Custom refit of a boat for the Pope
With the Popemobile unavailable for use in Venice, the Pope made his visit in a boat prepared for the role by the Tagliapietra Boatyard.
When the Pope visited Venice earlier this year no exceptions were made to the rule that no vehicles are allowed in Venice, which ruled out the Popemobile for transport.
Instead, the Pope had to travel the canals of Venice by boat and the author was given exclusive access to the boat used for the job on a recent visit to Venice.
A new construction would have been out of the question on the grounds of cost so an old wooden patrol boat that had previously been used by the Guarda di Finanza was selected for the job.
This 9.5m long craft was moved into the Tagliapietra Boatyard just around the corner from the Guarda di Finanza base on the island of San Giorgio in considerable secrecy for refit work to be carried out. Taliapietra specialises in wooden boat construction and refit, has built a range of high quality super yacht tenders and official boats, and was well qualified for this work.
The refit was extensive and involved stripping the hull right back to bare wood. Following inspection it was decided that all of the bottom planking required renewal, the sort of refit task that Tagliapietra takes in its stride. After the interior was stripped back, the cabin top and all of the interior fittings were replaced up to a standard fit for the Pope. When the basic construction work was completed the wood was sanded and given the customary 20 coats of high gloss varnish. The decks were finished with insert strips of contrasting maple wood between the mahogany planking to give a high quality look.
A powered lift was added in the cockpit on the starboard side so that access on board would be easy for the Pope and special gilded seats finished with white velvet and backs were installed in both the cockpit and inside in the forward cabin. With its narrow doorway, the seat for the forward cabin had to be dismantled and put together again to get it inside.
The two Volvo Penta 160 hp diesels and their stern drives were completely overhauled to ensure reliability and all the wiring replaced. When completed, the boat was virtually brand new and ready for its high profile role. The boat is capable of around 30 knots but is equally well suited for slow speed cruising in the narrow canals.
After Pope Benedict’s visit the two special seats and the lift were removed and the interior was converted so that the boat could be used for VIP visits and other official duties in Venice. This work involved creating a new interior with a settee on one side and two arm chairs on the other. Curtains are fitted to give privacy when required and all of the fabrics were in white.
The boat is maintained in top condition afloat at the Guarda di Finanza base on the island and is used several times a year.
By Dag Pike
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