“It will buff out,” says one online commentator of an incident involving what’s widely regarded as the second hull of the Wallyrocket51 – down on its side in a boatyard, the mast turned to ‘spaghetti’. The accident happened at Cantiere Rossini in Pesaro.
Though some commentators are questioning the viability of the image (shared online by Ocean Racing), blaming AI and asking why the mast is so long, the spreaders are missing and the lack of damage on the port stern for an approximately six metre fall, others are deducing that the incident occurred after a storm.
“With everything else in the foreground on its side I would venture to guess there was a storm,” says one, while another agrees: “The boat was was secured to a cradle but the cradle was not secured to the trailer. In high winds! Oh dear!”
What actually happened to the Wallyrocket51
Putting the speculation to rest, Alfonso Postorino, shipyard director, tells MIN it happened on the evening of Wednesday 20 August.
“First of all we are glad that nobody was injured,” Postorino says.
“The boat felt down when hit by a strong wind, with gusts above 50 knots, that caused several serious damages all around the city of Pesaro.”
The shipyard on Italy’s Adriatic offers specialised yacht refit services with a focus on high quality yacht repainting. The shipyard features two repainting sheds, each capable of handling yachts up to 55 metres.
“The boat was on her cradle, supplied by the boat’s owner,” Postorino explains.
“[These] kind of high performance sailing boats are subject to this type of accident when they are ashore, due to their light weight compared to the windage surface (the hull stands at 5/6 metres above the hardstanding, the top of the mast at 30 metres).
“No other yacht at the shipyard on that evening suffered any damage, both on hardstanding or at our dock, including a light-weight, high-performance sailing catamaran on hardstanding just a few metres from the capsized boat.”
Postorino says that the painting sheds didn’t report any damage.
Cantiere Rossini provides a hardstanding area for up to ten 50 metre yachts and a 560 ton travel lift. The shipyard’s website says the marina-like dock has 12 sheltered berths for yachts up to 55 metres.
Five months technical design on Wallyrocket51
Ferretti completed its acquisition of Wally in July, bringing its ownership to 100 per cent. The full acquisition consolidates Ferretti’s control of a brand it describes as one of its strategic assets in both sailing and motor yachting.
The Wallyrocket51, the first pure racing sailing model developed by Wally, was launched in October 2024. The yacht is designed to achieve high performance in various competitive settings, including IRC and ORC racing.
Wally’s technical department spent five months planning the boat with the designers and suppliers to ensures that the boat can be produced identically in future, a hallmark of pure one-design racing.
At the time, Wally said the Wallyrocket51 is set to outperform even the TP52, with the yacht aiming to become the world’s fastest race boat on corrected time.
Wallyrocket51’s details
With a length of 15.5 metres and an ultra-light displacement of 6.3 tonnes, it features a refined hull design created in collaboration with Botin Partners, known for its work in the America’s Cup and success in the 50 and 100 foot classes. The design incorporates features such as a trim tab to enhance upwind lift and reduce drag, contributing to its competitive edge.
The design and styling of the Wallyrocket51 is by Luca Bassani, the Wally Design Team and Studio Santa Maria Magnolfi.
The technical partners and suppliers are:
- APM: Keel Manufacturer
- Cariboni: Hydraulic System Supplier
- Southern Spars: Rig Manufacturer
- Future Fibre: Standing Rigging Manufacturer
- Harken: Deck Hardware Supplier
- Gurit: Composite Materials Supplier
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