wally yachts wiki

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Wally founder Luca Bassani: The man at the cutting edge of yacht design

• October 1, 2020

Luca Bassani, the visionary founder of Wally Yachts, created an iconic brand and shaped the trend for clean aesthetics in yachting. Mark Chisnell interviews Luca Bassani

Photo: Guillaume Plisson

Try a game of word association with any superyacht industry professional and I’d be surprised if the word innovation didn’t bring the response Wally. Since 1994, Wally Yachts has – initially in sail and then in power – brought to the market a series of game changing initiatives. It’s often true that innovative companies (think Apple or Dyson) are driven by a singular mind, a powerful creative force and vision. In the case of Wally, Luca Bassani is that man.

“I had the freedom and the possibility, the financial possibility to realise my ideas,” he told me. “When you just have the ideas, but you never have the chance to realise the ideas because you have to find the finance to do the prototype and then the product… it becomes very difficult. I had this big, big chance to be able to finance my ideas, my innovations. That freedom was extremely important, because it put us at a completely different level from any competitor.”

Luca Bassani was born to a successful Milanese business family, and his early career followed a conventional roadmap. He was educated in Milan, attending Bocconi University where he earned a PhD in Economics. He then went to London for a year, to work at the St James’s office of McKinsey & Company before returning to Italy to join the family firm, BTicino, a manufacturer of residential and industry electrical equipment, where Bassani was CFO.

The latest Wally, a 45m/148ft Frers design, is currently in build

The family sold up in 1989, and Bassani could then give more attention to his life’s real passion – and his path started to diverge from the expected. “Sailing has been my passion since I was very, very young because we were spending a lot of time in Portofino during the summer, where we had a house… I learnt everything about the sea. How to fish, how to sail, how to paddle, everything.”

Sailing roots

“My family always had a power boat and a sail boat, and when I was 12, the captain of the sail boat told me, ‘Hey, why don’t we spend more time aboard, because we are only using the boat during the weekend when your father is here?’

“I said, ‘Okay, let’s go.’ We sailed 5,000 miles during that summer and the big passion started – from there I’ve been sailing, sailing, sailing.”

Article continues below…

Frers design: The family dynasty behind some of the world’s most beautiful yachts

It was the economist J K Galbraith who said that there was “no absolute standard of beauty. That,” he added,…

Video: See inside 9 of the most amazing modern sailing superyachts

1. Aquarius The brief for Aquarius included that she should be, ‘an elegant, muscular sailing yacht with a classic profile…

The boat was an S&S 37-footer skippered by Tito Prato, and they would sail her from early in the morning to late in the evening. Soon the attention turned to racing . There were several of the top Italian boats in Portofino at the time and in 1971, when Bassani was 15, the S&S 37 was changed for a Swan 43.

“We started to race – I’m going to say seriously – but seriously for that time. Nothing to compare to what seriously means today. So, we started to build up a crew and were doing all the races in Italy, between Italy and France.”

They won the Two Ton Cup in 1972, and an Ericson 46 followed in 1973 and then in 1975 a C&C 66 called Phantom . “At that time, it was considered the first maxi,” said Bassani. “We raced two or three years with that boat. Then we went to the International 6-metre class and we had a long career and five different boats.” Bassani raced for almost 15 years in 6-metres, winning two European Championships (1986 and 1990) and placing third at the 1983 World Championships.

During this time Bassani also raced a Laser, introduced the J/24 to Italy, and then moved into the Mumm 30 when it arrived on the scene in the mid-nineties. He won the world championships at Hilton Head in 1998 and was 2nd at the Europeans the same year. It’s a long racing pedigree and, unsurprisingly, when he came to build a cruising boat for his family, he looked for speed and efficiency.

The first Wally emerges

It was the tail end of the 1980s and the International Offshore Rule (IOR) still held sway over the world’s racing fleets. “Racing boats were absolutely uncomfortable. Also, [they were] not very fast, because the handicap system was producing slow boats. At the same time, cruising boats were just following this formula. They were racing boats just transformed into cruising boats and they were again, not so comfortable… and slow.

“I knew that… there were already technologies and materials that could have made the boats much faster, much easier. That’s why I decided to choose a naval architect to design and build the boat that I had in my mind. It was the first Wallygator [named after the cartoon character], the 83-footer, designed with Luca Brenta and built by Sangermani… That was the mother of all the Wally’s, actually.

“I built that boat only for myself and my family. I didn’t have the idea of starting a company, but I really wanted a boat that could be fast and comfortable, and easy to manage. Once I launched the boat in 1991, I used it for a couple of years and I was very, very happy with it; everything was beyond my expectations, in terms of reliability, in terms of performances and easiness to use.

“I said, ‘Oh, why is nobody trying to copy this boat?’ Something that I wouldn’t say today… at that point we had sold the family company, so I had more time, more finances available, and I said, ‘OK, why not start a small business around this idea?’”

The first Wallygator was sold in 1993 to an Italian owner, becoming Mr Gecko. Luca Bassani then built another two boats to his own specification to get things moving. Wallygator II (now Nariida ) a 105ft ketch that was launched in 1994 and was sold in 1997 to a Norwegian owner. It was this boat that introduced the hydraulics-led push-button handling that enable the sweeping, open and uncluttered decks that have become synonymous with Wally design.

