Caprera Sailing Centre is one of the oldest Italian sailing schools and one of the most prestigious in the world. It is a non-profit association and a member of the International Sailing School Association.
The main reason why the Caprera Sailing Centre was founded in the location called Porto Palma, Palm Port in English, on the south – west of the island was the presence of the essential elements necessary for sailing, strong wind and at the same time a relatively calm sea. The instructors use so-called full immersion method. They involve The participants in various activities both on land and at sea. The aim is to teach them the basis of sailing and at the same time to raise awareness of environmental issues and territory preservation.
“The wind rises, we must try to live.“
The Caprera Sailing Centre is divided into 3 parts including former miliary buildings, bungalows, carpentry, sail loft and machine shop. However, the most precious resourse of the Centre are up until now more than 2000 instructors and asssitants, all of them voluntaries. Among them there was also an extraordinary actor Gian Maria Volontè who was profoundly enamoured of La Maddalena and especially of its sea. On his gozzo“, a sail boat called Arzachena, he engraved the words of French poet Paul Valéry: “The wind rises, we must try to live.“ The same verse is now epitaff on his grave under the tree in a local cemetery. Since 2003 in La Maddalena an annual event La Valigia dell’Attore (The Actor’s suitcase in English) is held, which promotes and studies his work and films.
The pride of the Caprera Sailing Center
Some famous and successful skippers started their carrier at Caprera. Let’s mention at least a couple of them: Cino Ricci, skipper of the racing yacht Azzurra, winner of America’s Cup or Roberto Ferrarese, multi world-champion who participated in 1980 to the Olympic games.
Caprera Sailing Centre organizes courses in collaboration with the famous French sailing school Glénans founded in Brittany with a subsidiary in Bonifacio, Corsica.
