Lambretta del Mare
Here’s something different for you to look at! Back in the early 1950s, your passion for Lambretta could even go water-borne. The Lambretta del Mare (“Sea Lambretta”) was a three-metre-long runabout designed to carry two occupants — or three, if they were close friends — and reach around 10 nautical miles per hour. Built by S.A.R.A. of Rome and powered by an Innocenti Model C 125 cc engine producing about 5 bhp, it was light enough to be towed behind a small car and even featured a reverse gear through its reversible propeller.
The boat was first shown at the Fiera Campionaria di Milano within the Montecatini pavilion, promoting the new aluminium alloy Peraluman. With its elegant hull lines, inflatable seating, and practicality, it embodied the same ingenuity that had made the Lambretta scooter a post-war symbol of freedom and mobility.
What it was
A 2–3 seat “sea scooter” with an aluminium-alloy hull, forced-air-cooled Model C engine, and a reversible, variable-pitch propeller providing forward and reverse drive. It was marketed for low running costs, easy towing, and single-person launching via its dedicated trolley. The Pirelli-made inflatable seats doubled as life-saving floats — a clever way to balance the limited power-to-weight ratio with built-in safety.
S.A.R.A., Rome — hull in Montecatini Peraluman; powered by Lambretta 125 LC.
Vittorio Tessera
S.A.R.A., Rome — hull in Montecatini Peraluman; powered by Lambretta 125 LC.
Vittorio Tessera
Technical characteristics
| Hull | Sheet aluminium alloy “Peraluman” (Montecatini), stainless and corrosion-resistant |
| Maximum length | 3.00 m |
| Maximum width | 1.12 m |
| Seating | 2–3 persons |
| Engine | Single-cylinder, two-stroke Lambretta Model C 125 cc, forced-air cooled |
| Power | ≈ 5 bhp (4.3 CV factory rating) |
| Propeller | Variable-pitch, reversible — provides forward and reverse drive |
| Transmission ratio | 13 : 30 |
| Speed | ≈ 10 nautical miles/hour (≈ 18.5 km/h) |
| Fuel consumption | ≈ 1 litre/hour |
| Starting | Mechanical start from the driver’s position |
| Steering | Compensated rudder; wheel control; left-hand helm |
| Ignition | Magneto |
| Lights | Electric navigation lights with switch and fuses |
| Buoyancy | Guaranteed unsinkable: independent sealed compartments |
| Seats | Pirelli inflatable seats usable as life-saving floats |
| Trolley | Road/launch trolley for easy launch & recovery; fits a standard garage |
Manufacture and presentation
Manufactured by Stabilimenti S.A.R.A. (Rome), with a sales agency on Via Veneto, the Lambretta del Mare was promoted as a practical and economical craft for the public. Displayed in the Montecatini pavilion at the 1950 Milan Trade Fair, it highlighted the advantages of the Peraluman alloy hull — lightness, durability, and resistance to salt corrosion.
Sales and production status
No confirmed factory totals or price lists have been found in surviving archives. The brochure reads like a public launch, but there is no verified evidence of series production or surviving examples. Most researchers therefore regard the Lambretta del Mare as a prototype or very small pre-series produced around 1950.
Do you have evidence?
If you hold bills of sale, registration papers, or photographs of a surviving Lambretta del Mare, please contact the Archive. Verified documentation will be credited.
Email: Johnny
Sources
Original S.A.R.A. brochure and contemporary press clippings (Vittorio Tessera). Supplemented by period notes confirming the use of the Model C engine and Pirelli inflatable seats. Exhibition context from Fiera Campionaria di Milano materials and Montecatini Peraluman publicity.