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Italia 11.98 review: This Alfa Romeo of the seas strikes a fine balance

• Matthew Sheahan
• July 23, 2020

At first acquaintance this cruiser/racer seems curiously at odds with itself – until you get behind the wheel. Matthew Shehan sails the Italia 11.98

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

I’m a soft touch for a well-balanced boat with a light feel and the ability to change gear easily. Be it it a cruiser or racer, performance and handling are, to my mind, essential aspects in any design. And while the accommodation is important, what happens below decks always comes second in my book.

So perhaps it was of little surprise that the Italia 11.98 and I got on so quickly. This is a boat that is silky smooth and light on the helm, responsive and comfortable to steer. The kind of boat where the autopilot will get little use and where the main trigger for any tension among the crew will stem from whether someone has been hogging the wheel.

This is also a boat that is as much fun and rewarding to sail in light conditions as it is when the breeze gets up thanks to its balance. But this is also a boat that is very confusing.

The Italia 11.98 Sugar 3 won the 2019 ORC Worlds fresh out of the blocks (with her designer on main). All photos © Fabio Taccola unless otherwise stated

It might sound clichéd, but from the first time I saw the Italia 11.98 there was something about it that really appealed, I just couldn’t figure out what it was. When you first see the 11.98 you think you have it sussed: it’s clearly a modern cruiser/racer. But gradually you notice details which seem to suggest it’s maybe not that modern at all. And then you begin to wonder if it really is a cruiser…

For example, what modern cruiser today has maximum beam amidships with a full and rounded hull that rolls under the boat to form heavily flared topsides aft? Then there’s that odd looking chine towards the stern that looks like a last minute fold to ensure the hull meets the deck. Viewed one way it looks very cool, viewed another, dated. So what’s going on?

The name tells you nothing, apart from its length, while the brochure copy describes the company’s goal as creating ‘stylish yachts to sail fast, safely and comfortably in all weather’. To be honest, I’d guessed that already.

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Yet, having tested a great deal of boats across all kinds of ranges and styles over the years, I find that every now and then one creeps up on me and gets under my skin for no obvious reason. The Italia 11.98 is one of those and as I dug deeper into this boat’s backstory I began to understand why.

Putting the puzzle together

In today’s style-conscious world where shocking appearances have become as much a selling tool as hitting the right price point, there is a theme for the contemporary look. A plumb or a reverse raked bow, full sections forward that open into slab topsides, an aggressive chine and twin rudders are frequently part of the modern mix.

On the other hand, there are design details that are as compatible as the parts from separate jigsaw puzzles that simply weren’t meant to fit together. A modern plumb bow, racy, raked, frameless portlights that were popular in the 1990s, a reverse counter stern from the bluewater cruisers catalogue, flared sections aft from the grand prix scene and T-style fin and bulb keel are surely never going to work as one.

Your eye gets drawn to the knuckle in the topsides aft no matter what angle you view it from

Yet this is exactly what Italia Yachts did with its 13.98. A model that proved to be a stunning looking, award winning cruiser. The message is clear, this modest Italian builder in Chioggia, near Venice, does things differently.

In 2013, just two years after the company had been founded, the 13.98 broke all the rules and walked off with four major titles including the prestigious European Yacht of Year award in the Luxury Yachts category.  A couple of years later in Barcelona an Italia 9.98, Low Noise II , won its class at the ORC World Championships and heads turned immediately.

The following year another 9.98 took the ORC Worlds title again as the Dutch Bachyachting Racing Team headed home with the silverware.  For a company that had set up to major in performance cruisers they were now in the racing spotlight and top five results in the 2017 and 2018 Worlds proved the company’s earlier successes were no fluke.

The level of detail in the deck layout gives away the true purpose of the 11.98: this is a boat designed to perform. Photo: Rick Tomlinson

The 9.98 was aimed primarily at Mediterranean racing, and one of its key strengths was its ability to change gear quickly as the notoriously light winds built into stronger conditions, and vice versa. And while this was clearly a recipe for success in a racing boat, those back at base believed that a sophisticated and seamless gearbox was also an asset for a cruiser as well.

So when it came to the design of the Italia 11.98 several of the 9.98’s key features were included. No sooner had the first 11.98 been launched in 2019, the company was back on the world stage as Ott Kikkas’s Sugar 3 won the ORC Worlds in Croatia in a highly competitive fleet of 50 boats.

Whether for racing or cruising, designer Matteo Polli, along with Italia Yachts’ in-house design team, believe that a good Mediterranean boat needs to keep drag to a minimum with a low wetted surface area. Keeping the waterline length short and the waterline beam narrow helps achieve this and leads to a fine entry in the bow, an overhang at the stern and aft sections that quickly tuck in under the deck, hence the flare.

Then, with fuller lines amidships and the pointy ends that have resulted, the Italia 11.98 was balanced around the middle, which makes it easier to trim fore and aft and lift any draggy aft sections out of the water in light airs. The full shape of the sections amidships also help to build righting moment quickly as the breeze builds and the boat heels, by which time the 11.98 trims down by the stern.

