2016 VELE DEPOCA DI IMPERIA:

MOONBEAM IV, CHINOOK, IL MORO DI VENEZIA I

AND KOOKABURRA III TAKE HOME
THE PANERAI WATCHES
OFFICINE PANERAIS OWN EILEAN IS HELMED IN COMPETITION BY NEW ZEALAND SAILING
LEGEND AND FIVE-TIME AMERICAS CUP WINNER RUSSELL COUTTS
SEPTEMBER 2016 Moonbeam IV (Big Boats), Chinook

weather and winds of around 15 knots.

(Vintage Yachts), Il Moro di Venezia I (Classic Yachts) and

Kookaburra III (Spirit of Tradition) emerged as the winners

The extraordinarily spectacular sight afforded by the 70

of the coveted Panerai watches at the 19th Vele dEpoca di

participating boats attracted not just thousands of sailing

Imperia, which finished on September 11 at Imperia (Italy).

professionals and enthusiasts but also one very special

The fleet competing in the third Mediterranean round of

guest: New Zealand yachtsman Russell Coutts who was

the 2016 Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge raced over

in Toulon for the Americas Cup World Series but made

a mix of coastal and triangular courses in superbly sunny

the trip to Imperia to compete aboard Eilean, Officine

Panerais own 1936 yacht. Coutts, who won gold in

Very fittingly given that this is the centenary of her launch,

the 1984 Olympics and is a five-time Americas Cup

the gaff cutter Chinook, one of just four New York 40s still

winner, is one of the living legends of international sailing.

afloat, continued her winning streak at Imperia where she

However, Imperia was the first time he had helmed a

took one first and two second-place day finishes in the

vintage craft in competition, something he did with great

Vintage class.

success as Eilean took one second and two firsts in her

category in her three races. Coutts was also sporting one

With three out of three victories in her races, the historic

of the most innovative watches in the Florentine luxury

German Frers-penned 20.41-metre Italian yacht, Il Moro

sports watchmakers latest collections: the Luminor

di Venezia I, took the honours in the Classic Yachts

Submersible 1950 Carbotech

3 Days Automatic,

category. Launched in 1976, and owned and skippered by

which features a case made from a special carbon-fibre-

Massimiliano Ferruzzi, the Bermudan sloop previously won

based material.

the prestigious Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge in both

TM

2013 and 2015.

That said, the main attraction remained, of course, the
yachts themselves, particularly the winners in the various

Another three-out-of-three was delivered in the Spirit of

categories. The 1914 gaff cutter Moonbeam IV, winner

Tradition by the 1986 International 12-Metre Kookaburra

also of the prize for the most elegant yacht, clashed

III, the Australian defender in the 26th Americas Cup in

with other high profile Big Boats such as Moonbeam of

1987. An excellent result for the 20-metre aluminium

Fife (1903) and Halloween (1926). All were built by the

racer, which only debuted in the Panerai regattas last year.

legendary Fife shipyard in Scotland.

The Vele dEpoca di Imperia also attracted several other

Marconi 2), Eilean (Vintage Marconi 3), Namib (Classic

yachts of great historic value for the first time this year, not

1), Giraldilla (Classic 2), Huna II (Classic 3), Il Moro di

least Spartan, a 22-metre gaff sloop built at the Herreshoff

Venezia I (Modern Classic), Kookaburra III (Spirit of

yard in the US in 1913. Cargo-shipped from Newport to

Tradition).

the Mediterranean just a few months back, she is the only

surviving New York 50. Java (1938), on the other hand,

The fourth and final round on the 2016 Panerai Classic

was the first Concordia Yawl ever built, ushering in a series

Yachts Challenge Mediterranean Circuit is being held in

that ran to more than 100 examples over the next decade.

France between September 18 and 25 at the 38th Rgates

Java too was cargo-shipped from New Jersey to Italy to

Royales de Cannes, during which the overall 2016 Panerai

compete in the vintage class.

Trophy season winners will be presented with their prizes.

The Vele dEpoca di Imperia fleet was split into 10

subcategories. The winners of the various groupings were
as follows: Moonbeam IV (Big Boat), Chinook (Vintage
Gaff), Leonore (Vintage Marconi 1), Rowdy (Vintage

OFFICINE PANERAI

PANERAI CLASSIC YACHTS CHALLENGE

Founded in Florence in 1860 as a workshop, shop and

In honour of its historic links to the sea, Officine Panerai has

school of watch-making, for many decades Officine Panerai

promoted classic sailing culture for many years through its

supplied the Italian Navy in general, and its specialist diving

sponsorship of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge, the

corps in particular, with precision instruments. The designs

leading international circuit for these vintage craft. In 2007,

developed by Panerai in that time, including the Luminor

the company also acquired and restored the Bermudan

and Radiomir, were covered by the Military Secrets Act for

ketch Eilean. Built in 1936 by the legendary Fife yard at

many years and were launched on the international market

Fairlie in Scotland, she is now the brands ambassador at

only after the brand was acquired by the Richemont Group

vintage and classic boat rallies and regattas.

in 1997. Today Officine Panerai develops and crafts its

movements and watches at its Neuchtel manufacture.

www.paneraiclassicyachtschallenge.com

The latter are a seamless melding of Italian design flair and

www.eilean.it

history with Swiss horological expertise. Panerai watches

www.facebook.com/PaneraiClassicYachtsChallenge

are sold across the world through an exclusive network of

www.youtube.com/pcycofficial

distributors and Panerai boutiques.

www.panerai.com

The Panerai Guide to Classic Yachts is available for

www.facebook.com/paneraiofficial

download at:

www.twitter.com/paneraiofficial

www.paneraiclassicyachtschallenge.com/panerai-guide-

www.instagram.com/panerai

to-classic-yachts/