La Spina 12 I 1

Italy’s First 12-Metre Class Yacht and a Jewel of Maritime Heritage

La Spina, sail number I-1, holds a singular place in Italian sailing history as the first-ever 12-Metre Class yacht built in Italy, commissioned in 1929 under the International Second Rule. Designed by Vincenzo Vittorio Baglietto and commissioned by Marquess Franco Spinola—Admiral of the Italian Navy and a scion of Genoa’s noble Spinola family—La Spina was a pioneering vessel, both technically and culturally.

A Royal Beginning

Launched from Baglietto's shipyard in Varazze in 1929, La Spina instantly captured attention. Fully rigged at launch, she sailed under escort to Genoa, accompanied by 8mR yachts Bamba and Vega, for the opening of the Italian Yacht Club's new headquarters, attended by the Italian Royal Family.

During the next decade, La Spina served as flagship of the Italian Yacht Club, hosting illustrious guests including the House of Savoy. Her interior was lavishly appointed with mahogany and maple joinery, featuring a saloon, owner’s cabin, lavatory, and a crew area with berths for four. Though designed to race, her builder emphasized livability and elegance, making her equally suitable as a cruising yacht.

Modifications and Renaming

Despite a promising start, La Spina saw limited competition due to the lack of other 12mRs in Italy. By 1930, Spinola converted her rig to a Bermudan ketch with 196 square meters of sail and added a 35-horsepower engine. In 1938, she was sold to Marquis Gian Augusto Salina Amorini Bolognini, renamed La Vespa, and registered in both Santa Margherita Ligure and Venice. Used mainly for cruising, she completed a three-month journey from Liguria to the Venetian Lagoon.

Corsara and the Adriatic Years

In 1956, industrialist Alessandro Brunetti acquired the yacht, renamed her Corsara, and based her in Portofino and later Trieste. Under his ownership, Corsara underwent further rigging updates and joined Adriatic regattas under RORC rules as I-1660. After Brunetti's passing in 1974, she was laid up and removed from Lloyd’s Register.

Neglect, Rediscovery, and Restoration

In 1976, Dr. Gian Franco Chierici acquired her for charter and personal use until she was eventually laid up in Villanueva i la Geltrú, Spain, where she remained in poor condition.

Her resurrection began in 2007, when Dr. Federico Cuomo purchased the deteriorating vessel from Chierici’s heirs. La Spina was shipped to Castellamare di Stabia, Italy, for a full restoration under the direction of master shipwright Nino Aprea and yacht restorer Stefano Faggioni of Studio Faggioni Yacht Design. Salvageable materials were preserved, and the rest meticulously recreated—including a new 28.72-meter hollow mast.

Back to Life: La Spina Reborn

On April 16, 2008, after two years of exhaustive restoration, La Spina returned to the water, 80 years after her original launch. The relaunch was a moment of national pride, restoring a foundational vessel in Italian yachting history.

In February 2019, La Spina embarked on a new adventure: relocating to Barcelona to compete in the Mediterranean Classic Sailing Circuit, where she sails today—renewed, refined, and proudly representing Italy’s 12-Metre legacy.