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First Look: Royal Huisman unveils new images of 81-meter SEA EAGLE II

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By Nina Done   31 March 2023

Royal Huisman has released a collection of stunning new images of the elegant 81m (266ft) sailing yacht SEA EAGLE II , currently the largest aluminum sailing yacht in the world, following her global voyage covering over 45,000 nautical miles. 

Showcasing never seen before images since her low-key delivery under the shadow of the pandemic in 2020, pictures reveal her dramatic lines, plumb bow and majestic Panamax rig under power, courtesy of Dykstra Naval Architects and Mark Whitely Design. 

Her vast rigging encompasses three mainsails that can be hoisted simultaneously for ultra-efficient post-lunch getaways, while her aluminum hull ensures a lightness, acceleration, strength and fuel efficiency, giving her the edge over other heavy, sail-assisted yachts. 

As well as being an aesthetically alluring yacht, one with real presence on the water, this is a yacht that regularly sails at double-digit speeds and takes a matter of minutes to go from anchored to sailing.

Commissioned by an experienced owner, the brief was clear: to create an extremely comfortable and spacious sailing yacht with good sea keeping and exceptional amenities for both guests and crew, alongside the important functional aspects of performance, reliability and power under sail.

Supersized sailing yachts like this are no longer an impossible dream, Royal Huisman’s CEO Jan Timmerman points out: “Continual innovation, accumulated expertise and rigorous self-challenge have come together through our highly skilled and dedicated team to produce Athena, SEA EAGLE II and, currently in-build, the world’s largest sloop, the 85 m (280ft) New World Sloop aka Project 410."

Available for charter

Now on the yacht charter market, guests can experience the elegance and sophistication of this contemporary yacht for themselves. From her beautiful outdoor cinema to her multiple al fresco dining areas, there is an abundance of space onboard where guests can kick back, relax and socialize in style. 

Accommodating up to 12 guests across six elegantly appointed cabins, the yacht is versatile for a variety of charter party configurations. She is also capable of carrying up to 14 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed private yacht charter experience.

If you'd like to learn more about chartering sailing yacht SEA EAGLE II, please get in touch with your chosen yacht charter broker . 

Alternatively, feel free to compare and contrast the entire fleet of sailing yachts available for charter .

Featured Royal Huisman yachts available for charter

90m Royal Huisman 2004 / 2019

57m Royal Huisman 2010 / 2021

52m Royal Huisman 2007 / 2017

47m Royal Huisman 1998 / 2023

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• SEA EAGLE II
• all-aluminum
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The Rise of the Supersloop

Words: jack giffard.

The super sloop, the apex of sailing superyachts?

If the enduring arms race in the motor yacht world is anything to go by, bigger is better when it comes to luxury yachting. But it’s not just motor yachts that are increasing in size; the rise of the super sloop is shaping our horizon.

Tracing its origins back to the evergreen and ever-graceful J-Class, the large ocean going sloop is continuing its evolution. The industry has witnessed some impressive launches of late, with even more impressive new builds in progress and several bold concepts on the table. But a main focus for many of the world’s leading designers and builders has been to create ever larger sailing machines for ever discerning owners.

Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design, Royal Huisman and Southern Spars are amongst those leading the charge with the next generation of super sloops. It all began in 2014 when Royal Huisman and Dubois Naval Architects were challenged by a client to “Build me a beast!”. The subsequent 2017 delivery of Ngoni set a new standard. At 58m on deck she joined the super sloop ranks of 66m Ahimsa (ex Aglaia ) and 88.5m M5 (ex Mirabella V ). Today, several concepts from the likes of Tony Castro, Reichel Pugh/Nauta and Malcolm McKeon are tabled, all 60m+ with the addition of McKeon and Royal Huisman seriously offering the 85m Apex 850.

Size brings the obvious benefit of greater interior space, but exactly why are owners pushing the envelope to such extremes? “These are not first-time yacht owners” explains McKeon, who believes the performance potential of larger yachts leads to a world of opportunities for experienced and long standing sailors. “Around 90 per cent of owners begin the process with racing furthest from the agenda, but almost all change their mind!”

The plethora of superyacht regattas prove an irresistible temptation. With the Offshore Racing Congress’ Superyacht Rule catering specifically to yachts over 30m, the advantages of up-sizing opens the door to some serious competition. Add to that the inherent performance benefits of the high aspect sloop rig and its simplicity compared to ketches or schooners, and the draw of the super sloop starts to make sense.

The thrill of racing coupled with exclusive social events makes for an unbeatable atmosphere of fun and camaraderie. Numerous regattas from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean have become permanent fixtures in the yachting calendar. “There are almost too many,” says McKeon, whose designs, such as 33m Missy and 32.5m Ribelle, are regular attendees.

The ‘multi-role’ aspect of the yachts and ease of handling a sloop sail plan (both shorthanded and with a full complement of race crew) means these thoroughbreds are no one-trick ponies. But if the demands of multi-role performance cruisers aren’t enough, there is growing demand for ever complex systems onboard, too.

“The environmental impact of yachting is increasingly important to our clients, and almost every project now includes some degree of green technology as part of the brief,” says McKeon.

Royal Huisman also sees a growing trend in the demand for hybrid and diesel-electric options. “Our client demographic has not changed significantly,” says CEO Jan Timmermans, who supports McKeon’s experience of super sloop owners being serial builders. “But we do see a shift towards longer stays on board and pristine destinations that make clients aware of the need to cut emissions.”

And Timmermans does not anticipate this trend stopping any time soon. A sailing rig alone doesn’t make for a zero emission vessel. The use of regenerative power and storage technology is becoming commonplace to cater for hotel-loads, sail handling winches and air-con. “We’ve been putting battery packs on boats for over 25 years,” says McKeon in response to being asked about onboard environmental awareness. Initially used to allow for ‘silent running’ periods for the benefit of guests, modern developments of these systems incorporate new generation technology and lighter, more compact battery packs to drive down emissions. Alongside it’s primary function of propelling a yacht under motor, a yacht’s propeller can now serve as a hydroelectric turbine generating electricity whilst travelling under sail.

Even more seismic is the improvements in overall efficiency in the new generation of sloops. In the pursuit of performance, McKeon and the team at Southern Spars are focused on the key elements of weight and windage. An attention to detail formerly reserved for racing yachts is now being used to drive efficiencies throughout the vessel. Lighter, stiffer hulls are more easily driven, more energy efficient and all-round better performers. Airconditioning is a large consumer of onboard energy and actively managing its use as well as improving onboard insulation can yield large energy savings. Less energy consumed means smaller generators, smaller fuel capacity required and, in turn, a lighter boat, further increasing the performance gains.

As the originators of the carbon rig, it’s no surprise that Southern Spars in New Zealand has zeroed in on how to harness such loads in a performance superyacht by refining the trifecta of design, rigging and manufacture. Most modern superyacht spars possess added functionality, such as furling mainsails and rafts of electronic, navigation and communications components. But Southern Spars’ ECsix continuous carbon fibre rigging is now used to deliver weight saving where it matters most; up high.

