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Boat of the Week: Meet ‘Perseverance,’ One of the Most Sustainable Sailing Superyachts on the Water

The new 117-footer from baltic yachts ticks all the boxes for classic good looks, too., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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Standing out from the crowd with a metallic-bronze hull, the neo-classic fast cruising cutter was commissioned by an experienced owner who returned to Dykstra Naval Architects following the success of his previous yacht, a Dykstra 60. This time, he wanted to undertake longer passages in comfort but without compromising on speed.

The owner chartered a collection of sailing yachts to iron out his wish list, including a larger yacht with excellent sailing characteristics, ease of maintenance and power-saving systems. With 65 feet of extra length, Perseverance delivers. Plus it has a luxurious interior by deVosdeVries Design and a double cockpit deck layout. The yacht is also equipped with a high-aspect rudder and lifting keel to enhance sailing capabilities. “The goal for the owner was to have a classic sloop with clean deck equipment to make it easy to handle when sailing,” Tommy Johansson, project manager at Baltic Yachts , told Robb Report during a tour of the boat. “So, the yacht can set and furl its sails via push buttons for easy short-handed cruising.”

Perseverance bears many of the traditional hallmarks for which Dykstra is known, including a straight stem, distinctive deep bulwarks and truncated counter. Its deck house, skinned in teak, has individual rectangular windows that provide classic appeal. Like the timber caprail, the wood is treated with oil rather than varnish to reduce maintenance and steer away from a high-gloss finish. The center cockpit—one of the owner’s favorite places on board—is shaded by a mini hardtop that can be lowered to protect the seating and dining area against salt spray when not in use. Inside, light-gray oak, maple and leather-stitched details create a gentleman’s club-meets-industrial-chic ambience. Subtle LED lighting gives a modern touch. The main salon is light and airy, with high ceilings that provide decent headroom and knurled hardware in a dark-matte vintage patina.

Perseverance sleeps eight guests in four cabins, comprising a master suite, one VIP cabin and two twins. They are all fitted with sensors that monitor the interior temperature based on guest occupancy. When not in use, the temperature automatically adjusts to save on energy.

The yacht has cruised extensively since her delivery last year, already clocking 10,000 nautical miles at an average speed of 20 knots. Building a yacht with sustainable credentials was a key prerequisite for the owner. Perseverance ’s diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system can regenerate 20 to 25 kilowatts while under way at 12 to 14 knots, recharging the batteries in 4.5 hours, which then provide up to nine hours of silent running at anchor.

“It means the yacht can head out for a day’s sailing and return to the marina without using its engines,” says Johansson. “In fact, the owner has done that already, enjoying nine hours of silent cruising with only the batteries powering the hotel load.”

Perseverance is now in the Caribbean, with the owner making the most of his easy sailer by spending as much time at the wheel as possible.

Check out more photos of Perseverance here .

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Behind the Scenes of 34m foil-assisted Baltic 111 Raven

When her owner commissioned this Baltic 111 Custom foil-assisted superyacht, weight control was paramount. Baltic Yachts was selected for its forensic approach to lightweight advanced composite construction and unique ability to combine it with an unmatched custom finish. Baltic Yachts has successfully moved the Baltic 111 Raven from her building facility at the company’s waterside premises in Jakobstad, Finland to reveal one of the most extreme yachts it has ever built.

Broadly described as a 111ft foil-assisted, ultra-lightweight superyacht, she will be used primarily for day sailing, but also undertake high-speed, long-distance passages. Not easy to categorise, this extraordinary yacht can be placed firmly in a class of her own.

Baltic Yachts was chosen to meet this challenge because of its unmatched reputation for building advanced composite superyachts to the very highest standards, including its forensic examination of systems and components throughout the build process. Add to that the company’s ability to finish yachts to a level of luxury second to none and the decision to build in Jakobstad was straightforward.

Baltic 111 Raven’s experienced owner’s project manager, Garth Brewer of A2B Marine Projects, said: “ Raven doesn’t fall easily into a category, but if I had to place her, I’d say she’s the equivalent of a high-end Super-car. The boat is primarily for pure enjoyment and the owner likes the challenge of doing something that hasn’t been done before. ”

“ He really understands the technical elements and this will be a development project which will require a measured approach,” added Brewer, who emphasised the need for incremental steps in Raven’s trials, building confidence and understanding over time as the boat reaches her peak performance .

Raven does, however, possess some distinctive features which provide more than a hint of how she might perform. They include two large T-shaped hydrofoils mounted on hydraulically controlled side-arms capable of supporting some of the boat’s displacement.

At her transom, Raven will be equipped with vertical Interceptor trim tabs to adjust fore and aft trim at speed and there is movable water ballast, carried in built-in tanks in the aft quarters to boost the righting moment required while sailing.

Designed to sail partly on her leeward chine, Baltic 111 Raven will derive her stability and lift, while sailing, from her foils, leaving her 9.3-ton fixed keel bulb and precision-engineered 5m long fin to provide basic stability. It’s also the location for a fully submerged intake for cooling water and is designed with a sacrificial zone to absorb impact in the event of a collision.

