| | History:
Originally constructed at the end of WW2 for the occupying army in Italy as fast boat equipped with explosives.
Constructor of this inboard boat was Officine Cattaneo near Arese with shipyards on the border of lake Iseo.
Propulsed by powerful Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 S engine and Z-drive manufactered by Isotta Fraschini and double contra-rotating propellors.
After the war converted for tourismo use, according to Officini Cattaneo, by cantieri Riva di Sarnico.
Imported by first owner into Switserland on 12-02-1947 and registered on Zürich See under the name 'Alfetta'.
Next owner was very well known racedriver (Klaussenrennen) Willy Detwyler (° 1919), who sold this boat to his mechanic Bruno Picco (° 1903), a very well known Alfa Romeo Specialist in Zürich with international fame in Alfa Romeo Bimotore, 6C and 12C racecar tuning for customers from all over the world.
Bruno Picco kept the boat for 25 years in his garage, tuned his water sports Alfa Romeo to 2500SS specification (3 carburettors) and used this motorboat regularly during summer on the Zürich lake. The 6C Alfa Romeo engine developped 120 HP, which enabled 'Alfetta' to reach easily 65/70 Km. per hour. Thanks to the Z-drive this motorboat comes completely out of the water at top speed.
The last owner bought this boat in 1980 and stored her year after year in a specialized boathouse (every year 1.200 SFr. only for storage charges) until he sold her in 2006 to my Alfa Romeo-crazy friend Raoul San Giorgi.
The beautiful construction of the wooden hull, the exceptional mechanical concept and the extroardinary historical provenance charmed me instantly when being confronted with 'Alfetta'. As a result of a combined classic car deal 'Alfetta' quickly became mine!
The prospect of bringing Alfetta back to her former glory and seeing her again navigating in peaceful circumstances on a idyllic Swiss or Italian lake gets me excited. Are you too?
If so, 'Alfetta' is for sale with Swiss registration documents and a new in 2006 specially manufactured transport trailer for this inboard sportsboat also with Swiss registration documents. |
