Builder San Marco
OSCAR SCARPA grew up in Venice as a motorboater, building here and there, typically Venetian boats for the transport of people, and was already taking part in some post-war motorboat races.
In 1953, having moved to Milan in search of wealthy Milanese clients, he bought a piece of land at the end of the road that, leaving Milan, runs alongside the railway, passes through Novegro and arrives right behind the Milan seaplane base (which will then be regularly used for all the tests of his boats) where he opened the -SAN MARCO Shipyard-. While waiting to be able to enter the sheds under construction, he began to build some boats under the portico of a nearby farmhouse. The first boat, a 650 cc touring outboard, was delivered to the very young Count Dona delle Rose, with whom he would later take part in the Pavia-Venice Raid that year, finishing 9th. absolute and 2nd class.
The activity of this shipyard will be characterized by the construction of medium and large touring boats in small series, by boats made to order in unique examples and by a significant number of racing and record-breaking boats, outboard, inboard and 3-point racers.
The production has always stood out for its construction technique, the great attention given to the finishing and the quality of the wood used. Qualities deservedly recognized with its inclusion in the list of the very few shipyards today officially evaluated in the market of historic boats.
At the turn of the 60s it also built pleasure boats with marinized series car engines: the 600 del mare with engine, complete dashboard and the same lever for starting the car, the Lancia Appia GT and the Giulietta del mare with the A.R. engine. 1300, marinized by Lesco of the Leto brothers of Priolo. In the history of motorboating, the San Marco shipyard boasts an incredible list of 43 world records obtained by its boats in the various inboard sport and racing categories between 1956 and 1970, many of which were obtained by Scarpa himself. Its most prestigious record was the absolute speed record for the 1200 kg class Racer at the average over the 2 passages of Km. 235.889 obtained with a racer 6.25 meters long, 2.75 meters wide and powered by a Maserati 450S racing of 6200 cc. (boat later destroyed).
Part of the sporting fame acquired by the shipyard is also due to the legendary Count Gilberti, an oil industrialist from Milan and owner of hotels and facilities in Courmayeur who, with the many boats specially built by San Marco, is was undoubtedly the greatest record-holder-driver of all time in the various runabout classes. For the Racer category, San Marco built beautiful and winning boats in all classes from 1954 to 1970, powered by Alfa Romeo, BPM, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Lancia and Maserati.
In 1968 Oscar Scarpa died prematurely and practically also the sporting history of the shipyard. Then run by his son, in the mid-70s the shipyard closed due to the great recession in the sector. A company that sold nautical accessories, boats and outboard motors took over the shipyard's warehouses.
In 2007 the accessories company closed, the building was sold and the symbol of the shipyard, the small Lion of Venice that still dominated the entrance gate for over 50 years, was removed while waiting to be repositioned and restored along with the rest of the building. This will happen in 2016 where a naval-themed restaurant will be established in the shipyard premises where the history of the shipyard has been honored with period photos and documentation. In 2023 the business will close and there is no news of the historic sign.
Downloads
 Rinoceronte history (19 KB) |
| 1954 advertising (246 KB) |
| Palmares of the shipyard (293 KB) |
| 1961 advertising (511 KB) |
Gallery
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