“We don't sell boats, we create projects”: Pietro Lucchese on Mr. Blu Yacht & Ship
An ecosystem, not a dealership
Mr. Blu was founded in Udine in 1982 and has grown over time into a complete recreational-boating ecosystem: from purchase advice to maritime brokerage for the used market, from mobile technical support to after-sales services. Its portfolio includes leading international brands — Cigarette, Fjord, Lomac, Apreamare, MJM, Linssen, Cormate, Cayman, Streamline — selected to cover every segment, from 8 to 30 metres, from RIBs to steel displacement boats.
First you listen, then you propose
Its working method is what Lucchese calls decoding the client's wishes: understanding not only what kind of boat the owner wants, but where they will sail, how often and with what experience. “Someone who buys a boat in Friuli Venezia Giulia doesn't necessarily want to sail the waters right off the coast,” he says. “They might sail in Greece, in Sardinia, in Tuscany.” Everything else follows from this reading. And if the requested boat isn't the right one, Mr. Blu says so clearly — even at the risk of losing the sale.
The cost nobody calculates
One of the aspects Pietro Lucchese stresses most is transparency about running costs. The rule of thumb he uses with clients is straightforward: budget around 10% of the boat's value per year for berth, fuel, insurance and maintenance. A boat worth €500,000, therefore, entails around €50,000 in fixed annual costs. “It's right that people know what they're getting into,” he states.
Daily Charter: enjoying the sea without owning it
Not everyone needs to buy a boat. That's the idea behind the Daily Charter, a day-rental model that Mr. Blu has already launched in Sardinia — in Porto Cervo, in partnership with the W Marriott Hotel — and which is being developed for north-east Italy from the 2027 season. Dedicated boats, skipper included, with no worries about mooring or handling. “A sensible cost that removes all the other responsibilities,” Lucchese explains.
Support where and when it's needed
On the technical side, Mr. Blu operates as a Mercury Boat Service Dealer and has a mobile workshop with two technicians able to intervene within 24–48 hours across the whole country. The company line is active seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. It's not a communication gimmick: it's an integral part of the service model.
The sea as a space for regeneration
In the final part of the interview, Lucchese addresses a less technical but no less concrete theme: the relationship between the sea and leadership. His observation is that managers don't stop thinking about their company when they're on a boat — but they think about it differently. “The sea calms you, regenerates you, opens your mind,” he says. “You see new experiences, even the most ordinary ones.” A change of context that, for those who love the sea, becomes a tool for clarity.
Trust as a competitive advantage
It all comes back to trust. Not as a stated value, but as operational infrastructure: availability, honesty, responsibility, the willingness to say no. “Trust is built day by day,” says Lucchese. “And many times you earn it precisely by saying no.”
Let's talk about your project
Whether you are buying, selling or looking for a management partner, the Mr. Blu team will guide you through every step of the journey.