Ultra-lightweight interior of Baltic 111 Raven

Not only is Raven’s foil-assisted ability likely to deliver a phenomenal sailing performance, she is also the subject of a highly unusual study in ultra-lightweight interior design, combining the yacht’s complex all carbon construction with styling which pays homage to Baltic Yachts’ rigorous program of weight saving. Target displacement is 55 tons – just as a comparison, the recently launched, Baltic 110 Zemi displaces 95 tons.

Jarkko Jämsén, the Finnish concept designer who developed Raven with her owner and is responsible for the yacht’s styling, explained that they were keen to combine the need for weight saving with the opportunity to expose the remarkable carbon structure of the yacht to create a unique interior design aesthetic.

A key part of Baltic’s effort in the Raven project has been directed at weight saving and control. Apart from using the lightest possible carbon/Nomex combinations in the yacht’s main structures, every item, down to the last pipe clip, nut and bolt, has been assessed. The naval architects and structural engineers behind her are Botin Partners and PURE Design respectively, both at the leading edge of America’s Cup design.

“ This project undoubtedly represents one of the biggest challenges Baltic Yachts has ever embraced, ” said Baltic Yachts Executive Vice President, Henry Hawkins. “ But that is what we do – we have a long history of bringing leading edge innovation to the fore. We are surrounded and supported by a dedicated team who are led by Garth Brewer, who oversaw Visione’s construction here at Baltic 21 years ago and still keeps her on the pace. ”

Baltic 111 Raven: Experience to take on the challenge

Jarkko Jämsén emphasised the importance of choosing Baltic Yachts to build Raven. “ The company was selected because we believe it has the courage, experience and track record to take on the challenge. Calculating weight and Baltic’s well-known ability to hit displacement targets were critical. ”

For Sam Evans, project manager, and Mattias Svenlin, project co-ordinator for Raven, the challenge was to construct a superyacht much lighter than anything previously built by Baltic – yachts that were already considered light in the sphere of Superyachting. “ Mattias’ experience, creativity and flexibility, supported by a dedicated production team combined with Sam’s communication skills, have been key factors in the overall success of the build, ” added Garth Brewer.

“ This is another level entirely in terms of weight saving, ” said Mattias. To ensure as fair a hull finish as possible, a carbon mould was preferred to reduce excessive heat differences and thus distortion in the curing process. “ We re-assessed the hull coating schedule to reduce weight using light primers and filler instead of Ultra-Build to reach the acceptable industry standards – in effect coatings do the job of filler,” he said. Using this technique in a superyacht is unprecedented .”

Hull and deck construction use carbon IM fibre pre-preg, employing the highest quality fibres on the market, and a Kevlar honeycomb sandwich throughout.  The owner has accepted that sailing Baltic 111 Raven at speed will be noisy so the elimination of any attempt to sound deaden represents a huge weight saving. “ But we have created an interior finish with special surfaces affecting the acoustics to ‘soften’ the noise a little, ” said Mattias.  He pointed out, however, that all the adhesives suitable for bonding this material to bulkheads were compared for weight, the final choice resulting in a saving of 6kg. In terms of the Raven project that’s a big number.

100 grams off every bracket

Baltic Yachts has revisited all weight saving opportunities shaving 100 grams off every carbon pipe bracket, making carbon cable trays even lighter and switching out steel hydraulic pipework for lighter hosing which has saved 160kg. “ We’ve even reduced the weight of the shower door from 13.5kg per m² to just 2.3kg m², ” said Mattias.

Even as Raven neared completion, the Baltic build team were continuing to identify weight-saving opportunities including replacing the metal clips holding the lightweight carbon tubular accommodation framework in place. “Östen Sundelin, one of the team, reckoned we could 3D print them in a far lighter material so we went ahead and made that saving,” said Mattias. In-house 3D printing is increasingly used at Baltic to fashion custom items to save weight and optimize design, the complex titanium head of the yacht’s retractable propulsion system (RPS) mechanism being a case in point.

Lightweight interior design

Raven’s interior, conceptualized by Jarkko Jämsén, is unusually comprehensive for a high-performance superyacht of this type, but the use of ultra-lightweight rattan deck-heads and bulkhead finishes, exposed carbon and a lack of coatings help keep weight down along with Nomex cores in structural bulkheads. All the frameworks for the furniture, for example, are made from hollow carbon piping, its lightweight combining with a modern take on style guaranteed to turn heads.

The focal point of the accommodation is centered around the glazed sides of the large cockpit, dubbed the ‘bird’s nest’, which forms a type of inverted observation ‘dome’ allowing occupants to view the carbon-dominated accommodation. The glazing is in fact Perspex, which is considerably lighter than toughened glass, representing an overall saving of 250kg. It is reinforced with a criss-cross pattern of carbon mullions which gave it its bird’s nest description. Further weight saving is achieved by minimizing the amount of caulking between each pane and replacing some of it with a foam fillet.