These classic lines are wrapped up in a modern style that results in an underwater section that looks far fuller than you might expect of a modern design.

On deck and under way

Once you’ve seen this, it is easier to spot the physical clues on and below deck that point to this refined hull shape. The most obvious is the rudder stock, which is further forward than you’d expect aboard a typical cruiser/racer and ensures that the top of the single rudder (yes, single) never gets close to the water’s surface where it might suck down air and cavitate, increasing drag and reducing control. This is a key contribution to the excellent feel on the helm.

Dual drum winch for A-sail sheeting

On the standard version, the Italia 11.98 comes with tiller steering, (twin wheels are an optional extra), which illustrates clearly how far forward the rudder is with the helm position close to the primary winches.

Elsewhere the layout is fairly standard. The German mainsheet system runs back to just ahead of each of the twin wheels and within comfortable reach for both the helmsman and the mainsheet trimmer. The cockpit itself is wide and spacious with the option to fit or remove a pair of cockpit lockers depending on whether you’re racing or cruising. Ahead of these, the primary and pit winches are in the usual place.

When it comes to the sailplan, a 9/10th fractional rig is used with twin aft swept spreaders, discontinuous rigging and a full width chain plate base. No surprises there, yet it is the subtle distribution of sail area that contributes to the carefully planned balance of this boat.

To achieve this the high aspect ratio sailplan, with its minimally overlapping headsail, includes a mainsail with a mini square-top headboard which, combined with a decent roach, allows a good sized mainsail to operate within a single backstay.

The standard spec includes an alloy mast and boom and 1×19 wire rigging, which is 40kg heavier than the rod-rigged Axxon carbon spars version. Yes, going composite costs a whopping €37,400 more, but surely it would feel wrong to hamper a boat that has so much going for it with the motoring equivalent of a set of cheap remoulds rather than the sporty set of low profile tyres on wide alloy rims that this boat deserves.

While you’re ticking option boxes it would be as well to include the fixed carbon bowsprit. It adds €5,000 but you’ll need it to fly your A-sails off. (Those racing the Italia 11.98 have found success by carrying both symmetrical and asymmetrical sails.)

In-pullers on the genoa sheets

In light winds that started at 5 knots we slipped along at 3.8 to 4.0 knots upwind. As the breeze started its slow build and 6 knots slipped across the water’s surface, we matched it with boat speed with the A2 set off the fixed bowsprit as we squeezed all we could at around 110° true.

From there the breeze built gradually to a peak of around 10 knots in the odd gust, giving us the opportunity to get into 7.0-7.5 as we dropped the bow a few degrees as the apparent wind angle started to swing further forwards.

Such conditions do nothing of course to reveal what the Italia 11.98 would be like in 20+knots in a steep, breaking sea as you approach a fateful gybe, but the ability to trim the balance on the helm so easily provided as good an indication as I could hope for.

Running rigging is led aft

From the perfectly arranged helmsman’s spot on the side deck behind either of the twin wheels, you could feel the balance through your fingers and drive the Italia 11.98 with ease. On tight angles and upwind at least, with a mainsheet traveller that runs across almost the full width of the cockpit close to hand, you can tweak that fine balance and feel instant results.

One issue that left me with mixed feelings was the non-slip on deck which, while being very effective, was also pretty aggressive. Having said that, being able to move about securely was a benefit made easier by the good proportions of the cockpit and the provision of shallow deck capping mouldings.

On the construction front there is little to report out of the ordinary. The hull and deck are hand laid E-glass/vinylester laminate with a 30mm foam core. Below the waterline a solid laminate runs along the centreline and around the keel and rudder areas. Main structural loads are carried by a composite sub-frame that includes carbon unidirectionals for some of the key structural members.

Anything but ordinary

While I might have thought I didn’t care too much about what the accommodation looked like, that was before I saw it for real. Once again the layout drawings do little to prepare you. A conventional symmetrical configuration with twin cabins aft, a galley to port and a navigation station to starboard just ahead of the companionway steps suggest nothing unconventional.

Beyond this, a symmetrical saloon and a double cabin in the forepeak do nothing to change your mind.  Yet in reality, this boat is anything but ordinary. Immaculate gloss white surfaces dominate the headliner, inside faces of the hull, worktops and cabinets to give the kind of dazzling freshness you’d expect on the other side of the Pearly Gates.

On the Bellissima version we tested, soft vanilla lighting floods evenly from behind the minimalist tan leather-faced lockers in the saloon and out from beneath the bunk fronts. As Italia’s website and brochures illustrate, other colours and combinations are available for the interior as well as a carbon faced version – all are stunning. Having said that they are still a €21,700 option, but its an option that’s difficult to ‘un-see’.

‘This Italian builder does things differently’

The keel-stepped mast passes through the aft end of the fixed folding leaf table in the saloon providing an indication as to just how far forward the saloon is sited in this boat. With the mast your new datum, you quickly realise how the weight has been centralised. From the bulk of the saloon to the navstation, galley, batteries etc. they’re all pretty close to the centre, improving performance in a seaway while making it easier to trim the boat fore and aft.

