 
The history of the Ferretti shipyards began in 1968 when Norberto Ferretti, driven by his great passion for the sea, involved his brother Alessandro in an adventure that would lead them to create one of the most prestigious shipyards on the world scene today. Their journey started, as do those of all great ventures, with humble beginnings. From selling well known brands of boats such as Chris Craft, San Lorenzo, and Italcraft, they decided to move on to building their own boats. The boats they sold were truly beautiful, but they did not fully satisfy Norberto's proud philosophy that sailing should be "an experience to live to the full, and not to suffer". The boats built offered unexpected potential; they could be improved in harmony with the spirit of a boat being "objects thought out for the individual, to make life better... to transform together with their owners" ... This met with great success!
At the Genoa Boat Show in 1970 the Khamsin was presented to the public. This, the forefather of Ferretti boats, was an 11 meter long fishing motor boat that had been skilfully transformed into a safe and comfortable motor cruiser. Two other motorsailers of 10 and 12 meters in length were also presented for production in series. The whole year's production was sold! Right from the beginning, the synthesis of a spirit of initiative and of pragmatism represented by the inventiveness of Norberto and Alessandro's commercial prowess were the indispensable ingredients for success. The two motorsailers shown at Genoa, the MS 10 and the MS 12.50 soon started to show the first signs of problems. The biggest problem was with the material used to construct the hull, Iroko, which proved too expensive to use in serial production. And so it was that the first fibreglass hull was used on the Altura 33, a typical example of Ferretti's continual quest for product improvement.
Although this boat took it's inspiration from Nordic motorsailers, it completely re-interpreted the concept and established it's identity in the world of pleasure boating. This led to the introduction of a new type of clientele, able to appreciate the charm of "an object that had previously been considered an ugly hybrid between sail and motor". The Altura 42 quickly followed the Altura 33 and was able to build upon the principles that inspired it. Well lit, spacious, comfortable, and built for relaxation, the Altura 42 made it's mark upon the market as an emblem of Ferretti philosophy; technological research applied to designing comfortable and relaxing living environments that incite the desire for enjoyment.
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