The use of thin ply carbon fibre for mast construction is also beginning to cross over the race/luxury divide. Achieving weight savings of up to 10 per cent in mast construction alone, the reduction of weight aloft has a pronounced effect on the characteristics of a sailing yacht. Reducing roll, both under sail and at anchor, as well as reducing the total weight of the vessel makes for a more comfortable and manoeuvrable yacht.

Such gains are not easily won, however, and Ngoni is a case in point. Supporting considerable compression and bending loads from the tall (75m) and powerful rig, Ngoni’s 58m hull is only 9.5m wide. The biggest challenge of such a low volume design was finding a way to offer sizable deck openings for tender storage, Jacuzzi and deck lockers.

“If it can be done simpler without sacrificing amenity or compromising class, then this is the preferred way,” says Timmermans. “It inspired the implementation of a company-wide ‘keep it simple’ strategy.”

Ngoni ’s distinctive reverse sheer is perhaps the most visible feature of how the great loads from such a tall sloop rig are dealt with. A simple yet effective hull structure; the curve of the sheer resisting the forestay and backstay forces. For Royal Huisman, Ngoni ’s apparent simplicity was made possible through innovative new solutions in the field of glass application, says Timmermans.

“Increasing glass surfaces is an ongoing development, as new technologies in and outside of the yachting industry enable us to realise our clients’ dreams and architects’ ever more futuristic designs.”

Futuristic is certainly one word to describe the new Apex 850 concept put forward by Royal Huisman and McKeon. In a bold move to continue the trajectory set by Ngoni , the Apex 850 would be the world’s largest sloop and the world’s largest aluminium sailing yacht. Concept designs show large expanses of glass on deck, full-height hull windows and a design that seeks to comprehensively redefine on-board lifestyle and sailing experiences.

Whether enjoying the fruits of evolved design and engineering, international competition or increased living space afloat, the super sloop seems the perfect outlet for experienced sailors and progressive thinkers alike. When asked how Royal Huisman approaches the challenges presented by increasingly large projects, Timmermans explains: “Our R&D team is in close contact with Classification to discuss and come up with solutions, which were thought to be impossible a few years back.”

Once thought to be impossible, now possible. The essence of the super sloop. The ever-rising benchmark. The current state-of-the-art.

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8 Fascinating Facts About ‘Kokomo,’ the Lightning-Fast 192-Foot Sailing Superyacht

The 192-footer has a 242-foot-high mast and spinnaker half the size of a football field. but it's so automated it can be sailed by two people., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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The 192-foot Kokomo was the second largest sloop in the world when it launched from New Zealand’s Alloy Yachts shipyard in 2010. It remains the largest fast-cruising sloop available for charter. The yacht’s commissioning owner Lang Walker (who died in January 2024) was a seasoned sailor who gave all three of his yachts the same name.

The first was a 131-foot sloop, which Walker replaced five years later with a 171-footer. The same day he took delivery of his 171-foot sloop, he placed an order for the third and final 192-foot Kokomo, which he planned to use for racing and cruising around the world. He also kept the same design team for all three yachts, with exterior and naval architecture by Ed Dubois and interior by UK’s RWD.

The reference to the yacht’s name has had different explanations over the years, ranging from the pseudonym of a composer whose music Walker played as a child to a nod to the Beach Boys’s song from their 1988 album Still Cruisin’ , which references a fictional utopian island called Kokomo. The island fantasy was brought to life in 2011 when Walker acquired a private island in Fiji’s Great Astrolabe Reef and named it Kokomo .

Here are eight unknown facts about one of the most game-changing sailing yachts on the water.

You’re Going to Need a Bigger Boom

When Kokomo was launched, she was the second-largest sloop in the world and carried the largest set of sails made by Doyle Sails in New Zealand. The 23,971-square-foot asymmetric spinnaker is half the size of a professional football field, while the 9,688-square-foot mainsail needs a crane to lift it. Because of the gargantuan size of the sails, the designers entered a new era of spar and winch design, having to “reinvent” the deck equipment—winches, mast, boom, rigging and sails—to cope with the 31.6-ton load on the genoa sheet and 32-ton load on the main sheet clew. The 244-foot carbon mast is the largest ever made by Southern Spars.

A Hidden Lifting Keel

The yacht’s 130-ton lifting keel is one of its most impressive features, though it’s largely left to the imagination. The interior layout is carefully designed so that the keel structure remains hidden. Dubois Naval Architects positioned the keel box to come above the main deck, serving as a partial separation between the bridge and the main salon (see inset). Kokomo was only the second yacht to be fitted with a lifting a keel, the first being 246-foot M5 (ex-Mirabella V), the world’s largest single-masted sailing yacht. This innovative design shortens Kokomo’s 28.5-foot draft when the keel is fully extended, to just 15 feet for shallow waters.

Fast-Track Sailing

Kokomo was one of the first yachts to be fitted with a hydraulic batt-car system for furling the mainsail, which has cars at each batten end that slot in an outer track on the mast. This alleviates a once-common issue where the luff tape or bolt rope on large sailing yachts became chaffed by the compression of the battens, which often caused the in-boom furling mainsails to fail. “When sailing Kokomo , especially when racing, I am completely impressed with the speed and efficiency of the hydraulic system,” says Kokomo ’s captain, Jeremy ‘Bear’ Wynne, who notes the yacht’s recorded top speed is a very impressive 22 knots. “The jib furlers are some of the fastest I have seen. There is absolutely no shortage of hydraulic power, even with multiple winches running on a jibe—a rarity on a big sailing yacht.”

Now You See It, Now You Don’t

Kokomo might be big on technology, but never at the expense of design. The wheelhouse has fold-down computer screens that conceal the navigation equipment when not in use, converting to beautiful carbon counter tops. This design sleight of hand transforms a highly technical area into a tony lounge. It’s a theme that extends to the foredeck, where the yacht’s two tenders are concealed in dedicated lockers. There’s also a fully retractable tender crane that launches the tenders from either side of the boat but disappears out of sight when guests are using the Jacuzzi. “The designated deck lockers were an advanced feature at the time of her launch,” says Wynne, adding that another bonus is that diesel tanks are fully available. “The tenders can be fueled onboard before launching.”

It Takes Just A Few Good Sailors

Kokomo can accommodate up to 10 crew in total, but theoretically it only takes two to sail—a helm person and a sail trimmer. That sounds almost impossible given the size and complexity of yacht. But all sails are controlled by joystick on the flybridge. And when the boat is in full-on racing mode, there are control stations on both sides, providing visibility of the sails. Thanks to the hydraulics system, the mainsail can be hoisted and lowered on a wireless remote control. Of course, maneuvers like stowing the massive genoa can never be automated. That’s a job for a half-dozen good sailors.

Art On Board

The hallway that leads to the owner’s cabin is lined with a mosaic tapestry made from sea glass woven together with wire. Backlit to create an unusual effect, it’s just one of the eclectic works of art that decorates the interior. The main salon also has a stunning and colorful work of glass art as another example.

Interior Matters

Kokomo is not all tech features. The yacht’s modern interiors combine dark wood floors and calming cream furnishings start in the main salon and continue across the five guest cabins. Penned by British studio Redman Whiteley Dixon, the design carefully wraps around the lifting keel without sacrificing or impeding on any interior guest space. The yacht accommodates up to 10 guests in a master suite, VIP, one double cabin and two twins. There are other accommodations for up to 10 crew. On the foredeck, the Jacuzzi brings another element of outdoor entertainment, bolstered by a sunken cockpit.