When it comes to trim from side to side, the accommodation has been deliberately designed to be symmetrical to allow for stacking of sails and crew when racing offshore.

But the saloon does feel narrow and makes you wonder how cluttered things could get with sails and kit turning the accommodation into an assault course for those going forwards to haul down and pack the kite.

Bright white fit-out with ivory lighting gives the accommodation a heavenly feel

In terms of the overall quality, the Italia 11.98 is well built and well finished with a sturdy feel all round, and while it’s impossible to assess robustness over the course of one light airs boat test, the attention to detail in the areas I could see was impressive.

When it comes to competition, the 11.98 is in the thick of it with plenty to fend off in the 38-40ft market. With a price tag that starts at €220,000 excluding tax and rises to €317,000 in its full racing spec, the Italia 11.98 is in good company but does come with the benefit of a proven racing pedigree.

Under the bonnet the Italia 11.98 is an easy boat to figure out – it’s an ORC/IRC racer with accommodation. It doesn’t feel or look like your average production cruiser and to think otherwise would be to suggest that a Jaguar F-Type convertible would make a good family shopping car. In Southern Europe it does, of course, as the roof is never up, making the weekly load easy to get on board. And that’s the point with the 11.98. Blessed with better conditions, Mediterranean owners have always been happy to be seen cruising in elegant, racy designs that can deliver the performance their looks and reputation give out. The bottom line is that this boat will appeal mainly to those with some kind of racing in mind with the odd cruise thrown into the season once or twice. If this boat was a car it would be an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio – bold, sleek and fun from the minute your hands grab the wheel.

Il tuo carrello:

Sail and Rigging nasce dalla passione per la vela e dall'esperienza maturata negli anni durante le numerose regate internazionali a cui hanno partecipato i nostri professionisti, vincendo campionati Italiani, Europei ed Internazionali e prendendo parte a importanti campagne come America's Cup.

Oltre 30 anni di storia

Sail and Rigging è nata nel 1992 a Chioggia - Venezia , quando iniziammo a produrre vele e accessori in tela direttamente nel nostro pianale e prestare assistenza grazie all'enorme esperienza in ambito velico acquisita negli anni.

Nel 1992 con la fondazione della veleria nasce la stretta collaborazione con UK Sailmakers, oggi conosciuta come Millenium, tutt'ora attiva. Nel 1995 il rigging si sviluppa sempre di più, affiancandosi ai migliori marchi e professionisti del settore. Nel 1998 Sail and Rigging diventa rivenditore X-Yachts, raggiungendo importanti traguardi con la consegna di 120 nuove imbarcazioni.

Dal 2002 B&G si affida a Sail and Rigging per rivendita e centro assistenza. Nel 2004 Sail and Rigging organizza la Bulgari X-Cup, evento di grande importanza che ha avuto luogo all'Arsenale di Venezia. Nel 2008 inizia la collaborazione con Jeanneau, di cui Sail and Rigging diventa rivenditore per l'Adriatico. Nel 2010 i soci di Sail and Rigging fondano Italia Yachts. A Chioggia viene progettato e costruito il primo modello IY 10.98, che racchiude tutta l'esperienza e la passione che contraddistinguono il team di Sail and Rigging. Nel 2012 Sail and Rigging introduce l'assistenza e l'installazione di impiantistica, permessa dalla formazione e il continuo aggiornamento dei suoi tecnici specializzati.

Nel 2021 il legame che da sempre unisce Sail and Rigging e Italia Yachts si fortifica e l'azienda viene inserita all'interno del network dedicato alla vendita delle imbarcazione Italia Yachts. Sail & Rigging, oltre ad occuparsi direttamente della consegna delle imbarcazioni, offre tutti i servizi dedicati, occupandosi di alberatura, rigging, varo, controlli e messa a punto finale. ‍ Nel 2023 nasce Sail and Rigging shop e la filosofia di S&R si sviluppa. Con lo shop sia fisico che online, l'azienda introduce prodotti di uso quotidiano per soddisfare i clienti a 360°, mettendo a disposizione articoli di vestiario, sartoria, rigging, elettronica, attrezzatura di sicurezza e molto altro.

Il nostro Team

Il team di Sail and Rigging è composto da professionisti che hanno fatto della propria passione un lavoro. La nostra esperienza deriva da anni passati sui campi di regata più importanti al mondo e dalla continua formazione del nostro team.

Marco Schiavuta

Elisabetta Corazza

Nicola Zennaro

Laura Schiavuta

Ivan Ghidoni

La nostra realtà.

Alcune foto di noi e della realtà che abbiamo creato. Tanta passione e sogni che ci hanno portato fino a qui e ci spronano a raggiungere ogni giorno nuovi obiettivi.

Italia Yachts was born in Chioggia – near Venice in 2011 with one mission: to “design and build high quality boats for sailors seeking performance and exclusivity”.

