OVERVIEW

The course aims to develop the history of sailing, from its origins to the 1960s, with some notes on the birth of the yacht and the first yacht clubs in the 17th and 18th centuries, and above all on the subsequent developments that saw the transition from sail propulsion to motor propulsion (19th century) with the introduction of the first steamboats and motorboats, up to the birth of outboard motors (20th century).

Particular attention will be paid to the development of sailing boats and their progress in the 20th century, as well as that of inboard motor boats, with a note on the main designers and builders of pleasure boats and large yachts, and on the large Italian, European and world shipyards.

Some specialist topics such as a historical excursus on multihulls, on the invention of the hydroplane and the birth of hydrofoils, and on military motorboats will be developed in seminars dedicated to them.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to analyse the history of boating, from its origins to the 60s of the twentieth century, with some hints on the birth of the yacht and the first yacht clubs in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and above all the subsequent developments that have seen the passage from sailing to motor propulsion (19th century) with the introduction of the first steamboats and motorboats, up to the birth of outboards (20th century).

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The student must have developed the necessary knowledge and skills on naval historiography in the sector of nautical history and types of sailing and motor vessels.

PREREQUISITES

Nobody

TEACHING METHODS

The course is divided into 12 lessons of 4 hours each + 3 seminars of 4 hours each on specific topics.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The birth of the yacht and yachting:
1.1. Historical and social presuppositions of the birth of pleasure boats;
1.2 Notes on pleasure boats in the 17th and 18th centuries;

The first forms of entertainment: parades, races and regattas;
The expansion of yachting in Great Britain: 1815-1870;
The enthusiastic adoption of yachting by the merchant and professional classes after 1870;
The golden age of yachting, 1880-1900.
Yachting clubs and competitions.
The history of the America's Cup.
The influence of steam and the revolution in the construction of pleasure boats in the 19th and 20th centuries:

4.1 Evolution of sailing boats;
4.2 The invention of the dinghy;

4.3 Evolution of motor boats;

4.4 Large-scale shipbuilding in the early decades of the 20th century;

4.5 Literature and technical manuals on construction of yachts;

4.6 The contribution of Dixon Kemp (1839 - 1899), English naval architect, one of the founders of the Yacht Racing Association (now Royal Yachting Association) and Lloyd’s Register of Yachts, scholar and popularizer.

Steamboats and motorboats.
Runaboats and the birth of outboard motors.
Pleasure boating in the 20th century:
7.1 Motorsailers;
7.2 Motor yachts;

The great shipyards of the 20th century: from Chris-Craft to Riva, etc.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

A Summary of Yachting History, The Lotus Magazine, May, 1914, Vol. 5, No. 8 (May, 1914), pp. 505-512.

Aimar, B. et alii. I poliscafi. Storia, evoluzione, caratteristiche tecniche dei moderni poliscafi a vela. Milano: Ugo Mursia Editore, 1992.

Bender Mike. A New History of Yachting. Woodbridge: Boydell Press 2017.

Charles, Daniel. Histoire du yachting. Arthaud, 1998.

Clark, H. Arthur. The History of Yachting 1600–1815. New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904.

Cozzens, Fred S. Yachts and yachting. New York: Cassell & Company, 1887.

Daryl, Philippe, Le Yacht. Histoire de la Navigation Maritime de Plaisance. Paris: Ancienne maison Quantin, Librairies - Imprimeries Reunies, 1890.

Folkard, Henry Coleman. The Sailing Boat: A Treatise on Sailing Boats and Small Yachts, Their Varieties of Type, Sails, Rig, Etc. London: Chapman and Hall, 1906.

Heaton, Peter. La grande avventura dello Yachting. Milano: Mondadori, 1974.

Herreshoff, L. Francis. The Golden Age of Yachting. Dobbs Ferry NY: Sheridan House, 1963.

Illingworth, John H. La Coppa America: storia della più celebre sfida velica del mondo. Milano: Mursia, 1983.

Jaeger, Gérard A. L’America’s cup, une histoire. Paris: Archipel, 2006.

Kemp, Dixon. Yacht designing: a treatise on the practical application of the scientific principles upon which is based the art of designing yachts. London: n.d., (1876).

Kemp, Dixon. A manual of yacht and boat sailing. London: “The Field” office, 1878.

Kemp, Dixon. Practical boat building for amateurs. London: L.U. Gill, [1881].

Kemp, Dixon. Exposition of yacht racing rules, customs & practices observed in match sailing, including decisions on particular cases of protest. London: Cox, 1898.

Pappalardo, Massimo. Storia della vela. Milano: Hoepli, 2019.

Phillips-Birt, Douglas. The history of yachting. Elm Tree Books in association with Hamish Hamilton Ltd, 1974.

Puget, François. Yachting. Histoire des yachts en fer: Nantes 1850-1902. Châteaulin: Locus Solus, 2017.

Santi-Mazzini, Giovanni. Storia dello yachting. Dalle origini all’Ottocento. Milano: Mondadori Electa, 2008.

Sciarrelli, Carlo. Lo yacht. Origine ed evoluzione del veliero da diporto. Milano: Ugo Mursia Editore, 1970.

Stone, Herbert Lawrence. The America’s Cup Races. New York: Outing publishing Company, 1914.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

As per the academic calendar

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a written test formulated on a series of closed and open-ended questions.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The assessment of the skills acquired during the course will take place through the exam.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with disabilities or DSA can request compensatory/dispensatory measures for the exam.