Meet an X-Sailor – Andrea Mura!

Thursday 11th April 2019

A series of interviews, setting focus on the X-Sailor and the yachts behind them.

Andrea Mura is a record-winning and experienced Solo Sailor, America’s Cup sailor, Olympic winner and sail loft owner.

This time we have asked Andrea Mura a couple of questions;

Why did you choose X-Yacht?

– We had the extraordinary opportunity to sail the Caribbean waters for 4 months onboard an Xc 45 after the boat had completed the ARC 2018.
A dream that we had in the drawer for a long time, to be able to sail in the Caribbean in the winter, without time limits, and what better opportunity to do it with our newborn son Lucas…

How did you find yourself navigating an Xc 45?

– Having raced in the last 40 years in most of the seas of the world, including Olympic and non, America’s Cup, Maxi and super Maxi classes, then I moved on to ocean sailing alone in the last 10 years. To get onto an Xc 45 was a fantastic experience, a beautiful boat, very solid, fast and I admired it for her elegance in all the marinas and in all the bays in which we anchored.

Although the boat was four years old, we magnificently sailed through any weather and sea conditions without ever having any failures; synonymous of great quality!

What did you like most about the Xc 45?

– In these 4 months, the boat has become our family home.
It was a very important test for me, for my wife and our son Lucas who was now 3 months old.

Initially, I was afraid of “betraying” with another boat – my legendary Open 50 “Vento di Sardegna”. Which I shared an important piece of history of my life as an ocean racer, winning almost all the crossings I participated in, among thousands of sacrifices and suffering.

Instead, as soon as we sailed aboard the Xc 45, it was a continuous emotion, being able to navigate through the oceans with the utmost serenity and safety, with extraordinary comfort.

The Xc 45, in addition to having offered us excellent protection in the cockpit during the sailing, often rainy and stormy, made us fall in love with its elegance, the warmth and harmony of the luxurious interior.
I discovered that both sailing and motor performances were much higher than I could imagine.
The boat is very solid and very rigid; it does not twist and creak like other cruising boats and is particularly soft in passing over the waves.

The large size of the rudder blade makes steering very easy and efficient with a light hand on the wheel. All the maneuvers are sent back to the cockpit, just like my Open 50, for maximum ease of use in a reduced crew.

The particular flat shape of the bulb is perfect for navigating on shallow waters, avoiding damage in case of impact with the sandy and rocky bottom. Not negligible detail! The soundproofing of the engine compartment is also impressive, and I could continue with a long list of features that we liked.

What was your biggest success as a sailor?

It is difficult to classify one’s own sports results because everyone has a unique taste that is different from all the others…

A short summary of my highlights:

– First monohull in the Route du Rhum 2010, 2014 class Rhum.
– First in the Quebec Saint Malo 2012 in the 50 foot class
– Sailor of the year 2011 and 2014
– First in the Ostar 2013 and 2017.
– 11 National titles in various Olympic and non-Olympic classes.
– A World title in the America’s Cup and one in the 50-foot class “Abracadabra”.
– Hall of Fame member by the Italian National Olympic Committee
– Andrea even has his own sculpture displayed along the harbor promenade of the city Cagliari.

Suggestions for other X-YACHT sailors?

If you are lucky enough to own or even be able to sail on an X-Yachts, never stop!
– X-YACHTS IS A LIFESTYLE!

Have you ever sailed on other X-YACHTS in the past?

I had the pleasure of helming an X-342 in the 80s and later a beautiful X-332 which I won an edition of the prestigious Naval Academy Trophy Livorno City in front of the best fleet of Italian X-Yachts.

A Sardinia Cup as a mainsail trimmer and tactical help in the Spanish Team of Pedro Campos on the IMX-40 with Christensen and an X Cup on the Island of Elba with Dr. Ravaioni’s X-50 with Mr. Jeppesen.

Are you planning any other navigation on an X-Yacht soon?

– Yes, on next May 18th and 19th I will be on the same Xc 45 with which we sailed in the Caribbean, to participate in the X Med Cup in Chiavari in Italy with a new set of high-performance sails in membrane of dyneema 100% SK99 low crimp, with an oceanic design similar to the sails of my open 50 “Vento di Sardegna”, excellent tester boat, which I personally designed on board the Xc 45 just when we were on vacation and manufactured by Andrea Mura’s sail design loft in Cagliari – Sardinia.

And in the long term?
– With my wife we were so passionate about this boat to the point of wishing to take a trip around the world, and it should be so great aboard an X-Yachts especially prepared to go to explore the most remote corners of the planet, where others do not dare to arrive and document an exciting adventure for great dreamers and kids.