World Traveler

The mandate issued by Walker was to create a yacht that was a “quantum leap forward” from his previous yachts, with superior sailing characteristics and guest comfort. The mast’s height is too tall to sail through the Panama or Suez Canals, which meant it would have to be designed to sail around Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope to reach the Caribbean and Mediterranean. The maiden voyage took the yacht from the New Zealand shipyard to Australia, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji. It also spent time at Walker’s private island (pictured above), also named Kokomo. The vessel has since spent many years exploring the Caribbean and Med. It’s based in both regions during the respective cruising seasons, with charters available through Cecil Wright.

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M5 (ex Mirabella V) restyled by Pendennis Shipyard

M5 's stern was remodeled at the  pendennis shipyard in falmouth, uk and completed her sail trials successful..

M5 was originally built in 2004 as Mirabella V . Until she is still the largest sloop with over 75 meters (length of the hull) and an almost 90 meters long mast.

Designed and manufactured by Carbo-Link with OYS making the fittings, the 34 new carbon fiber stays, and titanium fittings with built-in dynamic fiber optics have decreased the weight of the rig by 18 tons. The sail trials not only established the M5 ‘s potential speed but tested the new system and balance of the yacht under sail for the first time. During several hours on the water with challenging sea conditions, the remodeled boat performed well, reaching 17.7 knots in 18-23 knots of wind.

The project, due to be completed over the next month, has seen a collaboration between Pendennis and the original designer Ron Holland , to achieve the Owners idea of extending the stern by 3m which has created a new sleeker profile providing an impressive aft deck area. During the refit, Pendennis has completed extensive engineering works and the interiors have been redesigned by UK company Redman Whiteley Dixon .

M5 carries now a water plane on aft deck

Stepping the huge mast

Close to the wind when she was MIRABELLA V

Main Specifications of Sailing Yacht M5

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March 18 2022

18 Mar 2022

THE WORLD'S LARGEST SLOOP: THE 85m ROYAL HUISMAN PROJECT 410 UNVEILED

The Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman has just announced its plans to build the world’s largest sloop, the 85-metre New World Sloop, Project 410. According to the Amsterdam based shipyard, the project is set to be a ‘revolutionary’ step into the future for superyachts. The audience at the start of the St. Barths Bucket Regatta 2022 received an exclusive unveiling, and judging from the response, Project 410 is set to become a much-talked-about yacht.

The news comes after it was unveiled several weeks ago that their 65-metre sailing yacht Project 408 would be  Aquarius II ,  a larger sistership of the 56-metre, 2018 launched  Aquarius .

The innovative New World Sloop, is to be built for an experienced owner who has sought to create a ‘leading-edge project that would be head-turning, arresting and iconic.’  The client also wanted to still provide all the necessary safety features, comforts and luxuries of a superyacht.

The 85-metre Project 410 is set to be the world’s largest sloop, composed of a massive carbon mast, boom and integrated sailing system designed and produced by  Royal Huisman’ s sister company,  Rondal . Project 410 will be constructed in aluminum at  Royal Huisman ’s newbuild facilities in Vollenhove.

Project 410 sees the exterior and naval architecture of Frers Design team up with interior stylings of Dutch designers  Wetzels Brown  to present a concept that meets the challenging needs of the owner. Mani Frers created an innovative sloop with a revolutionary combination of naval architecture, clever use of space and structures and stunning exterior design, while  Gill Brown ’s thrilling and unique interiors almost literally transport her guests into a New World. The designs have been finalised after an intense year of development and the exciting preparations for the construction process begin.

The eco-friendly project aims for structural recyclability and will look to incorporate green energy to create a quiet operation and silent mode sailing. Wherever possible, Project 410 will use recycled materials or simple low-impact materials that will be crafted to create exceptional effects. RH410 also aims to be future-proofed wherever the technology permits or can be adapted to permit.

Royal Huisman  aims to meet this sustainability objective in a variety of ways, the innovative technology Project 410 will use qualifies for the new Lloyd’s ‘Hybrid-Power’ certificate, as the yacht will be capable of generating energy during sailing. The silent and fumeless propulsion system will be provided by a 2-megawatt battery bank facility and will ensure ultimate comfort with maximum redundancy and sustainability.

Royal Huisman  have proven and evolved their systems for over 14 years since the launch of their sailing yacht  Ethereal  in 2008, the world’s first hybrid superyacht. The board system set up may be considered a challenge by some in the superyacht sector but  Royal Huisman  are confident they can achieve this.

In summary, Project 410 is a sailing yacht that is a much lighter alternative to large motor yachts. She will be greener and faster, even at low speeds.

Royal Huisman  CCO Peter Naeyé concludes: “It is an extraordinary honor to be entrusted with a project of such scale, ambition, and technical sophistication. This unique Project 410 perfectly reflects ‘who we are and what we do’ at  Royal Huisman . A true performance superyacht with supersized dimensions, and full of technical innovations. This project is already iconic in every aspect and will be built by the finest craftsmen in the world in full collaboration with her talented designers. We’re all going to enjoy the realisation of bespoke excellence embraced with ’New World’ technology.”

©️ By  Sophie Spicknell /  SuperyachtTimes

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Apex 850. The world’s largest sloop

Apex 850, a new giant sloop by Malcolm McKeon and Royal Huisman

The planned Apex 850 will take her place as one of the five largest sailing yachts in the world, measuring 85m above decks and with a towering 107m mast.

Malcolm McKeon and Royal Huisman are shaping the world’s largest sloop, the Apex 850.

With 85m on deck, this yacht’s mast rises 107m above the water, dwarfing the former Mirabella V, currently the largest in the world.

The Apex 850 will be one of the five largest sailboats in the world.

Says its designer McKeon . “Its retractable keel, optimized weight distribution and limited heel angle will provide stability, comfort and safety for everyone on board. The Apex 850 sailing experience will be sensational, with speeds exceeding wind speed in most conditions.”

The Apex 850 ‘s hull is aluminum, and corrosion free. The living work is completed with two rudders and a deep retractable keel that stretches the draft to 8.5 meters (5 when it is up) to maintain balance and stability.

The design of the Apex 850 is a very radical one. The all-glass roof appears to float above the deck surface. Below is 200m2 of space to eat and rest, which can be open or fully enclosed. The windows open and the sliding glass doors can be lowered to create a large space.

Open wings in the quarters expand the lounging space and complement the huge 50m2 foldable beach club in the transom, which includes a custom gym. It has direct access from the owner’s suite, through a private beach club and a cinema with floor-to-ceiling glass curved to match the hull lines.

At mast level, the shell doors open outside the hull on both sides to provide balconies attached to the upper deck with a graceful staircase.

Accommodation includes four double cabins plus an astonishing master that spans the yacht’s 15 meter beam.

The ship includes a 1,000-bottle wine cellar, a cigar humidor, and a well-equipped dive center amidships. On deck, there is a 26-foot (8 m) two-tender garage below the foredeck.

