Bufeo Blanco in Naples (2013)

Bufeo Blanco the winner classic yacht

By Barche d'Epoca e Classiche

01/08/2017 - 11:46

Sailboat

Bufeo Blanco is one of the most well known classic sailing yachts of the Mediterranean, winner of many classic yachts races. Long 15,50 mt, it was built in 1963 with mahogany and durmast wood by the famous Ligurian Shipyard Sangermani of Lavagna. During the last decade, Bufeo has sailed for more than 50.000 nautical miles all over the Mediterranean, from Turkey to Spain, from Greece many times to Croatia, from Cote d'Azur to Trieste, crossing over Sardinia and Sicily. She is looking for a new owner, why? Better read the article.

Bufeo Blanco, the white dolphin of the Amazon

Bufeo Blanco is one of the most well known classic sailing yachts of the Mediterranean, protagonist of many navigations and winner of the most prestigious international classic yacht races. This strong bermudian cutter long 15,50 mt, entirely built in wood in 1963 by the famous Ligurian Shipyard Sangermani of Lavagna (project number 138), during the last decade has sailed for more than 50.000 nautical miles. Bufeo Blanco is the name of a white dolphin of the Amazon and in the Peruvian tradition brings luck to those who could see him. The writer Mario Vargas Llosa, in the book “Pantaleòn and the Visitors” describes the Bufeo Blanco as an animal pf an incredible sexual power, which fat invigorates the men and make them more prolific. Bufeo Blanco has sailed all over Italian coasts to Spain, from Turkey to Peloponnesus, from Sicily to North Adriatic Sea, from Croatia to France, giving demonstration of being able to afford any meteo condition. Today the boat is based between Liguria and Tuscany, Italian flag with the burgee of the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia (Naples) and of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (London), it is member of the prestigious Monegasque "Belle Classe", the Club which welcomes the most beautiful and noble classic sailing yacht still navigating.

Five owners since the birth

As of 1963 Bufeo Blanco has had five owners. The boat was ordered by the entrepeneur Sergio Rossi, owner of the Comau Automotive in Turin. At that time the name was Luima, like the the son and daughter of Mr Rossi, Luigi and Maria. The base was in Cote d'Azur. From 1973 to 1983, the entrepreneur Luigi Botto Steglia took her. He decided to change the name into Bufeo Blanco. From 1983 and 1992, this bermudian cutter has navigated under the ownership of the Milanese designer Ido Minola who sailed in the Mediterranean up to Greece. From 1992 and 2006, the yacht had a new owner, the notary Luigi Oneto of Alessandria. This is the time of participation at the international meetings of classic yachts, like the Prada Trophy of Imperia. Luigi Oneto is well known as sailor on board of Dinghy 12 class. During that period the direct challenger of Bufeo Blanco is Artica II, the bermudian yawl lenght 12,56 mt built by the same Shipyard Sangermani of Lavagna upon instruction of the ItaIian Navy as a training sailing ship. In 2006 Bufeo Blanco was bought by Professor Giuseppe Marino (g.marino@marinoeassociati.it ).

The History of a youth passion

In 1992, when he was 27, Giuseppe Marino used to journey in Salina, a small island of the Eolie arcipelagus, Sicily, where Luigi Oneto began his professional career. Families are friends together. The year before Oneto, on his way back from a sailing cruise in Malta, acquired Bufeo Blanco in Catania. In that period, Giuseppe Marino participated to the transfer of the boat to Genoa Sestri Ponente for a complete refitting. At the same time, Oneto conducted an historical research in Cote d'Azur, where the boat used to sail between Villefranche‐sur‐Mer and Monaco, in order to find the original pieces of Bufeo Blanco. The original winches were found in a Shipyard in Monaco, together with the bell, the still admiralty anchor and the boat hook. Always in 1992, after the refitting in Liguria, Bufeo Blanco sailed to Salina. There was no Marina at that time, so the boat was moored at buoy in front of the commercial port. She was so beautiful that the entire Salina community adopted her. In the same time, Giuseppe Marino, after a degree in business administration at Bocconi University and in law at the University of Milan, was researcher of international tax law in the Netherlands. Nothing impeded to think at Bufeo Blanco as the boat of his dreams. And the dreams often may come true.

From Sicily to the Del Carlo Shipyard of Viareggio, "Cecco" says yes!

During the summer 2016 Giuseppe Marino arrives in Salina but Bufeo Blanco is not there. She is in the Marina of Portorosa, nearby Milazzo, for maintenance. Notary Luigi Oneto wishes to sell the boat to the young lawyer who accepts upon the condition that wood hull is in a good shape. In the month of September Giuseppe Marino and his wife Francesca visit the Imperia meeting of classic yachts, where they meet Vieri Mannucci Benincasa, master sailor former member of the Prada team who was already involved into the refitting of Danae, another Sangermani of 1955, long 16,50 mt. A crew member of Danae, Achille Bontà, says to Giuseppe: "remember, the boat is a complex system living in a hostile environment. Everything you put inside will break, the less you have the less you break". The message hits Giuseppe who takes as a mission to restore Bufeo Blanco as she was built. At the end of September 2006, Bufeo Blanco leaves Sicily having Giuseppe Marino, his father and Vieri Mannucci on board with a great "parmigiana di melanzane", and after Vibo Valentia, Marina di Camerota, Capri, Riva di Traiano, Cala Galera, the arrival in Viareggio at the Del Carlo Shipyard. Here "Cecco", the founder in 1963 of a great reality specialized in the refitting of wooden yachts, takes his penknife and tucks it into several points of the hull, and then says, "the boat is good!". Now the dream comes true, the adventure may start.