On deck, attention is immediately drawn to the cockpit because, apart from its aforementioned aesthetics, it also converts to a semi-covered, hardtop-protected seating area. The forward section of the cockpit hinges up and aft in ‘clam-shell’ style to affect this unique conversion.

Perspex is also used in numerous deck prisms which still use a centuries-old design to efficiently illuminate the accommodation with natural light, but are vastly lighter by replacing bronze and glass with carbon and Perspex.

Spacious saloons are located fore and aft of the bird’s nest, the forward one laid out with a galley and dining areas and the aft space dedicated to the owner’s sleeping accommodation, with a large double centreline berth folding up against an interior bulkhead when the yacht is in performance mode. There’s also a passage berth or sea cabin to starboard.

It is not often one can describe a head and shower compartment as a work of art, but in the Baltic 111 Raven’s case numerous hydraulic rams mounted inside some of the complex carbon reinforcement, including the A frame taking the load of the deck stepped mast, have been exposed by inserting Perspex inspection covers. So, you can take a shower while watching the upper and lower deflector rams in action or the downhaul ram for the 7m long reaching strut, which is used to optimise headsail sheet leads!

Further weight saving has been achieved by modifying a custom bamboo seat in one of the shower/head compartments with carbon tubing made to look like bamboo, complete with its characteristic rings and a remarkably realistic painted finish.

The aft section of the yacht is largely empty, but forward there’s accommodation for four guests in two cabins and extensive crew accommodation including a captain’s cabin.

For propulsion and generating, the design team settled on a diesel-electric hybrid system for lower emissions and efficient weight distribution. It’s a solution Baltic Yachts has been perfecting for a number of years. A Swiss 130kW Phi-Power AG electric propulsion motor is located just aft of amidships and twin 80kW Yanmar generators, optimized to save weight, are located further aft. These charge two battery banks which power the main propulsion motor, hydraulic pumps and accommodation services. The drive train is completed by a retractable propeller designed with carbon blades and a titanium hub.

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HALF A CENTURY OF WORLD CLASS YACHT BUILDING

28 june 2023.

In just five decades Baltic Yachts has evolved from respected series production boat builder to the world’s best composite custom yacht manufacturer, the go-to yard for innovation, performance and a hand-crafted finish second to none.

Baltic Yachts has become firmly established as one of the best superyacht builders in the world, renowned for its comprehensive knowledge of advanced composite building materials and its skilled workers’ ability to innovate with the latest materials and technology.

The company has achieved this in just 50 years and celebrations are now underway to mark its foundation and recognise its success through the 566 boats it has built.

In the modern era, names like Visione, Nilaya, Hetairos, Pink Gin, Nikata, WinWin, Perseverance and Canova dominate the world’s regatta podiums and awards ceremonies and with the company’s latest launches, including the Baltic 110 Zemi and the ground-breaking, Baltic 111 Custom, it maintains its dominance at the leading edge of superyacht sailing technology.

The significance of Queen Anne

As Baltic Yachts prepares to celebrate its foundation in Bosund in 1973, with a party for 500 including our workers, local partners and international guests at its Jakobstad headquarters, it’s appropriate that the very first yacht it built, the C&C-designed Baltic 46 Diva, now Queen Anne, will also be in attendance along with her owner and the owners and friends of the recently launched Baltic 110 Zemi. Queen Anne underwent a refit in Bosund, the place of her birth, and with a new engine, freshly painted topsides, new hatches, a refurbished teak deck and updated instrumentation, is almost as good as new.

Baltic 46 Queen Anne (originally named Diva) – the first ever Baltic yacht

Her presence is doubly significant because she not only demonstrates the sustainability of yachts Baltic built 50 years ago, using what was then the latest boat building technology like balsa sandwich construction, unidirectional glass fibre and tank tested design, but she also illustrates the story of Baltic’s foundation.

In the beginning…

In 1973, superyachting, the genre with which we are familiar today, was non-existent, but series production boat building was really getting into its stride. One of its leading proponents, Nautor Swan, based in Jakobstad, was successfully building yachts for a growing global market and had established an enviable reputation.

Despite this, a small group of the company’s young boat builders had devised ways of building boats lighter and stiffer to improve performance. They tried to convince their managers at Nautor it was the way ahead, but their ideas fell on deaf ears.

Convinced their theories would work, five young men, Per-Göran ‘PG’ Johansson, Tor Hinders, Nils Luoma, Ingmar Sundelin and Jan-Erik Nyfelt struck out on their own, setting up Baltic Yachts in the small village of Bosund just north of Jakobstad.

The first shed in the pine forest outside the village of Bosund

Generations of skilled workers

Why Bosund? It is no coincidence that modern yacht building of the highest standard continues to thrive in the area of Finland known as Ostrobothnia. Generations of skilled wood-workers built warships and trading vessels as long ago as the 16 th Century, supporting Finland and Sweden’s vast fleets of ships which travelled the world. Seafaring was part of the local population’s DNA and plentiful local timber made the area a natural choice for ship building.

