History

Since creation, the Bufeo Blanco has had a total of six shipowners, all Italians. The first owner was Sergio Rossi, owner of Comau Automotive Torino, now part of the FCA group, and who christened the boat after the names of his two children, Luigi and Maria. Subsequently the boat belonged to Turin entrepreneur Luigi Botto Steglia, who changed the name to the Bufeo Blanco, a river dolphin of the Amazon said to bring luck to those who see it. A legend of the sea was also suited to this living mith, which between 1983 and 1992 was under the command of the Milanese designer Ido Minola, who took the sailing boat to Greece. Between 1992 and 2006, ownership passed to the notary Luigi Oneto of Alessandra, who decided to give the boat a complete refit in 1992, replacing the Marconi cutter in order to take part in vintage sailing. So between the 1994 and 2002, this queen of the seas achieved great results, not least for Prada Imperial Trophy.

In 2006, the boat was discovered in Salina by Giuseppe `Marino, who entrusted the Bufeo Blanco to the care of Del Carlo’s Viareggio shipyard in 2007, and later to the Neapolitan Paloma yard for major refitting in 2013. Marino had already fallen in love with the boat in 1990s when it was in the hands of family friend Luigi Oneto. Marino had the mission to preserve the integrity of the project. This, in fact, is what allowed him to take part once more in the Argentario regatta in 2008, to win “Le Vele d’Epoca” in Naples, to go on a wonderful cruise in the Greek Ionian islands, and to return to le Grazie for the Imperial Route race (aka Valdettaro Classic Boats).

In 2009, it headed for the Sicilian archipelagos, from the Aeolian to the Aegadian Islands. In 2011, it crossed the Gulf of lion, participating the Puig Vela Classica in Barcellona, then the Copa del Ray Panerai in Mahón, before winning the Viareggio Historic Sailing Regatta in October. the following year, Bufeo Blanco also won the Trofeo Accademia Navale di Livorno, kept heading south, and then back from Dubrovnik to Split, across the Adriatic, to Arrive in Trieste where strong wind allowed her to win the “Barcolana Classic” in October. The indefatigable boat won again in Naples in 2013, after a journey of two weeks from Rhodes to Monte Carlo, took part in and won at Monaco Classic Week in the “Classic” category. There it become a member of “la Belle Classe”, an exclusive club in the principality that brings together the most beautiful historic boats in the World. In 2014, she took part in all stages of the Panerai Classic Yacht Challenge: Antibes, Argentario, Naples, Mahón and Imperia. It is estimated that under the ownership of Marino, the Bufeo Blanco has average of 5,000 nautical miles each year. In 2016, the Bufeo Blanco won the AIVE (Italian Historic Sailing) regatta race from La Spezia to Capraia Island, took part in the Historic Sailing Race in Gaeta, and claimed third place at the Naples Historic Sailing.

In 2019, the boat has changed ownership and it is under the cares of two brothers that have set the target to restore it and maintain Bufeo Blanco in perfect conditions as it deserves. From 2020 is planned to bring the “White Dolphin” back to the regatta field.

After more than 50 years of history, this vigorous sailing ship is still at sea, ready for new adventures.