Ambrogio Beccaria's Alla Grande-Pirelli boat presented in Genoa

The seaside port city of Genoa was the scene of the official presentation of the Alla Grande-Pirelli: the new Class 40 boat that Ambrogio Beccaria will command in the upcoming Route du Rhum race, starting on November 6. Made entirely in Italy, the Alla Grande-Pirelli was unveiled in a special ceremony featuring a number of key personnel involved with the project. In attendance was Gerolamo Bianchi, President of the YCI, the Mayor of Genoa Marco Bucci, Giovanni Toti, the President of the Liguria Region, Simona Giorgetta, a board member of Mapei and with a video message by Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice President and CEO of Pirelli. Hosting the presentation was Sky Sport journalist Eleonora Cottarelli.

Power and control

Despite being built to the specification of the class in which it belongs, the Alla Grande-Pirelli is a boat built with innovation at its heart. Born out of a long series of studies and simulations, its origins stem from the extensive experience of both Beccaria and the boat’s designer. More than 40 different types of hulls were considered during the design process of the Alla Grande-Pirelli.“The result is an easy boat in difficult conditions, easy to steer with 30 knots, easy to push hard,” says Beccaria. "Alla Grande-Pirelli has a very rearwards centre of gravity: the idea is that the bow does not cut through the waves, but bounces off them, like a large stone bouncing off the surface of the water. All Class 40s are similar, and we are all looking for speed: I was interested in having more control than top speed.” Control is the main feature of the Alla Grande-Pirelli, and this goes very well with Pirelli's famous motto: “Power is nothing without control”, which unsurprisingly stands out on the sails and under the hull. In addition to its wide bow, other innovative features of Alla Grande-Pirelli include the adjustable and non-fixed bowsprit, gull-wing tilting rudders, ballast of 750 litres per side to counterbalance any lists, a barber hauler that controls the spinnaker and, above all, the covered cockpit. The latter is another innovation, allowing the skipper to navigate even at high speeds in relative comfort. The boat, designed by Gianluca Guelfi in collaboration with Fabio D'Angeli, was built thanks to the support of main sponsor Pirelli. The project also benefits from the collaboration and support of global sponsor Mapei.

How to live in the ocean

Competing in a transatlantic boat is not for the faint-hearted. There’s a good reason why races of this nature are reserved for the very best in the world. They provide a physical and mental test that pushes sailors to their limits. So the Alla Grande-Pirelli must be fit for purpose and equipped with everything the crew needs to perform at their best. A safe, responsive, and yet relatively spartan boat, the Alla Grande-Pirelli measures 40 feet long (12.19 metres) and 4.50 metres wide but does not include a proper cabin or toilet facilities. "Compared to the Mini 6.50, where you are always wet, here I will be much higher on the water,” says Beccaria. “We have designed a fully protected outdoor cockpit, where I can rest. To sleep we have arranged a type of mattress that should provide some rest from the waves.” Nutrition is also a key element to consider and, in addition to a supply of freeze-dried food, Beccaria will have a galley consisting of mainly pasta and rice, to be cooked in a pressure cooker. The comforts of alcohol and coffee are strictly banned, while other luxuries such as chocolate are allowed only in small quantities. Sleeping aboard such a boat is a series of catnaps: you sleep every 20 minutes. It’s the type of sleep which resembles that of animals, as, according to Beccaria: "In the ocean, we are a bit like prey: as human beings we have to be alert!"

A sustainable boat

The Alla Grande-Pirelli is like a small cocoon, where learning to save resources and energy, both physical and mental, is an essential process. Using renewable energy that produces water from a ‘water maker’ powered by energy from solar panels, the Alla Grande-Pirelli is a sustainable boat in every way. Single-use plastic will be kept to a minimum, while the few other plastic materials are re-usable. Additionally, Northern Light Composite components were used, such as linen fibre with a thermosetting recyclable resin; these materials with very low environmental impact were used to build the bow and stern hatches, for example, as well as the instrument holder. The solar panels, developed in collaboration with Solbian, are mounted on the deck and connected to the on-board electrical system through MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) charge controllers.

Towards the Route du Rhum

First run in 1978, the Route du Rhum is one of the biggest offshore sailing events in the world, after the iconic Vendée Globe. The 3,542-mile solo transatlantic race takes competitors from Saint-Malo in Brittany to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe and is reserved for sailors that have previously contested solo races of at least 1,200 miles. Beccaria will leave Lisbon for Lorient in Brittany on September 25, passing via the Azores Islands. This journey will approximately one week. Several Italian yachtsmen have previously taken part in the Route du Rhum – such as Giovanni Soldini, Giancarlo Pedote and Andrea Fantini – but no professional sailor from Italy has ever won the race before. This year’s edition will feature 138 boats, including 52 Class 40s.

Where it all began in the San Giorgio Marine shipyard
The construction of the Class 40 Alla Grande-Pirelli took place in the new San Giorgio Marine shipyard owned by Edoardo Bianchi, himself an Olympic sailor and former project manager at Persico Marine, which built the famous Luna Rossa. “Up to now, the Breton shipyards have led the way when it comes to building boats of this type,” he says. “The challenge for Alla Grande is to spotlight Italy as a focal point of ocean sailing as well. So I’m very proud of Ambrogio’s decision. He’s chosen Italian excellence not only for design and style, but also in terms of construction, with a Genoese shipyard involved. Finally, we can show the ocean sailing world what ‘made in Italy’ really means.”

Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Pirelli: “This is a boat full of
creativity, technology and passion. It’s a fascinating boat, which is very intriguing because it experiments with innovative design solutions that often come from Ambrogio's experience at sea. Alla Grande presents itself to sailing enthusiasts as a challenge within a challenge, and this is also why Pirelli came on board with such enthusiasm. This fearless spirit is combined with Ambrogio's commitment, determination and talent, as well as the professionalism of the team and the shipyard. An excellent mix that targets important results and will appeal to a much wider audience attracted both by the sporting challenge, and by the sense of adventure that goes hand in hand with solo voyages”.

Marco Bucci, Mayor of Genova: “Good luck to Ambrogio Beccaria for the incredible voyage that he
is about to embark on. The Route du Rhum is one of the most important sailing events in the world, and Ambrogio will be able to rely on his new companion in adventure, the Alla Grande Pirelli. This boat is the result of Italian know-how, and it’s launched right here in Genova. No professional sailor from Italy has ever triumphed on the Route du Rhum, and we’re ready to support and cheer on Ambrogio Beccaria as he attempts to write history”.

Simona Giorgetta, Mapei board member: “I’ve been following Ambrogio ever since he did his first Mini-Transat race. He’s a very special person. He’s put together an amazing team that has worked non-stop to build a unique boat. This is the first time for Mapei in ocean sailing, and we’re supporting the Alla Grande Pirelli with the same commitment that underlines all our sporting adventures from cycling to football”.