With the diesel-electric propulsion system with 1000 kW battery banks, the yacht can operate in silent mode for maneuvering in port, hoisting sails and spending the night at anchor. “While sailing, the APEX 850 can easily develop more than 150kW of power, allowing it to cross the ocean without the use of any fossil fuels, and still provide enough power to operate all the demands of guests and crew.” McKeon adds.

Length: 85.00m 279ft 0in Beam: 15.00 m 49 ft 3 in Draft: 5.00 m-8.50 m (16 ft 5 in-27 ft 11 in) Displacement: 1,000 tons Sail area: 4,700m2 50,590ft2 Builder: royalhuisman.com

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Malcolm McKeon Unveils World's Largest Sloop at 85m

By George Bains

Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design and Royal Huisman have unveiled the fruits of an exciting collaboration between two industry greats. The new APEX 850 concept is both the world’s largest sloop-rigged superyacht and the world’s largest aluminium sailing yacht, but it is more than just the size that makes this a superyacht a future-icon.

Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design has been behind some of the most innovative and exhilarating superyacht designs of the last 30 years, with an exceptional portfolio that includes sail, power and multihull yachts. This latest design perfectly encapsulates the studio’s vision to turn dreams into reality, and it is certainly one dream that will make a thrilling addition to the stellar Royal Huisman fleet.

Apex 850 features a towering rig of 102m, and this ambitious fully resolved concept aims to redefine the notions of on-board luxury and sailing experience. A sleek, elongated hull adds graceful elegance to this dominating superyacht, with a gentle sheer and a reverse bow which allows her to lay like a feather on the water. The design is ready to commerce build, and is sure to inspire a future owner, who will benefit from two years of saved development time.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the design is an all-glass superstructure, which includes a pivotal 200sqm single-level social space. The use of glass brings guests closer to their surrounding environment, while the styling stays true to an ethos of minimalism throughout. This minimalism is enhanced by white glass, and virtually see-through exterior panels are an intriguing structural component.

Apex 850 is undoubtedly an incredibly voluminous superyacht, and the use of onboard guest spaces makes her an exciting prospect for all demographics of owners. Al fresco dining facilities are available between the helm and full-beam superstructure doors to ensure guests can always enjoy the outdoor experience, while an expansive main salon offers 360-degree panoramic views to inspire a connection with the sea. This connection if furthered in the forward-facing guest cockpit, which focuses eyes on the horizon.

There is plenty of opulent accommodation for guests onboard, with room for 12 in five sublime suites, including a 250sqm aft owner’s apartment. The luxurious owner’s apartment encompasses a stateroom with a private lounge, walk-in wardrobe and spacious ensuite bathroom with sauna. The stateroom also leads out onto the beach club, which can be converted into a cinema room with floor-to-ceiling glass on either side. This is a truly unique use of aft deck spaces, perfect for private use by the owner or shared with guests. The aft deck also includes a swing-out deck with a large 50sqm swim, gym and social area.

Guests onboard Apex 850 are certainly not short of onboard activities to enjoy while cruising around the world. Further amenities include a wine cave, large guest lobby, dedicated scuba diving store and side swim platforms from the midships lazarette.

Commenting on his latest groundbreaking design, Malcolm McKeon said: “When working at these scales, comfort and performance need never be compromised. Our evolution of the APEX 850 has allowed us to look beyond finding an ‘acceptable balance’ to focus, instead, on a heightened and indeed optimised partnership between each of these integral aspects of the concept.”

The Apex 850 concept has been designed with an innovative diesel-electric propulsion system, along with energy management technologies which optimise energy efficient and minimise environmental impact, adding to her future-proof value. Under sail, Apex 850 is forecasted to easily achieve 20 knots.  

The unprecedented luxury and sailing prowess of Apex 850 guarantees swashbuckling adventures for a future owner, and we hope to see this dream turned into reality.

"When working at these scales, comfort and performance need never be compromised." Malcolm McKeon

"When working at these scales, comfort and performance need never be compromised."

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Royal Huisman To Build Project 410, The World’s Largest Sloop

Anyone familiar with the superyacht industry is accustomed to grand descriptions of the exceptional nature of new projects. So, when a project of such a revolutionary nature as this sloop comes along, it is a challenge to find fresh words to truly illustrate the vision and ambition behind it. We will simply let the story of Royal Huisman ’s Project 410 speak for itself.

A challenging and inspiring brief

As a very experienced owner, the client sought to create a leading-edge project that would be head-turning, arresting and iconic. And yet … it should provide all the safety features, comforts, and luxury of a mega yacht.   Frers Design and Wetzels Brown teamed up to present the concept that was selected by the owner to meet this challenging brief. Mani Frers created an innovative sloop with a revolutionary combination of naval architecture, clever use of space and structures and stunning exterior design, while Gill Brown’s thrilling and unique interiors almost literally transport her guests into a New World. After an intense year of development, the designs are finalized and the exciting preparations for the construction process begin.

Project 410 will be a true sailor’s yacht, ready to sail in a matter of minutes and capable of sailing very fast, in comfort, to make the most of that long waterline – better equipped to explore the world. She will be exciting to sail, even in light airs, with an impressive ability to build and increase apparent wind speed.

This is an Eco-friendly project, too, aiming for structural recyclability and incorporating green energy, quiet operation, and silent mode sailing. Wherever possible, the yacht should employ recycled materials or simple, low-impact materials crafted to create exceptional effects. Wherever the technology permits – or can be adapted to permit – RH410 will be future-proofed.

Project 410, energy efficiency and sustainability

The sustainability objective will be met in a variety of ways. The innovative technology Royal Huisman will use on Project 410 qualifies for the new Lloyd’s “Hybrid Power” certificate as the yacht will be capable of regenerating energy during sailing. A huge 2-megawatt battery bank facilitates silent and fumeless propulsion and ensures ultimate comfort with maximum redundancy and sustainability.

The board system set-up to deliver the above may be considered a challenge by some in the superyacht sector, but Royal Huisman has proven and evolved these systems for over 14 years since its launch of sailing yacht Ethereal in 2008, the world’s first hybrid superyacht.

In summary, here is a sailing yacht that is a much lighter alternative to large motor yachts – greener, and faster, even at low wind speeds. At 85m / 280ft, she will also be the world’s largest sloop. The massive carbon mast, boom and integrated sailing system will be designed and produced by Royal Huisman’s sister company, Rondal. Project 410 will be constructed in aluminum at Royal Huisman’s newbuild facilities in Vollenhove.

Judging by the audience’s response to an exclusive unveiling at the start of the St. Barths Bucket Regatta 2022, Project 410 is set to become a very much-talked-about yacht.

Royal Huisman CCO Peter Naeyé concludes: “ It is an extraordinary honor to be entrusted with a project of such scale, ambition, and technical sophistication. This unique Project 410 perfectly reflects ‘who we are and what we do’ at Royal Huisman. A true performance superyacht with supersized dimensions, and full of technical innovations. This project is already iconic in every aspect and will be built by the finest craftsmen in the world in full collaboration with her talented designers. We’re all going to enjoy the realisation of bespoke excellence embraced with ’New World’ technology. ”

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By SuperyachtNews 23 Sep 2020

The world’s largest sloop

The apex 850 concept has been developed in partnership with royal huisman and malcolm mckeon….

