Camillo Gasparini, area manager for Emilia Romagna at Italian Yacht Store, tells his surprising story with an unmistakable Bologna’s accent. A true testimony to the evolution of the renowned Ferretti brand and the inevitable changes it has undergone over the last 40 years.
His link with the shipyard is long-standing. Maria Teresa Landi, Camillo’s mother, was in fact married to Alessandro Ferretti, co-founder with his brother Norberto, of Ferretti Craft.
“I’ve always breathed the air of boats since I was a little boy,” says Camillo. His memories of the first Ferretti yard in San Giovanni Marignano, near Cattolica, are still vivid. “I often went to the yard, I can still smell the typical fibreglass smell. I would look at the boats under construction and they seemed enormous. I was totally fascinated.
Although his studies had taken a different direction, after graduating in law in 1998, Camillo returned to the world of yachting and joined Ferretti, first in the Purchasing Department and then, for about a year, in the Commercial Department.
In 2000 he became a dealer for Ferretti and Mochi Craft until 2013, gaining unparalleled knowledge and experience in the sector.
After the great boating crisis in 2008, there was an important recovery in 2015-2016, and shortly thereafter (in 2018), he began his collaboration with Italian Yacht Store, becoming agent for the group’s new Italian dealer.
Tell me about the collaboration with Italian Yacht Store
“I am very happy that I have found a well-structured company. With Giuseppe Zecchin, CEO of Italian Yacht Store, we’ve known each other for a long time. Giuseppe worked for Ferretti for nine years while I was a dealer for the yard. We always saw each other at meetings and boat shows. Friendship in business helps. With the staff (Elisa and Gloria, the sailors and skippers) there’s a synergy that hasn’t been found for a long time.
How would you describe Italian Yacht Store using 3 adjectives?
Dynamic: it follows and adapts to situations quickly.
Fast: in making decisions and responding to customers.
Clear: in communication and feedback both internally and to clients.
You’ve opened an Italian Yacht Store in the Marina di Rimini.
The office is in the central area of the marina, a very strategic position with the storage yard nearby. We’re also close to Ferretti and Cattolica, with the possibility of interacting directly with the yard. We know we can do great things this year.
What are the prospects?
We are very confident. It’s a very lively period for the nautical market, both for new and used boats. The boating industry has always been the first sector to stop with the big economic changes, but it’s also the first to restart. And this historic moment is confirmation of that.
What do you like most about your job?
The most rewarding aspect is definitely meeting people, who sometimes become customers. It’s great to listen to their stories, to learn about their life paths. I am often struck by their stories.
Then I really like the boats we sell: they are excellent products.
Lastly, this job allows you to visit beautiful places, such as Cannes and Montecarlo, for example.
What distinguishes the Ferretti Group’s products from others?
The product always has a mix of characteristics that make it special. But the group’s products always have that extra something. They drive innovation in the sector. At first the public has difficulty understanding and accepting them, but then over time, you realise that it was just the right thing to do. To sum up, Ferretti brand products are always one step ahead.
What sailing holiday would you recommend to your clients this year?
We have Croatia ahead of us with hundreds of wonderful islands, still wild to explore and crystal-clear sea. But I must say that central and southern Italy is also worth seeing. In particular, the Gargano in Puglia. It is still little visited by nautical tourism, and perhaps because of this, it holds unexpected surprises.