Past Times: A’Speranziella 1963 – 2009

Mike James of the classic offshore powerboat owners club reflects on a name from the golden age of offshore endurance racing. A’speranziella holds a special place in the hearts of marathon racing enthusiasts. A`Speranziella, is a design from the board of Renato “Sonny” Levi, born in Karachi (then in India) who worked for his father’s boat building yard in Bombay designing and overseeing the production of a selection of vessels both sail and power. When his father retired and decided to move back to Italy it was also the impetus for Renato to move on, and by 1960 after visiting the United States and Britain was now domiciled in Italy. Here he set up Cantieri Navaltecnica in Anzio the heart of Italy’s boating industry, using his and wife Ann’s savings. The excitement of participating in the fi rst modern day power boat race to be held in Europe (which had been announced at the 1961 Earls Court Boat Show), had enticed the Italian back to Britain for the race. Levi’s mount was to be A`Speranziella a 30ft cruiser built to his design and as a prototype for a new range of cruisers to be produced by Navaltecnica. She was powered by two Cadillac Crusaders producing a total of 600hp and running on high-octane aviation fuel. When Renato asked the race organisers if such fuel was available at Cowes, he was told emphatically no! The engines were then de-rated accordingly, but they arrived in Cowes prior the race only to fi nd that avgas was available, maybe this was to prove a cos tly mistake! They were also allocated race no 17 which is unlucky in Italy, this was happily changed to 16 for the race, the number she carried all her racing life. The race has been well documented with the biggest scrap being between A`Speranziella and Thunderbolt, each taking the lead. It was in the rough waters off St Catherine’s point that A`Speranziella took control as leader when Sopwith throttled back to 10 knots in the torrid conditions and six foot swell. The Italian team held the lead past Bournemouth then on to Durleston Head where the fi rst problems struck. Maybe going that little faster in the extreme conditions was overzealous and Tommy Sopwith’s Thunderbolt regained the lead never to relinquish it again. The bright red Italian pushed on with cracks in cabin structure, splits in the longitude bearers, a smashed head, split tanks and the engines being temperamental, maybe they were showing a dislike for the lower octane fuel! Sonny Levi brought her in to 5th place at Torquay and set him self on a trail to fame as one of the most outstanding designers of the second half of the century. The bug had bitten and Sonny was back in 1962 accompanied by a rebuilt and strengthened A`Speranziella. Also at Cowes that year was another formidable Levi boat, Ultima Dea (the Last Goddess), powered by three Maserati engines and driven by Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli and also in the fleet was a smaller Levi design Settimo Velo. The Italians had arrived with their own transport vessel, which doubled as workshop, home and support ship but it was to all be in vain. The 1962 race was run in rough conditions that suited the big boys of the 41 starters and of course there was none bigger than Dick Wilkins aboard Tramontana. The day did not start well for the Italians when the Settimo Velo failed to make the start. A`Speranziella, co-driven by Commander Attilo Petroni again showed, as in the previous year, that she was a good contender taking the rough seas in her stride. Yet again she was battling with Thunderbolt, now driven by Pamela Campbell and Lettis Curtis, for 5th and 6th places. The crossing of Lyme Bay took its toll on both craft. A`Speranziella approached Torquay much the worse for wear with engine problems and heeling slightly to starboard. She made the trip up to Ore Stone and back to the finishing line taking in 10th place but unfortunately was disqualified for missing a turning mark. Ultima Dea had finished in 3rd but at prize giving it was YO YO who took the spoils as Ultima Dea had also missed a mark of Bournemouth, Agnelli refused to sign his declaration and was thus eliminated. On the day of scrutineering for the 1963 race a familiar shape appeared in Cowes harbour after motoring over from Belgium, looking more purposeful than previous years with a redesigned cabin, and powered by 2 new Ford Interceptor engines totalling 800hp… A`Speranziella was back. The whole boat had been rebuilt yet again from lessons learned in the two previous races. She was now stronger than ever with additional stringers and bearers including re-engineered spray rails, she was also faster and more reliable. Such was the status of the Cowes Torquay, a total of 50 entries had been received. The competition was going to be fierce, included in the list were no less than nine Bertrams including Blue Moppie, Damian and Thunderstreak all rated at 800hp, plus White Migrant a 25ft Christina with an engine room full of Ford Dearborn Interceptors giving her an unrivalled power to weight ratio. The race was run in moderate conditions and the I.O.W “loop” saw speeds of 43 knots attained by the leading bunch including all the named above with A`Speranziella in 5th place. Lead boat was Migrant, driven by Lord Lucan and Bruce Campbell. At the Needles second time Migrant had vanished and it transpired that the fuel tanks had been overfilled. Lord Lucan was slopping out petrol from the bilges when his cuff caught the propshaft. The material was dragged into the floating bearing which seized and water started pouring in, the bilge pump then packed up and Migrant sank. Next to go was Thunderstreak in Lyme bay, it was here that Blue Moppie had burst water pipes and she stopped for repairs. Tramontana 2 made up ground in the rough water, but the leader after all this excitment was the A’Speranziella a lead she held to the finish. So it was third time lucky for Sonny and there was never a more deserved victor. His success was made even sweeter when, in sixth place came the diminutive TRIDENT driven by Don Shead with a similar boat Jupiter in 16th, both designed by Levi and built by R.W.Clarke in Cowes. You knew who was going to be “flavour of the month” next year and his success as designer and driver set the seal on his future. A`Speranziella never raced again in the Cowes- Torquay race but made an appearance in the hands of circuit racer Tom Percival and his father in the first Round Britain Powerboat Race in 1969. With sponsorship from Robinsons Barley Water and painted with lurid diagonal stripes, she unfortunately broke down and retired at Milford Haven. Like all old racers the boat vanished into private hands but was advertised in Motor Boat and Yachting in the 80’s though said to be in poor condition. She was purchased and restored by Nigel Bowdler, appearing at Cowes in 1987at the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes event only to vanish yet again. The subject of in depth chapters in Sonny Levi’s books ‘Milestones in my Designs’ and ‘Dhows to Deltas’ A’Speranziella had acquired icon status amongst the fans of early offshore racing so it was a great pleasure to hear that she surfaced once again. Seven years ago Sebastian Stapleton was in Lymington, to view a Fairey Huntsman. What caught his eye in the corner of Adam Younger’s yard was a rather different craft, a forlorn Red Boat with unusual lines and as the story unfolded Sebastian knew that this was the craft he would buy. Now undergoing yet another restoration, including the refitting of 2 original Ford Interceptors. A’Speranziella is being restored to her original 1963 specification although this will be a long haul as when found she had been poorly stored by the previous owners resulting in the hull sweating with the resulting problems faced by a wooden structure. It is heart warming to know that another Cowes-Torquay winner is at last being afforded the acknowledgement due and that at least one famous Levi boat will be back on the water one day.