The competitive sailing world turned its focus to the iconic Loro Piana Giraglia this week, not just for its storied history, but for the debut of a yacht that promises to redefine its class. Wally, a brand synonymous with forward-thinking design, has officially unveiled the wallyrocket71, a vessel engineered with the singular, ambitious goal of dominating the maxi racing circuit.
The launch marks a significant moment for the Ferretti Group-owned brand, reinforcing its deep-rooted commitment to performance, innovation, and design excellence. The wallyrocket71, the second "rocket" in the Wally fleet, emerges from a powerful collaboration between the visionary owner Giovanni Lombardi Stronati, the renowned design studio Botin Partners, and the expert builders at King Marine.
A New Philosophy in Maxi Design
The project's inception began with a fundamental question posed by the design team: How do you beat the highly competitive Maxi 72s on corrected time? Adolfo Carrau of Botin Partners explained that the team started from a "blank sheet of paper," free from the constraints of the box rule that governed the design of many existing Maxi 72s.
"As everyone is optimising their boats under IRC rules, there is a lot more freedom,” Carrau noted. This freedom allowed the design team, in close collaboration with Wally, to pursue a radical concept centered on weight reduction. The conclusion was clear: a lighter boat offered the best possible combination of outright performance and a favorable rating.
The result is a 71-foot yacht that is a marvel of engineering. At just 12,500 kgs (12.5 tonnes) of displacement, the wallyrocket71 is approximately two tonnes lighter than its Maxi 72 competitors. This significant weight saving creates a virtuous circle—allowing for a smaller keel and a marginally shorter rig, which in turn makes the yacht quicker in light airs and more responsive to gusts.
Technical Innovation at its Core
The wallyrocket71’s design is packed with high-performance features engineered for uncompromising versatility on any race course. The yacht is equipped with twin rudders for superior control and a high-performance bulb keel.
A key innovation lies in its powerful water ballast system. While the yacht itself is lighter, its water ballast capacity is about 35 percent heavier than competitors, holding 2,700 liters (2.7 tonnes). The system is engineered for incredible speed, capable of pumping the entire volume of water from one side to the other in approximately six seconds. This allows the yacht to execute short, fast tacks, a critical advantage in close-quarters racing.
wallyrocket71 Key Specifications:
- Length Overall (LOA): 21.40 m
- Beam: 5.55 m
- Displacement: 12,500 kgs
- Draught: 4.90 m
- Upwind Sail Area: 305 m²
- Downwind Sail Area: 630 m²
- Water Ballast: 2,700 liters
Early sea trials have confirmed the yacht’s impressive potential. It has easily reached expected upwind speeds of 10.5-11.0 knots and has demonstrated the ability to match or even exceed wind speed when sailing downwind.
Voices from the Deck
The enthusiasm for the new yacht is palpable among those most closely involved. Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group, praised the collaborative effort, stating, "With the wallyrocket71, Wally sets sail into an exciting new chapter in competitive yacht racing, launching a vessel designed to be one of the fastest in its class. This is not just a new yacht—it’s a statement of intent." He extended his gratitude to the owner, designers, and the Wally team for their passion and expertise.
Vasco Vascotto, tactician for the first wallyrocket71, named Django, is thrilled with the yacht's performance. "After the experience with the wallyrocket51, sailing Django is truly exciting. It’s the bigger sister, incredibly light and fast... After only a few days on the water, I’m really impressed by both the construction quality and performance," Vascotto said.
Guillermo Parada, the strategist for Django, echoed this sentiment, confirming the project's goal of competing against the 72-footers at the Maxi Worlds. "After the first days sailing in Valencia, the boat’s performance is in line with our expectations: it is a complex and high-performing vessel that requires careful handling but is very exciting," Parada commented.
A Season of Dominance for the Wally Fleet
The launch of the wallyrocket71 comes during a season that has already seen the Wally fleet achieve remarkable success across the globe. No fewer than 15 of Wally's carbon fibre yachts are competing in major events this year, a testament to the brand's enduring racing pedigree.
From the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, Wally yachts have been a dominant force:
- At the RORC Nelson’s Cup in Antigua, the Wallys V, Bullitt, and Galateia battled fiercely, with V ultimately taking the top spot.
- The action moved to St Barths, where V once again claimed victory over Galateia in the Cent Pied category.
- At the North Sound Maxi Regatta, the team behind V proved unbeatable, with the Wally 93 Bullitt securing a strong second place.
- In Europe, the Wally Cento Tilakkhana II dominated the maxi division at Palmavela, while the wallynano37 Little Thila won the Spirit of Tradition category.
The debut of the smaller 51-foot wallyrocket51 at the Tre Golfi Sailing Week also turned heads, proving its competitive edge under ORC and IRC ratings and securing a victory at the Central and Southern Tyrrhenian ORC National Championship.
The Race Ahead
Following its debut at the Loro Piana Giraglia, the wallyrocket71 Django has a challenging season ahead. The team will head to the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez to close out their 2025 campaign.
The launch of the wallyrocket71 is more than just the arrival of a new boat; it is a clear signal of Wally's intent to push the limits of what is possible in yacht design and racing. As Galassi aptly put it, "With wallyrocket71, Wally doesn’t just adjust the sails—it changes the race."
Stay tuned to NAVIS for more updates on this evolving story.