Bassani describes the 32m Wallygator II (now Nariida ) as “the first big sailing yacht with a modern racing hull, changing the look with a plumb bow, a very beamy hull and stern, a very flush deck and carbon fibre construction and sails”. Photo: Guy Gurney

In 1995 the ketch was followed by Genie of the Lamp , a 79-footer also sold in 1997, this time to a Swiss owner. “Between these two boats,” said Bassani, “I finally convinced the market that that was the way to go.”

The proof of that was really the first person to commission a Wally: former Chairman and CEO of L’Oreal, Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones. He saw a photo of Genie of the Lamp and knew almost instantly that it was what he wanted.

Bassani explained how Owen-Jones asked if he could test the yacht and how he then lent it to him for a week’s cruising. “He came back saying he wanted to buy the boat. I convinced him to build a sister ship, which was the first Magic Carpet .” Owen-Jones is now on his third Wally, Magic Carpet3 .

“The first new generation yacht, [ Magic Carpet 3 ] brings very high performances, but also a lot of comfort for cruising,” says Bassani. Photo: Nico Martinez

It’s an ambition that has always found its expression in the boats, through the wide range of designers and shipyards that have been involved in the Wally yachts.

“I think, let me say, sorry, but we influenced them,” said Bassani, of the designers he has worked with – a list that includes Luca Brenta, German Frers , Bill Tripp and Reichel Pugh.

Bassani in his office in Monaco in January 2019. Photo: Toni Meneguzzo

Function before form

“What is today recognised as Wally design style was a result of the systems that I wanted to build for our boats… always to be faster, to be more comfortable, to be easier to manoeuvre, easier to maintain, and the aesthetic was a result, it was not a target.

“It’s what they call the fault of function… I just applied my personal style when I was deciding that I liked that line or the other line, this kind of finish or a different finish… but it was not a target for me to do something stylish. I wanted beauty – for my eyes – but mainly very functional.”

Luca Bassani can identify three core features of the boats that have driven much of the design. The first is the sail plan. In the dying days of the IOR when the first Wallygator was designed, a big overlapping headsail and a small mainsail was the norm. “We abandoned the big, overlapping genoa because we wanted to have self-tacking and we wanted the boat to be fast.”

The serious racing side of Wally – a big fleet start at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2017. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi

That concept at that size required a carbon fibre mast. It was the only way to make a mast that would stay up without runners and an inner forestay. “If you have an inner stay, you cannot have a self-tacking [headsail],” said Bassani. The carbon fibre mast was inspired by the Kiwi big boat [KZ-1] that was built for the 1988 America’s Cup . Laurent Esquier sailed with Bassani in the 6-metre, was with the Kiwi Cup team and told him about the impressive new material.

The second and third features were the hull, and the appendages. “We wanted the boat to be wider, to be much faster reaching, but with the right appendages to have good performance… so they surf easily, but they are still very, very fast upwind. This was made possible by all the new materials, the composites, carbon fibre and titanium.” And it’s really the materials that have enabled the innovation in all these three areas and driven the journey that Wally has been on for the last 25 years.

“Innovation is based mainly on the new materials. The computer, cars, aeroplanes; it’s just the materials that have allowed the big steps forward. I come from an industry where technology and engineering are fundamental; the electrical industry, and also from the entrepreneurial philosophy of my father, who always said that the product is the company… I mean, you cannot make a product by a brand, but you can make a brand by a product. The product, in this case, is based on engineering and materials.”

The clean lines of the Wally 110 Barong D . Photo: Kurt Arrigo

An innovative future

Twenty-five years ago Bassani had to rely on himself and his team to find the materials that could drive the next innovation. “Today, there is a huge movement of people that are inventing, that are proposing new ideas and new materials. We have a position, an image in the world, and everybody looks at us as real innovators. So, we receive, practically every week, some new ideas and, at the end, we find some that are very, very interesting. So, not only do we have our own team, but we have the world helping us.

“Today, there are so many new ideas in naval architecture… they will allow it to be more sustainable, to be more comfortable, but you have to be brave enough to follow this path, otherwise you remain as everybody is now… There are innovations that will be applied both on the big displacement yachts, or in the medium semi-displacement, and in the planing yachts. In sailing, you see from the America’s Cup that there are extremely interesting new ideas about the sail plan. In a few years we will see yachts that are very, very different from today.”

I talked to Luca Bassani during the Düsseldorf boat show , not long after the announcement of the sale of Wally to Ferretti. Bassani was clear about his motives.

Photo: Toni Meneguzzo

“I realised that I didn’t have any more of the energy, the finances that the size of the market today needs, and I realised that was the moment to have a big partner. Alone, I was no longer strong enough to go on with the development of the company.

“I found, in the Ferretti group, the right mentality. A very young group of managers, very motivated, who were loving what we did. They love Wally, and they are very confident that together we could do a lot of things. So, I think this is the next step that Wally deserved to go on.

“I will be doing what I love to do. Inventing and designing, and promoting the development, promoting the innovation.”

And, let’s hope, doing it for another 25 years.

Luca Bassani on his milestone designs

“The sailing yacht would be Genie of the Lamp . On the power boat I would take the 118 Wallypower. They both looked very crazy when they were launched but, after many years, you can recognise they radically changed the industry.”

1995 – Genie of the Lamp [24m/80ft] “In terms of deck layout [this boat] changed the market. Today, practically 95% of the yachts up to a 100ft are a copy.” Photo: Guido Grugnola.