The refitting and the participation to classic yachts regattas

At the Del Carlo Shipyard, under the direction of Vieri Mannucci Benincasa, the refitting of Bufeo Blanco is initiated. The interiors are philologically restored, the hydraulic, electric and electronic plant are totally renewed, a generator, a water machine and an air conditioning system are on board for the first time. The old engine Yanmar 55 hp is substituted with a Volvo Penta 75 hp. The works go further from November 2006 until June 2007. Since then, a very long list of destinations, which demonstrate the good quality construction and refitting of this bermudian cutter. That year Bufeo Blanco participates at the Argentario Sailing Week in Porto Santo Stefano, where with a set of old sails and a friends and family crew, reaches the third position after Swala and Artica II. Then a long navigation down to Salina where she receives a warm welcome back home. After summer time, up to Cannes for the Regates Royales, with the strongest hail in the history of the regatta.

The infinite cruises

Since 2008 Bufeo Blanco is based in Le Grazie, a cute and safe harbor in the gulf of La Spezia. During the decade, Bufeo participates to many regattas, in back at the Argentario Sailing Week, the Classic Week in Naples, then a beautiful cruise in the Ionian islands of Greece, once back in Le Grazie she participates at the meeting Sulla Rotta di Imperia (which shall be renamed Valdettaro Classic Boats). In 2009, after 60 knots in Elba Island at the Marina di Campo (20th June 2009), again the Classic Week in Naples and then all the Sicilian islands, from Eolie to Egadi and back to Le Grazie. In 2010, a young and trustworthy navigator enters in the life of Bufeo Blanco and the Marinos Family, Marco Buonanni, a neapolitan former Navy officer who sails for thousands miles. This is the time when Bufeo Blanco crosses the Corinth Canal with destinations the Sporades, with step in Cape Sounion, Khalkis, Skiathos, Skopelos (where the movie "Mamma Mia" has been played), Alonissos, and Skyros. In 2011 the destination is Spain, via Marseille and Golfe du Lion, to participate at the Puig Vela Clasica Trophy in Barcelona, then Baleares Ibiza, Formentera, Maiorca and Minorca where she participates at the Copa del Rey Clasica Panerai regatta. In October the victory of the Vele Storiche Viareggio.

50.000 nautical miles

In 2012 Bufeo Blanco wins the Naval Academy Trophy in Livorno, then down in Croatia for cruise (from Dubrovnik to Spalato and Kornati islands) she arrives in Venice and Trieste where a strong bora wind wins the Barcolana Classic. The "foreign boat" is coming before 70 boats based in the Adriatic sea. After Trieste, back in the Tirrenian sea at the Palomba Shipyard in Torre del Greco, nearby Naples where she is prepared for the celebrations of her 50th birthday of 2013. The entire hull is back at mahogany wood with durmast frames. Just few substitutions and then caulking. Under the waterline a big writing 50 AUGURI BUFEO, so when she goes close to the wind photographers know which boat they are taking pictures. In 2013 a great victory at the Classic Week of Naples (Panerai Trophy), then Corinth Canal, Mykonos, Cyclades (from Samos down to Symi) and Turkey for cruise and from Rodhes all the way to Monaco to win La Belle Classe, the exclusive club of the most beautiful classic boat of the world. In 2014 Bufeo Blanco participates at all the events of the Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge (Antibes, Argentario, Neaples, Mahon and Imperia) and has also the time to cruise back in the Ionian islands of Greece. Around 5000 nautical miles per year, for a total of more than 50.000 nautical miles of navigation with all meteo conditions.

The mast down in regatta, Gilber Pasqui builds a new one

At the Classic Week of Imperia in 2014, during the second regatta, Bufeo Blanco had her mast coming down with the spinnaker on. The mast was made in 1963 with Canadian sitka spruce and breaks just over the boom, with no damages to the crew and to the boat (Bufeo Blanco means lucky boat). During that winter the Gilbert Pasqui Shipyard of Villefranche‐sur‐mer builds a new one, again with Canadian sitka spruce, using modern bonding techniques. The new mast has a lenght of 17,10 mt. New crosstrees in durmast, new winches and new shrouds. Today the boat has two sets of sail, for regatta (main sail, jib, genoa 1, genoa 2, genoa 3, gennaker 1, gennaker 2 and spinnaker) and for cruise (main sail, yankee and staysail). During 2015 is ready to go around the Peloponnesus, through Corinth Canal, Poros, Hydra, Spetses, Monemvasia, Elafonissos, Kitira, Cape Matapan and Kalamata. New participation at La Belle Classe during the Monaco Classic Week where she is still on the podium. In 2016, with the help of a young neapolitan sailor, Daniele Niglio, Bufeo Blanco wins the AIVE (associazione italiana vele d'epoca) race from La Spezia to Capraia and the Classic Week in Gaeta, while arrives in the third place at the Classic Week in Naples. The cruise is all around Corsica and Sardinia with stops in Asinara island, Alghero, Carloforte and Villasimius. Tireless and unrestrainable Bufeo!

What for 2017? Plans are still open for discussions!

Bufeo Blanco is looking for a new owner

The owner Giuseppe Marino, after many Mediterranean navigations is dreaming a new adventure: to cross the Columns of Hercules and cruise around the world. The sea is in the History of his Family. Son of an Admiral, he is a Lieutenant in reserve of the Italian Navy. Bufeo Blanco is perfect for a crew of 4‐6 people but she has not conceived to afford the ocean. This is the reason why is looking for a new lover for this boat. If you want to know the value of Bufeo Blanco, for a private negotiation, you may directly contact Giuseppe Marino.

How much is Bufeo Blanco?

Call or sms +39 335 481677 or write at g.marino@marinoeassociati.it