Italia 10.98

from EUR 190,000

Italia 11.98

from EUR 210,000

Italia 12.98

from EUR 300,000

Italia 13.98

from EUR 380,000

Italia 14.98

Price not available

Italia 15.98

from EUR 690,000

Italia 16.98

Italia 9.98.

from EUR 140,000

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Italia Yachts

Italia Yachts Venezia via Maestri del Lavoro, 50 30015 Chioggia (Venezia) Italy Phone: +39 041 4967891 Fax: +39 041 5543923 Email: [email protected] www.italiayachts.it

• Cossutti Yacht Design
• Matteo Polli

5 sailboats built by Italia Yachts

Italia 10.98, italia 13.98.

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Italia 12.98.

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Italia 9.98 Club, win in the race. Have fun on a cruise

Creating Italia 9.98 Club the Chioggia yard has turned a supremely victorious regatta hull into a boat suitable for cruising. With a few additions and very little being overlooked

by Niccolò Volpati – photo by Nicola Brollo

The question is a simple one, although the answer is a bit more complicated. Nevertheless we will try to provide it. Can a (triumphant) competition boat be converted into a cruiser? The boat in question is the Italia 9.98 which was world champion, not once but twice.

Two world championships, one after another: 2015 and 2016. «A lot of the credit goes to the owner and the crew» claims Matteo Polli, the young designer from Italia Yachts who is behind the 9.98 Fuoriserie project. Perhaps he is right, but we have noted that they were two different crews. To us that means that the boat must also have brought something good to the table.

The real strong point, we can now say, are the hull and the fin. The volumes are very evenly distributed. The volumes are exactly the same, whether with the wind astern or heeled going upwind. The waterlines do not create problems in the balance and the boat is thus easy to steer . But the most important thing about the sail plan is the location of the mast.

Using research conducted together with North Sail, it was decided to bring back the mast so as to have a larger jib and a slightly smaller main sail. Between two equal sail areas, they chose to have a larger jib. Why is a larger jib needed? Because in a regatta, the 9.98 is one of the smaller boats and so probably on a windward-leeward course it will be sailing behind maxi and other larger boats.

It thus needs to be agile and quick to accelerate. And it is the jib which gives acceleration after tacking. So that explains one of this boat’s secrets.

How is it different? Not a lot, really not a lot. The hull, equipment and sail plan are identical. There are just a few changes below decks.

By substituting fixed panels with flap doors, they have obtained cabinets in the dinette and the bow cabin. An oven has been added to the cooking rings and the fabric wardrobe in the stern cabin is slightly larger. There are so few changes that the cruiser version only weighs 50 kg more than the racing one.

What does change is the cockpit where , rather than the tiller there are two wheels, which had actually already been planned by the designer, and a dolphin striker has been added in the bows to house the anchor. We do the test in the Gulf of Trieste, but there is no Bora wind for us, or any sign of it.

There isn’t much wind about, and it is always below ten knots. To fully appreciate its sensitivity, Matteo takes his hand off the autopilot. The wheel is a real delight , and is just as sensitive as the tiller. Despite the fact that it is very much on the racing side of cruiser/racer, you don’t need a big crew to man it.

The mainsail traveller is immediately forward of the two wheels and the mainsheet can be easily reached by the helmsman. A second crew member can work on the jib sheet winch. We aren’t expert racers, but we can appreciate the effect of having the larger jib with the mast brought aft. As soon as a gust appears, the Italia 9.98 Club takes off. And that is another reason it is nice to steer.

Close to the wind Italia 9.98 Club really handles well: it picks up, accelerates and keeps up the pace easily. We raise the gennaker to try it downwind. It probably suffers a bit here, but nevertheless its handling is better than good. The wheel is a good compromise between sensitivity and hardness. Even when we sail as close to the wind as possible and we go to 100 degrees with real wind speed of 8.5 knots, despite the amount of canvas on the gennaker, we stay on course without much difficulty.

There isn’t a barbecue in the stern, and – if the truth be told – not even a table in the cockpit, but you can go cruising because the below-decks liveability is more than satisfactory, as are the cabin sizes. And above all it can be a sailing cruise, even with light winds.

The answer to the first question is yes. Italia Yachts has shown that with a few modifications, which had already been anticipated at the planning stage, you can turn a fast racing boat into a fairly comfortable cruiser.

PROJECT Matteo Polli, Italia Yachts Design Team, KMD Design

HULL LOA 10.30m • Hull Length 9.98m • Maximum Beam 3.54m • Draft 1.90 Displacement 4,550 kg • Mainsail 38 m 2 • Jib 32 m 2 • Gennaker 105 m 2

MAIN PROPULSION 1 Volvo Penta D1-20 • Outlet mechanical power 13.8kW (18.8hp) • Number of cylinders 3 • Bore & Stroke 67mm x 72mm • Total swept volume 0.76 l • Compression ratio 23.5:1 • Maximal rotational speed 2800/min-3200/min • Weight-including the saildrive – 144 kg • Propellers: 2 blades (foldable)

EC CERTIFICATION  Category A – 10 people

PRICE 139,000 € (Exclusive VAT) • 198,490 € (3 cabins, 2 bathrooms)

ITALIA YACHTS Via Maestri del Lavoro 50 Chioggia (VE), T. +39 041 4967891 [email protected] www.italiayachts.it

(Italia 9.98 Club, win in the race. Have fun on a cruise – Barchemagazine.com – August 2017)

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Italia Yachts

Sailboat builder.

