Lorenza Guerra Seràgnoli: "The sea is my home; sailing is my passion."

The following interview is the third 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.

Among the most fascinating and cutting-edge sailing boats stands out the one owned by the Guerra Seràgnoli family, now entrusted to the new generation, with Lorenza in
front line next to her brother. We came on board to gather Lorenza's point of view: not only on the use she makes of it during the holidays, but also on the
more technical and operational aspects.

How did your passion for the sea and boats begin?

It's a passion passed down through the family. My grandfather already owned a motorboat, which I grew up on and which we still carefully maintain. For us, the boat is the family's beach house, the preferred vacation destination. When I was a teenager, my mother would send me aboard because she felt safe. For me, it was also a place to socialize and the means that allowed me to organize my first trips on my own. Living on a boat has always been natural.

How did the sailboat come to be?

My mother has a strong passion for motorboats, but we've always had a motorboat; so, at a certain point, my brother and I decided to buy a sailing boat, following the project from the very beginning. Once we launched it, we became passionate about regattas, an activity that ignited my passion for sailing as well. And so, I began to take care of their entire organization, even steering the boat during events.

What was the most exciting regatta?

"I'd say Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez: a charming place, with a port reserved for the occasion and historic boats taking center stage. Racing in Palma de Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands, is also fascinating, especially for the setting. My first time was at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo, Sardinia."

Still racing today?

“After a strong passion that led me to buy an X-Yachts X-35, with which I participated in several editions of the Riva di Traiano Winter Championship, I distanced myself from the racing world a bit. However, during the last America's Cup we stayed in Barcelona for a few months, participating in some white sail regattas, and I got the desire back. But for now we prefer to enjoy the boat during the summer holidays.”

Do your kids like it?

"Yes, the oldest is 14 and will soon start wanting to be alone. I think next year it will be nice for him to spend a few weekends on board alone with his friends, and I'm calm because he's looked after by the crew. Sometimes I need to go back to work in the summer, leaving my kids on the boat."

Have you done any offshore sailing?

"We've never done long crossings. One year we shipped her to the Caribbean on a cargo ship and sailed in those areas, but never on any challenging voyages. I've sailed between Elba and Sardinia or Corsica, reaching Ponza, Capri, the Aeolian Islands, and once as far as Greece. But always staying in the Mediterranean."

Have you ever thought about living on a boat?

"Yes, when my first child was born, I would have liked to move the boat to Barcelona and live there in the winter. I can't do that now, but maybe in ten years or so I might consider it."

Do you have a favorite place?

"In the past, it was the island of Ponza; I always went there as a child. Now, if I need to relax, I go to the Balearic Islands. I love them, both at sea and on land, where I often go with the kids to the beach. The Aeolian Islands are also wonderful."

And one more to discover?

“I would like to go to Mykonos and that part of Greece that I don't know yet, wonderful but windy, one of the reasons why we haven't yet
managed to organize.”

Do you like to stay anchored in the harbour?

"Yes, I love it: waking up to the sea, both in the morning and in the evening. Every now and then it's nice to go out or enter the port and take a walk, but my favorite situation is definitely being at anchor. And obviously the kids like it too, they've got our routines."

Do you prefer sailing or motorboating?

"I don't really have a preference; I like them both. Our two boats are different, and depending on the circumstances, one might be more comfortable than the other."

Did you have any other sailing boats before the current one?

“No, this is the first one, and the initial spark was the passion of my mother and brother, who decided to make the big leap from the family motorboat to this, which is certainly more challenging in size and offers closer contact with the sea.”

What is your relationship with the crew?

Despite the large outdoor spaces, the boat isn't very big below deck, and there's always close contact with the crew. Those who work with us usually stay a long time, and that's a good thing: we experience the boat as part of the family, and being surrounded by the same people is important for feeling at home. Everyone
He personally commits himself to strengthening the relationship with the crew: we organize activities outside the boat as well, and when there are changes between me, my brother, and my mother, we try to give the crew some rest so that they can have the time and opportunity to adapt to the different settings of the service.”

What were the dynamics in selecting the crew?

I like it when there's alignment on board regarding some small but important shared rules. I personally followed the captain's choice, which changed after many years. I don't intervene in the other more technical roles: the engineer, which is a crucial role, was chosen by the captain. The first officer is a role that interests me because he deals with my children and he's the one who accompanies us to the beach and spends the day with us. The captain chose him, he spoke highly of him, and I
I trust him. Let's try the chef because it's a matter of taste and we need to see if his style is liked. I also chose the first hostess, while the captain and first officer chose the second.”

What are your most important rules on board?

Smoking is prohibited in the presence of guests, and alcohol is strictly prohibited. I'm also the first to organize a toast together when necessary. Furthermore, our fleet consists of four boats, including tenders, and I like the fact that we share the movements of boats and crew, any work that needs to be done, and where or with whom to do it.
The captains set the rules on board. As I was saying, I like there to be a general approach and a certain level of formality, even in terms of uniforms, and paying attention to noise at various times of the day.”

Are there any complications in relationships?

"Crews live an unusual life. Sometimes they're a bit alienated from the ordinary world, and it can happen that they lose sight of it, and that's frustrating. It's important to have the common sense to understand how to behave without taking anything for granted and with respect for other people's property, even money."

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