Airon Marine Powerboats for Sale

Airon Marine

Lake Como is not just a backdrop for villas, film stars and fairly expensive espressos. A remarkable tradition of powerboat building also grew up around the lake. Names such as Abbate and Molinari are closely linked to racing boats and fast leisure boats. Airon Marine comes from exactly this environment. The yard does not build floating palaces, but above all sporty open powerboats and mid-size cruisers – and has been doing so for half a century now.

A family with gasoline in their blood

Paolo Molinari founded Airon Marine in 1976 at the age of 25 in Lezzeno on Lake Como. Boats were not a newly discovered business model for him: the Molinari family was already deeply rooted in powerboat racing and boatbuilding; several family members made a name for themselves with racing boats and their design. Together with Walter Posca, Paolo Molinari developed his first larger powerboat. From the very beginning, the hull shape played a central role. Speed alone was not enough: the boats were meant to run with the most balanced trim possible, a manageable power requirement and comfortable behavior in a seaway. The historic yard is still located in Lezzeno today. Actual production was later additionally moved to Casnate con Bernate near Como.

The hull makes the difference

While other manufacturers like to tell their story through designers and interiors, at Airon Marine a striking amount revolves around the underwater hull. Paolo Molinari developed the hulls himself over decades, or together with Walter Posca. A good example is the Airon Marine 425: its V-hull has a variable geometry that becomes flatter from the very deep bow toward the stern. The aim is the softest possible entry into the wave, combined with stable trim and sporty performance. The fact that Airon Marine attaches so much importance to this subject fits the family's background in racing boat construction. The difference: a leisure cruiser does not only have to be fast. After the run, the glasses and the crew should ideally still be in their place.

Italian sports cruiser instead of a floating salon

Models such as the Airon 277, 325, 345, 388, 425 or 4300 T-Top shaped the image of the brand for years. Characteristic features are slender lines, large open cockpits and powerful inboard engines. Below deck there is nevertheless more cruising boat than the sporty silhouette initially suggests. Larger Airons were offered with several cabins, a dinette, a galley and a head. On the 425, for example, three cabins could be accommodated within a good 13 meters. On top of that comes a relatively high degree of customization for a production yard.

AmX: the younger generation

With the AmX range, Airon Marine began to realign its model line-up. It started with the AmX 28, presented in 2016 to mark the yard's 40th anniversary. Today the AmX family extends from the compact AmX 25 through the AmX 28 and AmX 34 to larger variants such as the AmX 36. The basic recipe remains Italian: sporty lines, plenty of room in the cockpit and enough comfort for weekends or short trips.

A small yard, difficult times

Airon Marine is also interesting because the yard does not fit the usual story of unchecked growth. Before the financial crisis, the company built around 95 boats a year at times, according to Paolo Molinari. By 2016, production had fallen to less than a third of that. The yard survived, however, stayed in family hands and continued to rely on its comparatively manageable output. Alongside Paolo Molinari, his sons Camillo and Tommaso have also joined the company.

Buying a used Airon Marine

On the used market, the choice is considerably wider than today's line-up suggests. With older boats, the engine setup in particular should be checked. Many Airons are fitted with powerful gasoline or diesel inboards and sterndrives. Maintenance history, cooling system and drives deserve due attention.

From raceboat to family cruiser

Airon Marine is part of that special powerboat culture that developed around Lake Como. The Molinaris came from fast boats, and Paolo Molinari turned them into comfortable sports cruisers. The family's racing genes have not disappeared. They have simply become more suited to everyday use: with cabins, a galley and sun pads all around.