1998 – Tiketitan [27m/89ft] “ Tiketitan was the first boat with the ‘terrace on the sea’ — today, you see all of the boats, mainly the motor yachts, need to have the famous beach on the stern. There were also the metallic colours, a fully battened mainsail, and a canting keel.” Photo: Guy Gurney

2001 – Wallytender [14m/46ft] “The Wallytender opened a huge market that didn’t exist 15 years ago.” Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

2003 – 118 Wallypower [36m] “This was commercially a flop… but in reality, everybody else in power boats then changed following the Wallypower. Both in the hull, with the vertical bow, in the superstructure and with all the glass.” Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

2006 – Esense [44m/143ft] “It was kind of a traditional boat with the high bulwarks, and inside the bulwarks the boat is absolutely flush. So, I created a kind of open space cockpit, instead of having the usual little cockpit on the traditional big yachts.” Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Photo: Pedro Martinez

Luca Bassani Biography

Born: 24th November 1956

Nationality: Italian

Education:  1980, graduated in business/economics from Bocconi University, Milan, Italy; 2004, honorary degree in industrial design from the University of Architecture, Genoa, Italy.

Honours:  Two-time winner of the Compasso d’Oro (in 2004 and in 2008) – the leading industrial design award.

Inspirations: “He [Tito Prato, skipper of the family’s yacht] was my teacher. He was really the person that, more than anybody else, introduced me to the sea and to sailing, yes… and then, also, to racing.”

Career highlights and lowlights

“On the sports side, OK, I can say the things that I won; the world championships or the European championships. From the business side, it’s difficult to say because it’s a high when you are able to sell a new boat, not just because it’s new but because it’s different, it’s innovative.

“When you find a client who accepts your new idea, this is a fantastic moment, this is a real high in your career. And it’s a low when you don’t find a client accepting or understanding your new ideas. So, you cannot sell it. I mean, ideas are the base of everything for an entrepreneur, and if you’re able to sell your idea, that’s a high. If you’re not able to sell it, that’s a low.”

First published in the April 2019 issue of SuperSail World.

• THE PRINCESS PASSPORT
• Email Newsletter
• Yacht Walkthroughs
• Destinations
• Electronics
• Boating Safety

Wally’s WHY200 Impresses Inside and Out

• By Phil Draper
• March 21, 2022

Why WHY200? The acronym stands for Wally Hybrid Yachts, which has nothing to do with hybrid propulsion, but rather a hull designed for a range of displacement and semidisplacement cruising speeds. And the numerals don’t reference length. They reflect the approximate volume (199 gross tons), which is a lot for a yacht with a length overall of just 89 feet.

But length is not what matters these days. Gross tonnage and beam—the feeling of space—are the important metrics. And on this yacht, that most important effect is achieved.

In all, there’s more than 2,150 square feet of indoor living space, including 1,075 square feet on the main-deck level. Wally says the yacht delivers 50 percent more volume, 60 percent more main-deck area and 40 percent more upper-deck area than any conventional planing yacht of the same length. All of that’s achieved without the speed concessions normally associated with displacement yachts.

Exterior design and styling make the Wally heritage clear, albeit on steroids. The top of the superstructure is virtually all tinted glass. There is extensive hull glazing set into the yacht’s metallic-silver topsides. The top tier effectively wraps around that tall reverse-raked stem, and it’s not just an exterior styling exercise (keep reading).

The transom area is a cross between a beach club and a sailing-yacht cockpit, which is not surprising given the 40 or so supersailers Wally has launched in the past 25-plus years. The swim platform and fold-down quarter-cheeks double as doors for two longitudinal garages. They can also create a walk-around stern.

The aft deck is configured more like a sailing yacht, with a wide central walkway flanked by sun pads and bench sofas, making for a more sociable vibe than a traditional transom sofa that spans the beam. There’s room for a cockpit table, and much of the aft deck is semi-enclosed by windowed buttresses to the sides and a substantial upper-deck overhang, all of which make for a much more intimate space.

Electrically opening glass doors lead to a full-beam main salon. This model has a maximum beam of 25 feet, and at its widest, the salon measures virtually 23 feet from picture window to picture window. A glass-walled structural staircase dominates the space and helps to create zones, all with decorative carbon fiber. The soles throughout the shared spaces are mostly 5-inch-wide teak planks, and the wall paneling is an off-white Alcantara—minimalist, chic and classic Wally. The first hull has a galley to port that Wally refers to as a “show kitchen,” and there’s a day head in the after corner to starboard.

The door to this model’s star attraction, the 398-square-foot master stateroom, is forward in the salon. What makes this space uber-special is bow glazing that allows a proper view. The WHY200 is the first production yacht with this feature. It’s 950 square inches, which is nearly the size of a 50-inch TV screen. I walked from there into the stateroom, which has a 200-degree wraparound panorama across an island berth with 6-foot-11-inch headroom. The feeling is impressive.

Other layout options allow for one big head and no island berth, or an entertainment space with a bar and circular dining table. The space is all the more dramatic for being ultra-quiet, principally because the engines are so far aft.

Belowdecks aboard Hull No. 1 are three en suite guest staterooms off a central fore-aft passage, all with inboard-facing athwartships berths. The biggest stateroom is in the bow, with a king-size berth to port and his-and-hers heads forward with a shared shower stall between them, plus a sofa. The other two staterooms are amidships and have queens.

There’s also a four-stateroom version available. It trades the forward VIP stateroom for two en suite, twin-berth staterooms with top-and-tail berths.

The amidships crew space spans 344 square feet. There are three cabins for six crewmembers, although the usual complement is likely to be four or five. There also are two shower rooms, a galley and a mess area. Access is via a staircase with two discreet doors to port, one from the forward corner of the aft deck and the other from the after corner of the salon.