In many ways those traditions are still very much in evidence and in 1973 the most important resource for the fledgling Baltic Yachts was a skilled local workforce. The Baltic Yachts Family came into being and now aged 50 is very much alive and well!

It was a tough winter start, snow falling relentlessly as the new company built its first boatshed. But their first model, the ambitious 46-footer Diva already described, reflected everything Baltic’s founders stood for – she was comparatively light, stiff and fast and was selected for the Canadian Admiral’s Cup team in 1975.

Boom time at the Hamburg Boat Show

The Hamburg Boat Show was a key outlet for Baltic in the early days with 15 sales in 1975 followed by 26 the following year. Although series production was the business model which underpinned Baltic’s early success, there were already signs of customisation and in Thomas Friese’s C&C-designed Baltic 42 Tina I-Punkt it was all-embracing. She was an out and out racing yacht designed to the IOR (International Offshore Rule) to fit the so-called Two Ton rating band (I.O.R. Rating under 32ft) which was particularly popular and successful at the time in the USA and in Europe. This heavily customised yacht was a sign of things to come.

But even PG and his team couldn’t have foreseen the phenomenal success of the Baltic 39 which sold out at its premiere in Hamburg in 1977 and went on to become the company’s most successful design in terms of numbers, with 74 sold. Her designers, Cuthbertson and Cassian (C&C) and their chief naval architect, the late Rob Ball, had impressed PG Johansson because of their use of VPP (velocity prediction program) computer calculations and other advanced design techniques which mirrored PG’s own belief in improving yachts with modern methods.

Baltic 39 – our first major commercial success

The International Offshore Rule resulted in yachts which, like the Baltic 39, were particularly fast upwind, but like many racing yachts of this era, were fully fitted out and made excellent family cruising yachts too. Combined with the quality of build these were very effective selling points.

The Hollming era

In the late 1970s the new company was dealt a body blow by the global oil crisis and sought a new owner. The giant ship builder Hollming Oy believed in Baltic’s approach and provided the resources to support its rapid growth, fund the development of new models and build a sales organisation. Baltic Yachts would remain part of Hollming for 12 years and during this period was famously asked by its owner to assist in the development of a secret Russian submarine by providing input for its composite shell structure. Despite some political controversy over the project, it was a productive exercise, the vacuum-infused, epoxy resin technology directly benefitting the build of the Baltic 43 Bully.

Expansion, masts and Midnight Sun

A combination of factors in the late 70s and early 80s saw Baltic advance dramatically as carbon fibre was first used. The new Baltic 51 showcased many of the technical developments the company had evolved using computer aided design and engineering. And in Bosund a new building hall was opened, vastly increasing production capacity and enabling much larger yachts to be built.  All sorts of innovation was in evidence, including pneumatically-powered cradles which would allow yachts to be moved effortlessly across the super-smooth floors of the new facility.

Baltic’s policy of drilling down into design and developing its own specification and checks for construction was not only beneficial for the quality of its yachts, but also impressed clients who were increasingly keen to get involved to learn how their yachts were built. They were actively encouraged to visit the yard to see their yacht under construction, something some other builders discouraged.

Baltic’s approach to design enabled the company to start building its own masts around 1980, their black anodised finish becoming a hallmark. The ability to build on site and on time greatly assisted production.

Baltic Yachts mast production (first picture) and Baltic 80 Midnight Sun (second picture), one of the first large, fully composite racing yachts in the world

By the 1980s there were clear signs that clients were looking at bigger and faster yachts with the associated need for complete customisation. The Baltic 80 Midnight Sun was the first fully composite racing yacht in the world, built as an IOR maxi for a Swedish owner who wanted to move on from successful Admiral’s Cup campaigns. Built using a super-light end grain balsa core in her hull she was quick upwind and enjoyed success on the maxi circuit before being converted into a luxury cruising yacht.

Lisbeth Staffans takes the helm

A need to return to their core business forced the Hollming Group to dispose of Baltic Yachts in 1990 which led to a management and employee buyout which saw 34 managers and workers including PG Johansson and Jan Erik Nyfelt immediately becoming owners of the business. The existing marketing manager Lisbeth Staffans (picture below) became managing director.

Her style of management, driven by straightforward communication, honesty and transparency across the business, plus strict financial controls, returned the yard to profitability. Lisbeth Staffans led the company for 18 years during which time Baltic Yachts went from strength to strength and took it to the cusp of the game changing era of modern superyachting.

One of the first genuine multi-role supersailing yachts which took part in the increasingly popular superyacht regattas springing up in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, was Anny, an 87ft all-carbon yacht from the board of judel/vrolijk. The German naval architect had already designed numerous Baltic production models prefacing a future in which they would become key, especially in larger superyachts.

With her lifting keel, extensive hydraulic systems and tender garage, Anny could be regularly seen at the front of superyacht racing fleets, particularly in Palma de Mallorca. She remained successful for many years.

