Both of the trophies’ boats are powered by foils, with the first powered by wind and the second entirely by electricity.
At the Monaco Yacht Show, we met Brunello Acampora, CEO of Victory Marine, the E1 Series’ official engineering and manufacturing partner for Seabird Technologies.
Victory Marine has a long history of prototyping, custom, and bespoke boats.
Brunello Acampora says: “Our customers know they can rely on our experience as a designer and builder when it comes to solving unique problems.
This is what happened with RaceBird (the E1 series powerboat): co-engineering this boat with Sophi Horn would have been a daunting task for almost anyone, but Victory Marine thrives when the goal is ambitious.
“The collaboration with Sophi Horn represents a strength: Sophi is very talented, and at Victory we always work as a team to make winning products“
F1 Experimental, a project done by Victory Marine back in 1998. Image credits: Victory Marine
Brunello Acampora argues that “Racing is the most effective form of R&D in the nautical world. The technical stagnation in the architecture and naval engineering is primarily the result of a decadent approach by an industry that only considers risk minimization.
We cannot stop the exploration and investigation process.
Even the style would need more research.
RaceBird will integrate values coming both from sailboats and motorboats, two worlds that have been traditionally considered as opposed, but which can and must now begin a process of profound contamination that will lead to unexpected results.
Seabird Technologies and E1 involved Mercury Racing, the undisputed leaders in outboard propulsion, and with our sister company Flexitab we are creating an electric future in this sector too.
In addition to the E1 series powerboat, Victory Marine is working on a revolutionary full electric pleasure boat, always with Seabird technologies.
You’ve seen a lot of trends (and also faded fashions) in your 30 years of experience.
B.A.: We work in a volatile market that follows fashion and is highly cyclical.
For example, the fisherman didn’t find a market in Europe, whereas the growth of the RIBs, invented by the British but immediately reinterpreted by us Italians, is unstoppable and has contributed to the widespread use of outboard engines.
I hope the trend of having more than two outboard motors on the transom comes to an end: the efficiencies are low, and they pollute too much.
Bolide by Victory Design. Image credits: Victory Design
Who would you bring with you and where?
B.A.: I would like to find the Race Bird moored in June, in the Venetian lagoon in front of Punta della Dogana.
I would then take a nice ride in the lagoon and have lunch with my wife Sonia in Torcello, at my favorite restaurant.
Being electric, and with foils, the RaceBird is ideal for Venice.
