Antal, the made in Italy that made sailing history

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Journal of Sailing, the great excellences of the sailing world tell their stories and reveal their projects. In this column, discover all the companies and people who have made important contributions to the multifaceted world of sailing, which enables us all to go to sea in all forms and contexts.

In this episode, we take you to discover Antal, a company protagonist of many important pages of Italian sailing, in the America’s Cup, in the Ocean and beyond.

From Carraro Giocattoli to the America’s Cup with Azzurra

It’s not 50 years old like Il Giornale della Vela, but it’s close, because the company we’re talking about was founded in 1977 and, like our magazine, has spanned these decades of sailing history.

We are talking about Antal, a Padua-based company specializing in deck equipment designed and built in Italy. The idea came to Gastone Carraro, a genius inventor and mechanics enthusiast who already owned Carraro Giocattoli. Stimulated by a friend of his who was an avid sailor, Carraro began to become curious about the world of boats.

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Daughter Liviana Carraro, now president of Antal, tells us, “My father had a unique manual dexterity and genius, a true inventor. It all started with a Cat 38, which was a kind of laboratory boat where he began to experiment.

He had bought just the hull, built himself both all the teak interior and the deck equipment. The boat eventually weighed a lot, but he had done it all.” It was the beginning of a great story, and of a philosophy that still holds true for Antal today: to see the boat as a blank sheet of paper on which to be able to design and build not only standard but also custom deck equipment.

And so it is no coincidence that, with this vision, Antal has been a protagonist of important chapters in the history of Italian sailing

A few years after the company’s founding, in the early 1980s, Antal’s doors were in fact knocked by the Azzurra consortium, the first Italian challenge to the America’s Cup. “For Azzurra we made the mainsail traveller and the vang system,” recalls Liviana Carraro, who adds, “initially we only produced the winches, then all the deck equipment, also thanks to the entry of my brother Roberto.”

From the America’s Cup to the Ocean, the step is short, and Antal takes it with what would become the greatest of them all, Giovanni Soldini. The Padua-based company will be by the Milanese sailor’s side with many challenges, even well before Fila.

And from those challenges with Solidini, the link between Antal and the Ocean has come to the present day, with Antal playing a leading role among the Class 40s, and increasingly present in the Imoca 60 class as well.

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Antal. The Industrial Turning Point

Today, the long family history continues and finds further momentum with the entry of new partners, again an expression of families, who with passion have decided to invest in Antal to take it towards further goals. Antal’s strategic goals are now focused on enhancing the quality of the handcrafted product, which has always characterized the company, through a renewal project. On the R&D front, delving into the world of composites, experimenting with the use of new materials, and on the production front, re-launching industrial activities in a modern perspective while maintaining that craftsmanship philosophy focused on the best quality and flexibility, which are essential to satisfy the most demanding custom productions.

The team has expanded with new professionals in the main areas of activity. To operations came Martino Boetto, who for years has managed important industrial realities in multinational groups operating in the nautical sector; the new head of R&D, Alberto Lozza, a professional with great experience in racing products and in the application of composite in both the marine and aeronautical fields. Same for Giampaolo Spera in the commercial area who brings with him more than 30 years of experience and knowledge of the reference market. +

And finally to technical applications Bernardo Zin young engineer who has already worked on ocean-going boats, and highly experienced consultant Danilo Fabbroni. They are flanked by Filippo Brazzolotto, “historical” team member, for technical applications, commander, also with great oceanic experience.

Antal’s latest creations are the Spinner block, the Spedy Light handle, and the brand new JR winch where the company has pushed the limits of technology applied to winches by using carbon.

The Antal JR (Just for Race) is an ultra-lightweight winch designed for the world of racing and bluewater cruising, three-speed, available in carbon and aluminum, 100% made in Italy like all Antal production. Not only the “aesthetic” parts such as the top and self tailing will be in carbon, but also the internal structural parts of the winch. Research, mechanics and construction strictly made in Italy, a product that positions Antal in the segment of super racers and large long-distance sailing boats.

The Spinner, on the other hand, is a high-load, ultra-lightweight, openable and highly efficient block, rigged on a single Dyneema™ loop. It can be used on various types of rigging, and the fact that it can be opened also makes it perfect when you intend to switch from one line to another for a change of rigging on the sheave.

Finally, the Speedy Light is a “smart handle, equipped with a Led light, ideal when you intend to control maneuvering on the winch at night, or alternatively also very useful as a cockpit light for evenings at anchor. Research, mechanics and construction strictly made in Italy.

At this link, all the mythical stories from the 50 years of the Sailing Newspaper

50 years of the GdV: an opportunity not to be missed. Also for your brand

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Il Giornale della Vela is organizing the largest communication campaign in its history, which will reach a total audience of 2,000,000 “sea lovers” interested in the world of sailing.

How? Deploying all its communication channels: magazine (paper+digital), websites, E-mail marketing, social (facebook/instagram). The certainty is that 2 million interested people will be reached to whom you can tell your company’s story.

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Why you’d better embark with us
The Newspaper of Sailing proposes that all companies interested in the boating target audience tell their story, just as the GdV tells its own. Don’t worry, our journalists are on hand to help you produce attractive and effective text and images to reach two million “sea lovers.”

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