The only one Ferrari's superfast boat ever made

Ferrari, one of the Italian automotive companies was famous with the speed of its production cars. Turn out, the Maranello based company also ever made a superfast boat. The superfast boat later given a name Ferrari 'Arno XI' Hydroplane known the only one superfast (hydroplane) boat in history powered by Ferrari's engine and also managed to capture the world's attention in early of 1950s.

1953 Timossi-Ferrari Racing 'Arno XI' Hydroplane on action. (PIcture from: http://bit.ly/2TkDcw6)

It all began in 1951, when the initiator and also the first boat owner, Achille Castoldi told to his friends who are two Ferrari F1 racing car drivers, each named Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi about his intention to make a Ferrari-engined superfast boat. These two famous racing drivers helped Castoldi to buy one Ferrari engine which will then be used specifically on Castoldi's upcoming superfast boat.

In the process, turn out Enzo Ferrari agreed to be directly involved in this project, overseeing every step in the making and testing of the engine. Even the Ferrari's Head of Engine Design in the time, Aurelio Lampredi and all of his engineering crews involved directly in the project.

1953 Ferrari Racing 'Arno XI' Hydroplane was using a similar engine mounted on the Ferrari Tipo 375 racing car. (PIcture from: http://bit.ly/2Z436tC)

And then the superfast boat started to build in 1952, and intentionally made to break the world's speed record. It is not surprising due to the Ferrari-made boat was using a similar engine mounted on the Ferrari Tipo 375 racing car.

Yes, this boat uses a Ferrari's 12 cylinders engine with 5.5 liter of capacity. The Ferrari engine initially produces 350 bhp of power. However, after several early tests and also races in early 1953 seems that its abilities can be further improved.

Left side view of 1953 Timossi-Ferrari Racing 'Arno XI' Hydroplane. (PIcture from: http://bit.ly/2MaasWb)

Although the boat was actually able to run more than 100 mph, Enzo Ferrari requested that the boat's engine be modified so that it could use methanol so the compression ratio could be higher.

Then he also added twin superchargers and a pair of four-choke typed large carburetors. As a result, the engine able to spew off more than 500 bhp of power. It is not surprising if the boat later has a historic gait in the speed record, all thanks to those Ferrari engine.

And in 1953, this single-seater superfast boat managed to set a new world's record for the 800 kilogram class at Lago d'Iseo, Italy with a speed of more than 149 mph. And those speed record has not been broke until now.

1953 Timossi-Ferrari Racing 'Arno XI' Hydroplane exhibited next to 1951 Ferrari Tipo 375 at Ferrari's Museum to show the Ferrari's dominance both on land and water. (PIcture from: http://bit.ly/2MauFeE)

And now the superfast boat is being prepared to commemorate its 70th anniversary, and its engine restoration work is being carried out at the center of technical facility of those prancing horse logoed company called the Ferrari Classiche. After being restored later in the early fall of this year, the boat will be scheduled to go on a world tour to show to the Ferrari fans all-over the world.

Milton Verret, an Austin businessman and known as the currently owner of 1953 Timossi-Ferrari Racing 'Arno XI' Hydroplane. (PIcture from: http://bit.ly/2MauFeE)

"We imagine ourselves as one of Ferrari's leading engineers, and can work on a number of similar components that are assembled and designed by Enzo Ferrari himself," said the currently boat owner, an Austin businessman named Milton Verret. 

"As a special and rare Ferrari collector, no one can beat a racing boat which used a Ferrari's engine prepared for F1 racing car. With the direct involvement of Enzo, you can have a functioning machine that is fought for by most car racing enthusiasts. That is its specialty," he added.

For information, since 2012, Arno XI Hydroplane has been borrowed from Verret for the benefit of two world-famous Ferrari museums in Italy to show the Ferrari's dominance both on land and water. In the museum, the Arno XI superfast boat exhibited next to the Ferrari Tipo 375 racing car that won the 1951 British GrandPrix in Silverstone, England... *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOBLOG]

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