Hull No. 0551
Engine No. 6037023

Tullio Abbatte, both the man and the eponymous brand of sporting boats he built on Lake Como, were world-renowned in the 1980s not only for their racing prowess but also their association with Formula One. In 1981, Gilles Villeneuve was likewise at the top of his game. The Canadian driver for Scuderia Ferrari was teamed with Didier Pironi and had won both the Spanish and Monaco Grands Prix, becoming a hero among the Italian tifosi! As the story goes, over dinner in St. Tropez, the three men hatched the idea for a boat race on Lake Como leading up to the Italian Grand Prix. Each driver was to be a Formula One competitor, staying at the luxurious Villa d'Este.

It was not only a brilliant marketing ploy for the jet set but a hotly contested motorsport event. Ricardo Patrese, Bruno Giacomelli, Beppe Gabbiani, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Marc Surer, and Eddie Cheever accepted the invitation to race and, as such, all eight competitors were furnished with special Sea Star 20s, powered by 3.7-liter Mercruiser 485s. After landing on the lawn of Villa d'Este by helicopter, Villeneuve set the fastest lap time in the first heat before winning the second heat outright, thereby securing enough points to become the winner of the inaugural Rothmans Cup!

All boats were sold to the public after refurbishment, the whereabouts of most being largely unknown. This, however, is a particularly special opportunity to acquire a piece of Villa d'Este history and Formula One pedigree. The boat presents exceptionally well and is accompanied by more recent mechanical service documentation. Engine hours are indicated at 183, which suggests the boat has been used quite sparingly ever since. It is offered with a single-axle Harbeck trailer.