Does anybody have any information about any Italian forums/sites dedicated to offshore racing?? Marco, any knowledge? Given the racing heritage surely there must be something out there?

I know there is the Balestrieri webpage, and the language would be a barrier, but if there are indeed any sites - I could handle the photographs!!

Hi Nigel,

Best wishes for the New Year. I do not know about italian sites but I have just discovered your albums (and Graham's) on Boatmad and they are quite good.
Let's hope that Marco can find us a similar italian site.

Phil.

Here´s a pic of an Italian offshore racer Haikala (=Sharkfish in Finnish bytheway) visiting Finland in the 70´s at the Kotka Offshore races.
But the local racers (Argos mainly) ate it for breakfast.

Phil, HNYear to you too! Thanks re the pics - I know of other people out there who must have tons of pics but for some reason who don´t post. Shame! Graham´s are much better organised than mine, including the year.

Mikey I remember that name - was the boat red?? I think maybe it raced at Cowes once??

Yes it was(Is?) red, prolly did race at CTC too.

Hi Guys!
About an italian offshore forum I haven't news.
I will check better when i will have internet at home!
About Haikala it was the first C&B class 3 boat designed by fabio Buzzi. It was drove by the big sicilian Salvatore "Saro" Carruba.
Maybe that mono it was ate at breakfast by something local champ in Scandinavia but in the years after the famous C&B cats also designed by Buzzi like a second Haikala ate a lot of local sharks in the North sea!!

Yes our race boats are really light here. The Problem with Haikala was that the seas were too flat for it I´ve heard.
Well cats thats then another story our builders have mainly concentrated on under 2.litre offshore cats like Argo and Twister.