How to build unique boats in Italy that everyone abroad loves. Neo Yachts’ “recipe”

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Journal of Sailing, the great excellences of the sailing world tell their stories and reveal their projects. In this column, discover all the companies and people who have made important contributions to the multifaceted world of sailing, which enables us all to go to sea in all forms and contexts.

In this episode, we take you on a tour of Neo Yachts, a shipyard that has contributed since its inception to creating out-of-the-box boats, based on the idea of its founder Paolo Semeraro.

The made in Italy they want abroad

Most likely Neo Yachts & Composites, this young all-Italian company, born in 2018, is better known abroad than in Italy. And in fact of 29 boats sold in 15 countries, only two have gone to Italian clients. Let’s try to know it better through the words of its CEO and founder, Eng. Paolo Semeraro. The first question arises, “Paolo, why Neo and why the butterfly?” “Neo is directly inspired by the name of the protagonist of the cult Matrix series in which NEO stands for the ONE, the One. The butterfly, an esoteric symbol par excellence, symbolizes lightness, agility, beauty and finally Spiritual Enlightenment and realization. In short, the path of an owner who finally arrives at Neo: the point of arrival. Name and symbol I must say that in very few years they have become very recognizable in the world.”

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Neo Yachts, Paolo Semeraro speaks

GdV: What does this unique DNA of the Neo consist of then?

Paolo Semeraro: My choice was not to sell boats, but to build the “boat that wasn’t there” and to do it entirely in Italy. Coming from competitive sailing and never betraying my origins as a sailor: I chose from the beginning that Neo Yachts would be a permanent laboratory of ideas, where aesthetics, performance, structural innovation and ease of use could meet. Starting from a fixed point: carbon fiber is the best building material in the world, and my interiors would become structural.

To all my clients I have given the feeling of setting their own personal sailing speed record, to many the experience of exceeding 20 knots for the first time. And in cruising or transferring, not racing with super-professionals. Neo’s DNA can be summed up as: performance, structural and design innovation. Difficult to imitate by other shipyards (except vaguely in external look) because they are constantly evolving, extremely difficult to build, and not suitable for mass production.

GdV: What does Rome mean after many of Neo’s models?

P.S.: Good question. On the one hand I was looking for an easily recognizable and international brand (Neo means the same thing in at least 20 languages in the world) on the other hand I strongly wanted a clear Made in Italy identity. ROMA is not just a name: it is a vision. It points to a new category of boats born for really fast cruising, high-speed comfort, and the possibility of participating in regattas with the same boat you cruise with your family.

Just by adding a few sails. In short, Roma is our way of saying Gran Turismo Del Mare: a synthesis of Italian design, advanced construction technique and functional versatility. It is just pure coincidence that Ferrari in 2020 (our 430 Roma is 2019) launched a model called Roma. Today Roma for Neo is the Italian spirit reinterpreted in a modern, fast, global key. And it is in contrast to the Competizione line designed for pure racing without compromise.

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GdV: What are the changes for 2025 and years to follow?

P.S.: 2025 is certainly a year of expansion. Thanks to new customers who have once again believed in us by investing in N1s (we only build boats to order). We have completed the range of boats in the Roma line, which, with the launch of the brand new Neo 460 Roma, Neo 520 Roma and Neo 620 Roma, which join the Neo 430 Roma and Neo 350, offer a truly complete range in terms of budget ranges and usage needs.

GdV: Apart from the measurements, what are the features of the new models?

P.S.: The 460 Roma, a meter larger than the 430, but a meter worth twice as much, actually offers the possibility of a comfortable second bathroom for cruising and, having optimized the facilities, remains in a displacement only 200 kg higher than the 430 while remaining, depending on the required facilities, between 6200 and 6500 kg. The 520 Roma is the minimum size to offer a tender garage worthy of the name, offering two bathrooms with separate showers and a true owner’s suite in the bow: all in 9500 kg with about half in the keel. Both the 460 and 520 are by Ceccarelli. Finally, the new flagship: the Neo 620 Roma. It is Carkeek’s second signature boat and represents the evolution of the Neo 570 in the Mini Maxi category.

It offers the same tender garage as the 570 but inside the third bathroom with separate shower and a very interesting fourth cabin that can be used for crew or converted into a mega chart or dining area. In the 620 we also have the option of an equally light but warmer interior, veneered in wood essences, and removable in case of regattas so as not to be ruined. All in 13,500 kg. Three boats that reinforce brand identity and show unique design coherence while responding to different market segments.

GdV: But there is one very new development, which we know you are particularly proud of….

P.S.: True. For the first time, Neo Yachts has decided to bring to market the world’s first pure racing production boat: the Neo 460 Competizione. Having found that the Neo Roma compete side by side in all categories with pure racers such as TP52s, often managing to beat them if the wind is kept steady and not too light (several were overall wins in the offshore classics), but losing hopelessly, in the event of bonanza, to empty boats. The regulations make no class differences, and races are run overall.

Fleets are splitting up with more and more pure racing boats. Then again, for an owner to build a racing prototype would require an uncommon organizational and economic effort. Neo Yachts has decided to offer the “Competition” ready package, providing production facility, molds, designs. But also a technical department and loyal professionals such as riggers, sailmakers and sailmakers. Like all Neo, the 460 Competizione also has the possibility of customizations such as single or double rudder, tiller or wheel steering, fixed or canting keel…in short, customizations depending on the type of regatta and or use: offshore, inshore, coastal, short handed.

• At this link, all the mythical stories from the 50 years of the Sailing Newspaper

50 years of the GdV: an opportunity not to be missed. Also for your brand

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Il Giornale della Vela is organizing the largest communication campaign in its history, which will reach a total audience of 2,000,000 “sea lovers” interested in the world of sailing.

How? Deploying all its communication channels: magazine (paper+digital), websites, E-mail marketing, social (facebook/instagram). The certainty is that 2 million interested people will be reached to whom you can tell your company’s story.

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The Newspaper of Sailing proposes that all companies interested in the boating target audience tell their story, just as the GdV tells its own. Don’t worry, our journalists are on hand to help you produce attractive and effective text and images to reach two million “sea lovers.”

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