• Last update: 23rd March 2020
• www.italiayachts.com
• +39 041 4967891
• Isola Morin, 2 30015 Chioggia (Venezia) – Italy

Matteo Polli on the new Italia Yachts 11.98 Racer/Cruiser

• April 21st, 2019

I have a special relationship with Italy. As, I would assume, as every German I admire Italian style, their sense for good lines, for good design and their taste for almost everything which we would call “the good things in life”. Be it cars, food, clothing or – of course – boats. I love the lush and open way in which Italians are embracing live and the tasks ahead. In this, it was the Italia Yachts 13.98 as seen on the Hamburg Boat Show in 2013 when I first fell in love with the brand.

Absolutely stunning exterior design with some elementary features which are still setting apart an Italia Yacht from other boats and a level of design and craftsmanship internally – these have been and still are the principal features of a boat made in Chioggia (near Venice) and I was happy to having had the chance to meet Franco Corrazza, founder and owner of Italia Yachts, together with principal naval architect and designer Matteo Polli (read my interviews here and here ).

I as well took the chance to meet Matteo again in San Giorgio di Nogara where Italia Yachts used to have a yard as well back in 2018 where he was showing the production of the Italia Yachts 9.98 racer. Now Matteo Polli is still the principal mastermind behind the boat designs from Chioggia, but things changed – he is self employed with his own company now. And these news had been accompanied by a big bang, the launch of the all-new Italia Yachts 11.98 “Bellissima”. Let´s have a closer look, I thought, and called Matteo asking for a small chat. Here we go …

The all-new Italia Yachts 11.98 “Bellissima”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com | Lars Reisberg: “Matteo, tell me, when did the yard made the decision to develop the 11.98? What was the reason to go for a 38 ft-racer/cruiser?”

Matteo Polli: “We started to work on the concept back in 2017. That was following the success that was kicking in after launching of the Italia Yachts 9.98. The main idea behind the 11.98-boat concept was at first simply to try to develop a bigger 9.98 in order to have more interior space for cruising without compromising the racing side. A bigger boat allows also more internal height without scarifying the external aggressive look. In this way the boat could be more appealing in the market in Northern Europe where of course the average height of people is bigger.”

NFS.com: “What influence did the learnings from the 9.98 had on the 11.98-design?”

Matteo Polli: “Oh, totally yes! I have been able to extract a lot of lessons learned from extensively sailing the 9.98, both during racing and in cruising-mode. I have tried to keep the good things and to change what was not working so well in my eyes.”

NFS.com: “What would you say are the top-points of the new 11.98, what can she do better?”

Matteo Polli: “I expect the Italia Yachts 11.98 will be better in light winds – that´s honestly where the 9.98 was suffering a bit. This will make the 11.98 more suitable for offshore racing in the Med where light winds are dominant. However, she will be still very good in medium to strong conditions and reaching, in fact the hull topsides have been designed to improve dynamic stability at high angles of heel. I have also been trying to have the interior space layout as such that it will be easier to stack sails and crew on windward when the boat is used in offshore racing. This is by the way the reason why the layout of the boat is symmetrical.”

NFS.com: “How is the Italia Yachts 11.98 build?”

Matteo Polli: “The boat is made by utilizing proven hand lamination-techniques with vinylester resin. The structure is reinforced by biaxial and undirectional glass fibres. Carbon unidirectional will be used for making strong hull bottom structure cappings.”

NFS.com: “What is the preferred range of use that the Italia Yachts 11.98 can be put to? Is she a true racer for the Med, optimized for reaching and running or a versatile boat on every point of sail, even fast upwind?”

Matteo Polli: “Well, I expect she will have a very all round performance profile that will allow any kind of racing and also allow good fun when cruising around. She is not extreme in any way, my goal was to design a boat that could fit well in any condition without looking for ultimate performance in only one situation. That said I feel this is a missing product on the actual market. We had nice and successful boats like this in the past which are in fact still in the highest part of the scoreboards since none of the newest designs are capable of such results.”

Form follows function here

NFS.com: “Italia Yachts is still kind of “refusing” to add a double-rudder configuration to either the cruisers or the racer/cruisers – why is that?”

Matteo Polli: “Well, is not exactly that Italia Yacht is “refusing” to do so, it is simply a matter of fact. When developing the initial concept it quickly became comes clear that we do not need double rudders. Besides, I find some design features nowadays may have more to do with fashion rather than real performance in this market. Hull chines, reverse bows, double rudders etc help a lot on very high speed-machines when the wind is blowing hard from behind. In all other cases I have the opinion that they do clearly reduce performance or comfort.”

NFS.com: “The Italia Yachts cruiser-range is still a kind of “racy” performance-oriented boat, why introducing a thoroughbred racing-line? Is the market and demand for those boats increasing?”