The upper deck has a sky lounge with wraparound sofas. It’s a light and bright space, not least for having glazing on five sides of the cube. Not only are there glass doors to the terrace, picture windows to the sides and a glass wall separating the bridge, but there also are skylights above. All that glass means superb views from the helm for normal navigation.

The bridge console is addressed by three seats that are carbon-backed—one for the pilot and the others for guests. Doors on each side connect with partial side decks and the raised foredeck.

The amount of space aboard owes everything to the quad Volvo Penta IPS diesel installation beneath the aft deck. There are two options: four D13-900 IPS1200s or D13-1000 IPS1350s. At one-third load, they deliver maximum speeds of 20 knots or 23 knots, respectively, and brisk cruises of 16 or 19 knots. Above that load state, expect speeds to decrease by around a half-knot for every extra ton.

Similarly, ranges vary from 410 nautical miles at 17 knots for the smaller engines to 350 nm at 20 knots for the bigger package. At 10 knots, both setups should stretch to give or take 1,100 nm on four engines. And there’s always the option to run on just two engines, as IPS installations are always more efficient at higher revs.

Tank capacity is 3,170 gallons. Stabilization on the first hull includes fins and gyros. Given that most owners are likely to spend more time at anchor than underway, the extra investment in onboard comfort is never going to be wasted. The two Seakeeper 16s and Humphree electric fins were all active during our runs, and the yacht was rock-steady throughout, hardly heeling even through hard-over turns. Moreover, that high bow rises little more than 2.5 degrees throughout the speed range, which makes moving around while underway so much easier.

Wally has always pushed the boundaries of boatbuilding. With the WHY200, the builder has introduced a forward-thinking exterior design with superyacht space, surprising sea views and admirable performance. Once I was aboard, it didn’t take long for this yacht’s “why” to become a “wow.”

Anchor Access

The ground tackle is all in a compartment beneath the owner’s stateroom, accessible via a crawl space from the VIP closet.

A Yacht is Born

Chief designer and Wally founder Luca Bassani gave creative inputs for this model, working with the Ferretti Group’s central design and engineering team. Laurent Giles in England handled the naval architecture, and the yacht was tank-tested at Solent University’s facilities in Southampton. The minimalist interior scheme comes from Andrea Vallicelli’s studio in Rome. The WHY200 is built at the Ferretti Group’s Mondolfo, Italy, plant.

Semidisplacement hulls make a lot of sense. “You get a much more comfortable ride when you are able to punch through waves at 16, 18, 20 knots,” Bassani says, “but then you have to design accordingly to cope with those waves. …One way of doing that is [to] raise the bow sufficiently, and we’ve used that logic to create a whole new space aboard.”

Toy Stowage

The yacht has two stern garages, each capable of accommodating a 13.5-foot tender or a PWC/Seabob/paddleboard combo.

Take the next step: wally.com

• More: Experience , February 2022 , Superyachts , Wally , Wally Yachts , Yachts
• More Yachts

wallywhy150 Reviewed

Boat Propeller Repair

Five Top Yachts For 2024

Riviera 585 SUV Reviewed

For Sale: 2007 Ocean Alexander 64’ Pilothouse

Security Packages for Superyachts

Azimut Atlantis 51 For Sale

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Costa Palmas
• L’Atelier
• Les Marquables de Martell
• Reynolds Lake Oconee
• Scott Dunn Travel
• Wilson Audio
• 672 Wine Club
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide
• Boat of the Week: The Luxe 79-Foot Wally Has all the Comfort and Space of a Superyacht

The vessel's internal volume is equal to some 100-foot motoryachts, but even those larger competitors don't have its ultra-modern features. We are first on board for a sea trial.

Giacomo barbaro, giacomo barbaro's most recent stories.

• Share This Article

Related Stories

• The 9 Best Vintage Ferraris Ever Made

Forget F1. A-Lister’s Are Getting Into the SailGP Racing Game.

• This Luxury Residential Community in Tennessee Is Opening Its Own Private Race Track

Two years ago, Wally founder Luca Bassani and the Wally team, now part of the Ferretti Group conglomerate, introduced a new style called the wallywhy200 . It had some of the brand’s hallmarks like the open bow, but it seemed to wander off the reservation with its full wide-body design. The 89-footer (the 200 refers to 200 GT of interior volume) had the same space as a 125-footer, according to Wally. This quest for space led to the removal of side decks and a full-beam interior. At the bow, a forward owner’s cabin had an unprecedented 270-degree panoramic view of the horizon.

I had a chance to sea-trial Wally’s latest model, the wallywhy150, last summer, before its official launch earlier this week at the Yachting Festival du Cannes. I came away impressed.

The Wally team wanted more than just a 79-foot sistership that with ten less feet in length than the 200. It wanted to pioneer new ideas.

Bassani says the model name “why,” which stands for “Wally Hybrid Yacht,” has nothing to do with the propulsion of the boat. “It combines elements of a motoryacht and a faster semi-planing vessel,” he told me. “It offers the best of both worlds: the stability and the strength of an explorer, while keeping the comfort and elegance of a luxury yacht.”  The 150’s hull architecture is consistent with the larger 200, but the appendages have been reduced to better align the 79-footer’s proportions.

Like the 200, the exterior of the wallywhy150 may initially raise eyebrows. It leaves normal way behind, with a continuous hull flow from stern to bow, no side decks and no portholes, as part of the Wally family feeling. But stepping aboard unravels the function behind these stylistic choices.

