Achilli Motors

[shifter]

I will find out from Lino who, where, and why about the Ancampora Bilboa. I worked on it when it was converted to diesel and the center rudder in 1998. I am pretty sure they did that boat inhouse.

pat W

[MikeyFIN]

Originally Posted by olli

Thank you very much for the info, flying fish. But shame on me! I have to admit that I have never heard of Sergio Abrami before.
It always surprises me when designers/shipyards come out of nowhere (as far as powerboats are concerned) and start right into the heavyweight division of offshore racing. Like the Aurantium Bilboa you mentioned earlier. When Polli brought it back then Aurantium was new to me and I still don't know anything about them. Take Mion's SM Racer built by a shipyard called C4. Don't know anything about them too. Perhaps they are known for products in other fields of the (marine) industry like Revenge, Goetz or ACX.
However these boats were nice exotics in times when there was time and money to experiment.

The European shipyards are full of engineers that can design any class1 boat with almost their eyes closed...
And yes they are top notch usually in their own game..like for intstance our shipyard in my town which builds the Voyager of the Seas class cruise ships.

[Anne Mette Syver]

Hi Olli,
I was searching for Achilli Motors when I found this Forum.
Being a big fan of racing and living in Europe I know a good photographer and editor who can give you update on this issue.
Any questions on Achilli Motors you could try asking editor Glen Philip Hagen at www.speedandpleasure.com
btw Merry Christmas

[olli]

Originally Posted by Anne Mette Syver

Hi Olli,
I was searching for Achilli Motors when I found this Forum.
Being a big fan of racing and living in Europe I know a good photographer and editor who can give you update on this issue.
Any questions on Achilli Motors you could try asking editor Glen Philip Hagen at www.speedandpleasure.com
btw Merry Christmas

Thank you for your efforts and welcome to the forum

[Losna]

Originally Posted by olli

Thank you for the info shifter. Do you think they had the facilities and ability to build that boat themselves? Would like to know more about Aurantium.

Hi, this is my first post here on OSO.

I worked at Aurantium in 1990 and 1991.
Aurantium was a company, owned by Mr. Edoardo Polli, that raced different boats under the name of Rainbow Offshore Racing Team.

I first met Mr.Polli and the Rainbow Team at '86 Worlds in KW, where Mr. Polli got 1st place in third race on a CUV (41?) aluminium monohull powered with two Lamborghinis and Kiekhaefers drives. I can't recall the name of the boat, maybe it was Rainbow.

I then joined the team in early 1990, when it had grown to a large organisation (probably the largest in Europe at the time).
In 1990 they (we) raced the following boats:

101 - SDA - E. Polli/DiBiase/Lotto - Codecasa 45' - 4 Motori Moderni turbocharged

201 - Bagutta - V.Polli/Curtis - Cougar - 2 Lambos

777 - Mitsubishi Electrics - CUV? - Riganti/Boffi/others - 2 Isotta Fraschini turbodiesel

The "4 engine boat", designed by Peter Birkett, was a technical puzzle.
The boat was rigged at Aurantium workshop in Busto Garolfo (to answer the question: we had facilities, ability and personnel to rig a raceboat from bare hull, but not to build the hull itself).
Due to the turbo-inherent lack of torque at low revs, getting it on plane was very hard, so we had to use pat w's shift gearboxes. I'm sure pat w remembers about me, as we spent long days (and not few long nights) working for Mr.Polli.
The boat was absolutely fast, incredibly faster than the whole opposition, but never completed a race.
The hull was built by Codecasa shipyard in Viareggio after Peter Birkett's design. The engines came from Mr.Alloni's SCAM, 2880 cc, turbocharged, liquid cooled (not marine water cooled). I think drives were Kiekhaefers.
The boat had an accident in Portocervo (as reported elsewhere by pat w) and got its canopy changed.

The 201 Bagutta, driven by late Vincenzo Polli, nephew of Edoardo, and throttled by Steve Curtis, was a brand new Cougar. Unfortunately they stuffed the boat in Rapallo. There are some incredible pics about this accident somewhere....
The boat was then repaired, but was definitely lost in Cannes (or Nice?) where it sunk. It still lays somewhere downthere. Steve rerigged another older Cougar, and they got some good results in that year.

I don't remember much about 777 - Mitsubshi Electrics.

I'll stop writing now, as for a "first post" it already seems quite long....
But further enquiries are welcome!

[Phil M]

What is Edwardo doing now - still racing ? I filmed him at Gurnsey in 88, also in Dubai 92 - a real gentlemen - also - do you know how to contact Walter Ragazzi - and what is he doing now ?

Phil

[HabanaJoe]

http://www.maggiemaggi.it/Fotogaller...0/Default.aspx

SDA 101

[Losna]

Originally Posted by Phil M

What is Edwardo doing now - still racing ? I filmed him at Gurnsey in 88, also in Dubai 92 - a real gentlemen - also - do you know how to contact Walter Ragazzi - and what is he doing now ?

Phil

Edoardo Polli isn't racing anymore, neither is Walter Ragazzi.
I think Walter gave up offshore racing some 20 years ago; Edoardo gave up only a few years ago, I don't know what is he doing now.
I haven't had any contact with offshore world for almost 20 years now. I just have a friend (team mate at Rainbow when I was there) who works with Victory Team in Dubai, I should be seeing him soon, I'll ask him about Polli and Ragazzi and will let you know.

Offshore racing is not what it used to be 20 years ago in Europe: we had 20 to 40 Class 1 boats at each venue, now it's 10 to 15, and 5 of them are from the Emirates, only 10 from Europe. There's no press or tv coverage at all for races.
Provisional calendar for UIM Class 1- 2012 includes 2 races in UAE and Qatar, 1 in Italy and 1 in Norway, 2 more races still to be assigned/confirmed.

Here you can find a review of the 2011 UIM Class 1 season:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHL0r...1&feature=plcp

[littlenige]

Do you have more stories Losna to share with us and perhaps some photo's??

[Losna]

Originally Posted by littlenige

Do you have more stories Losna to share with us and perhaps some photo's??

Well, plenty of both!
I'm thinking about starting a thread about the Rainbow Team on those years, I'll try to get some written material (offshore annuals and so on) and to get some pics scanned. Digital photos were still to come...

This pic is one of the oldest I've got.
It was taken at 1987 APBA/UIM World offshore championship held on three races in Key West.
Our boat (101 - Rainbow) won the third race, and this pic was taken immediately after the race.

You can see, standing from left to right:
Edoardo Polli - Driver/Owner
Franco Statua - Throttleman
Statua's son
Pippo Cascone - Team manager
Moreno Lotto - Navigator/Chief mechanic
a lady I don't know
me

sitting:
some ladies, including Mr.Polli's wife
some of Mr.Polli's friends
the truck driver, a guy from Viareggio
in forefront Emerson Fittipaldi, with sunglasses, F1 and F.Indy champion

I wish to remember that Lino Di Biase, who isn't depicted in this pic, was part of the crew, but I can't remember if he throttled or navigated one or more of the three races.

Mr.Polli scored 7th place both in first and second race, and won the third, getting 4th place in overall Class 1 Championship.
Steve Curtis won both first and second race, and came second in third race, winning the Class 1 championship.

Hope the pic isn't too big, I can't resize it