Fittipaldi is a name that resonates on several levels. Not only does it roll off the tongue in a pleasing way, it also evokes star power. Brazilian brothers Emerson and Wilson Fittipaldi blazed through the motor racing world, winning events starting back in the 1970s. "Emmo" lays claim to two Formula One World Championships, two Indy 500 titles and was also a season championship winner in the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) open-wheel racing series. Older brother Wilson, though not as well known, is genuinely proud of his younger brother and content with his own racing achievements. Wilson’s son, Christian, has taken up the torch, following in his family’s footsteps on the racetrack and carrying on the legacy of his uncle and father.

Wilson has since moved on to another lifelong passion: boating. He spent the last five years developing Fittipaldi Yachts in the Brazilian port city of Angra dos Reis.

ShowBoats International recently visited Fittipaldi Yachts and explored the shipyard with Wilson. A youthful, fit 64-year-old wearing a brimmed cap over longish hair curling over the back of his shirt collar, Wilson exudes charm. His manner is gentle, and his smile is positively engaging. Growing up, he loved all things mechanical: motorcycles, cars, boats. He has owned every kind of boat, from sportfishermen and speedboats to a three-masted schooner. Like many others who have a passion for boating, he turned his avocation into a vocation. (Click image to enlarge)

In late 2003, Wilson began to erect sheds and develop services for building boats in a new marine complex outside of Angra. In doing so, he laid the groundwork to become a world-class yachtbuilder. Brazil, he argues, is a sensible place to build yachts.

There is no import tax on any piece of equipment arriving in Brazil that will eventually be used for export. Engines, air conditioners, pumps and generators all can be imported duty-free and installed on yachts sold for export. Fittipaldi Yachts employs around 75 workers, engages subcontractors, built first-class sheds and facilities, and is stimulating the local economy.

Wilson attributes his impetus to build boats largely to his good friend, renowned yacht designer Luiz de Basto. Their friendship goes back more than 20 years. No doubt concepts and designs were batted around with drawings on napkins over coffee for many years before formal arrangements were made. Wilson says the first plan was to build an 80-footer. It grew to 90 feet and eventually to 110.

Fittipaldi has two F110 tri-decks currently in build, one for an American owner, and the other for a Frenchman. The first yacht is due to launch in November. A 125-footer (F125 series) is well along in the planning phase, as is a 150-footer (F150 series), clearly showing the direction Wilson is planning to grow the company. (Click image to enlarge)

De Basto is responsible for the exterior and interior styling on the F110. Naval architect Robert Schofield designed the hull. The aluminum F110 series yachts are, oddly enough, not go-fast yachts. They are ABS and MCA certified and are built to compete on the world market. Fittipaldi deems the yacht series’ lines to be a blend of classic and modern. He is proud of the fact that each looks all of one piece—flowing and melded together from bow to stern in a seamless, sleek unit. Schofield designed the F110’s bulbous-bow hull with an eight-meter beam, making it very stable and seaworthy.

The exterior styling is clean and well balanced, with sweeping fashion plates on the main and upper decks. Although the guest staterooms are placed down below, the general arrangement is not completely conventional because the owner’s stateroom is forward on the main deck, and the head is all the way at the bow on a split-level. The owner also can enjoy beautiful water views from the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows on each side of the master stateroom. (Click image to enlarge)

According to De Basto, "The main salon looks larger than [those on] other boats of the same size due to its uninterrupted views from the aft door to the main foyer and central stairway."The crew area is at the transom, aft of the engine room, with dual access through the swim platform and via the safe internal stairway. The captain’s cabin is on the upper deck next to the pilothouse, a location preferred by many experienced helmsmen. The tenders are carried on the upper deck aft, which is not unusual for explorer-type yachts. The very spacious exterior areas include a huge flybridge with a hot tub.

Brazil’s Angra region is a fabulous cruising ground with beaches and vegetation rivaling the Caribbean. (Click image to enlarge)

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There are approximately 75 workers at the Fittipaldi yard. Most of them are skilled workers. (Click images to enlarge)

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The Fittipaldi yard is exceptionally clean. Scraps from welding are continually swept up, and the two yachts sitting side by side in the shed are positively gleaming. While most metalwork is done on site, laser cutting is subcontracted out. The interior is also being built outside and will be installed in the yacht. There is enough space at the yard to build six yachts simultaneously.

An almost finished hull. (Click image to enlarge)

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While the Fittipaldi name is golden, Wilson realizes that the Fittipaldi legacy alone would never sustain his company if the end result were not superior. The first several laps are looking good. The race isn’t over, but the outcome does look promising.

Contact Fittipaldi Yachts at +39 349 633 9064 or steve@fittipaldiyachts.com www.fittipaldiyachts.com