The wallywhy150 shares elements such as the bow stateroom for the owners, while the full-beam design maximizes interior space. Where it breaks new ground is at the rear part of the boat. The main salon is integrated with the aft cockpit, separated by a retractable glass door that creates a seamless interface between indoors and out.

The salon is also designed on two levels (including an impressive 9.2-foot-high aft section), with the use of large structural windows and a teak ceiling that is curved to resemble a wave. It delivers an unobstructed view of the sea from any angle. Just a few steps from the engines, the area remains remarkably quiet with the doors closed.

The flybridge is also a different design than the wallywhy220. The 150’s more open feel evokes a Mediterranean-style ambiance. The aft portion features a lounge adorned with freestanding sofas, a wet bar accompanied by a dining table, and, moving toward the bow, the helm station.

The helm’s distinctive square shapes, extensive use of carbon fiber across the dashboard and futuristic design are definitive reminders of being aboard a Wally.

These dual systems actually reflect the thought behind this new motoryacht. It’s slow and fuel-efficient, but can go fast when you need speed. The exterior is a bit ungainly, granted, but the interior is more svelte and contemporary than any yacht in its class. The main suite with a 270-degree sea view, the open stern, and the performance all reflect Wally’s design ethos. In short, it’s a shapeshifter, offering multiple boating lifestyles across the same hull.

Click here to see more images of the wallywhy150.

Read More On:

• Ferretti Group
• Wally Yachts

More Marine

This Luxe 157-Foot Catamaran Lets You Explore the Galápagos With a Personal Butler

This New 79-Foot Sailing Catamaran Is Like a Pied-à-Terre for the High Seas

You Can Now Play Padel Ball on the Deck of Your Superyacht

Culinary Masters 2024

MAY 17 - 19 Join us for extraordinary meals from the nation’s brightest culinary minds.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

Meet ‘Sarastar,’ the 197-Foot Superyacht With the Wildest Interior on the High Seas

Hermes Catamaran in Photos

More from our brands, lana del rey shines at coachella in swarovski crystal-embellished dolce & gabbana dresses, timberwolves can clinch west title, but ownership remains in flux, ‘succession’ leads wga awards with two honors, including best drama (full winners list), greek archaeologists strike over assault, benin to stage first venice pavilion, and more: morning links for march 15, 2023, the best running water bottles according to marathoners.

• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

First details of Wally's innovative new wallywind130 and 150 unveiled

Related Articles

• Nautic Shows
• America’s Cup
• Classic Yachts
• Motor Yachts
• Sailing Yachts
• Superyachts
• Yachts News
• Destinations
• Yacht Clubs
• Boat Racing
• Meta Yachts

Ever since its first groundbreaking models, Wally has stood as a bridge from the present to the future of yacht design and boating. With the all-new wallypower50, the Wally and Ferretti Group teams have embraced that concept, skillfully building a bridge between two key ranges within the Wally powerboat lineup.Spanning the arc between the stylishly practical wallytender range and the practically stylish wallypower58, the new wallypower50 is so flexible and adaptable that it can serve as anything from chaseboat to tender to day-cruiser to luxury weekender to high-octane thrill-ride – proof indeed that whatever life you want to lead, the wallypower50 is the bridge that can take you there.

“We’re thrilled to introduce our latest masterpiece, the wallypower50, at Boot Düsseldorf this January. It’s a proud moment for us to showcase this stunning model to the world,” says Stefano de Vivo, Wally’s Managing Director. “The wallypower50 is an extraordinary blend of design, engineering, and construction, seamlessly incorporating elements from Wally models into a sublime design. It’s a true stroke of genius, embodying the best of both boat styles based on customer preferences. She’s unequivocally a Wally in every sense.”

Multiple profiles with model looks

The wallypower50 combines the more open design of the wallytenders with the more spacious areas of the wallypower58, with an extensive options list that mean you can define your wallypower50 to meet your operational wishes. Love the vertical stem and inimitably striking lines of the wallypowers? The new wallypower50 carries that design DNA in her profile and her hull, matching flair with finesse. But if you want an element of wallytender practicality, no problem – you can spec a wraparound fender like those found on the wallytenders to give you more rugged workhorse capability.

“At Wally, design has always been at the forefront of what we do, and what we do has always been at the forefront of the yachting industry,” says Luca Bassani, Founder and Chief Designer of Wally. “The wallypower50 is another perfect example of form and function coming together, where stylish lines do not come at the expense of dynamic performance but complement it. And the further you drill down into the details, the more of Wally you find, from our distinctive angular windshield design up top to the option of our Magic Portholes below.”

Deck divine and interior iconic

Central to the onboard experience is the beautifully drawn balance between rugged practicality and sublime functionality, and it is here that the shared genes between the wallytenders and the wallypowers is truly evident.

The wallypower50 boasts all the open space of her smaller cousins, which lends herself perfectly to working tender operational parameters, but adds touches that speak to her standalone capabilities too. There are two sunbeds aft instead of one, with a generous walkway between them offering easy boarding and disembarkation; moreover, drop-down aft bulwarks extend the aft deck space by six square metres, creating a luxurious area for enjoying the sea or enjoying a sundowner or two with family and friends.

Forward of the sunbeds, nestling under the protection of the angular cockpit structure yet still delivering an alfresco feel, is the cockpit saloon. A dining table with banquettes and further bench seating comfortably accommodates eight guests, with space for more on forward-facing bench seats plus the helm chairs. Of course, there is also a foredeck sunpad with adjustable headrests, ideal for soaking up some rays at anchor or away from prying eyes when moored stern-to; there is also easy access to the hidden anchoring system, which itself is not only a neat design trick but also means even the foredeck is clutter free.

