When it comes to superyachts, they usually think of the motor giants, forgetting their sailing counterparts. And absolutely in vain!
By the early 1990s sailing yacht dimensions rarely exceeded 40 meters. But in the 21st century there was a qualitative leap, as a result of which today it is no longer surprising to anyone with a vessel whose length exceeds 70 meters. The development of technology has made it possible to create yachts with masts carrying huge sails, which no longer require an impressive crew to manage. It also eliminated the need for complex rigging.
And let the most large yachts with sails noticeably inferior in size to motor ones, these are still very spectacular and interesting vessels. And in this rating, we will name the 10 largest at the beginning of 2021.
1. A (GNYH, Germany)
With a length of 144.03 meters and a width of 25 meters, it is not only the largest yacht, but also the most unusual of all presented in this rating. It's all about a very unusual design, thanks to which the ship looks like a cross between a motor yacht and a sailing yacht.
It is propelled by carbon sails hoisted on solid masts, also made of carbon. The height of the largest is approximately 90 meters, which is a real record for a solid mast, which took several years to develop and manufacture. At the same time, the area of the largest sail is 1767 square meters. meters (total sail area - 3700 square meters). A diesel-electric power plant is also provided. The cruising speed of the vessel is 16 knots, but if desired, it can be accelerated to the 21st knot.
The yacht was built by the German shipyard German Naval Yards Holdings GmbH (GNYH), the exterior design was entrusted to the designer Jacques Garcia, and the interiors to the designer Philippe Starck. Little is said about the interior equipment of the yacht. But it is known that this 8-deck vessel is equipped with an underwater observation capsule located in the keel. The cost of construction is unknown, but according to some sources, it amounted to about 400 million dollars.
The yacht is owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, who also owns a motor yacht with the name "A", "only" 119.0 meters long.
2. Black Pearl (Oceanco, Netherlands)
Sailing yacht, launched in 2016 and having a length of 106.7 meters. Equipped with 3 DynaRig masts carrying sails, with a total area of 2900 sq. meters. Her project (originally called Oceanco Y712) is based on the famous 88-meter Maltese Falcon, also included in this rating. At the same time, developers Black Pearl wanted to demonstrate the potential of the DynaRig armament, to show that it is also suitable for larger vessels. Interestingly, the yacht was originally planned to be 96 meters long, but during the construction process it was decided to increase its size.
The height of the largest mast is 70 meters. In the right weather conditions, the yacht can reach speeds of up to 30 knots and is capable of crossing the Atlantic just under sail. At the same time, the sailing armament is supplemented with auxiliary diesel engines that provide speeds of up to 17.5 knots.
As usual with megayachts, information about the interior is almost non-existent. The Black Pearl has enough space on board to accommodate up to 12 guests comfortably. They have a jacuzzi, a cinema, a beach area and other amenities.
The yacht is owned by Russian businessman Oleg Burlakov. It was built by the Dutch company Oceanco from Rotterdam. The cost of construction was not disclosed, but it is assumed that it amounted to $ 200 million.
3. Eos (Lurssen, Germany)
Launched in 2006, this 92.92 meter yacht (with a bowsprit that is almost 10 meters long) carries on her 3 masts the classic sailing rig of a Bermuda schooner with a total area of 3600 square meters. meters. The height of the masts is 61 meters, the sails are fully automated. At the time of construction, it was the world's largest privately owned sailing vessel.
The well-known American designer Bill Langan was involved in the development of the yacht's exterior. The interior (about which little is known) was designed by François Catrou. It is alleged that on board the yacht there was a place for 6 luxurious cabins, each of which has its own bathroom.
The Eos is owned by media mogul Barry Diller, husband of French fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, whose face is depicted on the ship's figurehead. The cost of building a yacht is not specified.
4. Athena (Royal Huisman, Netherlands)
The 90-meter 3-masted gaff schooner Athena was built by the Dutch company Royal Huisman in 2004. It is owned by Texas billionaire James Clark, best known as the founder of Netscape.
In 1998, Clarke is said to have purchased the 47.4m Hyperion sloop (also built by the Royal Huisman yards) and enjoyed sailing so much that he decided to own a larger sailboat, complete with a cinema and library, capable of providing comfort for a dozen guests. . And so Athena was built, which at the time of launching was considered the world's largest private sailing yacht. And one of the fastest in its class, thanks to its ability to reach speeds of 19 knots.
The Athena is currently up for sale, with the owner expecting to get $45 million for it (original price was $95 million).
5. Maltese Falcon (Perini Navi, Italy)
Built in 2006, the 88-meter Maltese Falcon, was the first large yacht in the world, the 3 masts of which carried the DynaRig sailing rig, developed in the 60s of the last century by the German engineer Wilhelm Prelss. It was commissioned by the late American venture capitalist Thomas Perkins. They say that the customer was dissuaded from such an unusual and bold project, but he decided to take a chance. The result of this was the appearance of a vessel that, at the time of launching, was one of the most unusual in the world.
The cost of construction is unknown, but it is believed that it was between 150 and 300 million dollars. The yacht's name is based on Dashiell Hammett's well-known detective novel The Maltese Falcon, which was made into a 1941 film of the same name, considered a classic of American cinema.
The height of the masts is 58 meters, and the total sail area is 2396 square meters. meters. Among the luxury available on board are 5 state-of-the-art cabins for 12 people, a cinema (the image is projected onto one of the sails), two salons and a library. The Maltese Falcon is claimed to have a top speed of 20 knots under sail. But evil tongues counting sailing equipment of the yacht in a controversial decision, allege that the figure was blatantly inflated for advertising purposes.
