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Article selected from our quarterly magazine dedicated to the largest
and most luxurious boats with information, interviews, technical
articles, images and yachting news
Interview by
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LUCA TRIGGIANI - M/Y KOS
We want to go on with our interviews to shipmasters talking to Luca Triggiani, the young and dynamic captain of Kos, who together with the crew has adopted an entire class of African children, actually opening the yachting world to solidarity in a so unusual and pleasant way. Let's hear what he's got to say of. Where did your love to sea come from originally? I was born and brought up in Genoa, a city of a great maritime tradition; sea and overseas lands not yet discovered have always attract me greatly as well as I was fascinated by figures such as Colombo, Vespucci, Caboto, Magellano, Vasco de Gama, James Cook and Sir Drake for courage and tenacity they put in their adventures. Which was your professional training to become a shipmaster? I began my career aboard the Italian navy. Then I went on with my practical training on board pleasure crafts while I carried out the theoretic one by way of intensive specialization training in Italy and abroad, mostly, attending prestigious universities such as War sash (Southampton) and South - Shields (Newcastle) and obtaining at last the MCA Master's Offshore licence. Nevertheless, I had to do all training again, because, according to the Italian Laws, my foreign qualification is not recognised in Italy. What about your first and last lead? My first lead was on board "Sirius", a Dutch 22 metre displacing shuttle built by Moonen, few months after having finished specialization courses and aced out Mca exams in Southampton. Then I leaded "Spirit of Argentina", a '68 displacing Benetti Classic, 32 metres in length, with a fascinating blue hull. Thereafter I had the great honour to lead prestigious yachts such as "Sokar", a 64 metre Codecasa owned by Mr. Mohammed Al Fayed. Previously I worked on board famous charter yachts such as "Princess Tanya", "Auriga" and "Rosenkavalier". Now, five years later, I am aboard a 36 metre displacing Benetti Classic in an elegant blue "uniform" again; on it I have finished my seventieth lead season. What do you think about the yachting world in which you usually operate? In the last years was filled the gap of rules separating yachts and ships, although they are really operated in a wholly different manner. We must admit that there's an imperative demand for qualified professional men/women on every level in the yachting world today, to which don't often correspond a just offer from the maritime job market. Would you please tell us something about a bad adventure happening in your career? Well, in November 2001, while I was leading a Azimut 80 owned by the yard offering it for a Madonna's movie, we had to face a storm with sea force 8 and a 9 - 10 metre high water wall; we risked to capsize transversely trying to overcome breakers. Although it was very hard, we came out alive from. Which important, noteworthy qualities should have a shipmaster? In accordance with the law a master is civilly, criminally liable for the yacht. In reality he shall be able not only to masterly steer and manoeuvre a vessel but to manage a crew, to count, run and organize; moreover he should be able to establish amiable personal relationships and behave like a good father if it is not enough. Britain defines a yacht as a "Pleasure vessel". Indeed, I mainly work aiming at offering an unforgettable, pleasant cruise in full safety. Which kind of relationships exists between master and owner? Each owner is a unique. In the past a shipmaster was only a "chauffeur" but he is more and more the owner's trustee today who manages a good that's worth of dozens million Euros. Mutual respect and trust are indispensable ingredients of a lasting relationship. Moreover a just wage and a chance of professional growth is the main target of seamen and shipmasters, as well, of course. Why did you begin interesting in solidarity? I often think over the great difference of living standards between West and Third World: Indeed, a lowest common denominator should exist in the life of all people such as, for example, a certain assets and before it a long-term life expectancy linked to the water, since it is a basic good, a source of support for all people. Moreover for all seamen the water is also a primary source of job and personal realization. We usually worry about water even when it begins lacking and we don't think about a lot of people that are endemic devoid of. Although having adopting the Kos' crew and I an entire class of African children could be maybe considered as a utopian act, we hope it's a drop in the "ocean of solidarity". We can assure who wants to follow us in, doing something for someone in trouble can help him remain the same and it is a great joy.
INFORMATION ON THE CAPTAIN
Name: Luca |
The voyage made by the Kos' crew at the end of July 2005 was very
different. The six members of, leaded by Captain Luca Triggiani,
decided to sail to Monzambico, right to Bairro Lhanguene situated
in province of Maputo. Obviously, it is about a symbolic, but
meaningful trip. In Bairro Lhanguene at "Centro Santa Madre Clara"
there is actually a class of children that the crew has just begun
financially supporting by a Long Distance Adoption programme that
allows the world's poorest children to go to school and their
parents to face the otherwise not affordable education costs, as
usually in the developing countries happens.
The crew has contacted a Genoese association called CCS
(Development Cooperation Centre), by which Captain Triggiani has
been already supporting a little girl since a long time. By 1988
this association has been operating in the poorest countries in
favour of Human Development and Rights Childhood. 1n 1998 the CCS
obtained the "Onlus" qualification (non - profit organization) and
on over sixteen years of activity it has been providing education,
food and health support to children, families and communities. In
Monzambico, Zambia, Angola and Nepal there are over 18.000
children supported by local community development programmes.
Since 1988 thanks to the Long Distance Adoption, which actually
results in regular financial support to a child or a class by a
CCS supporter, over 30 schools have been built, restored and
equipped and school management offices, houses for teachers,
health facilities and cultural centres realized, aside from a
library and a computer school. Moreover over 30 wells have been
dug and several information campaigns have been addressed to the
population in attempt to guarantee the access to water.
By doing it, Captain Triggiani and the crew want to challenge the
commonplace that considers the yachting world far and indifferent
to problems affecting the world's poorest children.
This should be the first step of a long international solidarity
route in the yachting world.
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