Berto Foletti’s Nautical Legacy: Training, Restoration, and Social Impact
Avoid losing the ancient craft of the «maestro d’ascia» (the historic term for the repairer and builder of wooden boats) and at the same time transmit an artisanal skill and guarantee a future for people with existential problems. The idea of leaving a meaningful legacy comes from Berto Foletti, the well-known craftsman from Riva del Garda who has spent his life building boats of all kinds, and in his spare time has been an accomplished racing sailor. As the time approaches to take a break (and where else but?) to enjoy a well-deserved retirement at Fraglia, Berto Benacense, now the only «maestro d’ascia» on Garda Lake, has decided to teach his secrets to the younger generation.
The recovery and training project
To realize this original project, Foletti has established a social cooperative called Argo. Unfailingly supported by his inseparable band of Rivano friends since childhood—among them the faithful «Fiacca» Bonora, his sailing partner in many victories—Berto has handed over his established shipyard at Baltera, along with some wooden boats dating back many decades, to the new organization.
These are authentic naval carpentry treasures from bygone times, including a rare Sardinian gozzo, which needs restoration, i.e., getting it back in the water. The cooperative’s activity will specifically focus on restoring vintage boats, and to give this work more prestige, they will keep the DOC mark of «cantiere Foletti». The «patriarch», after leaving behind the accounting and bureaucratic paperwork of the craftsman, will become a subordinate.
He will act as a trainer, teaching the tricks of the «maestro d’ascia» to a dozen or more people who will be hired full-time or part-time. Another original aspect of the project is that the boatyard will also welcome people facing life difficulties. Initially, this will involve individuals assisted by the local health authority who have psychological issues. The possibility of including former prisoners is also under consideration, but this remains in the early stages.
«Restoring vintage boats is profitable and resilient to crises, as confirmed by the thriving international market,» says Berto Foletti. «Amateurs are loaded with money. The restoration work suits the delicate personality of these apprentices. Ordinary tasks do not require special mental attention, as they are almost always repetitive actions that are easy to learn. There are the premises to create a future, even an economic one, for these people in difficulty.»
Foletti is so confident about succeeding that he has already secured, for sailing aboard, a well-known relic of Rivano sailing: the «Neka», the Olympic yole launched in 1937, on which generations of young sailors raced at Fraglia.