"A visionary initiative, one might think.
But which gave life to the people of Caprera.
Those people who over the years will be the custodians of the School and its traditions."
HISTORY
ORIGINS AND ROOTS
"We were looking for a place that would be spartan, windy, full of ridges and above all inaccessible from land. In that trip to Caprera we all put some anxiety and high hopes." Guido Colnaghi, founder
The Centro Velico Caprera was established by notarial deed in 1967 as a non-profit association. Founding members are the Italian Touring Club and the Milan branch of the Italian Naval League which, under the High Patronage of the Italian Navy, receive in concession from the Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy Admiral Alessandro Michelagnoli, the land and the military structures of the south-western part of theisland of Caprera between Punta Coda and the beautiful bay of Porto Palma on which stood some old military buildings.
Subsequently, CVC invested in the implementation of two additional logistic bases perfectly integrated in the Mediterranean maquis to host the new Advanced Courses (starting in 1974) and Pre-cruising courses with road access and all the necessary support infrastructures. support infrastructures, which will be completed with the construction of a carpentry facility for the construction and maintenance of boats, a sailmaker's and a mechanical workshop. It is then the water The water network was laid, power generators installed and the first fire-fighting structure was designed, consisting of hydrants and fire extinguishers to guarantee users, services and safety levels that did not previously exist.
IT'S US
ASK WHO, NOT WHAT
“We will tell you that the Centro Velico Caprera has, above all, the soul and sweat of the more than 2,000 volunteers, who over the decades have passed on knowledge, passion and love for our great sea." Paolo BordognaActing President
With over 50 years of history and having taught generations of men and women of all ages and backgrounds the art of Italian seamanship and sailing, it is impossible to give an exhaustive answer to those who ask what Centro Velico Caprera is. We could say that it's the first and most important sailing and seafaring training centre in our country, and one of the leading sailing institutions in Europe: that would be exact, but at the same time reductive and incomplete.
Ask us instead who the Caprera Sailing Centre is. We will tell you that it is the tired but happy face of more than 130,000 men and women who have lived the incomparable experience of being members of a great crew in a corner of land and sea of rare beauty that we have preserved and defended for more than half a century.
Paolo Bordogna, Acting President
NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND
A FUTURE MADE OF PEOPLE
"It is our duty to pass on the values and traditions that have made the school great. Doing so by putting people and human relations first is our challenge.“ CVC Executive Committee
The powerful engine of the association has always been the exceptional resource of volunteers. Presidentand members of the Executive Committee, but above all Instructors, Boat Captainsand Shift Managers as well as Shore Attendantsand Sailing Assistantslend their services offering theCVC their time and professional skills on an exclusively non-paying basis . More than 2,000 volunteers have contributed to making the CVC not only the largest sailing training institution in our country, but also a true reference model recognised internationally .
Now that it has passed the 50-year mark, Centro Velico Caprera has integrated a new commitment into its statutory mission, declaring its responsibility and innovative approach to the sea and the surrounding environment, but above all to mankind with its projects: Di Vela in Meglio (an initiative in collaboration with the European Institute of Oncology, Lega Italiana per la lotta contro i tumori and Humanitas); One (the project for the construction of the first base without architectural barriers); CVC for Acque Libere; Upsidedown (an integration project for crew members with Down's Syndrome).
Gender equity
Commitment to inclusion also means fighting on a daily basis to ensure that no one is subjected to any form of discrimination. This commitment has been embodied in a Manifesto which you can consult AT THIS LINK and which sets down in black and white a series of practices and values which have always been an integral part of the Caprera spirit.
COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTING THE SEA AND TERRITORY
"The founders soon realised that this place had to be protected and preserved. This is why they set up an "ecological command" as early as 1967 to clean up beaches and coves, even the most hidden ones, long before the archipelago became a National Park.” Chiara MondiniInstructor
CVC is an undisputed forerunner of environmental sustainability models, as evidenced by the great care it took in the early 1960s when designing and building the structures of its bases on the island of Caprera. A facility capable of accommodating over 3,000 students per season, In the decades to follow, it was destined to become a reference model for its exceptional integration into the surrounding environment with a very low environmental impact.
A culture of sustainability that has continued to grow over the years, with significant investments in renewable energy, such as solar thermal energy, which have brought Centro Velico Caprera even closer to the ambitious NZI (Near Zero Impact) target.
CVC's commitment to the environment and the ecosystem does not stop here; on the contrary, it is looking ahead to new activities and dedicated projects: Sea.ste.ma (an alliance between the main European sailing schools for the protection of the environment); Plastic Busters (a programme for monitoring and sampling the waters of our seas); One Ocean Foundation (foundation, sponsorship and promotion of the Charta Smeralda); Navigation Course for the Environment (in agreement with the Maddalena Archipelago National Park Authority).
THE ISLAND
41°11'17.04'' N
9°26'6.62'' E
"Caprera is a wild and free island, where nature has never stopped dominating. Caprera is a place where a free spirit like Giuseppe Garibaldi felt at home." Alberto Coretti, Instructor
Centro Velico Caprera is located in the heart of the Maddalena Archipelago National Park, in the south-eastern part of the Bocche di Bonifacio. A unique location that over the years has made the school a bulwark in safeguarding and protecting the environmental heritage. The school is located in the south-eastern part of the island of Caprera around Porto Palma, which offers shelter from all winds and in particular from the prevailing winds, Ponente and Maestrale. These characteristics make this stretch of sea particularly suitable for learning to sail and sailing safely in a wide range of weather and sea conditions.
On land, immersed in the Mediterranean maquis and connected by a single dirt road, are the school's three different bases. The main settlement - that of Punta Coda - located on the western side of the island, is housed in a 19th-century Navy outpost. The other two, consisting of tuculs - low environmental impact hospitable structures camouflaged in the vegetation - face south directly onto Porto Palma. The school is completed by the sea facilities, the sailmaker and workshops at the Cala Fico slipway and the two stone piers at Porto Palma. The Centro Velico Caprera can accommodate up to 208 people ashore and 340 on board its larger vessels.
