HELLO, I’M STEFANO

MY HISTORY

My name is Stefano and my life began by the sea. I was born and grew up in Ostia Lido, with a family always leaning towards the water.

My father Federico and his small group of friends were among the pioneers of recreational diving. That is why from a young age I was always boarded as a barcarolo (and mascot) on their craft, to follow their adventurous dives closely.

I started sailing with the Optimist at the Ostia Lido sailing club. This club, opposite the much better known Lega Navale, unfortunately no longer exists.

I continued sailing at the Nauticlub Castelfusano, also on the Ostia coast, where I took part in various regattas with my faithful Flying Junior. Shortly afterwards came the offshore, with the first cabin cruisers of my own in the Half Ton class.

Offshore racing immediately took me over completely, and buoy and long races became my passion.

In the same years I embarked on a 24-metre whaler that was restored and used as a charter. There I experienced moments of sacrifice, but fascinating and full of experiences. Our cruises took up to 25 divers all over the central Tyrrhenian Sea – from Capraia to Ustica, including Sardinia. Also on the whaler in the winter I participated in shipbuilding, and I was able to learn restoration and maintenance techniques.

In 2003, I became an FIV (Italian Sailing Federation) sailing instructor, both offshore and dinghy. Initially, I worked with a well-known offshore sailing school in the capital.

Then I opened one of my own, Pettriossosail. After buying some boats, I soon added chartering to the school’s activities, making those who had been the best and most eager to learn grow technically. In the right amount of time they became established skippers.

Over time, Pettirossosail also became a sailing club, with the important recognition as an FIV affiliated society.

As far as my activities as a naval expert are concerned, in 2000 I started working with major shipyards. In 2010, I obtained the title of sector expert at the Rome Chamber of Commerce. This title subsequently led me to the prestigious enrolment in the register of the criminal court of Rome.

In addition, I obtained membership of one of the reference registers of the international community of marine surveyors, the British International Institute of Marine Surveying.

In 2011, I joined the Nautilus marina team, a landmark in the Italian marine industry. Nautilus, apart from being a well-maintained marina on the banks of the Tiber, is a shipyard at the forefront of nautical design and construction. It is also the importer of Hanse group boats (Hanse, Dheler and Moody) and dealer of the prestigious Italia Yachts brand.

Today I work full-time on boats, appraisals, inspections and optimisations. I work in yachting, both sail and motor, and I am an expert in rigging and sail plans.

Smallest boat inspected 18 feet, largest till today 180 feet.

I also collaborate with the main insurance companies in the nautical sector to carry out appraisals and claims evaluation.

I constantly study new survey technologies while not disdaining the techniques learnt from more mature masters.