Simultaneous play

What sets Wally apart from other Ferretti Group brands?

Wally is truly unique. First and foremost, it’s one of our youngest brands, yet in its 30 years, it has revolutionised yacht design—both sailing and motor yachts—by putting beauty and practicality at the forefront.

When you started working with Wally, what drew you to the brand?

I had my eye on Wally even before it became part of the Ferretti Group. I think what impressed me most was the approach shared by everyone on the team, starting with Luca Bassani and the designers who worked alongside him. It’s about how they viewed yachts. When designing, they always began with the client’s needs—or their own anticipation of the needs clients would have in the near future. Wally has a profound vision for functionality. We always think deeply about what will happen when the yacht is out at sea rather than simply fulfilling a client’s request for, say, a 58-foot yacht. A fantastic example is the wallywhy200: we wanted to look ahead and bring to life one of the most beautiful concepts in the world. That’s exactly why we created such a distinctive design.



How would you describe a typical Wally owner—their age, lifestyle, and preferences?

It’s challenging, if not impossible, for any brand in the yachting industry to define a “typical client, as we produce a limited number of highly customised yachts. One thing is certain, though—over the past 30 years, Wally owners have been individuals and families with a deep appreciation for design and a strong desire to actively enjoy their yachts. They are captivated by Wally’s signature aesthetics, while we focus on making life onboard as comfortable as possible for both the owners and the guests. 

From the very beginning, the company revolutionised sailing yachts by introducing systems that allow a single person to operate a 80-100ft yacht with just the push of a few buttons—something every yacht owner dreams of. But Wally didn’t stop there, ensuring these yachts could sail as fast as possible, if not faster than anyone else in the world.

Which parts of the world show the greatest interest in Wally’s products?

Europe remains our strongest market, but over the years, America has played a very significant role in the sailing segment. More recently, with the rise of outboard motors, there has been growing interest in our tender range. The same trend can be observed in the Middle East and Asia, where Wally’s luxurious and high-performance tenders with outboard engines have become highly sought after.

The new wallywhy line is helping us further expand our presence in the Asian market, thanks to its vast potential, our forward-thinking “20 years ahead” vision (Wally’s slogan), and our deep understanding of what consumers want. This year, we are introducing a new design specifically for pure sailing races—the wallyrocket51. I am confident this project will be a great success in both Europe and America, allowing us to offer sailing yacht owners worldwide a truly innovative and forward-thinking product at a more accessible budget.

Which features are most popular among Wally motor yacht customers?

As you know, we have three distinct lines: tender, power, and why. These vary greatly in size and purpose. One example of a highly requested feature is the country-style bar, which allows owners to prepare cocktails, lunch, or dinner. This option is particularly popular among wallywhy customers, as these yachts are typically used by families and groups of friends.

Today, many motor yacht designs are influenced by sailing yachts. In your opinion, what is the reason for this?

In the early 2000s, Wally entered the motorboat segment with the wallytender45 and wallypower118. At the time, there was nothing like them. We introduced features such as the straight bow, completely open sterns, and day boats designed with unprecedented attention to both aesthetics and client needs—all of which were inspired by sailing yachts. Back then, people looked at these designs and asked, “What are they doing? Why these changes? They look strange...”  

Fast forward 20 years, and if you stand on the flybridge at the Cannes Boat Show, watching 60-foot motorboats leaving the port for sea trials with clients, you’ll notice that—apart from Riva and Itama—nearly all of them incorporate at least one of these design elements. The beauty and functionality inherent to sailing yachts have had a profound impact on motorboat design, and much of that influence can be credited to Wally.

Does Wally’s exterior and interior design influence other Ferretti Group brands?

Wally’s designs have a significant impact on the yachting industry as a whole, and it’s no coincidence that their innovations are designed to deliver results “20 years ahead.” However, it’s important to note that the seven brands within the Ferretti Group are managed by entirely separate teams. This ensures that each brand retains its unique DNA, avoiding any overlap. One area where Wally’s forward-thinking approach influences the rest of the group is through its innovations and R&D efforts. Once these are successfully implemented in the market, they are often adopted by other divisions within the Ferretti Group.

When evaluating a yacht concept, how do you determine what consumers are ready for and what won’t work?

That’s the hardest question. Honestly, if I revealed our secrets, I’d either have to kill you or lose my job (laughs). Joking aside, I think the privilege of working with a brand like Wally is that we get to enjoy the oceans, as we’ve done throughout the brand’s history. This is reflected in both our motorboat range and our sailing line, where we introduced the wallywind101 design, followed by the wallywind110, which has already been copied by competitors.  

I believe the most important thing is to listen to the customer’s needs and then try to identify where, by evolving the design, we can meet a need they might not even realize they have yet.

Did you notice any common trends at the recent boot Düsseldorf 2024 and Salone Nautico Venezia that you found remarkable and promising?

At Düsseldorf, it was evident that many shipyards have embraced the trend of maximizing both interior and exterior spaces available to owners without increasing the overall length of the boats. Once again, Wally is “20 years ahead”: the wallywhy range has paved the way for the future.  

At the same time, we’ve observed a strong demand for day cruisers, and our wallypower50, which was unveiled to the world at the show, has already sold out for the season.