Sperry’s Tears Flow as Sebago Unveils a Boat Shaped Like Its Iconic Docksides Boat Shoe

The decades-old East Coast rivalry between Team Sebago Docksides and Team Sperry Top-Siders just got a lot more one-sided. Sebago has pulled the ultimate flex: a boat literally shaped like its legendary Docksides boat shoe. The floating novelty, which debuted on a canal tour in Amsterdam to celebrate Sebago’s 80th anniversary, is now cruising Italian waters ahead of the Pitti Immagine Uomo menswear show in Florence.

But this isn’t just any gimmick—it’s a resurrected relic. According to Sebago’s owner BasicNet, the boat was discovered languishing in a warehouse outside London, a semi-abandoned asset left behind when Sebago’s European HQ moved post-Brexit. Originally dreamed up by Sebago’s historic team, the boat was built as a floating billboard decades ago, then forgotten—until now.

Lorenzo Boglione, co-CEO of BasicNet, told Women’s Wear Daily that the brand’s new owners prioritized securing the Sebago trademark globally before turning their attention to dormant assets like the boat and old shoe lasts. “The more we looked at it, the more we understood its beauty, its logic, its instant wow factor and its unexpectedness,” Boglione said. “Sending the boat around as a design object—a floating billboard—became a natural idea.” While Sebago hasn’t disclosed key details—age, original powertrain, current top speed, or whether anyone outside the company will ever steer it—the restoration reportedly included converting it to electric power. For Sperry fans still clinging to their Top-Siders, the message is clear: Sebago’s move is a masterclass in turning heritage into hype. The boat shoe-shaped boat isn’t just a stunt; it’s a rolling (or floating) testament to Sebago’s legacy—and Sperry’s new nightmare.