claudio Massucci (left, Gunboat Rangiriri) and owner Fabrizio Gagliardi (right)

Aboard Stern with her new owner Massimo Morasca

While at the Anzio Yacht Club I had the unexpected honour to be presented with a burgee and other official mementos of the Halfton Class Italia, by Massimo Morasca (Class President) and  Marina Maffei (Class Secretary, Prydwen), in appreciation of the coverage of the Association's national regattas on this website. I look forward to seeing the Italian fleet develop further and will watch their results with interest.

Stern competing in the Half Ton Cup in 1987

The Halfton Class Italia burgee