Matteo Miceli’s globetrotting ecoboat is back on the water (and what a project!).

Eco40, Matteo Miceli’s “zero-impact” boat will sail again: it seemed truly impossible, after it capsized in March 2015 off the coast of Brazil following the detachment of its keel (signaling the end of the Roman sailor’s “green” round-the-world voyage) and disappeared from satellite tracking systems. Instead. Instead, a fisherman spotted her two months later, and Miceli returned to the waters off Ferdinand De Noronha to retrieve what was left of his beloved. Thanks to MSC Cruises, which gave Matteo Eco40 transportation as a gift, she is back in the Mediterranean, and Alessandro Salerno has offered to bring her back to Riva di Traiano, where it remained until the pool of technical sponsors that had supported Matteo in his round-the-world attempt (Rome Ocean World) was reconstituted.

WE WILL START AGAIN IN MAY!
“Between May and June Eco40 will be on the water again,” Matteo tells us, “ready to cruise around Italian ports, as always without consuming a drop of gasoline (thanks to the electric motor, solar panels and hydro-generators): the first competitive event will be the Rolex Middle Sea Race, then the Palermo-Montecarlo. A large program in the Mediterranean.”

A NEW WORLD TOUR PROJECT
Dear Matthew, you don’t want us to believe that you don’t have that longing left on your back to complete a nonstop solo round-the-world voyage, “And how! But since budgets are what they are (500,000 euros is not enough to participate in the Vendée Globe with the ambition to score) I have another idea in my head. In 2019, I plan to organize a race around the world aboard Class 40. There are many interested parties, both in Italy (Alberto Bona, who has taken Giovanni Soldini’s Class 40, Mario Girelli, Davide Consorte, Gaetano Mura) and transalpine (first among them, in terms of enthusiasm, is the great Sam Manuard): in racing and in Class 40, we would all be able to leave with smaller budgets.” And who knows, there may be room for chickens this time as well!

ALMOST LIKE BUILDING A NEW BOAT
Between saying and doing, there is money: how much will the full refitting of Eco40 cost? “We are around 200,000 euros, basically almost the same as building a new series boat. Thanks to our technical partners, we made it: I am very positive, look at Gaetano Mura’s feat, even if not completed, what a media impact it had. There is finally an appetite for ocean sailing, and I am in contact with some main sponsors who are interested in funding future activity and round-the-world sailing.”

TO LEARN FROM MICELI
But during this period Miceli certainly did not give up sailing., because he is successfully continuing his offshore schooling activities aboard a Class 40 in Riva di Traiano (Rome): you can learn from him all the tricks of sailing “au large” as early as Feb. 24. There are still three free places left in the boat with Matthew for the course that will run from Friday night 24 until Tuesday 28 (cost: 1,200 euros, find all the information HERE ).

SO ECO40 WILL BE REBORN
Meanwhile, the integral rebirth of Eco40 will go through Solbian in terms of photovoltaic systems, Electro Adda for the realization of the electric motor, Kaitek for lithium batteries, the Verona-based DMZ for the keel, Sat foundry for the bulb, Solimar for bushings and rudders, Sita Composites for carbon parts, Traiana Nautica 91 (products Gottifredi and Maffioli) for the peaks, Antal for deck equipment, Spinlock for onboard safety, Musto for technical clothing, NKE for electronic instrumentation, and Smartskipper for navigation system. Matteo will continue to run for the colors of the Favignana Yacht Club.