The road that brought Horacio Bozzo from his birthplace of Buenos Aires to his new studio in Pietrasanta, Italy, was long and winding, but ultimately led straight to his goal. As the son of an Italian father and a German-Swiss mother, Bozzo decided at the age of sixteen that he wanted to become a yacht designer. What he didn't realise at the time, however, was that he didn't necessarily have to study engineering.
"I thought the logical way to achieve my goal was to become a naval architect. So I went to the USA to study under my mentor, the legendary Italian architect and yacht designer Paolo Caliari," Bozzo tells his story. "It was only later that I found out that many of my colleagues were simply designers - without an engineering background."
The will to have your own company
While Bozzo realised that the time he spent poring over reference books wasn't absolutely necessary, that's exactly what benefited him and his clients. His career began in Rome, and from 1996 to 2001 he worked in the USA. Bozzo then moved back to Italy, where he opened a studio in Viareggio. The Tuscan coastal town is home to shipyards such as Codecasa, Perini Navi, Picchiotti, Benetti and Rossinavi. "For the first ten years in the business, I only worked on construction projects with my company Axis Group Yacht Design," he continues. "Then I started a separate company: Horacio Bozzo Design."
The ambitious businessman has now united the two companies under one roof in Pietrasanta. The beautiful medieval town lies a short distance inland from Viareggio. "We have a good combination of skills here. Because customers have lots of questions and we can answer them all here," says Bozzo confidently.
Horacio Bozzo uses the analogy from the automotive world
In fact, listening to the questions and finding answers is a big part of his preliminary work process. "When I design, it's not my yacht, it's my client's yacht. I try to read their mind, understand their needs and then design within those parameters, but to my standards," he explains and immediately provides an example: "The 54-metre ISA 'Forever One' was for a client who wanted to be seen, so I drew for him, although my lines are generally clearer and simpler."
Sometimes it's Bozzo himself who asks the questions: "I always use an analogy from the car world. Are you more Porsche 911 or more Lamborghini? Lambo is tough and aggressive, 911 is timeless." The Italian by choice likes to get different requirements on the table and then find the best way to fulfil them.
Solving problems right from the start
Although Bozzo can construct and design a yacht from below the waterline to the very top, he does not do interiors. "We can do everything, including the exterior furniture like on board Rossinavi's 'Piacere'. We also do interior layouts, but not the decor," explains Bozzo. "When you draw an entire yacht, it's interesting to see how things work differently. The process speeds up because you're in charge, so you also solve the problems from the start." If, on the other hand, you have different players, everyone does their own thing and the solutions to problems "go down the drain" at a certain point.
Owners of Bozzo yachts know that the stream of communication will continue to flow in the future. "You could say that I'm a kind of lifelong guarantee," he jokes, "I like to keep in touch, to get feedback. And I keep in touch with captains and crew because I want to know if and how our designs have made their lives easier or harder."
For Bozzo, every custom project has two sides: "We have to satisfy the customer's needs. But it is just as important to fulfil the operational requirements." This is the only way the crew can operate a yacht well, with quick access to certain areas and little effort required for maintenance.
Feedback is important for Horacio Bozzo
"Piaceres" concept of a sheltered flybridge and the unusual bow garage are both the result of feedback. "When the beach clubs became popular, we moved the garages forward, between the beach club and the engine compartment," reports Bozzo, "but the captains always said that it can be dangerous and messy to have the garage there on yachts up to 50 metres." With the movement of the waves and currents, there is a risk of water getting into the garage.
Horacio Bozzo doesn't just accept this: "Compared to many yacht designers, I'm a different type; my approach is always that of an engineer first." His studio can also look for unusual solutions. "We have the expertise to take a new approach and the experience to do things differently," he explains. If a shipyard is not sure whether they can build something, his team provides them with the right design and construction plans so that they can continue: "We want to make sure that what looks good on paper actually works well on the water." His people don't release anything until every detail has been developed, designed, drawn and rendered. After all, if there are no surprises, the shipyard can build faster and more efficiently.
Behind closed doors
The "Piacere" will be joined by other newly launched Bozzo designs such as the 43-metre explorer "Acala" from Cantiere delle Marche, the 40-metre Baglietto "Club M", the 54-metre ISA "Forever One" and the 49-metre Benetti "Elaldrea+". Further projects are being planned, but are still behind closed doors. For example, an 86-metre yacht that is due to be launched in four years' time. "People will be talking about it," promises Bozzo.
The overall package of construction, design and feedback collection that his two studios offer customers is comprehensive and complex. The biggest reward for the boss is very simple: "Our appreciation is when a customer calls at the end of the season and says: 'Horacio, we really enjoyed the yacht!"