Matteo Polli: “It seems so, yes. I can tell you that we have sold more than thirty Italia Yachts 9.98 around the world! At a first look it may seem a small number but in fat the opposite is the case. That´s because no other racing boat not meant for one design racing has been sold in such a quantity! Probably on the larger size there will be even higher numbers and of the Italia Yachts 11.98 we already sold as many as seven boats before the first one had even touched the water!”

NFS.com: “You left Italia Yachts to work as an independent naval architect, tell me more about your decision and how it affects your relation to Italia Yachts.”

On personal matters

Matteo Polli: “I decided to leave Italia Yachts as an employee because I felt it was time for me to start my own company and engage relationships with different companies and owners. In other words: I was seeking new challenges! I will of course continue working for Italia Yachts designing boats for them but from an independent standing point.”

NFS.com: “So there are other projects you are currently working on? What is to be expected from Italia Yachts in the future – and from you personally?”

Matteo Polli: “Well, yes. But I am sorry that I cannot disclose that much at the moment, especially regarding Italia Yachts, but I can say there are quite a few new designs on the drawing board. Personally, I am designing IRC -keel versions for the 9.98 and the 11.98 in order to enlarge the racing options of these two models. I have also been contacted from a couple of well-known boatyards for new designs, which I will hopefully describe in the next interview.” (laughs)

Thank you so much, Matteo, for giving a short insight to the new Italia Yachts 11.98 racer/cruiser – all the best and I hope to featuring you soon with more interesting articles.

Love Italian boats? Here are some nice other articles:

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What if? At Cranchi Yard in Piantedo

Gulliver 57 – a Cigale 18 on steroids

• Venice, viale Enrico Fermi, 49, 30058 Italia Yachts

the Company Italia Yachts were established in 2010 by two enthusiasts of sailing - Franco Carassai and Mario Savuti, well-known people in the sailing world. Franco Carasso many years was a "man number 1" in regattas series Merit Cup, while Marco Chiavata participated in the campaigns of the America's Cup. They aim to build boats that are ideal for both racing and long voyages with a high level of comfort. Built yachts in Venice for Chioggia shipyard, which has more than half a century of experience in the construction of sailing yachts. The company has set itself an ambitious task, every year to display on the new model.

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Italia Yachts makes its debut at VELAFestival

• September 28, 2022
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LAST CALL You can still register for the VELA Cup Toscana (May 26-28)

There are less than 48 hours to go before the start of the VELA Cup Toscana, the first leg of Italy’s most entertaining regatta circuit. There are really many sailors and enthusiasts waiting for us at Marina Cala de’ Medici

VELA Cup Toscana is one week away. Find out about the members!

The first leg of the VELA Cup at Marina Cala de’ Medici is only a week away (May 26/28) and already 60 boats have registered. A special stop, not to be missed, because there will also be the VELAFestival: the

VELAFestival, the party is here! Here’s what’s in store for you (May 26/28)

Like a boat show, but much less “formal.” Along the docks of Marina Cala de’ Medici, May 26-28, the VELAFestival returns along with the VELA Cup, a great celebration of sailing and the sea, in a place made by sailors

Easter with your folks, VELA Cup with whomever you want. Already so many members in Tuscany!

From May 26 to 28, we look forward to seeing you at Marina di Cala de’ Medici for the first leg of the VELA Cup, the circuit of regattas open to all boats and all sailors (sports and non-sports). The

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The Boat Show: Italia Yachts 14.98 Bellissima review

The TV program The Boat Show dedicates the episode to the new sailing boat by Italia Yachts, the IY 14.98 Bellissima. Watch the full video of the review.

The Boat Show Review of the sail boat Italia Yachts 14.98.

21 Giu 2021

Interview with: Daniele De Tullio, Italia Yachts

Location: Chioggia, Italy

By Bacci Del Buono

Design by Cossutti Yacht Design

Discover more about IY 14.98

request a call from steve fischer I am available and happy to answer any questions

Email steve fischer I am available and happy to answer any questions

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Italia Yachts Expands

Take a look at italia yachts offered by bluenose yacht sales here .

Italia Yachts, the award winning Italian boatyard where speed and comfort are built into every yacht, today announced it has expanded its international footprint with  the opening of Italia Yachts U.S.A. in Milford, CT.

Building on its existing European and Australian customer bases, Italia Yacht’s presence in the U.S. will enable it to better serve a growing client base in this region and meet rapidly expanding demand for sailing yachts in the 34 to 54-foot range that deliver optimum levels of speed without sacrificing comfort and luxury.

“This is an important milestone in Italia Yachts international expansion strategy and reinforces our status as the leading sailboat manufacturer in Italy,”  said Bill Leonard, Operations Director of Italia Yachts U.S.A. “A physical presence in the U.S. will better enable us to service existing customers while penetrating new markets hungry for the unique blend of design, performance and luxury that our vessels provide.”

A “back-to-back” winner in the 2015 and 2016 ORC world championships and awarded as “Best Boat 2016“seen in SAIL and CRUISING WORLD Usa Magazines,

Italia Yachts was founded in 2011 in Chioggia (Venice) Italy to fill the increasing market gap between Mediterranean high-performance boats and more traditional Nordic cruisers. Today, Italia Yachts provides a broad product range of sport performance and blue water cruising sailboats that offer ease of operation with exhilarating performance, suitable for offshore racing.

