Shipyard Baglietto

At the beginning of the First World War, Baglietto built MAS torpedo boats for the Italian Navy, outstanding for their strength, manoeuvrability and, above all, speed. Civilian versions later set class records: Baglietto boats exceeded 50 knots as early as 1936, and world water-speed records set in 1938 made the shipyard famous internationally.Continued work for the Italian Navy and the country’s port and financial authorities demanded vessels with exceptional capabilities. After the Second World War, Baglietto applied experience from its MAS boats to motor-yacht hulls. It began series production and steadily expanded its range. The most popular model was the 16-metre Ischia, launched in 1959: 84 units were built over nine years.

Influence on modern yachting

Baglietto is credited with pioneering the flybridge as a feature of modern yacht design. In the 1950s–1970s, the yard shifted from military contracts to cruising yachts, developing the iconic Baglietto M Class. It was among the first to adapt and popularize the American-style flybridge in the Mediterranean, transforming a basic fishing tower into a luxury feature with sunbathing space, sofas and a second helm station, eventually establishing it as a standard on European luxury yachts.During the 1970s and 1980s, Baglietto helped revolutionize aluminium yachtbuilding. It was among the first yards to abandon wood in favour of lightweight aerospace-grade aluminium, significantly reducing weight without sacrificing strength. A landmark was the legendary 26-metre aluminium Chato (1986), whose waterjets propelled it to an extraordinary 62.5 knots.

Model range

Baglietto remains synonymous with innovation. After joining Gavio Group in 2012, the yard received substantial investment. Its extensive La Spezia facilities include two 85-metre docks. The yard can build yachts up to 65 metres and deliberately works exclusively in steel and aluminium rather than fiberglass.Alongside fully bespoke projects, Baglietto offers four distinct ranges: DOM, displacement yachts with comfort-oriented layouts and volumes; Fast Line, large planing yachts capable of up to 30 knots; T-line, yachts with displacement or semi-displacement hulls; and XO-line explorers, reflecting the growing popularity of expedition yachts.The diversity of Baglietto’s fleet stems from both its extensive shipbuilding expertise and its work with many designers. Its longest-standing collaboration is with Francesco Paszkowski; other partners include Hot Lab, Horacio Bozzo Design and Achille Salvagni Architetti. Baglietto can build virtually any type of yacht and fully deserves the designation “custom shipyard.”