APEX 850 is the newest concept from Royal Huisman in partnership with designer Malcolm McKeon. At 85m long and with a 107m mast, if built, APEX 850 would become the largest sloop in existence. Notably, great care has been taken to focus on performance, as well as aesthetics, which is rare for a sailing yacht of this size.

“It will be the largest sloop in the world with a 107m mast. [She has] a minimalist superstructure and floor to ceiling glass in the owner’s accommodation to give you that ultimate experience of connection to the outside world, which on a boat of this size has never been done before,” explains McKeon. “There has been a lot of emphasis on the performance of this boat, which is not something that is normally on a boat of this size and displacement…the boat will actually handle and feel like a much smaller boat.”

Unlike many large concepts, APEX 850 has not been designed as a merely aesthetic concept, she has actually been fully resolved in terms of design, naval architecture and engineering, all bar the specific styling requirements of a particular individual, making her a viable option for potential buyers. Furthermore, according to Royal Huisman, if commissioned APEX 850 would have an extremely attractive delivery date for a project of its size and complexity.

“Two of the world’s ten largest sailing yachts, Athena and Sea Eagle II, are Royal Huisman builds and APEX 850 would make a fitting third, easily becoming the largest member of the circle. Every Royal Huisman yacht benefits from research, innovations and challenges our previous builds, ensuring this would be the finest yet,” comments Jan Timmerman, CEO of Royal Huisman.

On deck, an all-glass minimalistic superstructure is central and houses a 200sqm single-level social space. In fact, minimalism is clearly the project’s entire design ethos and thus many of its aesthetics stylings are designed not only to support that minimalism but also to enhance it. According to McKeon, continuous glass sides provide virtually see-through exterior panels, while also acting as a principal structural component.

There is an al fresco dining area between the helm and the full-beam superstructure doors and the main saloon has 360-degree views. Two eight-metre tenders are held beneath the flush deck, along with their deployment crane, and without winches, furlers, mooring cleats, anchor gear of other deck equipment insight, all of which are sited or retracted below deck.

APEX 850 has accommodation for 12 guests across five suites. The owner’s apartment is positioned aft and occupies some 250sqm of space, as well as opening up directly onto the beach club, which doubles as a cinema room. This aft space can be reserved for exclusive use by the owner or be shared with guests.

The four guest suites, each 30sqm, have versatile twin or double configurations and additional Pullman berths. The APEX 850 has accommodation for a crew of 14. Other amenities include a wine cave, a large guest lobby, dedicated diving storage and access to the side swim platforms for the midships lazarette.

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The world’s biggest yachts – what’s behind the growth of the gigayacht

• Helen Fretter
• March 14, 2017

The last few years have seen launches of some of the world's largest yachts, truly gigayachts. Helen Fretter delves into the world of the gigayacht

Dwarfing not only any other yacht that happened to be on the River Eider, but even the buildings along the foreshore, the monolithic Sailing Yacht A made quite an impression when she was launched from the Nobriskrug yard in Hamburg in the autumn of 2016.

The 142m, eight-deck behemoth is the archetypal ‘gigayacht’, phenomenal not just in her dimensions but also in her radicalism.

The Philippe Starck-designed Sailing Yacht A , with her 20m freeboard, begs the question: is she even a sailing yacht? The last yacht to divide opinion, and attract the shock and awe of the non-sailing public in the same manner was Maltese Falcon , the glossy, experimental megayacht designed for Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tom Perkins.

But the Falcon was launched a decade ago, and Sailing Yacht A is just one of a crop of extraordinary gigayachts, or sailing superyachts of 80, 90 or 100m plus, to touch the water in 2016.

Besides the 142m Sailing Yacht A , another three-masted design was launched from OceanCo this autumn, the 106m  Black Pearl , which looks set to become the largest sailing yacht in the world – for a while at least. Black Pearl represents a modern evolution of the rotating Dynarig pioneered by Maltese Falcon . Meanwhile in the spring, the largest Bermudan rigged yacht ever launched, the 86m ketch Aquijo , powered through sail trials in preparation for a global adventure.

There are more in the pipeline also. Royal Huisman announced this autumn that they had been commissioned to design and build the 86m Project 400 , another three masted design, this one more conventionally rigged. A proposal for the 114m Endurance has just been unveiled, an explorer concept designed to be able to cruise unassisted for three months. There is also the 86m Komorebi , an experimental wingsail-assisted hybrid trimaran design from the French multihull experts VPLP.

Rise and rise of the gigayacht

Why the sudden flurry of these stratospherically ambitious projects? In truth, it is not that sudden – initial pitches for what ultimately became Sailing Yacht A were invited back in 2008, and pre-studies began in 2011. A decade between projects seems rather shorter when design and build takes at least five years – gigayacht owners may be exacting, but they also have to be extraordinarily patient.

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony is currently in build out of wood in Turkey, and includes vast living accommodation, and a swimming pool that converts to become a helipad platform.

What is remarkable, though, is how rapidly the yachts have grown in size – raising the upper ceiling from 88 to over 140m in a decade. Dutch naval architecture firm Dykstra has been instrumental in many of the world’s most innovative megayachts, including Sailing Yacht A , Black Pearl , and Maltese Falcon .

Managing director Thys Nikkels comments, “Ten years ago a big boat was a very different size than a big boat is now. I can still remember when I started working in ’91 a 40-metre yacht in those days was a big boat. In the mid-90s we started to design the yacht Athena , which we thought was the biggest boat we were ever going to see in our lives, as a sailing yacht she was 80 metres on the water.”

The largest single sloop rigged yacht in the world remains Mirabella V , launched back in 2003 and since renamed (and slightly lengthened during a refit) M5 at just over 77m. Rob Doyle, who worked on the project led by Ron Holland, recalls:

“We started designing her 17 years ago now. We hit a very natural sweet spot with Mirabella and that’s why it has taken so long for other boats to suddenly go over her length and over her rig height.

“ Mirabella still has the highest ‘P’ measurement [distance from boom to top of mast] and the longest boom in the world, though there are taller masts now.

“She set a bar and we didn’t realise we’d actually set it. It came down to a ratio of the rig weight to the draught and the keel weights, and everything else to be able to carry that amount of sail and that ballast to satisfy the rules.

“We pushed technology a lot – about 16 companies went bust over Mirabella  because the jump was so massive. We were jumping from a 64m to a 75m [yacht] and that jump was like learning to fly, then going to the moon!”

Article continues below

Video of Sailing Yacht A, the world’s largest sail-assisted vessel, during early sea trials

This video footage of Sailing Yacht A shows her with her towering free-standing masts and illustrates the jaw-dropping scale of the world’s…

A look on board the extraordinary 86m Aquijo, the world’s largest ketch

The largest Bermudan rigged ketch ever launched, the 86m Aquijo was designed by Bill Tripp and launched last year. The build came…

Ken Freivokh, who was responsible for the radical styling of Maltese Falcon , also points out that after the much publicised launch of the Falcon many buyers did not want to be seen to be emulating Tom Perkins’s unique style, preferring to wait, or opt for a conservative design. After the Falcon , Freivokh’s next radical Dynarig yacht was Black Pearl , which he began work on six years ago. At 106m Black Pearl dwarfs Maltese Falcon , with a 2,700GT volume that puts her just under the key 3,000GT limit.

