Danese: three generations in the nautical world

The surname Danese is synonymous with “boating” in Puglia. The history of this family, in one of the most beautiful regions of Italy, is intertwined with that of pleasure boating: Giuseppe Danese represents the third generation.

Giuseppe Danese, when did this story of passion for the sea and for boating begin?

It started with my grandfather and continued with my father. I belong to the third generation, but I’m already in the fourth, with my brothers’ children. I was born with the sea and I have always lived in contact with the nautical world, as has my whole family. First my grandfather and then my father were plant mechanics. My father was the engine manager on a fleet of emergency tugboats: repairing engines was his job. He had taken specific courses, he was a specialised figure, with a rare professionalism. With the 1960s and the boom in pleasure boating, he decided to provide assistance to yachts as a mechanic and for many years became the main technical reference in the area. His work was also in demand on Capri and the French Riviera.

How and where did the commercial activity of selling boats start?

My father got married in 1967 and five years later he opened the boat shop: a two-storey building, with a total of 400 square metres, which my mother ran for 40 years. My mother showed extraordinary commercial qualities, combined with a great passion for boating, which is still very much alive today. It was in that context that we children also grew up. Then, in 1982, another important step: my father took an area near the sea, a forest, and turned it into a shipyard. At first it was just a flat area for boats, but then it developed into the leading boatyard in the south of Italy, with clients from all over Europe.

It’s a very exciting story, of business and family. How do you approach luxury yachting?

Our approach to high-end yachting came about thanks to Norberto Ferretti: we used to service his boats in Puglia. The bond has been consolidated over time, through good times and bad times in the market, always based on values such as loyalty and honesty. There is still a strong feeling between us and the Ferretti group.

When did you start selling, and not just servicing, Ferretti boats?

In 2002 Ferretti proposed opening a point of sale for their boats, and since we didn’t have much commercial experience, they gave us all the support we needed: they involved lecturers from Bologna University and communication and marketing experts. It was a phase of great educational enrichment.

We opened a commercial area in Brindisi, and I won’t deny that at first it wasn’t easy to shed our “technical” clothes and acquire those more suited to a sales-oriented figure. However, our shipbuilding background soon began to make a difference, becoming a real strength.

Today’s salesman must have a high level of technical expertise and a perfect knowledge of the market, because the shipowner is well prepared.

What are the characteristics of a good boat salesman?

As I said, a strong technical knowledge is necessary, otherwise there is a risk of not being able to answer the increasingly precise questions of boat owners. In addition, a salesman must have direct experience of the sea. The customer is very demanding and almost always has clear ideas. I always say that we don’t “sell” but “accompany” them, we are an intermediary between them and the boat that they have already got in their sights. We are, in effect, consultants.

What are the characteristics that make Ferretti a leading brand in the sector?

Having three shipyards, a marina and a sales office, we see all kinds of boats all the time. Ferretti stands out, it has an edge: top quality, technology, after-sales services.

In recent years, the Ferretti brand has been strengthened with the birth of Italian Yacht Store. The sales network is extremely qualified, with people of great value and skill. I’ve had the good fortune to go through the entire commercial evolution of Ferretti: Italian Yacht Store is undoubtedly a safe harbour, providing fundamental organisational support to salespeople.

Puglia is a wonderful region, well-suited to pleasure boating. How do you envisage the coming season?

I’m very attached to Apulia, also as President of the Apulian Regional Nautical District, a role I’m particularly fond of. Our coasts are beautiful. Until last year they were mostly places of passage, where boats would stay for one or two days. Since 2020, with the difficulty of reaching Greece, Croatia or Turkey, the Apulian marinas have been taken by storm: the average stay has risen to six days. This has allowed many people to discover our region, and this year many yachtsmen have chosen to return.