Sailing Yacht A has been in the headlines a lot lately. First she departed Gibraltar for her official first cruise as a completed yacht. Then she joined her sister, the motoryacht A, in Monaco several days ago. Now we’re getting a look at her with all sails on display.
Despite her name, she’s not a sailing yacht. She’s actually classified as a sail-assisted vessel. This means she’ll use her diesel-electric propulsion more than her sails. But, the sails are still a welcome—and impressive—sight for this 468-foot (142.81-meter) megayacht.
Furthermore, Sailing Yacht A’s sail operations are technical feats. Her three masts are the tallest freestanding structures made of carbon composite. The main mast alone rises more than 328 feet (100 meters). Designed by Dykstra Naval Architects, the trio weighs 50 tons apiece and rotates as well. Sensors contained inside send real-time data to the crew in terms of load factors. But, it’s not a “one and done” scenario. All load data over time gets used to help the crew adjust things accordingly.
It’s all part of the very foundation of Sailing Yacht A. Before craftspeople even cut the first steel plates for her hull and superstructure, her owner wanted “push the boundaries of engineering and challenge the status quo of the industry.” These are the words of Holger Kahl, managing director of Nobiskrug, which started construction in 2012. (Work occurred at German Naval Yards in Kiel, Germany. The facility is Nobiskrug’s sister yard.)
Having Philippe Starck style the yacht is certainly a good start to pushing boundaries. So is the just-referenced all-steel construction. Then there’s her 81’6” (24.88-meter) beam and her height. It’s hard to tell in the photo, but Sailing Yacht A comprises eight decks. One more statistic: gross tonnage is nearly 12,600.
To get a better perspective on the sheets, check out our video report Sailing Yacht A’s insanely immense Doyle Sails.
(Editor’s note. Due to image theft and improper claims of ownership that occur all too often online, we agreed to place the watermark on the photo as a deterrent.)
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