Italia Yachts U.S.A. will provide local service, and sales support through its Milford, CT office along with a satellite operation located in South Florida , managed by  Bill Leonard .  Daniele De Tullio , US Market Coordinator will attend US special event functions, and manage operations between USA and Italy. Daniele has a fantastic reputation in the Regattas scene internationally. They will be accompanied by  Franco Corazza , Italia Yachts founder and team manager of race sailing teams worldwide, and  Marco Schiavutta , Americas cup professional and Italia Yachts Technical Director. The team ensures a terrific squadron to support the fortunate Italia Yachts Owners.

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Bluenose Yacht Sales home page  https://www.bluenoseyachts.com/ 

Check out the full article here  https://www.italiayachts.com/en/2018/04/03/italia-yachts-launches-italia-yachts-u-s-a/

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About Italia Yachts

Leaders in world championship designs.

Italia Yachts are a premium performance brand, that produce a range of outstanding pedigree racer/cruiser yachts from 33 to 71 feet.  In 2023,  an exciting new line of power boat models was unveiled, a sleek and alluring 43 Veloce that will debut at the Miami Boat Show in February.

Founded in 2011 in Chioggia – Venice, Italia Yachts is a boatyard with a mission: to design and build yachts that are high-grade, fast, stylish and safe, for demanding sailors looking for a one-of-a-kind product with a timeless design.

After a rapid five year expansion strategy all elements of production are located centrally with a new facility based in Castelnuovo – Fano, on Italy’s’ east coast.

Highly Experienced & Dedicated Team

The Italia Yachts is made up of a dedicated team of professionals led by CEO Daniele De Tullio who is a passionate and experienced sailor and racer himself.  Indeed many of the team have participated in years of racing at the highest levels (European, World, America’s Cup, Admiral’s Cup), and also have a deep knowledge of commercial, production, and industrial dynamics acquired over the years at leading shipyards and international businesses around the world.

The design of these unmistakable and aesthetically striking models is attributed to Maurizio Cossutti and his team since the beginning in 2011.  Starting with the design of the IY 10.98 in collaboration with Italia Yachts’s team.  A unique mix of sportiness and tradition wrapped in a balance that still continues across the range today.

Todays design brief is to create instantly recognisable, fast and highly ergonomic yachts with an emphasis on positioning and loading of deck gear, and equipment. The working cockpit areas are large, open and comfortable promoting ease of movement. Below decks are defined by elegance and refinement with the use of high quality materials and hand-crafted finishes ensuring a pleasant and welcoming interior. 

In Pursuit of Excellence and customer satisfaction

Italia Yachts continues to lead the way in pursuit of excellence and customer satisfaction with a new initiative – 55 checks approved – 3 years warranty.   The 55 meticulously approved checks span the entire construction process, from hull fabrication to boat delivery. Italia Yachts demonstrates a steadfast commitment to quality by consolidating all processing phases in Fano, ensuring consistent excellence in each yacht.  Each of the 55 key aspects are then broken down into numerous sub-elements, delving into the minutest details. This extra layer of precision reflects Italia Yachts dedication to bringing the true essence of Made in Italy to the market, ensuring their yachts and new power boat range surpass expectations.   As a testament to their confidence, Italia Yachts extends the warranty by an additional year. “We eliminate typical issues associated with craftsmanship, providing boat owners peace of mind” stated Daniele De Tullio, CEO of Italia Yachts.

Bellissima  Vs  Fuoriserie

The Philosophy at Italia Yachts is to provide the very best by way of performance and comfort.  To effectively meet the needs of their customers the team at Italia in conjunction with the design team and naval architects developed two versions of the models from IY 9.98 to 14.98.

The sportier version known as Fuoriserie (customised/made to order) is truly optimised for performance.  For the larger models there is a weight saving in the displacement and reduced wetted surface.  The sail area is larger and in some cases additional winches and more ergonomic layout of deck gear for ease of movement for the crew.  Tiller steer is standard.

The Bellissima (very beautiful) version still offers incredible performance but has added features desirable for cruising including wheel steering, fixed bow sprits, larger cockpit benches with optional teak.  Below decks extra consideration is given to storage with additional cabinetry, wider range of luxurious and stylish fabric selections and wood choices.

Awards and achievements

The first model built by Italia Yachts was the IY 10.98 by the founder Franco Corazza and made its debut at the Genoa Boat Show.  Not long after the launch of the IY 13.98 in 2012 Italia Yachts received their first, and what would become, a long line of prestigious European Yacht of the Year Awards, nominations and winners of ORC World Championship regattas.

Indeed the IY 9.98 is one of the only models across all brands to achieve back-to-back wins of the coveted ORC World Championships in 2015 and 2016. 

