The story of Marco Faccenda
From his uncle Luciano Gavazzi's workshop to the pinnacles of world sailing: a life dedicated to boat building, racing, and the continuous pursuit of quality.
in Tuscany
Cantiere Faccenda
Titles
and last World Championship
A story born between the sea and wood
Marco Faccenda was born in Tuscany in 1955 and grew up breathing the scent of the sea, wood, and sailing. His training began as a child in the workshop of his uncle Luciano Gavazzi, one of the most esteemed shipwrights in Italian nautical circles.
In Gavazzi's shipyard, boats that have marked the history of sailing took shape, including Finn, Flying Dutchman, Vaurien, and Flying Junior, as well as prestigious motorboats crafted by hand.
From a very young age, Marco participated in the work, learning first-hand construction techniques, material selection, hull design, and the value of balance between performance, reliability, and build quality.
From wood to fiberglass
In the early 1970s, the nautical sector underwent a decisive transformation: traditional wooden construction gradually gave way to fiberglass and new composite materials.
Marco Faccenda faced this change without abandoning the wealth of knowledge acquired as a shipwright. He brought the same attention to forms, balances, and precision honed while working with wood to the new construction techniques.
This ability to combine artisanal experience with technological innovation would become one of the distinctive characteristics of the future Cantiere Navale Faccenda.
From the workbench to his own shipyard
Marco Faccenda's professional and sporting history progressed in parallel: as he grew as a builder, he developed an ever-deeper knowledge of boats through racing.
- 1960s — The apprenticeship Marco frequented his uncle Luciano Gavazzi's workshop and learned the traditional techniques of shipwrights.
- 1970s — Material transformation Alongside expertise in woodworking, the use of fiberglass and new construction technologies emerged.
- 1989 — The first world title Marco Faccenda and Marco Cerri won the Vaurien World Championship in Überlingen, Germany.
- 1990 — Cantiere Navale Faccenda is born Marco founded his own shipyard with the goal of building racing boats capable of competing at the highest levels.
- 1990–1992 — Three consecutive World Championships After Überlingen, world championship victories followed in Nettuno, Laredo, and Piriac-sur-Mer.
- From Vaurien to other classes Production gradually expanded to Optimist, Snipe, 420, 470, and other boats dedicated to competitive sailing, training, and sailing schools.
- 2022 — The eighth world title In Vigo, alongside Marcello Miliardi, Marco won his eighth Vaurien World Championship.
Vaurien
World Champion even before he was a builder
Direct racing experience has always been one of Marco Faccenda's strengths. His boats are not born only from calculations, molds, and materials, but from the sensations gathered directly at the helm, in various sea and wind conditions.
With eight overall world titles in the Vaurien class, won between 1989 and 2022, Marco has demonstrated exceptional sporting consistency. Each success has contributed to the development of hulls, equipment, and technical solutions then made available to other sailors.
- First World Championship in 1989
- Eighth World Championship in 2022
- Four different bowmen
- Thirty-three years at the top
- Experience transferred to production
- Continuous testing on race courses
Boats designed to be experienced and to compete
Every Faccenda project stems from observing the real needs of sailors, coaches, clubs, and sailing schools.
Listen to those who sail
Feedback from athletes and instructors becomes an integral part of the development of hulls and equipment.
Test on water
Technical solutions are evaluated in real-world sailing and competition conditions.
Continuously improve
Every result and every comparison becomes an opportunity to refine molds, materials, setups, and construction details.
Build to last
Performance and lightness are sought without sacrificing reliability and long-term quality.
Combine technique and craftsmanship
Modern construction technologies coexist with manual care and the experience gained from the tradition of shipwrights.
Share experience
The knowledge gained over decades in the shipyard and in races is shared with new generations of sailors.
Marta 5.10: sailing as a shared experience
Alongside racing boats, Marco Faccenda designed the Marta 5.10, a collective boat intended for sailing schools and for training young crews.
The boat is named after his daughter Marta and perfectly represents the shipyard's philosophy: to create safe, reliable boats capable of transmitting a passion for the sea and sailing to new generations.