In the 1950s, boat builders such as Guido Abbate created hydroplanes, aircraft-like racing boats equipped with Formula 1 racing engines, on the Italian lakes. The most prominent representative of this era was Achille Castoldi’s ARNO XI, powered by an impressive 12-cylinder V12 Ferrari engine with a displacement of 4,500 cc. This engine, which was also used in the Ferrari Grand Prix car Type 375, brought José Froilán González his first Grand Prix victory in the World Championship in 1951. Twin superchargers gave the ARNO XI an increase in power to a remarkable 502 hp at 6000 rpm. On October 15, 1953, the boat set a world speed record of 150.19 miles per hour for an 800kg boat on Lake Iseo in northern Italy, a record that, amazingly, still stands today.
In the 1990s, Ferrari returned to the water in impressive fashion. The brand teamed up with renowned yacht builder Riva and showcased the Riva Ferrari 32 speedboats. Only 30 examples were built to demonstrate Ferrari’s technological brilliance on the water. The eye-catching bright red boat with a distinctive carbon fibre spoiler may not look as elegant as the traditional wood-hulled Riva models, but it will undoubtedly turn heads in any port. Powered by two 400 hp V8 engines, the boat reached an impressive 100 km/h. Even a small cabin was not missing, in case a spontaneous day trip unexpectedly turned into a weekend adventure.
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You can find out more about Riva boats and the Monaco Boat Service here!
