I learned some sad news late last week, while reading the briefs on The Yacht Report’s Web site. Paolo Scanu, the talented designer behind many well-known megayachts, has died.
Although I never met him, Scanu made a big impression on those who did. He got his start in the yacht industry at Camper & Nicholsons’ yard in 1975, drawing sailing yachts. He left to work for Benetti in 1978. Other familiar names from Italy and other corners of the globe followed from the 1980’s through this decade. They included CRN and Alloy Yachts.
In fact, Numptia, the classic canoe-stern motoryacht, came from CRN. Georgia, the radiant red sailing yacht (above), launched from Alloy Yachts. Judging from Scanu’s comments on his Web site, he cherished these projects. Regarding Numptia, Scanu credits the owner with insisting everyone give their best. “It was his first yacht, and this had a positive influence in the project, for it brought in a fresh approach at developing the design and removing stale pre-concepts, and I would like to think that he enjoyed the anticipation and creation of the design process as much as I did,” Scanu shared.
Regarding Georgia, Scanu revealed being asked to redesign plans from another naval architect. The engine room posed a particular challenge. Among other things, the propeller shaft was 15 meters long (nearly 50 feet long). The full tale on Scanu’s website is pretty extraordinary. But, one particular excerpt gives good insight into Scanu’s personality. He wrote, “I had not been involved in real sailing work, when suddenly, the opportunity re-presented itself in 1996, thanks to a very successful American broker, great friend of mine, that I love dearly, even if sometimes I feel like strangling him with my bare hands”
Humor aside, Scanu also saw the value of collaborating with builders that weren’t household names. In the early part of this decade, for instance, he collaborated with a yard named Bodyat in Turkey. The project was Bushido, a 33-meter (108-foot) ketch belonging to the Greek-born journalist Taki Theodoracopulos. (Interestingly, when Taki wanted to build this yacht, he spoke with George Nicholson, who started Camper & Nicholsons’ brokerage division. Without missing a beat, Nicholson recommended Scanu.) And at the time of his death, Scanu was collaborating with Sunrise Yachts, an up-and-coming yard in Turkey, on two 45-meter (148-foot) yachts. The first of these steel-hulled vessels should see delivery next spring.
So while Scanu’s contributions to this industry may have ended suddenly, his designs will surely live on in the hearts and minds of those who admired him.
Pace, Paolo.
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