The helm itself is elegant and modern, offering all controls to hand and with two large MFDs providing access to all operating and systems data as well as a comprehensive navcomms suite. The helm is ideally located for all-round visibility – particularly pertinent when riding the wallypower50 to her higher performance limits.

Below, the wallypower50 reveals her power roots, with not only a full head and shower but a welcoming space that can offer everything you need for weekending, or even longer cruising. A large forward double berth, cosy saloon area and kitchenette galley, all finished to the highest standards, mean the wallypower50 can just as easily be your pied-a-terre wherever you wish to go – a luxurious and inviting studio apartment that’s perfect for couples.

“On deck and below deck, the wallypower50 really shows her true colours in terms of being able to meet the demands of any boater and any operating profile,” says De Vivo. “From tender to weekender, she can do it all.”

Life, accelerated

The wallypower50 doesn’t just encompass flexibility, she also offers a bridge into the rarefied world of true performance boating – because if a thrilling, responsive, exhilarating dream-ride is what you’re after, of course there’s a version for you.

The standard model offers propulsion via twin Volvo Penta IPS650s that offer a 30-knot cruise and a top speed of 36 knots, all the while combining performance with easy handling thanks to a perfect hull, and joystick control with optional DPS for close-quarters situations.

For those who revel in real performance, there’s the wallypower50X. Offered in two variants, each with quad Mercury outboards, the wallypower50X multiplies the Wally factor and takes you for a serious blast. With the quad 400hp options, you’re looking at a 48-knot max with a range of 240 nautical miles. Step up to the quad 500hp option and watch the wallypower50X power to more than 50 knots.

It’s not just about grunt, of course. The wallypower50 and wallypower50X draw on a deep-V hull to offer stability at speed and the ability to cruise faster even in bigger seas, meaning more scope to enjoy everything the wallypower50 offers in more conditions.

“It’s no accident the original wallypower118 has become so iconic, thanks to her revolutionary looks and revelatory performance,” says Bassani. “And it’s no accident that the new wallypower50 shares that groundbreaking spirit and performance DNA, showing how we are able to capture the essence of that original model and distil it into a new milestone model for the modern boater.”

Main technical specifications

2 x VOLVO PENTA IPS650 power 480 mhp / 353 kW at 3700 rpm

Speed (knots)

VOLVO IPS 650 Maximum speed knots 36 Cruising speed knots 30

Range (nautical miles)

VOLVO IPS 650 Maximum speed n.m. 250 Cruising speed n.m. 280

Loa = overall length (standard ISO 8666) 14,6 m. 47 ft. 11 in. Lh = hull length (standard ISO 8666) 14,6 m. 47 ft. 11 in. Lwl = waterline length (boat fully laden) 13,4 m. 44 ft. 0 in. Maximum beam 4,3 m. 14 ft. 1 in. Depth under propellers (boat fully laden) 1,3 m. 4 ft. 1 in. Displacement unladen 12,9 ton./lb. 28440 Displacement laden 16,6 ton./lb. 36597 Maximum number of persons on board 12 16 Design category Directive 2013/53/EU B C Certification modules B + F RINA S.p.A.

Technical data

Hull type: warped hull with spray rails and aft deadrise 18 ° H = overall height 5,3 m. 17 ft. 3 in. P = pulpit + transom 0,0 m. 0 ft. 0 in. Fuel tank capacity 1400 lt./US gals. 370 Water tanks capacity 240 lt./US gals. 63

Performance specifications

The performance is estimated at the following conditions:

Standard version displacement of the yacht: at 1/3 of load, clean hull, 25°C air temperature, good weather conditions, 4 persons on board 13,8 ton./lb. 30362 Overloading the yacht by 0,5 ton./lb. 1102 Top speed decreases of 1 knot

• Wallypower 50

RELATED ARTICLES

Zeelander yachts reveals stylish interior to keenly awaited new flagship yacht zeelander 8, damen yachting launches second yacht support 53, conrad shipyard launches extra time, enter a new era of superyacht design: sunseeker unveils the latest on the groundbreaking 120 yacht.

Subscribe to our newsletter

To be updated with all the latest news, offers and special announcements.

LATEST ARTICLES

Riccardo tosetto fourth in the global solo challenge, palmavela reaches 150 entries, unleashing potential: emirates team new zealand’s two-boat training session, nyyc american magic’s intensive training session amidst barcelona’s spring blues, editor picks, canadian beau lake introduces the tahoe ’14 and lugano ’14 electric runabouts, underwater adventure and exploration with deepflight’s super falcon 3s, driving performance on land and on water: 41′ amg carbon edition, popular posts, young designer of the year 2022: ioana valentina corcodel reveals 65m ophelia concept, mirabaud sailing video of the century: celebrating 2 decades of passion, superyacht the flying fox seized in the dominican republic, popular category.

• Regatta 811
• America's Cup 386
• Motor Yachts 263
• Boating 215
• Superyachts 183
• Sailing 178
• Yachts News 174
• Sailing Yachts 162

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Pricing Plan
• Superyacht Insight
• Product Features
• Premium Content
• Testimonials
• Global Order Book
• Tenders & Equipment

On board the spaceship-style wallywhy200 superyacht from Wally

Related articles, superyacht directory.