Today, the yacht is owned by Pleon Limited, which rents it out for €350,000 per week. Anyone who is willing to pay the named amount can make an exciting cruise in the Mediterranean in summer and in the Caribbean in winter.
Interestingly, according to some experts, Maltese Falcon should be placed in the 3rd position in the ranking of the largest sailing yachts. The fact is that the length of Eos and Athena is indicated taking into account the bowsprit, while it would be more correct to measure by the length of the deck or waterline.
6. Aquijo (Oceanco, Netherlands)
Designed by Bill Trip and launched in 2015, the 86m Aquijo is the world's largest ketch sailing yacht, with a 88.4m mainmast (only behind our leader, the "A" with her 90-meter masts, and quite a bit of the M5 yacht, which occupies the 8th position). The total sail area here is an impressive 5051 sq. meters. The cruising speed of the yacht is 19 knots, the maximum is 20.5 knots.
Tripp Design Naval Architects was responsible for the exterior design of the yacht, while Dölker + Voges GmbH was responsible for interior design. Designers actively used large windows, trying to let in as much natural light as possible. Decorated in a modern style, 7 cabins, capable of accommodating 12 guests, are equipped with the latest technology.
According to some reports, the cost of building a yacht was 80 million dollars. Aquijo is owned by Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke, who also owns the 183-meter research vessel REV Ocean. The yacht is also available for charter.
7 Sea Eagle II (Royal Huisman, Netherlands)
Even if just talking about beautiful big yachts, without any ratings, Sea Eagle II should be mentioned anyway. Launched in early 2020, this graceful three-masted, 81-meter schooner-rigged vessel is owned by Taiwanese billionaire Samuel Ying, chairman of Ruentex financial group.
The Sea Eagle II is the world's largest aluminum sailboat with a total sail area of 3,000 sq. meters (the height of the tallest mast is 60 meters), thanks to which the vessel is able to reach speeds of 21 knots. The vessel was designed by Dykstra Naval Architects, while the interior (of which almost nothing is known) was handled by designer Mark Whiteley.
The vessel is able to provide the most comfortable sailing for 12 guests. They are waiting for 6 cabins, in the design of which wood was actively used. They say that the interior of the premises is simple, but at the same time everything is very stylish. It features a bar, an outdoor dining area and a large lounge.
8. M5 (Vosper Thornycroft, USA)
The largest in the world single masted sailing yacht, 77.6 meters long, launched in 2004 as Mirabella V. Sails with a total area of 3380 square meters can be placed on her 88.5-meter mast. meters. At the same time, the M5 has the world's largest genoa (or Genoese staysail), with an area of 1833 square meters. meters. Another of the design features is the presence of a lifting keel to reduce draft - this was done so that the ship could use the harbor of Palm Beach, Florida.
The vessel was built at the British shipyards of Vosper Thornycroft, which is part of the American VT Holdings, Inc., according to the project of Ron Holland Design. The cost of building the yacht is unknown. To date, it is owned by Texas businessman Rodney Lewis, associated with the oil and gas industry. Having become the owner of Mirabella V, he changed its name to M5, which is still used today. Under the right conditions, the yacht is capable of a top speed of 19 knots.
9. Enigma (Naval Group, France)
Initially, this 75-meter 4-masted schooner was named Phocea. She was built in 1976 as a high-speed crossing of the Atlantic. She crossed the ocean in 8 days, while reaching a speed of 30 knots. Then, in 1986, the yacht was wandered by French businessman Bernard Tapie and converted into a luxury charter, after which she was no longer capable of speed records. Until 2004, Phocea was the world's largest sailing yacht.
In 1997, the yacht was purchased by Muna Ayub, a well-known French businesswoman of Lebanese origin, who wished to significantly alter the vessel. It is said that Phocea's refurbishment was partly paid for by her ex-husband, Saudi businessman Nasser Al-Rashid. To do this, he sold the Mouna diamond, weighing 112.5 carats, for $17 million.
After the transformation, the yacht received its current name Enigma. At the same time, evil tongues claim that such a global restructuring, although it added luxury to the yacht, completely took away its sporting spirit and grace. In 2007, Muna Ayub sold the yacht for 10 million euros to the Maltese company Phocea Limited.
Like many others ocean sailing yachts, Enigma is capable of long journeys. Up to 12 people can take part in them. The cruising speed of the vessel is 11 knots, the maximum is 18 knots. The cost of a weekly rental is approximately 200,000 euros.
10. Badis (Perini Navi, Italy)
The 70m 2-masted ketch-rigged Badis, formerly known as Sybaris, is capable of speeds of up to 18 knots. She was built in 2015 in the shipyards of the Italian Perini Navi and, thanks to her elegant appearance, designed by designer Philippe Briand, she managed to win first place at the Monaco Yacht Show 2016 for the best design.
The vessel was originally owned by American lawyer Bill Duiker, who then, for unknown reasons, put it up for sale in 2018, asking for 78 million euros. For some time, the name of the new owner remained unknown, but in the end it was possible to find out that it was King Mohammed IV of Morocco. Having changed the owner, the yacht also changed its name to Badis.
There is enough space aboard the yacht to provide maximum comfort for 12 guests, who can enjoy 6 luxurious cabins, decorated with active use of natural wood.