Surprisingly, Dykstra’s Thys Nikkels says that the Dynarigs being built today are not markedly different to the one developed for Maltese Falcon a decade ago. “In concept it is not very different. In detail there are a number of improvements that have been made.

But Maltese Falcon was – for her time – years far ahead and she proved to be very successful in sail handling and sailing, so there are not many improvements to be done. Nowadays you just have different materials you can use, or different electronics and software systems that you can use for control.”

Maltese Falcon, launched in 2006, pioneered the Dynarig concept utilised on many of the next generation of larger gigayachts.

Sail handling

Meanwhile a decade of development in superyacht rigs and sail systems, means that Aquijo ’s owner could opt for a conventional ketch rig, which can deploy over 3,000m2 of sails in around six minutes.

Sail handling routines are necessarily different – the jib is furled when tacking. “Vitters organised a nice system that keeps just a nice amount of tension on the jib sheets furling in and out so that they are not flailing about,” explains Aquijo ’s designer, Bill Tripp. “So it’s not a dinghy tack, but it is safe and orderly.

“The spinnaker is on a fast furler and furls up in 30 seconds, making gybes less complex. There is the ketch choreography of bringing the main and mizzen in, but the steering is precise and there is no need to put too much sail up for the conditions.”

Aquijo master cabin

The forces generated on yachts such as Aquijo may be enormous – mast compression can reach around 580 tons – but are no longer beyond the realms of riggers’ experience. “When we started building boats like Saudade [the 2009 45m Wally], 14 tonnes was a very big load. Once we understood racing these boats, and understood they were controllable, you can take another step.

“We were delighted when sailing Aquijo upwind in a lot of breeze that the load on the mainsheet was showing around 12 tonnes. It’s 2:1 so that’s 24 tonnes. I’m not saying that’s not a massive load, but it’s similar to what we have on Saudade ’s big sheet 1:1, and we have years of experience with handling that.” Custom built 40 ton carbon and alloy winches help manage the sheet loads.

Tripp notes that a Dynarig was never considered as an option. “What you’re really asking is do you want the ease of sailing or do you want to be able to access something exciting? And we wanted both of them.

“Sailors tend to like the more fundamental experiences, and when the technology allows them to access those more fundamental experiences, well that’s a great joy.”

Aquijo is the world’s largest ketch, with a mainsail that can be furled or unfurled in around four seconds

Finding the limit

Just how big can a sailing yacht go? Five years ago plans were unveiled for a 101m sloop, with a single 125m carbon mast, which raised a few eyebrows and discussions over whether it might be possible. Malcolm McKeon worked on the proposal and says that it was the cost, rather than technical limitations, which put the brakes on the project.

“It was an evolving process. The owner has a 50m-plus sailing superyacht, and he wanted a new yacht big enough that he could put a reasonably sized chase boat on board. He wanted an explorer type sailboat that he could go to the Pacific on, and carry all his toys with him, and not have to have a support boat.

“The design started at 65 or 70m and it just grew and grew and grew until it got to 100m, and then it basically just got too expensive.

Recent sail trials on Sailing Yacht A saw the 1,464m2 mainsail unfurled from the 27.5m carbon U-shaped boom. Incredibly she is designed to heel up to a maximum angle of 12 degrees under full sail.

“The big problem with the large sail boats is the mast price goes up by a bigger proportion to everything else so the rig price becomes a much bigger percentage of the overall build. Technically it can all be done, it’s just the value of that part becomes a much more significant part and sometimes more difficult for an owner to accept.

“If somebody came to me and said they wanted to build a boat with a 200m mast I would think well, is that really possible? Certainly rigs up to 100m and a bit more I think are possible today, but where we’re going to go after that I don’t know.”

Rob Doyle points out that sailing superyacht owners pay around a 30 per cent premium over opting for a motoryacht, yet the boats lose around a third of the equivalent interior volume. However, for him the biggest limitations are the humans onboard.

“I think we are coming to a stage where we need a new type of rig, to be honest, to be able to safely deploy these sails without killing people. I think we are getting very close to where the metal meets the flesh at the deck level where the people and the guests are hanging around.”

With the ever-increasing winch and line speeds needed to handle the huge loads, serious hand and limb injuries can happen in the blink of an eye. “There is a moral hazard there that keeps playing on my mind,” says Doyle. “We are building very dangerous machines and we have to be very careful of people.”

The newly announced Endurance concept design is a 114m four-masted explorer design with a 6,000 mile range under power.

More prosaically, the bigger your gigayacht, the bigger the challenge of just getting on and off it. “Once you are getting to a stage where you can’t get into anchorages you are in constant fear of drifting – even putting down an anchor you need a huge amount of space around you.

“So then you anchor further out into the slop and the big waves, so the owners find it difficult to get on and off the boat, and suddenly other problems can overwhelm the project,” Doyle points out. One increasingly popular solution to that particular problem is a luxury landing craft.

Too big for the Panama Canal

It might seem counter-intuitive, but it is Aquijo ’s owner’s focus on the sailing experience that has enabled the designers of the 86m ketch to push the size limits of a traditionally rigged yacht.

“ Aquijo is a sophisticated machine and brings most aspects of a 1,600GT motor yacht with her,” comments designer Bill Tripp. “But she does not aspire to helicopters or submarines, the feeling of the boat is one of use. She is for getting out there, and for going out sailing. In Greece this summer, she would go out for an afternoon of sailing in 35 knot Meltemi because it is so much fun to sail at 20 knots, as if on rails.

“We have always done sailboats that can get under the Panama Canal bridge, and the biggest we were happy to do and put under the bridge was really 46m because after that we didn’t have big enough sails for the boat.

“Then five years ago we launched A Better Place , and the owner said ‘I’ll go around, I don’t want to limit my boat because of the bridges.’ With Aquijo they said, we want to go to these places anyway, so let’s get the best sailboat we can. So suddenly, instead of having this 63m limit on the rig, that all opened up and we could start doing a sailing boat that had a gross tonnage like some of the bigger motoryachts.

“I think we’re going to see more of that. You can look at the Strait of Magellan [an alternative route to rounding Cape Horn ], as a place that’s a really long way away or a place you really want to go.”

The three-masted Black Pearl  has an angular ‘Pacman’ bow with a wave-piercing reverse sheer lower section, and extended traditional foredeck above

The wish list

Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko is keeping his Sailing Yacht A tightly wrapped under non-disclosure agreements, but a few intriguing details have been released, including magnifying windows which appear larger inside than outside, and a gimballed crow’s nest, accessible by lift, 60m high in the curved mast.

An observation pod embedded in the keel with foot-thick glass gives a mesmerising – and frankly terrifying-sounding – view of the propellers, and there’s a three-man submarine.

Gigayacht designers have come up with some imaginative solutions to meet owners’ foibles and demands. Drawings for the 101m sloop incorporated an entirely retractable hardtop to the flybridge to give the owner his requested uninterrupted view of the sails and sky.

Plans for the Japanese-influenced Komorebi design feature a live tree on the aft deck. Watersports toys are old news – now tender garages are specified to house motorbikes, amphibious quad bikes, even custom-built marinised supercars.