The Wally wallywhy200 created waves with its unusual lines. Clare Mahon overcomes her initial concerns about its quirky appearance with a little help from designer Luca Bassani

You’ve got to love that person who just comes right out and says it – and Luca Bassani, the founder and chief designer of Wally , is that kind of guy. “ Non mi piacciono le curve ,” I don’t like curves. It’s his simple answer to my question as to why the exterior lines of the new wallywhy200 are very much the opposite of curvaceous.

It’s said with a smile and a chuckle and is as simple as that: if Bassani had wanted curvier he would have gone curvier, but that’s not his thing. And so far, doing and designing things his way has stood him in good stead: just as Wally sailing yachts shook up the world of superyachts, Wallypower boats and Wallytenders have also left their mark. Their looks may call to mind something that splashed down from outer space in the dark of night more than something that headed out from port one morning, but that’s just what you get when you don’t like curves.

What Bassani does like is living well and spending time on the water – preferably moving fast on a boat that is innovative, functional and efficient. While their aesthetic impact is significant, comfort and performance have always been part of the equation. In fact, Bassani has always said that, for him, function comes well before form. That hasn’t kept Wally yachts from winning several of Italy’s prestigious Compasso d’Oro design awards.

The wallywhy200 has naval architecture by Laurent Giles and its interior is by A Vallicelli & C Yacht Design . The engineering department at the Ferretti Group, the company that now owns Wally, also contributed and as the brand’s chief designer Luca Bassani had the first ideas for the project and the final word on its looks. The result is an 89ft, sub-200-gross-tonne semi-displacement yacht that still looks Wally despite having a 15ft-high freeboard and a beam so ample that it broadens the meaning of wide body. The straight bow flares back slightly and the yacht’s hull lines are broken up by a continuous strip of glass at main deck height and a black jag along the lower deck. The superstructure is classic Wally: angular to the point of looking slightly dangerous.

Boarding from the aft beach platform, you pick up on the WHY200’s vocation for fun and hospitality. Teak benches, sunpads and a wide central staircase are all perfect for easy access to the water or a proper welcome to a party. Deck and saloon are on the same level and there’s space, space, space. Bassani jokingly refers to that aft deck as the dance floor. Everything is catty-corners, sunpads to tables to staircases to benches. And there’s not a curve in sight – unless you count the teak covering the symmetrical side garages, which bends the planks of wood like a Thonet chair.

Stefano de Vivo, Wally’s managing director and chief commercial officer of the Ferretti Group, knows that the wallywhy200 is an eyeful but he also knows that Wally has always been a step ahead. “Bassani sees it straight away, but even at the shipyard it took the rest of us a while to understand it,” he says of the yacht’s design. “We’re not expecting anyone to say that they love the exterior look but like all Wally yachts it will take time and it will grow on you. The exterior is just a consequence of the quest for interior volume and the volume-to-length ratio will create a new market segment because it allows for a new way of using the yacht,” he says.

The yacht’s name is a kind of cypher where the W is for Wally, the HY is for hybrid and 200 stands for the yacht’s gross tonnage. But hybrid here does not refer to the yacht’s propulsion system; it stands for the hybrid uses you can get from the yacht. “It’s a real crossover,” Bassani says. “It’s more than just a semi-displacement yacht, it’s a semi explorer and a semi fly. And its living spaces are like a semi loft.”

Entering the saloon, you do get that wow effect that comes with large and light lofts. The openness of space is spectacular, with just a carbon-fibre spiral staircase enclosed by glass at the centre and a continuous ribbon of windows letting the views inside. With six main deck layout options to choose from, the full-beam space – devoid of bulkheads – can be fitted out as you prefer, with a show kitchen and dining area, for example, or just as a living area.

There’s plenty of space, but length was not the driver for this project, the beam was. “We have found that for today’s owners, beam is worth more than length,” de Vivo says. “This yacht’s seven-metre [23ft] net beam is wider than any other yacht in its size range and gives you the volume you normally have on a 50-metre [164ft] yacht. The wallywhy200 is the beginning of a range that Luca has inspired; there will be more yachts, both smaller and larger than the 200, where the concept will remain the volume.”

But volume was not the starting point. “As always with Wally, we began by thinking about the hull. Semi displacement is very difficult in terms of riding through the water; it’s as if you’re always on the hump of a wave,” Bassani says. “So with Laurent Giles and the technical office at Ferretti we developed a hull shape that we’re very happy with. We have 1.5 degrees of trim instead of the usual three to five, so it’s more comfortable – you’re not on the incline of a mountain. Being wide, it also has a lot of space and stability.  But if we have a hull that’s good through the waves  we can go faster, say at 15 to 20 knots, and still stay comfortable.” He has a twinkle in his eyes as he mentions speed. “That brings a different set of problems because if you don’t have a high bow you’ll get a green wave of water coming over the boat. So we raised the bow and then we found we had created a new volume, a new space and we thought: why not have the master cabin there? It’s a really nice spot. The boat is very stable and there isn’t a lot of pitch, so sleeping fore is feasible.”

“He makes it all sound easy,” de Vivo says with a laugh as Bassani explains the concept.

“There are three points where you can do something better on a boat: the stern, the bow and the upper deck,” Bassani continues. “On the WHY200 we tried to exploit these areas as much as possible. The stern is very open, big and spacious with a transformer platform and fold-down bulwarks that also give access to the garages; the bow has the master cabin and the fly has the wheelhouse and another open space aft.”

