THE FASTEST PROPELLERS IN THE WORLD

There is a secret to Philip Rolla’s success: he believes in beauty. The same goes for his propellers: to perform at their best, they must be aesthetically appealing. How does he achieve this? By completing each creation with the last fundamental touch of the artisan’s hand. From the very first, created in Turin, to the latest, the result of the most advanced techniques, it is this last step that makes all the difference. Customers of racing boats, pleasure craft, luxury yachts, military vessels or ferries know this well. It has also been recognized by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (Rina), which awarded him the prestigious Small Craft Group Medal for his life's work on propellers in London in 2000. Propellers play a crucial role; they are the starting point in the design process of any boat. This is the principle of Phil’s success.

Propellers made by Philip Rolla immediately became very famous in the powerboat world. They win. From the first world championship in offshore class one in 1968 by Vincenzo Balestrieri on Magnum Tornado to the new Atlantic crossing record set by Gentry Eagle in July 1989, the triumphs achieved with Rolla propellers are uncountable. Even he himself, an enthusiast since childhood, competes with excellent results. Some examples: the Grand Prix of Campione d’Italia in 1968-1970 and the World Championship on Lake Bracciano in 1971. Later, in 1984 and 1985, together with Walter Ragazzi, he won the UIM Class 1 Offshore Championships races in Venice, Portofino and Lavagna. He was a frequent visitor to these places and often found himself in the company of famous sportsmen such as Renato Molinari, with whom he won third place in the 1986 World Offshore Championship in New Zealand, and then Tullio Abbate, Fabio Buzzi, Cesare Scotti, often also close friends. Until the early 1990s, when the lights began to dim in this world.