On Aquijo , the headline feature is the ‘beach club’ on the lower deck. “For a sailing boat it is a huge area, they have a sauna, hamman [Turkish Bath], a rainfall shower, a relaxing area, this huge whirlpool in the middle, a little pantry, and enough space for gym equipment around the pool,” explains interior designer Robert Voges.

Beach club on Aquijo.

Voges says the trickiest element on the yacht was the flawless high shine steel mast claddings which run through the interior. “It is like a piece of art. The mast was going through the main saloon and guest corridor, and we didn’t want to hide it. So we decided to make a feature out of it with seamless stainless steel cladding with integrated LED strip lights from top to bottom over two decks.”

One of the most radical projects in progress is the 141m Dream Symphony , a four-masted design currently in build in Turkey. Originally slated for launch this year, the project is progressing slowly – in part due to the fact the yacht is constructed of wood. Her design includes a large aft deck swimming pool that transforms into a raised helipad area.

This is the type of concept which seemed fantastical just a few years ago, but is now reality in the motoryachts world where designs like the 81m Alfa Nero have deployed it successfully.

“It’s a good solution because you usually have to drop down all the stanchions and any elements that are higher than the helipad itself, whereas if you lift the helipad you don’t have to lower the other elements,” explains Dream Symphony designer Ken Freivokh.

The 141m four-masted Dream Symphony

“The brief did not call for a resident helicopter that would have its own hanger – it’s just a ‘touch and go’. You don’t want to set aside space for a helicopter permanently that’s almost never there, so if you have a reasonably sized swimming pool why not use the base of a pool to just receive the helicopter, and then once the helicopter flies away you can put it back to normal operations?” Why not indeed?

No matter how grandiose your ideas, however, not even the vast volumes of a gigayacht can be entirely filled with art galleries and Reiki studios. Robert Voges explains that, like any other ship, “We have to start with all the emergency exits, the corridors, staircases . . . and from there we can work with the other areas which are left over.”

Ken Freivokh estimates that at least 20 per cent of the interior space has to be allocated to the back-of-house systems required to maintain the equivalent of a small hotel – air conditioning, waste, media, and other unglamorous elements behind the touch-screen luxury.

Edge of reason

At 12,700 GT, Sailing Yacht A has the vastest volume of all. But can she be called a sailing yacht? She carries three of the world’s largest carbon rigs – curved, unstayed, capable of rotating a maximum of 70 degrees – featuring in-boom furling that can deploy 3,747 square metres of sail area (67 per cent more than Maltese Falcon ) from a finger tip command. And yet she cannot help but look implausible.

The hull has a maximum beam of 24.8m and includes 24 shell doors.

No matter how innovative the technology on board, or how vast the expense, the elements will not bend to the will of man or millionaire. Various estimates have put her cost at $400-500million, or in the region of £320 to £400 million – to put those sort of figures in context, the bill for the London Olympics Aquatics centre came in at under £300m.

Sailing Yacht A will be ‘sail-assisted’, not wind-powered. Confounding, aggressive in her styling, she’s a yacht that has attracted scathing opinions as often as wide-eyed wonder. But what is the point of creating a gigayacht that doesn’t?

“It is a creative process with the owner,” comments Aquijo ’s designer Bill Tripp, “They have this idea that they can make something that speaks to them. They don’t write symphonies, and they’re not great painters or sculptors, but on the other hand money is vital energy, and they can create these things that wouldn’t exist otherwise.

“It’s great when someone says, ‘Life’s short, I’m just going to do this.’”

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The largest yachts competing in the St Barths Bucket 2024

The St Barths Bucket 2024 is fast approaching, with the yachts competing for the coveted regatta title now confirmed. For the first time in its nearly 30-year history, several superyachts have also registered as non-competing "social entrants" . This includes the iconic 88-metre Maltese Falcon and the 33.5-metre Mousetrap , which has stirred further excitement for this year's competition. BOAT takes a closer look at those vying for the top spot...

Builder : Vosper Thornycroft Year : 2004

Top of the list is M5 (ex Mirabella ), the world's largest single-masted sailing yacht. Her top speed is 16 knots, though owner Rod Lewis has said 22 knots is his fastest, at which point it feels like "flying on the water". Her exterior is owed to Ron Holland Design , whilst a 2019 refit saw RWD step up and refurbish her interiors – including a bar top made from ancient Egyptian red jasper.

Hetairos – 66.9m

Builder : Baltic Yachts Year : 2011

Two-time St Barths Bucket champion (and World Superyacht Awards finalist) Hetairos will also be competing this year. Dykstra Naval Architects were part of an international team of experts in charge of the design, which features a carbon composite hull, a lifting rudder and nearly 3,000 square metres of sails. She was most recently refitted in 2014, overseen by Vitters .

Maximus – 59m

Builder : Vitters Year : 2023

Maximus is the newest competitor on the list, having been delivered in December last year . She is now the third-largest Vitters built after the 85.9-metre Aquijo and 66-metre Anatta . Described as a "wolf in sheep's clothing", the performance cruiser has naval architecture by Germán Frers and benefits from twin rudders and a lifting keel with a minimum draught of five metres.

Aquarius – 56m

Builder : Royal Huisman Year : 2018

Aquarius was delivered to an "exceptionally clear" owner's brief – they wanted a yacht as well suited to Bucket regatta racing as to round-the-world family cruising. Her clean, "relaxed" interiors were handled by Mark Whiteley Design and inspired by the shipyard's earlier 51.6-metre build Meteor . Aquarius  also has capacity for a 6.2 metre jet drive tender and an Aero sailing boat.

Melek – 56m

Builder : Perini Navi Year : 2010

A number of innovations separate Melek from her sisterships. The yacht features a foredeck with a built-in hydraulic tender garage and an aerodynamic superstructure optimised for better navigation performance. The yacht is sure to turn heads in St Barths this year, owing to her grey-chrome exterior by Ron Holland Design. Leisure highlights include a Jacuzzi spa tub on the flybridge and a collection of sunloungers.

Panthalassea – 56m

Panthalassea has something to prove this Bucket. She recently underwent a refit that has brought her back to her "original racing potential" and is now ready for her "second wind" on the regatta course, according to Amsterdam Yacht Service. Exteriors are by Ron Holland, whilst an "extraordinarily light and airy interior" has been created by Norman Foster & Partners , with 12 guests able to sleep across the sailer's flexible accommodation.

Rosehearty – 56m

Builder : Perini Navi Year : 2006

With several trophies to her name, including the winning title at the 2017 St Barths Bucket, Rosehearty will be looking to replicate her success this year. Some 1,560 square metres of sail area ensure nimble performance and a 2020 refit has left her ready to catch attention on the racing circuit. Rosehearty was delivered as Audace in 2007 and went on to win the Voyager's Award at the BOAT International World Superyacht Awards in 2019.

Adela – 55.1m

Builder : Pendennis Year : 1995

Originally launched in 1903 (and fully rebuilt in the 90s), Adela is a veteran competitor designed by Dykstra Naval Architects . She has enjoyed numerous refits at the Pendennis shipyard over the years. Custom-made blocks and winches, concealed state-of-the-art communications and a modern climate control system all provide the comfort and convenience one would expect on a modern superyacht.