Although it is the designer’s choice, the forward owner’s cabin is an option – the Wally WHY200 is also offered with a dining space forward, framed by windows. When the space is used as the owner’s cabin, the scenery visible from the centrally placed bed is limitless. Other configuration options include the choice of three or four en suite guest cabins on the lower deck. These also get all the light and views you could ask for, but the real fun is to be had on the upper deck, where the wheelhouse is located.

That’s the most Wally part of the boat. The glass and carbon top is distinctively angular, but there will be curves all around – in the form of smiles – as soon as you step up to the controls. The wallywhy200 runs on four Volvo Penta D13-IPS1350 engines, the most powerful package in the IPS range and specifically designed for semi-displacement yachts. This compact engine and pod package can be mounted farther aft than a conventional shaft drive. Aboard the wallywhy200 they’re mounted under the aft deck, optimising weight distribution and leaving space for cabins for five crew, a proper galley and a crew mess on the lower deck.

And when it’s time to move you’ll be tempted to tell the crew to just stay below. The joystick controls live up to their name; the yacht is quick, manoeuvrable and stable. Simrad touchscreens display info on all the running systems and run she does: the engines can deliver up to 1,000 horsepower each and you can nudge the boat up to her 23-knot top speed without noticing it.

Enough has been said about Volvo Penta IPS fuel efficiency, silence and lack of vibration. Or has it? With the WHY200’s engines in a sound-insulated space under the aft deck you can feel the silence and enjoy the roar of the wind more than that of your engines.  In the owner’s and guest cabins engine noise is barely audible. You can motor along at 15 knots enjoying this hull’s stability and zero- to one-degree pitch or cruise at 10 knots using two engines to reduce wear and tear and burn less than 26 gallons of fuel per hour. Since the bow slices through the water there’s no slamming. Speeding along is serious business but feels like child’s play.

Bassani’s angles are starting to fit together like a puzzle for me and when we cut the engines and open the boat’s side terraces to create our own private beach, I realise there’s more at play than volume and space aboard the WHY200.

I confess to Bassani that I had boarded ready to dislike the boat because it looks so….

“Bulky?” Bassani suggests, sparing me from having to find the word to describe what had looked like a combination of hard-edged and bloated when viewed from the dock. “Angles are cleaner,” Bassani says with a chuckle. “And triangles are beautiful.”

And he’s right, different angles on things are what make this smaller yacht so large. The wallywhy200 is not fat, it’s phat.

This feature is taken from the February 2022 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue

More about this yacht

Similar yachts for sale, more stories, most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.

wallywind150 project

"Sailing yachts that masterfully combine Wally’s high-tech build with sharp styling and a clean, elegant interior to produce bluewater cruisers that thrill on the racecourse."

Our sailing flagship is a masterful blend of technology, comfort and style. Like the rest of the range, the wallywind150 is a hybrid of racing pedigree and cruising capabilities. She can win races, turning experienced heads, and carry you in safety and comfort to the far corners of the world’s oceans. But her sheer scale opens up intriguing possibilities which Wally has exploited in its usual innovative fashion. The ’double deck’ design reaches its zenith in this yacht, which puts the full-beam owner’s cabin right aft where it can benefit from a unique private lounge. This flexible indoor-outdoor space lies between the grand double doors to the owner’s suite and the ‘terrace-on-the-sea’ beach club. It is hard to imagine a better equipped owner’s cabin, with the sort of dimensions usually only seen on land. A sleek, glass deckhouse roof swoops aft, largely concealed behind the raised bulwarks which preserve the elegant overall proportions of the yacht. This is the social centre of the wallywind150, where guests dine and relax together in the company of the seascape that surrounds the boat. It gives flush-deck access to the well-sheltered guest cockpit before climbing to the aft cockpit. Guests will be enchanted by the many relaxing possibilities, and the size of the beach club aft. But perhaps most of all by the forward cockpit, whose elegant teak steps and deep seating are revealed once the 5.0m tender has been launched.

Double deck, double the fun.

Live "al fresco".

Technical Sheet

Preliminary data.

45.7 [m] 149 ft 11 in

9.15 [m] 30 ft 0 in

Unladen displacement

187000 [kg] 412,264 [lbs]

16000 [l] 4,227 [US gal]

People on board

Caterpillar C12 660 HP

Draft lifting

4.50 / 7.00 m – 14' 8" / 22' 10"

Sail area up wind

936 [sqm] 10075 sqft 3 sqin

Sail area down wind

1800 [sqm] 19375 sqft 6 sqin

Construction type

Fast Cruising Sloop

Exterior Designer

Luca Bassani / Santa Maria Magnolfi

Interior Designer

Naval architecture.

judel/vrolijk & co

Classification

Would you like to know more, for more information, please leave your details and we'll get back to you shortly..

Request the brochure

I have read and understood the privacy statement

Please indicate your consent to cookies for the following purposes:

I consent to receive promotional messages from the Data Controller on its own behalf or for Ferretti Group companies

I consent to receive promotional messages from Ferretti on its own behalf or from Ferretti Group companies, including from outside the EU (Allied Marine), with disclosure of data.

I consent to being profiled based on my purchase preferences in order to receive personalised promotional messages.

Ferretti S.p.A.

Designed by

Engineered by

Cookies on our site

For more information

Cookie Center

This website uses technical cookies, which are necessary for you to browse it and which help us to provide the service. With your consent, we use profiling cookies to offer you an increasingly agreeable browsing experience, to facilitate interaction with our social-media features, and to enable you to receive marketing messages tailored to your browsing habits and interests. To accept all profiling cookies, click ACCEPT ; to decline, click REFUSE . For more information about the cookies we use, please see our Cookie Policy.

always active