2012 IY 13.98 Winner “ADI Interior Design Award” 2013 IY 13.98 Winner “European Yacht of The Year” Award 2014 IY 15.98 Nomination to the “European Yacht of The Year” Award 2014 IY 15.98 Winner “Barca dell’Anno “ Genoa Boat Show Best Boat Award 2015 IY 9.98 Fuoriserie Winner of the ORC World Championships 2015 IY 9.98 Nomination “European Yacht of The Year” Award 2015 IY 13.98 Winner “Best Performance Cruiser” Award by Cruising World Magazine 2015 IY 13.98 Winner “Best Yacht of The Year” Award by Sail Magazine 2016 IY 9.98 Fuoriserie Winner of the ORC World Championships 2016 IY 12.98 Nomination to the “European Yacht of The Year” Award 2019 IY 11.98 Fuoriserie Winner of the ORC World Championships 2019 IY 11.98 Bellissima Winner “Boat of the Year Vela e Motore” Award  2021 IY 11.98 Winner ORC European Championships 2022 IY 11.98 Winner ORC World Championship  2023 IY 12.98 Nominated for the “European Yacht of The Year” Award 2023 IY 12.98 Nominated for Sail Magazine’s “Top Ten Best Boats Award 2024” 2023 IY 14.98 Nominated for Sail Magazine’s “Top Ten Best Boats Award 2024” 2023 IY 14.98 Winner of “Boat of the Year Award” by Cruising World Magazine as Best Performance Cruiser 2024

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• Aprile 24, 2023

A Chioggia con Sail and Rigging

E’ ancora Sail and Rigging a rappresentare Italia Yachts per tutto il Veneto e l’Alto Adriatico. Adesso però c’è un nuovo bellissimo show room in via San Felice, a Sottomarina – Chioggia, dove approfondire tutto quello che c’è da sapere sulla gamma Italia Yachts e dove carpire i segreti di un perfetto assetto delle imbarcazioni da regata, sfruttando l’esperienza di Marco Schiavuta e il suo team. Oltre 30 anni di esperienza messi a disposizione degli armatori IY, in uno spazio moderno e conviviale dove insieme il know how e la convivialità diventano un motivo in più per un passaggio piacevolmente obbligato.

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To Be vince ad Alassio

Italia Yachts a Dubai

Guardamago III ancora primo!

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SailingEurope Blog - Sailing, Yacht Charter and Beyond

Italia 9.98 Fuoriserie – an Extraordinary Yacht

(Cover photo source: italiayachts.it)

It seems like the demand for small and fast performance cruising sailing yachts is still in trend. The proof comes from Italia Yachts from Chioggia, Italy where their latest model Italia 9.98 Fuoriserie was one of the five nominees for prestigious annual reward The European Yacht of the Year. Initiated by German Yacht magazine its jury includes representatives of the most prominent European yacht magazines such as Yacht World, Voiles et Voiliers, Waterkampionen, Yachtrevue and other. The final decision on this year’s winner took place after test sailings in La Rochelle and Santa Margherita Ligure while the ceremony takes place at Boot Düsseldorf in January 2016 . The winner was Solaris 50, but Italia 9.98 is still an extraordinary boat, just as it name says.

Italia 9.98 Fuoriserie  is designed by Italia Yachts chief architect Matteo Polli, while her interior design is signed by Kristian Macchiut. The concept of Italia 9.98 Furoiserie is so trendy on the market lately – a fast cruiser very easy to control . In addition, this yacht is specially adapted for ORC and IRC handicapped competitions which makes her very interesting not only for hobbyists. The hull is completely made out of two layers of plastic and PVC foam, in a compact sandwich; with some carbon reinforcements on strategic points.

Italia 9.98 Fuoriserie measures as much as 10.30 m of LOA (the hull is 9.98 m long), the beam of 3.54 m and 1.90 m of draft. The interior is divided into two cabins, one head and central saloon. Quite enough for performance cruiser of that size… Mainsail is meant to measure 38 m2 with a 32 m2 flock and a 90 m2 spinnaker.

The manufacturer leaves the purchaser a lot of customization to choose while I do not doubt at all the results on the racecourse. The reason to be optimistic about that is the fact that Matteo Polli had designed the legendary M37 , one of the most successful yachts in the history of ORC format. In addition, the design of Italia 9.98 Fuoriserie was severely analyzed with CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and VPP (Velocity Prediction Program); and under the supervision by Matteo Ledri , one of the rare Italians to participate the last America’s Cup, who gave his expertise on optimization and underwater section of the hull. Last but not least, you can add this vessel to your fleet for just some 120.000 €. I wish you a calm sea, fair winds and a strong mast!

2 thoughts on “Italia 9.98 Fuoriserie – an Extraordinary Yacht”

“DeTour” an Italia 9.98 Fuoriserie, raced in the Bayview Yacht Club’s 98th running of the Port Huron to Mackinac race up Lake Huron between Michigan, USA and Ontario, Canada. She WON Class E, also the entire Cove Island Course Division ( every class that sailed the long, 259 nautical miles, fresh water course, and the sponsored Detroit Pro Sports Team ( they represented the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL) challenge. Owner/Skipper Commodore Chuck Storms assembled a very experienced crew to race his boat for the first time in this historic race.

oooohh very cool!

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