Zaoli Sail, sails of champions!

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 installment, we take you on a tour of the history and news of Zaoli S ails, which since 1979 has been designing sails that are born from listening directly to the sea, and from a maniacal attention to every seam, reinforcement, and finish.

If sails are a family passion

Founded in 1979 by that eclectic genius Beppe Zaoli, a passionate sailor, indomitable racer and courageous entrepreneur, the Zaoli veleria today boasts an international reputation ranging from Olympic dinghies to maxi racing and cruising yachts to vintage hulls. A family history of all-Italian determination, talent and drive.

Sailmaking is one of the most fascinating and complex professions that still combines traditional craftsmanship with the frontiers of aerodynamic science and the use of high-tech materials. One cannot be a sailmaker without great skill, painstaking rigor and an equally deep passion. And if there is one company in Italy that best interprets this perfect mix, it is Zaoli Sailing. Founded in 1979 as a small workshop by Beppe Zaoli, a passionate sailor and racer, the sailmaker is now an international brand with a 2,500-square-meter loft located in the “Marina degli Aregai” in Santo Stefano al Mare (IM) and a team of 26 people. Its sails are used to equip the highest performance racers, but also the Olympic 470 class, as well as cruising cabin cruisers and the most striking vintage hulls. The credit for this story belongs to Beppe Zaoli, an eclectic and multifaceted figure, born in San Remo many years ago in a house overlooking the beach. It is said that he first learned to steer a sailboat than to walk. His passion for the sea, sailing and racing was passed on to him by his father Floriano, soon turning into a true philosophy of life. In the 1970s his plan to become a sailmaker was born almost as a game – but also as a challenge. The episode that marked the beginning of this adventure was singular: a great fan of the Snipe class, Beppe bought a new set of sails for his “Mia” in preparation for an important regatta. After the first sea trials, however, enthusiasm gave way to disappointment: the sails, and in particular the jib, did not live up to expectations. With the regatta imminent and no time to order a new jib, Beppe confided his frustration to Rossana, who had recently come into his life and was destined to become not only his partner but also an integral part of the future sailmaker. She lightly and determinedly replied, “No problem, sewing a triangle of white fabric won’t be that difficult!” It was not an easy task, but that improvised sail turned out to be a winner: with that jib Beppe was able to conquer the regatta.

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Zaoli Sails. Turning passion into profession

From that episode a courageous decision took shape: to turn passion into a profession. Beppe and Rossana, animated by the audacity typical of youth, knocked on the door of a renowned American sailmaker based in their area and asked if they could learn the art of sailmaking. The manager agreed and thus began a valuable apprenticeship period for them. In 1979, when the American sailmaker decided to close and move production elsewhere, the young couple took the opportunity to take the plunge: to take over the business and start their own enterprise. With commitment, dedication and resourcefulness they created the Zaoli brand, marking the beginning of a new adventure that would combine traditional craftsmanship and innovative spirit. Over the years, the sailmaker continued to grow. Beppe is the true “deus ex machina” who, in addition to running the company, has held the role of president of the Sanremo Yacht Club for several years and, above all, continues to race: in 2023 he won the title of Italian champion of the Dragon class. His wife Rossana, on the other hand, is in charge of production and the “Cruising” department. Their sons, Andrea and Vittorio, known for their sailing successes, devote themselves to the “Racing” and “Epoch” departments, while Andrea Mannini takes on the role of “One Design” technical director. It was precisely Andrea Mannini, thanks to the work done with the Croatian crew Šime Fantela/Igor Marenić who took Zaoli sails to the highest step of the podium at the Rio De Janeiro Olympics in 2016 with the victory in the 470 class. The Zaoli team then counts some of the best sailors in the world who race on the international circuits contributing to the development and evolution of sails in various classes, such as the Dragon and the J/70. In projects concerning maxi and mega yachts, the design is entrusted to a highly experienced partner: Antoine Bonnaveau sail designer and sail performance analyst since 1987, with no less than 6 America’s Cup campaigns to his credit (in turn with Team France, Luna Rossa and BMW Oracle Racing). Over the years the sailmaker moved from Sanremo to Ospedaletti and then moved to its current location within the Marina degli Aregai in Santo Stefano al Mare (IM). Here, thanks to its strategic location in front of the docks, the sailmaker can be easily reached directly by boat to facilitate sail rigging operations. The company is structured to make any type of sail: from dinghies to monotypes, from cruising boats to racing boats with a special focus on vintage boats. Among the latter Zaoli has fitted out in the past the Moro di Venezia I, the Tuiga and the Schooner Elena. More recently the famous 1961 Stormvogel and theAtlantic, a majestic 70-meter three-masted schooner.

Zaoli Sails. Prestigious collaborations

But Zaoli also specializes in maxi yachts and for years has collaborated, for example, with the prestigious YYachts shipyard whose several models it has sailed. Among Zaoli ‘s latest projects There is the partnership with the Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour circuit’s Giro d’Italia a Vela in which the sailmaker has provided sails for all Figaro 3s in the last three editions of the event, including graphics on the hulls. Finally, there is a new sector for the company, which is Wing Foil and which focuses on innovation and young people. Just one Zaoli-sponsored athlete recently made it to the podium in the Wing Foil World Cup circuit. In the creation of a new sail, the “Zaoli method” is based on a close relationship with owners and sailors to fully understand their technical and budget requirements in order to create a tailor-made product all “made in Italy.” As for motivation, talent and die-hard passion, there is evidently a family DNA that fears neither the passage of time nor the variables of an ever-changing market like the nautical one. That yes, a true trademark that is difficult to emulate….

Visit site: Zaoli Sails

• 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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