'The Italian Job'

Staged in the heart of the Ligurian Riviera, more than 100 captains and industry professionals were invited to enjoy a weekend of golf, tennis, spa treatments and fine dining as part of the second edition of Amico & Co.'s 'The Italian Job'.

In partnership with Pesto Sea Group, Amico hosts the event primarily as a chance to say 'thank you' to the captains and owners who have used its services and facilities throughout the year. And although the weekend maintained a social and informal focus, it comes at the time of year when most captains have a chance to assess and review their budgets and schedules, therefore giving the hosts a valuable opportunity to resonate in the minds of the industry’s decision-makers.



This particular approach proved to be a success, as many of the captains in attendance admitted to being drawn in by the unobtrusive format. “With a lot of industry events that are targeted at captains, you can often feel that you are constantly being sold to,” said Captain Ian Paxton of 38m Camelot. “But this weekend really is just about the yard saying 'thank you' for our business and a chance to relax and enjoy some golf. It is still an important networking opportunity, as it keeps up the relationship with the yard and you may meet some interesting contacts, but you can exchange business cards and follow up at a later date - you do not feel like you are being bombarded.”

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Captain John Fleckenstein of 62m Apogee has a strong relationship with the Italian yard and was also attending for a much-needed chance to unwind before taking the boat over to the US. “We are a very busy yacht because the owners are US-based and we do two seasons; the summer in the Med and the winter in the US,” he explained. “It is easier for me to get all the boat’s repair work done in Italy because I trust the yard and I know that the quality of the services will be up to scratch. We don’t consider doing the work in the US because the facilities are not quite there yet for a yacht of our size. Having said that, some of the US yards are now making big investments so I am sure it will only be a matter of time before they catch up with Europe.”

The 2014 edition of ‘The Italian Job’ was deemed a great success by both organisers and attendees, with promises to make it a permanent fixture in the yard’s calendar. While direct business discussions may have taken a back seat for some, the event remains a subtle but effective way to remind those in attendance of the benefits of bringing one’s yacht to Amico for refit in the context of an enjoyable weekend away in the region.

The event’s technical sponsors included Alewijnse, Amico Loano Shipyard, Boero Yacht Coatings, Cambiaso Risso Marine, Peninsula Petroleum and Sat@Sea. And is supported Bvlgari by Moncada Hispania, Natoli, Prestige Cars, Slam, Zeffrino. The Superyacht Group was proud to be official media partner of the event for the second year in a row. 

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