Simonetta Vecoli: "I dream of a new seaside community. An all-female one."

The following interview is the second in a series conducted in collaboration with AssoYacht, an association that represents the interests of owners or operators of pleasure boats. Livio Cossutti (AssoYacht International), Giovanna Vitelli, Lorenza Guerra Seràgnoli, Simonetta Vecoli, Elio Serra, Gabriella Pantani, Andrea Ruscica, Italo Fontana, Dario Castiglia, and Fulvia Codecasa are among the shipowners associated with AssoYacht who have decided to tell (and share) their life stories and their passion for the sea with SUPER YACHT 24 and in the first issue of AssoYachtMAG.

She doesn't enjoy the glamorous nautical scene, nor the glitz and glamour of crowded ports. Simonetta Vecoli prefers quiet harbors, timeless marinas, and secluded buoys where one can moor calmly and breathe in freedom. For her, the sea isn't a show, but a substance. A family legacy that today translates into conscious choices, simple desires, and projects that look beyond the established route. From Gemini to Sardinia, from Corsica to her future dreams, her navigation is built on memory, concreteness, and authentic beauty.

How did this passion for the sea begin?

It's something I've always had. I grew up in Versilia, so the sea was already part of my daily life. Then my father often traveled to Sardinia for work, and from a young age he took me with him. That's where it all began. We also bought a house near Santa Teresa di Gallura, and from then on, summer after summer, our connection with boats grew stronger. First small boats, then larger and larger, until we finally got to a Mangusta, and then a Sanlorenzo. Let's just say it was never just a hobby, but something natural, familiar.

So the sea, and boats in particular, have always been a family affair.

Yes, absolutely. It was our way of spending time together, of being united. My father, my mother, my sisters, my son... Boating holidays were the only time of year we could truly enjoy ourselves. My father was always working, so was I, and those twenty days on the boat were precious. They'd leave early, and I'd join them as soon as I could. Sardinia has always been the center of everything. That house still stands today, between Santa Teresa and Palau, facing the island of Spargi. For me, it's one of the most beautiful places in the world. A place close to my heart, in short.

Is there another place that, when you reach it by boat, makes you say “I'm home now”?

Yes, there's a place in Corsica, Girolata. It's one of those places accessible only by sea, where you moor at a buoy, with two wooden piers and a few small restaurants. In the evening, it becomes magical. No cars, no crowds. It's one of those places I return to every year, when I can. But even just sailing between Spargi, La Maddalena, Caprera, Bonifacio... for me, it's always home.

Have you ever thought about taking a long cruise, taking a really long time to experience the sea?

Yes, it's a dream I've been keeping. To take the boat and stay there for three or four months. Without rushing, without a fixed itinerary. Go where the wind blows. It's not easy for everyone. Boats often sit unused for much of the year, but when you have a true passion, even a few days become intense.

Did you pass this passion on to your son too?

Yes, he took it hard. Now he has his own boat and runs it himself. He grew up on a boat, like me. One time he forgot to check the gas, and we got stuck. But he learned his lesson. The sea teaches you respect, it demands it.

What has the sea taught you most of all?

It can't be improvised. It must be respected. It's not enough to just pack up and go. You have to know where you're going, check the forecast, be prepared. And this applies to life in general, not just the sea.

Have you also experienced difficult moments?

Oh, yes. My father would sometimes wake up in the morning with the desire to leave, and… we would leave, no matter the weather. Even in force 7 seas. Friends would leave us stranded, but I wouldn't. And my mother, poor thing, would worry: 'Look, he's taking my daughter away from me!' These are memories that make me smile now, but we did have a few rough crossings.

Is this boat we are sailing on today still your father's?

Yes, it's the same one. I recently fixed it up, having it refitted because it had been a bit neglected in recent years. Now it's back in shape. It's a boat with generous, real spaces. No design gimmicks that take up space. Modern boats sometimes look like miniature hotel rooms. This one, however, is the perfect size, livable.

If one day you were to change boats, how do you imagine it?

Good question. Certainly not one of those modern, angular boats. The ones some call "flat irons." I like softer, more classic lines. I'd even considered a Pardo, but then I realized that to really live on one, even to work a little, you need something else. For now, this one is more than fine.

What do you look for in a marina when traveling by boat?

The essentials: electricity, water, and assistance in case of problems. If there are shops and restaurants, even better. But the important thing is that everything works. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. In Corsica, for example, there's often a certain hostility toward Italians. They tell you there's no electricity, or that the water has run out. And that's no coincidence. In Sardinia, on the other hand, there's a complete lack of facilities. Especially on the west coast. From Alghero to Oristano, there's very little; everything needs to be planned carefully. In Santa Teresa, they've built a new marina, but it's not much. In Palau, however, they're working on an interesting project, although for now it's not possible with boats over a certain length.

Do you like to frequent fashionable nautical destinations, like Porto Cervo or Forte dei Marmi?

No, I don't care. For work I'm always surrounded by people, so when I have twenty days off I want to be quiet. Maybe I'll go down to San Pantaleo one day,
Which I love, but only if I feel like it. I go to Porto Cervo once a year, out of duty rather than pleasure.

What do you think of the nautical industry as a system? Are there things you'd improve?

It would be nice if there was more attention to the quality of hospitality. And also a little more genuine passion. I'd like, for example, to create an association of women shipowners. There are many of them, but they often remain behind the scenes. It would be nice to share experiences, knowledge, maybe even organize events. Once, with our sports association, we held an "owners' race," a small regatta among friends, from our docks to Spargi. Nothing competitive, but very enjoyable. I'd like to do it again.

Finally: what's your perfect place, the one where you feel truly good?

Without a doubt, Sardinia. I'd love to live there one day. Every time I see the island of Spargi, or La Maddalena, I feel like that's where I'd like to stay.

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Simonetta Vecoli with Michael Tirrito (AssoYacht)