Demand for the dual-role superyacht

The burgeoning superyacht regatta scene, many of the new ones trying to emulate the success of the St Barths Bucket in the Caribbean, offered a new dimension to ownership with many demanding a genuine dual-role yacht, one equally at home on the race course as crossing oceans and visiting the world’s remotest cruising grounds. This provided a great opportunity for builders of large sailing yachts, one which Baltic grasped with enthusiasm.

Anny was followed in the later 1990s by the Bill Dixon designed Vittfarne and the Baltic 70 Loftari, the former a classic looking yacht above the waterline with a high-performance underwater shape and the latter with an entirely pre-preg carbon and Nomex interior which demonstrated how large amounts of weight could be saved by building ultra-lightweight interiors.

Baltic 70 Loftfari was the first yacht with a fully fitted interior built entirely in prepreg carbon and Nomex

Baltic Yachts has built a number of motor yachts and while it cannot be regarded as a regular part of its portfolio a lot of information was gained about sound deadening which transferred to sailing yachts to great effect. The Raymond Hunt-designed M48 Far Niente and her slightly larger sistership Ben Nevis were powerful seagoing motor yachts delivered in the late 90s. Baltic later built the Mani Frers-designed M78 Bill and Me, a stylish offshore motor yacht.

Baltic at the leading edge of technology

By the turn of the century advances in technology were gaining even greater pace, exemplified by the Baltic 78 Super Baltic 5 which sported a canting rather than lifting keel, an additional benefit of which was virtually no loss of internal space, as the hydraulic canting mechanism was contained almost entirely beneath the cabin sole.

High-tech cruiser-racer Baltic 78 Super Baltic 5

At the yard the company installed a 5m X 3m lamination press which meant they could custom build composite parts like bulkheads and interior components to its own specification ensuring that weight savings could be made without compromising strength or durability.

Iconic Visione

And then, in 2002, an iconic commission was secured to build the extraordinary and technically advanced Baltic 147 Visione. With naval architecture by Reichel Pugh and all the design and engineering capacity at Baltic Yachts coming to the fore, Visione became a marker by which many subsequent performance superyachts were judged. Even today, 22 years after her launch, she is still capable of winning.

To say Visione was ahead of her time is an understatement. She remains a development project to this day, and has been updated and used as a testbed for a multitude of new ideas and technological breakthroughs. In a way she fired the starting gun for the race to build new superyachts, a plethora of which followed from Baltic driven by technology which made them easier to sail, faster, more competitive and more fun!

Baltic 147 Visione (first picture) and Baltic 141 Canica (second picture)

The first genuine supercruiser was the 141ft Canica, a complex yacht using all the advanced composite building experience accumulated by Baltic’s design engineers resulting in a yacht displacing half that of a typical 140-footer – and there was no compromise on comfort. She was the first yacht with a Siemens PLC computer control system and to reduce vibration and noise levels her entire accommodation was set on shock absorbers so that, in effect, it ‘floated’ within the hull shell.

A waterside home in Jakobstad

Ten years into the new century Baltic Yachts realised its dream of its own waterside premises. The Jakobstad yard was a state-of-the-art building which enabled larger yachts to be built and reduced the complex and expensive trucking operation from Bosund 23km away. It also provided deep water access for yachts returning to Finland for a refit.

Baltic Yachts waterfront facility in Jakobstad

This development went hand in hand with the yard becoming the first of its type in the world to achieve ISO standards in quality, environment and occupational health and safety. Baltic Yachts was also awarded full DNV GL certification giving customers peace of mind over the performance of all aspects of the building operation.

2010 saw the launch of the highly successful Reichel/Pugh designed Baltic 112 Nilaya, which epitomised the superyacht racer/cruiser genre many owners sought. The yacht won almost every regatta she entered benefitting from grand prix pedigree design combined with Baltic’s exacting engineering and build standards designed to save weight. In short, Nilaya was an all-round winner.

The Professor provides stability and vision

Shortly into the new decade, new owners for the company were sought as the shareholding staff began to retire. In March 2013 Professor Hans Georg Näder, a keen yachtsman and a Baltic customer acquired an 80 per cent stake in the company through his family-owned prosthetics company Ottobock.

Professor Hans Georg Näder and PG during the christening of Baltic 175 Pink Gin

Professor Näder’s enthusiasm and vision was a shot in the arm for the company and he eventually increased his stake to become sole owner ensuring Baltic Yachts’ financial independence and solvency. He also appointed Henry Hawkins as Executive Vice President, a former yacht captain who brought a wealth of sailing knowledge and industry contacts to Baltic.

A presence in Palma – superyachting’s service capital

Not long afterwards, the first moves to establish a Service and Refit base in Palma de Mallorca got underway. Service and the need to look after everyone in what had now become a large Baltic Family became high on the company’s agenda. Today, the Palma operation is a vital part of Baltic Yachts providing refit, modifications and almost any service requirement in the heart of the western Mediterranean’s superyacht action.

