About us
Shipyard in Rapallo, Tigullio, since 1949.
Deep roots. Open horizons.
Giorgio Mussini was born in Portofino, one of the last to be born directly in the village, into a family of fishermen. The sea was his natural environment — the place where he learned to observe, understand and craft. His father worked as a skipper for the entrepreneurs who frequented the promontory, and from an early age Giorgio grew up in a world shaped by boats, precise gestures and practical knowledge.
Still very young, he revealed a strong entrepreneurial spirit, expanding the family moorings, renting berths and hiring out small boats. With the arrival of the first engines — and after studying mechanics to fully understand them — he expanded the fleet and opened a boat storage and service yard in Rapallo.
It was the first step in a vision destined to grow over time, shaping a handcrafted boatyard in Rapallo, in the heart of the Tigullio Gulf and just minutes from Portofino, recognised for its quality and coherence.
In 1980 came the turning point. At a time when production was shifting toward industrial materials, Giorgio chose a different path: to build a boat entirely in wood, faithful to a maritime culture rooted in balance, sensitivity and craftsmanship.
Thus was born the Utility Portofino, the first handcrafted Mussini boat, built entirely in wood. A model destined to become a benchmark, chosen by boat owners around the world for its distinctive and recognisable identity.
When a family story becomes its future.
The arrival of his son Gaetano marked a new phase — defined more by continuity than by change. Raised between docks and workshop, he brought with him a contemporary vision that naturally integrated with his father’s experience.
The yard evolved, expanding its vision as a boat builder near Portofino and developing new models capable of interpreting the present without losing connection to their origins. Boats designed to offer greater comfort, autonomy and new possibilities for navigation, while preserving the character that defines every Mussini.
Father and son work side by side, united by the same idea of the sea and the same respect for the craft. A continuity made of gestures, decisions and shared responsibility — still guiding the yard toward what lies ahead.
Mussini Portofino Operaviva
Mussini shipyard is material, craft, instinct, time, harmony.
Born from those who know the sea and lived in those who can’t live without it.
Hands, wood, sea. How an Operaviva is born.
The Mussini spirit was born in Portofino, in a place where the sea is not just scenery but part of everyday life. It is here that a knowledge shaped by experience, attention and sensitivity takes form.
Each boat is the result of a handcrafted boat building process that unites technique and instinct, precision and listening. The wood is selected, shaped and refined with care, following a balance that belongs not only to construction, but to a true culture of making.
Whether building, restoring or guiding an owner through their life at sea, the principle remains the same: to create something that endures, that has a recognisable soul, that becomes part of the life of the person who chooses it.
Because every Mussini is not simply a boat. It is an Operaviva.
Stories of the Sea
and Craftsmanship.
Stories, insights, and curiosities from the Mussini world. The art of craftsmanship, the best routes, and a philosophy of sailing in style.
