Those who were there generally have fond memories of the 1970s. In many ways it was a decade of rebellion against the gaudy, profligate 1960s, which had themselves been a revolt against the austerity of the 50s. As ever, design reflected the age. In the free-living, free-loving 60s style trends could be best described as ‘experimental’. What with all the wild psychedelic patterns and garish clashing colours, it was not 100% successful it has to be said! By contrast, the 1970s ushered in an era with an altogether different take on glamour. Design cues became clean, crisp, smooth, flat, straight and angular, with plenty of chrome and glass, strong contrasts and big blocks of plain colours. Skirts were mini. Bikinis were even minier. Anything superfluous was out. Everything was stripped to the bare minimum.

In boating terms, 1970s style was epitomised by the American offshore racers, from yards like Bertram, Cigarette and Magnum. They were long, sleek, low and flat, with acres of whaleback foredeck that stretched for ever like the bonnet of that other 1970s icon, the Aston Martin Lagonda. While the race-boats had nothing under that foredeck but empty space, cruising versions emerged which put the cavernous space to good use. Some had just had a token day cabin and a bed, but others went the whole hog and provided accommodation worthy of a small apartment.

In Europe, one of the greatest exponents of the genre was, and still is, Itama. Founded 40 years ago in Italy by a S. Amati – he reversed his name to create the brand – his vision was to take the American style and inject it with Italian flair. The result became something of an icon, particularly in Italy, and has been a virtual cult amongst aficionados ever since.

In 2004, with the financial backing of Schroders, Norberto Ferretti was busy assembling a stable of iconic boat brands, and set his sights on Itama. Amati accepted his offer, and so it was that Itama joined the motor boating elite that is the Ferretti Group, alongside such legends as Pershing, Riva, Bertram and the original Ferretti motor yachts.

Although the group had become the largest motor boat manufacturing operation in Europe, it was a collection of very distinctive brands, each with a highly individual character. Ferretti wisely decided not only to keep them that way, but to build on the uniqueness of each, making even more of what they already had and emphasising their differences to the hilt.

It was a brilliant strategy, and the Ferretti Group’s brands are now some of the most recognisable, distinctive and sought after in the world. In the big money world of motor yachts, individuality matters. Few people these days want to enter harbour unnoticed, in an anonymous AWB [average white boat]. When you’re at the wheel of a silver Pershing, a metallic bronze Riva or a clean-cut, flush-decked Itama, you can be sure there’s no danger of that.

Of all the Ferretti Group brands, Itama is perhaps the most distinctive. If you loved the 70s style, you can’t help loving Itama. In profile an Itama is like a giant speedboat – a sleek streak of a craft, with a smooth, flat deck, interrupted only by a windscreen and nothing else. For whoever’s lucky enough to be driving it, that’s pretty much how it feels, a raw speedboat, albeit of giant proportions – the current model line-up extends from forty feet to seventy-five. However, if you elevate your viewpoint a touch, you begin to appreciate that there is considerably more to an Itama than that. Occupying roughly half the boat’s length is a huge cockpit and sun lounging area – what you might call a ‘fun deck’. This vast chill-out space has all the attributes of the terrace of a super-chic Riviera villa. Except that this one can take you to a different idyllic anchorage every day, at over 40mph.

For the latest model in the fleet, the Seventy-Five, Itama has upped the anti with some help from the performance gurus at Pershing. By equipping it with race-bred Arneson surface drives, they’ve raised the top speed to 45 knots – that’s over 50mph. For serious speed freaks they’ve gone even further, with a VHP (Very High Performance) version that’s capable of a mind-blowing 60 knots.

Inside, under that vast foredeck, Itama’s interiors are a super-cool 21st century take on 70s minimalism. All crisp lines, smooth surfaces and bold contrasts, they certainly pay due homage to their 70s heritage. And yet there’s an elegance and a balance which the 70s never had, and that’s thanks to the altogether more mature and sophisticated input from some of today’s top Italian designers. This is retro chic at its brilliant best.

Information on Itama is available from their UK distributor, Ventura UK, tel: +44 (0)20 7495 2330, mail@venturaeurope.com, www.venturaeurope.com.

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