Every time a superyacht sails by, heads turn. But when said superyacht measures in the vicinity of 350 feet (nearly 107 meters), even the most jaded among us sit and take notice. That size becomes even more significant when you realize that all but two of the six yachts listed below measures above that mark. Here are some of the biggest deliveries set for this year.
1. Project Omar (above). Even at a whopping 512 feet (156 meters), this superyacht isn’t the biggest boat out there. She’s not even the biggest boat from her builder, Lürssen. Nonetheless, Project Omar commanded attention when she launched several weeks ago. Unfortunately Lürssen isn’t permitted to say anything about her. But, somebody associated with the project is, since rumor has it her real name will be Dilbar. If correct, her owner is Alisher Usmanov. The Russian citizen has a number of publishing, technology, and metal and mining holdings. He’s further a renowned philanthropist. And, of course, Usmanov currently owns a 361-footer (110-meter) christened Dilbar. She was delivered by Lürssen in 2008.
2. Sailing Yacht A. Five thousand, six hundred and twenty-two inches. Put another way, that’s 468’5” (142.81 meters). That’s the LOA of Sailing Yacht A, arguably the most-covered superyacht across all media in 2015, from yachting websites to entertainment programs and to traditional news broadcasts. Nobiskrug hasn’t been able to say much about Sailing Yacht A other than to confirm she’s in build. The name confirmation (and yes, “sailing yacht” is part of it) came directly from the owner’s representatives. The owner is Andrey Melnichenko, who also owns a mega-size motoryacht, the distinctly different A. He tapped Philippe Starck for both projects. Another noteworthy fact: Sailing Yacht A is the largest superyacht constructed by Nobiskrug, both in terms of LOA and volume.
3. Dream Symphony. When signed in 2010, Dream Symphony was touted to become the world’s largest sailing superyacht. But at 462’6” (141 meters), she’s a few feet shorter than Sailing Yacht A. Nevertheless, she stands apart for more than just her LOA. For one, she has a wood hull. Designed by Ken Freivokh and Dykstra Naval Architects, she’s still in build in Turkey. She’s owned by Valeriy Stepaneko, who also owns the yard constructing her, namely Dream Ship Victory. He tapped the Freivokh and Dykstra teams due to their work on Maltese Falcon. (In fact, the rendering above provides an interesting spatial comparison of Dream Symphony on the left and Maltese Falcon on the right.) In terms of creature comforts, this sailing superyacht features a glass pool with a rising floor. That lets it double as a helipad or entertaining space.
4. Ulysses. If you’re an avid yacht-watcher, you’ve been following the build of Ulysses (below). She’s the 351-foot (107-meter) expedition yacht built at a commercial shipyard in Norway. The yard, Kleven, finished its contributions over the summer. But, Ulysses was not yet finished. The plan all along was for her to receive her luxury touches elsewhere. That’s been going on in Germany since last August. Those touches will adorn the accommodations for an astounding owners’ party of 60. Graeme and Robyn Hart, New Zealanders well versed in yachting, reportedly plan to use Ulysses as a mothership. She won’t be their last project, though. They commissioned a 381-footer (116-meter) from Kleven, for a party of 66, for delivery in a few years.
5. Poseidonos. Poseidonos is one of those conversion projects that unfortunately is taking longer than she should. The 347’8” (106-meter) craft was initially built in 1997 in Turkey as a passenger ferry. The Halic Tersaneleri yard in Greece reportedly has had her in its sheds for a few years now. We say “reportedly” because there’s little known about Poseidonos. Word circulated last year that she’d be delivered, but that didn’t happen. The few facts known: Styling is by Giorgio Vafiadis, and interior design is by Italy-based Ciarmoli Queda Studio. The latter is a residential- and commercial-architecture firm. Twenty-three guest staterooms and 19 crew cabins (all above decks) are being created aboard Poseidonos.
6. Solar. Due to the enormous publicity generated by Aquijo, the first sailing superyacht splashed by Oceanco, Solar has taken a backseat in the media. But Solar was actually announced by the shipyard before Aquijo was acknowledged. Measuring 347’8” (106 meters), Solar bears design by Dykstra Naval Architects and Nuvolari-Lenard. Only a handful of details have been revealed. Much of the focus is on her being “green.” She’ll be able to run chiefly on solar power. Furthermore, Solar will have a DynaRig, a version of a square rigger. (Maltese Falcon famously employs a DynaRig.) It’s proven to be more aerodynamically efficient.
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