Red Dragon – 51.7m

Builder : Alloy Yachts Year : 2008

Red Dragon is another fast cruising sloop designed by Dubois, who also completed the naval architecture. She's fitted with a 62.5-metre high modulus carbon fibre main mast, rig and boom, as well as custom winches by Alloy Yachts. The yacht represents the culmination of experience gained by the owner aboard his previous Red Dragon, a smaller sloop built by Vitters.

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• MaineBoats Blog

World's largest sloop sails the Maine coast

Thursday, september 13th 2018.

A sailboat reputed to be the largest single-masted yacht in the world was spotted recently cruising along the Maine coast, making stops in Portland and off Camden, where it was too big to fit into the harbor.

The 277-foot boat was designed by Ron Holland and built in 2004 in England at the Vosper Thornycroft yard for Joseph Vittoria, the former chairman and CEO of the Avis Rental Car Company. He named it Mirabella V (it has since beeen renamed M5) and chartered it out for $420,000 a week, according to an interview Vittoria gave to the Greenwich (Ct) Times in 2010.

Vittoria sold the boat in 2012, and according to the website Superyacht Fan, the new owner was Texas-based oil and gas billionaire Rodney Lewis.

M5’s mast is almost 300 feet tall and the boat has a beam of over 49 feet. The boat has a lifting keel and draws 33.5 feet with it down and 12.5 feet with it up. The sail area is a whopping 25,670 square feet with just the main and a working jib. Vittoria told the Greenwich Times that the boat was capable of sailing at 20 knots in a stiff breeze, but other reports place the top speed at 12 knots. According to BoatInternational.com, M5 is the largest single-masted sailing yacht in the world.

The vessel has a master suite and six additional cabins, and requires a crew of more than a dozen. It has room to carry Lasers, jet skis, and a 29-foot tender to carry passengers to and from the shore.

When M5 anchored off Camden, its mast could be seen towering over Curtis Island. Schooners sailing past looked like small rowboats in comparison to the massive yacht. According to the marine tracking app MarinTraffic.com, the vessel sailed to Portland from Newport, Rhode Island, to Boothbay and then to Camden.

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Robb Report

8 Fascinating Facts About ‘Kokomo,' the Lightning-Fast 192-Foot Sailing Superyacht

Posted: March 15, 2024 | Last updated: March 15, 2024

2.-SY-Kokomo_Sailing_1-064

The 192-foot Kokomo was the second largest sloop in the world when it launched from New Zealand’s Alloy Yachts shipyard in 2010. It remains the largest fast-cruising sloop available for charter. The yacht’s commissioning owner Lang Walker (who died in January 2024) was a seasoned sailor who gave all three of his yachts the same name.

The first was a 131-foot sloop, which Walker replaced five years later with a 171-footer. The same day he took delivery of his 171-foot sloop, he placed an order for the third and final 192-foot Kokomo, which he planned to use for racing and cruising around the world. He also kept the same design team for all three yachts, with exterior and naval architecture by Ed Dubois and interior by UK’s RWD.

The reference to the yacht’s name has had different explanations over the years, ranging from the pseudonym of a composer whose music Walker played as a child to a nod to the Beach Boys’s song from their 1988 album Still Cruisin’, which references a fictional utopian island called Kokomo. The island fantasy was brought to life in 2011 when Walker acquired a private island in Fiji’s Great Astrolabe Reef and named it Kokomo.

Here are eight unknown facts about one of the most game-changing sailing yachts on the water.

You’re Going to Need a Bigger Boom

When Kokomo was launched, she was the second-largest sloop in the world and carried the largest set of sails made by Doyle Sails in New Zealand. The 23,971-square-foot asymmetric spinnaker is half the size of a professional football field, while the 9,688-square-foot mainsail needs a crane to lift it. Because of the gargantuan size of the sails, the designers entered a new era of spar and winch design, having to “reinvent” the deck equipment—winches, mast, boom, rigging and sails—to cope with the 31.6-ton load on the genoa sheet and 32-ton load on the main sheet clew. The 244-foot carbon mast is the largest ever made by Southern Spars.

A Hidden Lifting Keel

The yacht’s 130-ton lifting keel is one of its most impressive features, though it’s largely left to the imagination. The interior layout is carefully designed so that the keel structure remains hidden. Dubois Naval Architects positioned the keel box to come above the main deck, serving as a partial separation between the bridge and the main salon (see inset). Kokomo was only the second yacht to be fitted with a lifting a keel, the first being 246-foot M5 (ex-Mirabella V), the world’s largest single-masted sailing yacht. This innovative design shortens Kokomo’s 28.5-foot draft when the keel is fully extended, to just 15 feet for shallow waters.

Now You See It, Now You Don’t

Kokomo might be big on technology, but never at the expense of design. The wheelhouse has fold-down computer screens that conceal the navigation equipment when not in use, converting to beautiful carbon counter tops. This design sleight of hand transforms a highly technical area into a tony lounge. It’s a theme that extends to the foredeck, where the yacht’s two tenders are concealed in dedicated lockers. There’s also a fully retractable tender crane that launches the tenders from either side of the boat but disappears out of sight when guests are using the Jacuzzi. “The designated deck lockers were an advanced feature at the time of her launch,” says Wynne, adding that another bonus is that diesel tanks are fully available. “The tenders can be fueled onboard before launching.”

It Takes Just A Few Good Sailors

Kokomo can accommodate up to 10 crew in total, but theoretically it only takes two to sail—a helm person and a sail trimmer. That sounds almost impossible given the size and complexity of yacht. But all sails are controlled by joystick on the flybridge. And when the boat is in full-on racing mode, there are control stations on both sides, providing visibility of the sails. Thanks to the hydraulics system, the mainsail can be hoisted and lowered on a wireless remote control. Of course, maneuvers like stowing the massive genoa can never be automated. That’s a job for a half-dozen good sailors.

Art On Board

The hallway that leads to the owner’s cabin is lined with a mosaic tapestry made from sea glass woven together with wire. Backlit to create an unusual effect, it’s just one of the eclectic works of art that decorates the interior. The main salon also has a stunning and colorful work of glass art as another example.

Interior Matters

Kokomo is not all tech features. The yacht’s modern interiors combine dark wood floors and calming cream furnishings start in the main salon and continue across the five guest cabins. Penned by British studio Redman Whiteley Dixon, the design carefully wraps around the lifting keel without sacrificing or impeding on any interior guest space. The yacht accommodates up to 10 guests in a master suite, VIP, one double cabin and two twins. There are other accommodations for up to 10 crew. On the foredeck, the Jacuzzi brings another element of outdoor entertainment, bolstered by a sunken cockpit.

World Traveler

The mandate issued by Walker was to create a yacht that was a “quantum leap forward” from his previous yachts, with superior sailing characteristics and guest comfort. The mast’s height is too tall to sail through the Panama or Suez Canals, which meant it would have to be designed to sail around Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope to reach the Caribbean and Mediterranean. The maiden voyage took the yacht from the New Zealand shipyard to Australia, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji. It also spent time at Walker’s private island (pictured above), also named Kokomo. The vessel has since spent many years exploring the Caribbean and Med. It’s based in both regions during the respective cruising seasons, with charters available through Cecil Wright.

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