For the next 12 years a succession of remarkable yachts was launched, many of which became award winners while others dominated the superyacht race courses of the world. Hetairos remains one of the most spectacular modern sailing yachts ever launched, her neo-classic styling hiding a phenomenal performance made possible by full carbon composite construction and a massive ketch rig with a mizzen sailplan almost as powerful as the main. An enormous lifting keel and a cassette style lifting rudder were examples of the advanced engineering required to make this yacht a success.

The Baltic 115 Nikata was a highly successful, stylish multi-role superyacht taking part in the RORC’s iconic Fastnet and Caribbean 600 races and the Middle Sea Race while providing a superb platform in cruising mode. At 130ft My Song was a study in exterior and interior design and as much at home on the race course as crossing oceans, while the Javier Jaudennes designed WinWin accumulated almost as much silverware as Nilaya.

A mix of Pink Gins

A string of Pink Gins built by Baltic saw the latest iteration, Pink Gin VI, launch in 2017. She is still the largest carbon fibre sloop in the world and notable for some advanced structural engineering which enables two large fold-down platforms to be set into her topsides, the forward one providing the owner’s cabin with a magnificent private balcony and swimming platform.

Baltic 175 Pink Gin – the largest full carbon sloop in the world

By 2018, technical advances in sailing were moving at such a pace that design features normally seen on much more performance-orientated yachts were now being considered at superyacht scale. Baltic Yachts’ ability to meet the challenges these design innovations set made it a natural choice for customers looking for something special.

First foil-assisted superyacht

In the Baltic 142 Canova, the world saw the first foil-assisted superyacht using a Dynamic Stability System (DSS) sliding foil set athwartships in a cassette beneath the owner’s cabin. When deployed to leeward the 9m long foil provided lift to reduce heel and also dampen pitching motion.

Baltic 142 Canova – the first ocean cruising superyacht with a DSS foil

  The yacht was also one of the first to be fitted with an electric propulsion motor, large banks of lithium-ion batteries and the ability to charge them using her free-wheeling propeller while sailing. This reduced the use of internal combustion engines for propulsion and charging, cut emissions and took a large step towards improving the ‘green’ credentials of superyachts.

The move to power yachts with electric motors, big battery banks and the propeller-driven hydrogeneration developed by Baltic Yachts and its partners, has rapidly gained pace in recent years although in 2020 the company launched the Baltic 146 Path which opted for a conventional drive train. This yacht’s construction was complicated by the devastating COVID pandemic but she was launched to schedule and kept the company going over a difficult two-year period.

Apart from her sheer size – the third largest yacht by volume built by Baltic – Path had a remarkable combined deck saloon and covered cockpit the hardtop ‘bimni’ for which was also a landing for the largest array of solar panels ever seen on a sailing yacht.

Testbed for technology

Two smaller semi-production yachts were also gaining in popularity at this time. The Baltic 68 Café Racer was conceived as a testbed for sustainable build materials and rig technology designed to make a high-performance yacht easier to sail for a short-handed crew. Naturally grown flax instead of carbon was used as a reinforcement in 50per cent of the hull and deck mouldings, a swept spreader Marstrom rig and Doyle Sails’ Structured Luff technology were used to improve performance and simplify sailing, while cork decks and twin electric motors all combined to provide a glimpse of what, in the future, might be the norm.

Baltic 68 Café Racer Pink Gin Verde – hull number one in our latest semi-custom series

The third Baltic 67PC, Freedom, was launched last year, a different take on a series production hull designed to speed up build time and control costs. The 67 also provides an opportunity for highly efficient shorthanded, long-distance sailing and offers a multitude of interior layouts and finishes.

Modern classics are occasionally commissioned, their looks often belying the use of the very latest in superyachting technology. The Baltic 117 Perseverance is no exception, her elegant lines, straight stem, long counter and deep bulwarks giving the impression of a vessel from another era. But she has electric propulsion, hydro-generation, optimised pump technology and her superlight hull and easy to manage rig make her a very potent sailing yacht.

Luxury world class cruiser – Baltic 110 Zemi

Epitome of the modern superyacht

Just launched and available for viewing at Baltic Yachts’ Anniversary party is the stunning looking Baltic 110 Zemi, the second yacht built by the company to a Malcolm McKeon design. Her metallic bronze hull is complemented by a stunning teak deck and superstructure while her systems represent the very latest in superyacht design and engineering. She is the epitome of a fast, luxurious world class cruiser with serious racing potential.

Baltic 111 Custom – in a class of her own

It is perhaps entirely appropriate that Baltic Yachts’ 50 th Anniversary Party coincides with the near completion of the most extreme yacht the company has ever built.

Her, aesthetics, control systems, rig, generating and propulsion systems use the most advanced engineering, building and design techniques available in yachting.

Baltic Yachts was chosen to build this ultra-lightweight yacht because her owner believed it has the track record, design and engineering ability and, above all, highly skilled workforce to meet the immense challenges Baltic 111 Custom sets.

What a birthday present!

