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{{Short description|English boat designer (1926–2016)}}
{{under construction|date=November 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
'''Renato "Sonny" Levi''' (3 September 1926 – 12 November 2016) was an Indian [[boat designer]] known for creating [[Powerboat|powerboats]] for the [[Aga Khan]], the [[Shah of Iran]], and [[Richard Branson]].
'''Renato "Sonny" Levi''' {{postnom|country=GBR|RDI}} (3 September 1926 – 12 November 2016) was an English [[boat designer]] known for creating [[powerboat]]s for the [[Aga Khan]], the [[Shah of Iran]], and [[Richard Branson]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
He 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.
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 at [[Darjeeling]] in [[India]].


==Career==
==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 [[Spitfire]]s 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leviboats.com/EN/ |title=home |publisher=Levi Boats |date=2014-06-20 |accessdate=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sonnylevi.com/ |title=The work of Sonny Levi — Levi Designs |website=Sonnylevi.com |date= |accessdate=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sonny-levi-fm5p3tg0d |title=Sonny Levi &#124; Register &#124; The Times & The Sunday Times |website=Thetimes.co.uk |date=2016-11-26 |accessdate=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lawrence |first=Charles |url=http://www.classicoffshore.com/blog/history-of-the-sport/renato-sonny-levi/ |title=Renato “Sonny” Levi &#124; Classic Offshore Powerboat Club – COPC |website=Classicoffshore.com |date=2016-11-13 |accessdate=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fastonwater.co.uk/sonny_levi.html |title=Sonny Levi |website=Fastonwater.co.uk |date=2012-02-17 |accessdate=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=John Moore |url=https://www.powerboatracingworld.com/2016/11/13/sonny-levi-the-father-of-modern-powerboat-design-has-passed-away/ |title=Sonny Levi – ‘The father of modern powerboat design’ has passed away – Powerboat Racing World |website=Powerboatracingworld.com |date= |accessdate=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/obituaries/dr-renato-sonny-levi-96895.aspx |title=Dr Renato ‘Sonny’ Levi |website=Iwcp.co.uk |date=2016-11-25 |accessdate=2016-11-30}}</ref>
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 [[Spitfire]]s 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leviboats.com/EN/ |title=home |publisher=Levi Boats |date=2014-06-20 |access-date=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sonnylevi.com/ |title=The work of Sonny Levi — Levi Designs |website=Sonnylevi.com |date= |access-date=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sonny-levi-fm5p3tg0d |title=Sonny Levi &#124; Register &#124; The Times & The Sunday Times |website=Thetimes.co.uk |date=2016-11-26 |access-date=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Lawrence |first=Charles |url=http://www.classicoffshore.com/blog/history-of-the-sport/renato-sonny-levi/ |title=Renato "Sonny" Levi &#124; Classic Offshore Powerboat Club – COPC |website=Classicoffshore.com |date=2016-11-13 |access-date=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fastonwater.co.uk/sonny_levi.html |title=Sonny Levi |website=Fastonwater.co.uk |date=2012-02-17 |access-date=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=John Moore |url=https://www.powerboatracingworld.com/2016/11/13/sonny-levi-the-father-of-modern-powerboat-design-has-passed-away/ |title=Sonny Levi – 'The father of modern powerboat design' has passed away – Powerboat Racing World |website=Powerboatracingworld.com |date= |access-date=2016-11-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/obituaries/dr-renato-sonny-levi-96895.aspx |title=Dr Renato 'Sonny' Levi |website=Iwcp.co.uk |date=2016-11-25 |access-date=2016-11-30}}</ref>

== Books ==
Levi wrote and published two books about high speed design on water, Dhows To Deltas<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dhows To Deltas|url=http://sonnylevi.com/dhows-to-deltas/}}</ref> and Milestones In My Design.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Milestones In My Design|url=http://sonnylevi.com/milestones-in-my-designs/}}</ref>

== 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]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sonny Levi – 'The father of modern powerboat design' has passed away|date=13 November 2016 |url=https://www.powerboatracingworld.com/sonny-levi-the-father-of-modern-powerboat-design-has-passed-away/}}</ref>


==Death==
==Death==
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==External links==
==External links==
*{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFvXBINLInc |title=Cowes Torquay Cowes Powerboat Race: vintage boats Renato "Sonny" Levi |publisher=[[YouTube]] |date=2008-04-15 |accessdate=2016-11-30}}
*{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFvXBINLInc |title=Cowes Torquay Cowes Powerboat Race: vintage boats Renato "Sonny" Levi |publisher=[[YouTube]] |date=2008-04-15 |access-date=2016-11-30}}
* [https://www.altomareblu.com/progettisti-nautici/renato-sonny-levi/ “Sonny” Renato Levi] (AltoMareBlu.com)

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Levi, Sonny}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Levi, Sonny}}
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[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Karachi]]
[[Category:People from Karachi]]
[[Category:Indian people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Mechanical engineers]]
[[Category:British marine engineers]]
[[Category:Marine engineers]]
[[Category:English people of Italian descent]]




{{bio-stub}}
{{Design-bio-stub}}

Latest revision as of 05:41, 13 June 2023

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

Early life

[edit]

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 at Darjeeling in India.

Career

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

Awards

[edit]

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

[edit]

Levi died on 12 November 2016.

References

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


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