January 22, 2011

Arno Leopard New Web Site

Arno Leopard updates its website to a new platform. Arno Leopard starts in 1973 but the story starts in 1907 when Giuseppe Picchiotti and Sons is founded on the limits of the Arno River.  Picchiotti is according to historical data a family which is part of Italy and Tuscany's naval history since the sixteenth century when Grand Duke Cosimo I dei Medici develops the Navicelli canals in order to make transport of goods to Pisa and Livorno easier and faster, with a 1575 document showing Picchiotti as a shipwright on the Arno river.  Apart Arno Leopard, Picchiotti is an important name in the Italian yachting scene after World War Two, from the actual Picchiotti of Viareggio, to 1972 founded Tecnomarine of Filippo, and the eighties Bluemarine from Paolo.  In 1935 Raffaello, Alessandro, Lorenzo and Nello, the sons of Giuseppe Picchiotti rename the yard to Cantieri Navali Arno.  Up till the sixties Cantieri Navali Arno will help and be part of the Picchiotti family boat building linage helping out in the various internal and international governments commissioned builds. During World War Two Cantieri Arno suffers the total destruction of the yard, burned down to the ground by the German army.  Following the war and with help from the US Government Cantieri Navali Arno is rebuild.  In the sixties Cantieri Arno is part of the Picchiotti from Viareggio, helping in the building of some of the successful semi-production wood cruisers and yachts models which debuts in 1955 with the Versilia and will end twelve models later and the 68 in 1975.  Arno will become a separate entity from Picchiotti in 1973 when it presents its first Leopard 15mt model as designed by Paolo Caliari, which coincides with the shipyard signing an exclusive sales agreement with Gerard Rodriguez.  Paolo Caliari will go to design all the Leopard models till his retirement; totalling elven models and finishing with the 26 MY model which launched in 2000.  In 1984 Arno Leopard launches its first fiberglass yacht, the Sport 19, with the prototype of this model build in aluminium.  The Leopard Sport 19 along with it's evolutions the Sport 20 and Sport 21.50, will prove very important for Arno, also because when launched the 20 was the largest sport yacht ever produced. The new millennium sees the production yard move to a bigger nine covered sheds establishment, with easier sea connection for the bigger yachts, and Andrea Bacigalupo a Caliari pupil taking the task of continuing the family feeling in the Leopard designs from 2004. In 2008 after 28 years of cooperation, Arno cancels the exclusive sales agreement with South of France based Rodriguez Group.  Arno Leopard current range features two lines Composite and Steel, and starts from the 32 M up to the still in project 56 M. Its latest model is the 2010 launched 43 M. The new Arno website is available in Italian and English language and takes you around with the following buttons; Company, Shipyard, Yachts Range, Service, Preowned, Charter Club, and and Contacts. 
15 mt 1973-79  Paolo Caliari design
Super 17mt 1974-82
19 mt 1976-84
Sport 19 1983-85 *aluminium prototype/ fiberglass construction
Sport 20 1986-88
Sport 21.50 1989-96 (40)
Sport 23 1995-2000 (10+)
23 Hard Top 1997-2006 (10+)
27 Open 1994-2011 (48)
Sport 24 2000-06 (8)
26 MY 2000-04 (5)
34 M 2004-10 (15)   Andrea Bacigalupo design
32 M 2005-10 (6)
31 Sport 2006-13 (11)
46 M 2008-12 (4)
43 M 2010 (1)

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