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BALTIC 110 ZEMI IS CHRISTENED BY HER OWNERS AS SHE TAKES TO THE WATER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN JAKOBSTAD

A two-year build period culminated in the naming and launching of the Baltic 110 Zemi in Finland last week when...

50 years of determination, innovation and quality

In 2023, Baltic Yachts celebrates its anniversary as a luxury yacht builder ...

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Baltic Yachts announces first multihull project 

Monday, September 9th, 2024

Written by: Marine Industry News

Finnish sailing yacht builder Baltic Yachts is set to enter the multihull market. The company will reveal details of its first-ever multihull project at the upcoming Monaco Yacht Show (25-28 September).

Construction of the new yacht is scheduled to begin this month, with design and engineering phases already well underway. The shipyard will release more information about the project before the Monaco Yacht Show begins. 

The firm’s newly appointed CEO, Tom von Bonsdorff , along with EVP Henry Hawkins and sales director Kenneth Nyfelt, will be available for meetings at the show. 

The shipyard will also showcase the Baltic 85 Mini Y, a 26-metre cruising sloop designed by Bill Dixon. The yacht, currently for sale through Edmiston, features high sailing performance, easy handling, and a four-guest layout with a spacious owner’s suite.

Recent deliveries from Baltic Yachts include the Baltic 80 Emma , a maxi cruiser-racer, and the third Baltic 68 Café Racer. The company also completed a significant refit of the Baltic 175 Ravenger , transforming the world’s largest full-carbon composite sloop from a cruiser into a high-performance sailing yacht.

Upcoming projects include the Baltic 121 Custom, a world cruiser designed by Malcolm McKeon set for 2026 delivery, and the fourth hull in the Baltic 68 Café Racer series.

Earlier this year, Baltic Yachts consolidated its operations at a new waterfront facility in Jakobstad, Finland. The firm reported this move to improve efficiency and reduce its production footprint.

Baltic’s EVP Henry Hawkins says: “It’s an exciting time here at Baltic Yachts with another major milestone project about to start and the whole team beginning to see real benefits and opportunities now that we’re fully moved into our new, state-of-the art production base.

“And we’re looking forward to Monaco Yacht Show, which is always a great place to catch up and connect with many of our clients and partners.”

Image courtesy of B altic Yachts.

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Liara: The Baltic 112 superyacht designed to cruise the world in supreme comfort

• Toby Hodges
• April 16, 2020

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

Over the past decade we’ve been treated to the rise of the custom built cruiser-racer. Arguably inspired by the success of the Baltic 112 Nilaya , which launched in 2010, these are typically 30-35m/98-115ft carbon composite monohulls, powerful, sexy designs that will take you around the Med or across an ocean in suitable luxury, yet still be capable of ripping round the cans.

Composite specialist shipyards Baltic and Vitters have been particularly active in this area – think Nilaya , Inouï , Nikata , WinWin , Missy , and Ribelle – in addition to the series-built models by Nautor’s Swan and Southern Wind.

The trend thus far has been for flat, modern deck layouts, designs that place an emphasis on sleek looks and performance. But what if you could have the speed of such craft allied with the comfort, protection, volume and systems demanded for long-term ocean cruising ? This implies a delicate balance of design, materials and engineering and it requires the vision of an experienced owner and his team.

‘The goal posts moved when it was decided she was going to go racing’ – Malcom McKeon

Step aboard the new 34m/112ft Baltic Liara and you’ll see the combination is possible. Not only is this a masterpiece of style, thanks to UK-based super designers Malcolm McKeon and Adam Lay combining to stunning effect, but it clearly represents a formidable amount of experience. And that all stems from the boss.

This is the fourth Liara for British serial yacht owner Tony Todd, who is now in his seventies. His initial brief was for a safe, comfortable family cruising yacht for circumnavigating the globe, hence the deep and well-protected cockpit. However, Todd has been racing yachts all his life, and once his competitive side kicked in and the odd regatta was mentioned, the speed, weight and deck layout to make this possible became critical features. The result is Liara , the definitive multi-role superyacht .

Moving the goal posts

I was given a tour of Liara by John Walker, one of her two skippers. He worked on the owner’s previous Dixon 100 and oversaw the build. Liara has since crossed the Atlantic and was gearing up for the Antigua Superyacht Challenge and St Barths Bucket in March. The plan is then to sail across the Pacific to New Zealand in time for the America’s Cup celebrations and onwards for a two-year world cruise.

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“The goal posts moved when it was decided she was also going to go racing and that we needed to focus further on weight saving,” McKeon explains. With his previous design, Missy , her owner only got the racing bug after the yacht’s 2016 launch. At least with Liara there was the chance to address this aspect pre-build.

“People who know Tony, knew he was always going to race it,” Walker adds with a smile. The UK’s Cape Horn Engineering was contracted to run computerised fluid dynamics (CFD) studies on more than 15 different hull shapes – a project Walker considers to be a ‘no-brainer’. “It resulted in a hull with 0.5m more beam, significantly increased righting moment, and this was projected to be nearly a whole day quicker on a transat,” he reports.

