SAILING AROUND ITALY IN A RIB? YES, IT’S POSSIBLE.

“Our message is simple: simple boating, that one which costs nothing and makes you enjoy the wonders of the sea, is possible and within the reach of everyone”. Emilio Galli, a passionate sailor and member of Club del Gommone di Milano, is preparing for his new challenge and tells us his thoughts.

Additional fuel, equipment, water. Everything is ready. An inflatable, a ZAR mini RIB 16, has been set up in the last few hours. Powered by a Suzuki Df 40 engine, the boat will sail 2,000 miles around Italy in little more than one month. At 11:20 this morning, April 1st 2017, the Zar has sailed off from Genoa and set course to South.  

Portovenere is 52 miles away and the rib got it at 14:15. ” I consumed 25 liters of fuel – Emilio Galli told us – that’s great. Both engine and rib worked well.  Even when I found an over 1-metre wave around cliffs, I never had a problem. I’m very satisfied”.

The challenge, organized by Club del Gommone di Milano, has a value that goes beyond the spirit of adventure driving the fans of this means. As Galli told us in Genoa before leaving, the club has a precise goal, which is to show how safe sailing can be within reach and that anyone can enjoy the natural beauty that sea and coasts offer.

This strong simple message has caught the attention of the two technical sponsors of this initiative: Zar Formenti, which has provided a mini Rib 16, and Suzuki, which equipped the rib with a DF 40 HP engine.

After Portovenere, the rib will set course to Porto Ercole where, weather permitting, it should be arriving Monday afternoon for the first pilot change. The travel foresees 10 pilot changes along the way which will make the Zar mini 16 coast Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria before facing the Strait of Messina.

Then, the rib will face the hard Ionian Coast, frequently subject to southern winds and waves, the Adriatic Coast to Venice, the Po Delta, Pavia and, finally, Ponte della Becca where the raid will finish in early May.

As mentioned above, the boat is a Zar Mini Rib 16. 5 metres long and 2.24 metres wide, she has a passenger capacity of 10 people. Often used as a luxury tender for big yachts, the boat has no changes compared to the standard version, except for an additional fuel tank thanks to which total fuel capacity is now over 100 l. In this case, too, the aim is to show how a high-quality “normal” boat can face such a challenge.

The Suzuki DF 40 HP engine, too, has remained unchanged to face this around-Italy travel. Like all the motors built by the Japanese manufacturer, it’s equipped with Lean Burn control system which delivers better air/fuel ratio and greater fuel savings. Provided with 3 cylinders, 12 valves and an electronic power system, this engine consumes about 23% less fuel than the previous model.

This is the formula chosen by the club: a non-experienced sailor, safe reliable but absolutely “normal” rib and engine and a long charming route.

We have fallen in love with this initiative because it belongs to everyone who, like us, loves the sea simply. We’ll follow it in the next weeks and we’ll tell you, through the pilots’ voices, the emotions, troubles and delights of this wonderful experience.

The initiative is sponsored by Regione Lombardia, UCINA and Federazione Italiana Motonautica.