CUV scores C-T-C victory 25 years after it's last C-T-C victory

[Dude! Sweet!]

Posted elsewhere, but worth repeating...

Last weekend the 38 CUV "Cinzano 558" formerly run by multi-time world champion Renato Della Valle celebrated it's 25 anniversary of winning the open ocean endurance classic Cowes-Torquay-Cowes endurance race winning it again.

It's a tremendous accomplishment by a recently restored offshore legend.

http://www.britishpowerboatracingclub.co.uk/index.htm

I'm sure many other people are much more familiar than I with the long and storied history of CUV ("united shipbuilders of Viareggio", to translate loosely, but properly pronounced by imagining that you're Flavio Brigatore and then saying "Koooove" with a smarmy psuedo-Italian accent ). The long and short is that these boats (there are less than 20 built and probably 10 in existence today) have been winning world championships since the early '80's and can still lay down the law today (Adriano Panatta won the 2004 P1 Evolution class in a '41).

So I'll raise a bottle of Sambuca to the mighty CUV and invite you old-boat-heads to join me.

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

More photos...

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

Oh ok... A couple of Thuraya too since I mentioned her. :sifone: Then and now.

 

[Top Banana]

Well great American patriots......do we have an Apache that is ready to go for the Miami to Key West race next February????

Last 2 open ocean races and no Apaches ?????

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

I may have been slightly off on my terminology... May have been 25 years for this CUV's first win (won in '84 and '85) rather than it's last...

http://www.britishpowerboatracingclub.co.uk/ctc winners.htm

Based on this listing, this boat could have won 2 or more times. That's out of at least 6 CUV wins (7 if you count the Pichiotti dry Martini in '79). When I looked at this boat a few years ago, I recall that it could have been the same boat as Rothmans/Ego as well (But I think that was speculation and I belive there's another CUV restored to Rothmans livery).

More pics!

 

[MikeyFIN]

Well great American patriots......do we have an Apache that is ready to go for the Miami to Key West race next February????

Last 2 open ocean races and no Apaches ?????

Shame on You Apache guys!!!
Don´t you know boats (and women) like to be used, properly

:sifone:

On the Other Hand CUV´s are Only Racers so that´s understandable they are still used properly.
Now guys With Race Apaches ?
There´s gotta be some others holding the flag than Mark and Lucy...:USA:

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

I'd be hard pressed to say that you can compare the construction of one of these boat to just about anything else... There's a reason that the same boat that suffered that massive stuff pictured above was able to win the P1 championship in '04... Looks like the inside of a B29!

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

This is what Cinzano looked like a couple of years ago when I sent one of my buddies over to France to look at it for me. Again notice the construction and size of the boat. The individual in the photo is 5'10" (and is trying to let me know how much cockpit room there might be for a back seat addition).

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

I'm frankly suprised that there's so little interst in these boats from the oldschool gang here...

I fell in love with Thuraya watching the 2005 P1 series on Speed and got a great education about these boats from Marco (Black Tornado), LittleNige, Tim B-C, and Patrick Caldente (former owner of Cinzano) who are also responsible for many of the pictures and who each (other than maybe Nige) crewed or raced a CUV at one point or another.

These boats really are the Ferrari GTO of offshore boats.

 

[MikeyFIN]

The reason for the Lack on interest is twofold.
It´s plain too hardcore for none other than a total racenut and...
I´f you ain´t familiar with italian machinery then this might make you see nightmares...

But a Lambo engine ain´t nothing but nuts and bolts, somewhat expensive ones thou but then on the other hand US Horsepower ain´t cheap here either.

I´d be happy to help researching anyone interested in these boats.

 

[DAREDEVIL]

well great american patriots......do we have an apache that is ready to go for the miami to key west race next february????

Last 2 open ocean races and no apaches ?????

it would be awsome to get alez-vite and the warpath to do that one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MikeyFIN]

it would be awsome to get alez-vite and the warpath to do that one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At LEAST those two...

 

[MikeyFIN]

This is what Cinzano looked like a couple of years ago when I sent one of my buddies over to France to look at it for me. Again notice the construction and size of the boat. The individual in the photo is 5'10" (and is trying to let me know how much cockpit room there might be for a back seat addition).

Only stand in bolsters in the back..just like the McManus OffDuty 42.

 

[MikeyFIN]

Offtopic.
The one further back is none other Than Late Great ex Ferrari no1 Formula 1 Driver Didier Pironis one off Colibri which took Offshore racing to another level and is even today more than extreme as a boat.
1982 Didier Pironi crashed at a Race mid season while leading the series only to lose the championship in the final race to Keke Rosberg, ending Pironis autoracing career.
Then in 1987 the curtain fell for him at CTC in Colibri.
Even Enzo Ferrari himself remembered Didier when he got his first offshore win.

Didier you won´t be forgotten.

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

Offtopic.
The one further back is none other Than Late Great ex Ferrari no1 Formula 1 Driver Didier Pironis one off Colibri which took Offshore racing to another level and is even today more than extreme as a boat.
1982 Didier Pironi crashed at a Race mid season while leading the series only to lose the championship in the final race to Keke Rosberg, ending Pironis autoracing career.
Then in 1987 the curtain fell for him at CTC in Colibri.
Even Enzo Ferrari himself remembered Didier when he got his first offshore win.

Didier you won´t be forgotten.

Indeed. Another reason I like that picture so much.

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

Only stand in bolsters in the back..just like the McManus OffDuty 42.

Or my 28 Pantera! :sifone:

And just to be clear, the ONLY reason I didn't buy this CUV when I had the chance is becuase I'm a complete and total idiot... But seeing her current state and sucess racing again takes all the sting of regret away.

I will say that one of the first calls I make, should I ever become wrecklessly wealthy, will be to Adriano Panatta or one of his representatives... Then we'd get to see a CUV racing in the US all the time!

 

[MikeyFIN]

GOTME!

You might also want to contact on the other site Black Tornado/Marco from Italy.
He has located a graveyard of old raceboats in Italy which held at least 4-5 CUV monos and then some...
Plus The Cigarette/Black Tornado...

I have knowledge of some graveyards in the mid east but haven´t seen them places yet in person.
There might even be a Apache 47 getting dusty...

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

This shipyard in Viareggio courtesy of Marco...

 

[MikeyFIN]

Indeed. Another reason I like that picture so much.

And the STEP in the bottom ain´t what made Colibri so special...

 

[Dude! Sweet!]

Also from Marco...