Sonny Levi

Renato "Sonny" Levi RDI (3 September 1926 – 12 November 2016) was an English (of Italian heritage) boat designer known for creating powerboats for the Aga Khan, the Shah of Iran, and Richard Branson.

Early life

Renato Levi was born in Karachi on 3 September 1926 into a family that had fled fascism in Italy, but he was educated in France and Darjeeling.

Career

Levi learned about boat design in his uncle's boat-design business Afco in Bombay. He moved to England in 1944 and became a pilot in Spitfires with the Royal Air Force. After demobilisation he founded his own boatyard in Anzio in 1960. He invented a surface propulsion system which increased speed and reduced drag and was installed on Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Challenger II. In 1986 he was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Books

Levi wrote and published two books about high speed design on water, Dhows To Deltas[8] and Milestones In My Design.[9]

Awards

In 1987, Levi had his achievements recognised with his election as a Royal Designer for Industry, a distinction regarded as the highest honour obtainable in the field of design.

In September 2016, he was awarded with an honorary degree in boat design by the University of Genoa.[10]

Death

Levi died on 12 November 2016.

References
  1. "home". Levi Boats. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  2. "The work of Sonny Levi — Levi Designs". Sonnylevi.com. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  3. "Sonny Levi | Register | The Times & The Sunday Times". Thetimes.co.uk. 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  4. Lawrence, Charles (2016-11-13). "Renato "Sonny" Levi | Classic Offshore Powerboat Club – COPC". Classicoffshore.com. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  5. "Sonny Levi". Fastonwater.co.uk. 2012-02-17. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  6. John Moore. "Sonny Levi – 'The father of modern powerboat design' has passed away – Powerboat Racing World". Powerboatracingworld.com. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  7. "Dr Renato 'Sonny' Levi". Iwcp.co.uk. 2016-11-25. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  8. "Dhows To Deltas".
  9. "Milestones In My Design".
  10. "Sonny Levi – 'The father of modern powerboat design' has passed away".


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