Luna Rossa: A Passion for Performance

When, on the evening of May 21st, the hulls of the AC72 Luna Rossa emerged from the gates of Persico Marine on the backs of two huge trucks, the cameras flashed and the photographers surged in true celebrity style even though the two stars of the show were encased in huge containers. The two publicity-shy celebrities were on their way to Auckland. "I’m sorry," said Marcello Persico, Managing Director of the Persico Marine. "I’m sorry to see them go: it was such an extremely interesting project."
He could make no further comment, however, as he is bound by the usual secrecy surrounding anything to do with the America’s Cup. The same vow of silence applied when the Luna Rossas for the Valencia Cup, the Abu Dhabi Ocean Team’s VOR 70 and the wingsail of the AC72 Artemis all departed those same sheds at various different times. "They are all extremely sophisticated constructions in which research into composite materials and lightness are key factors. In all those instances, we didn’t just do the construction but we were part of a group focused on the design with the team and the designer. That’s our speciality, in fact. We have a set-up that will also work for private owners who want to build a performance-oriented custom sailing or motoryacht."
That set-up spans around 50 specialist technicians, milling machines that can work on components of up to 25 metres, the group’s wealth of technical know-how and R&D, and a unique portfolio.