The history of Fratelli Aprea is written on the faces of the fishermen and seafarers who have always sailed on boats born from the meticulous work of the shipwrights of this family.
An art born in Sorrento and jealously handed down from generation to generation. A deep and indissoluble bond that binds Fratelli Aprea to the sea and this land.
Even today the gozzo boats are built in an artisanal way and with the same passion as in the past, although innovative in the lines adopted and in the refined design. The final result is an increasingly exclusive product.
A company created by a family that still works in the name of tradition and quality, constantly seeking renewal and improvement.
During World War II the history of gozzos changed radically; old jeep engines were used to power the boats, an intuition grasped by Franco Aprea who contributed to the transformation of the shapes of the Sorrento gozzo.
Nowadays the Fratelli Aprea continue to work as the family tradition dictates, handed down from their father Franco and his uncles and before that from their grandfather Cataldo and his brothers, from their great-grandfather Giovanni and more than a century ago, from their great-great-grandfather Cataldo, the first master of ax of the family, the one who dictated the guidelines for the creation of a symbol of craftsmanship and charm.
From Marina Grande the fameof Fratelli Aprea shipyardhas reached international level.
Carpenters build gozzos following an ancient method. Wanting to create a 7 meter gozzo and having established its use, the craftsmen first trace the “garbo” starting from the main frame, then 7 frames towards the bow and 7 towards the stern, thus forming the main section of the boat, “its skeleton”. .
Continuing from the main section towards the bow and stern there are curved rulers, which serve to mark the development points of the remaining frames. These first phases are the most important and fundamental in the construction of the gozzo, since the harmony and hydrodynamics of the hull depend on the trace of the “garbo” and the shaping of the frames.
Once the frames have been arranged, which are fixed by the belt (the last two upper bands of the planking) and by the longitudinal kits, we move on to the assembly of the beams which serve to support the deck deck and the self-draining cockpit, finally the bulkheads that divide the the engine compartment from the bow peak and the cockpit.This first phase allows you to see the goiter in its complete skeleton, ready to be covered with plating.
Once the bare bones of the boat have been created, the covering phase of the goiter begins.The craftsmen start by positioning the deck planking (the sundeck) and the cockpits with longitudinal slats, placed parallel to the edge of the gunwales, the wood used is solid iroko. Once the deck is completed, we move on to the cladding of the frames: the planking used is hot curved, the boards are exposed to fire from the inside, constantly wet and subjected to pressure; Once the desired curvature has been achieved, they are fixed, while still hot, to the frames with clamps. This ancient bending technique allows the boards to maintain their shape unchanged over time.
Now, a long and meticulous shaping operation begins: the hull is planed for a long time to eliminate any bumps or irregularities in the planking, which would otherwise compromise the hydrodynamics.
Once the planking has been positioned and planed, we continue with the caulking (the watertightness of the boat), positioning cotton cable between the intersections of the planking. The caulking of the iroko deck is completed with silicone sealant, a high-strength elastic material.Once the upper edge has been prepared with the gunwale, the grooves, the ledges and the stern benches, the first painting begins. The paint used is a basic color with red lead dissolved in cooked oil, this is used to nourish and grease the wood, now, the hull is carefully filled and sanded, and then painted again.
After the base color and grouting, the final and meticulous sanding of the boat begins, then the engine is placed in its compartment and the electrical system with all the relative connections is completed.
The boat is ready for final painting.The decoration is important for the craftsmen, carried out with care, it characterizes the goiter and makes it complete in its aesthetic harmony.
In the “mahogany” versions, the gunwales, the millings, the gunwales, the gunwales and the stern benches with the related storage rooms underneath are made of fine wood and are painted with transparent solutions that protect the wood while leaving it visible, giving the boat an ancient charm.