Initially Todd wanted to build an all-British boat. But the appeal of Baltic Yachts’ carbon expertise proved too strong. The Finnish yard’s experience helped instigate weight savings in all areas, down to the use of carbon cable trays, Nomex-cored furniture and the liberal use of titanium, from the stanchions and deck fittings to the hydraulic oil reservoir. Its ability to keep the displacement below 90 tonnes is an impressive feat, especially when you consider the size, volume and comfort of Liara ’s interior.

The stunning Adam Lay interior is flooded in natural light. Note the complex geometry of the deck mullions which ensure a low profile roof

A dominant aspect of the design is the solid bimini, which protects the deep and generous guest cockpit. For racing it’s removable to save weight and create space. The structure uses a mix of high modulus prepregs and Nomex and weighs just 480kg. This means the boom can be used as a crane to lift the bimini clear of the deck to sit in a cradle ashore.

Slippery hull

A lot of design work also went into the hull appendages and how to minimise drag. A single rudder was chosen for minimal weight and a telescopic keel from Italian experts APM was selected for its ability to offer deep-draught performance without impacting interior space. The attention to hydrodynamics went as far as streamlining the steps for this telescopic keel and minimising the through-hull fittings.

However, the biggest savings in drag were to come from the propeller – or lack of it during sailing – thanks to the choice of a retractable propulsion system (RPS).

The forward facing retractable propulsion system (RPS) took eight months to develop but makes Liara much slipperier when it’s retracted for sailing. Its ability to rotate also obviates the need for a stern thruster

“The RPS makes a big difference to light wind sailing,” says Walker, adding: “In anything over 8 knots of breeze we’re sailing.” McKeon’s CFD studies back this up. “It was clear that the yacht would accelerate and power up much more quickly than expected with her propeller retracted,” he states.

The pitch of the propeller can increase when motor sailing and the forward-facing leg can rotate through 160º each way, which eliminates the need for a stern thruster. Although Baltic installed a similar system on My Song , the RPS and particularly its hull aperture in relation to the telescopic keel, took eight months to plan and engineer.

The design work has obviously paid off in performance terms. Walker reports that during their transatlantic they were consistently hitting low to mid 20 knot speeds – “25 knots with the A5 and second reef in mid 20 knot winds.” He says he’s most impressed by how achievable these speeds are sailing short-handed. “On the previous boat we’d passage plan at 9.5 knots. But during the first six days form the Canaries we averaged over 300 mile days [12.5 knots], which is a big difference.”

The large protected guest cockpit is separated from the sailing cockpit and crew companionway

A deckie ’ s deck

So we get the picture that Liara ’s bottom is as slippery as a greased eel. A considerable amount of thought has also gone into her sail plan and deck layout to ensure the horsepower aloft does the underwater sections justice, while being practical to manage.

As we go over each detail on deck, I can tell Walker is rightly proud of their achievements in this regard. He is only 32 years old this year, but has accumulated a wealth of experience, including more than six years skippering for Todd. I have sailed with him and his rotational co-skipper Tom Haycock on different J Class yachts in the past, and it’s clear their experience of running a deck safely at the top end of the sport has filtered through onto Liara .

For example, an extremely high-pressure hydraulic package was specified, reportedly only the second time a 350bar system has been used on a superyacht (following the race-optimised Swan 115 Odin ). As well as exceptionally high line speed capability on the winches when racing, this gives pushbutton (and therefore short-handed) control of the three-dimensional headsail sheeting bridles via rams under the foredeck, and of the mast deflectors.

Powerful lines and a generous sailplan with A sails tacked to a fixed bowsprit

A further benefit is that the smaller pipework required saves weight and space. “You gain in pipe diameter, fluid in the lines, fluid in the tank, smaller winch motors etc. – there are gains everywhere,” says Walker.

The deck is also kept scrupulously clean. An example is the winch farm at the mast base, comprising four semi-sunken winches and compartments for rope tails, but all kept tidy by sliding hatches above. “The deck layout changed a lot from the original design, including underdeck sheet leads, sail lockers, tack line runs…” explains Walker, elements that come from sailing ‘proper sailing boats’ he adds. “It was great that Malcolm [McKeon] let us do that.”

Liara carries a large wardrobe of North Sails, designed with Jeremy Elliot in the UK loft, including a powerful square-top main. But as cruising sailors know, any sail needs to be easy to stow and deploy. The code and asymmetric sails are set on fixed or soft stays with halyard locks and there are five dedicated stowage bins below the foredeck into which sails can be raised or lowered safely and efficiently.

Liara’s 7.9m beam was chosen after CFD studies at Cape Horn Engineering

The two furling staysails set on rams look like a particularly practical feature. Walker says this set-up of using multiple furling foresails was inspired by current offshore race boats. With the owner still wanting to play an active part on deck, the ability to set and reduce sail easily is a big benefit.

“There was a big focus on making sure things could happen quickly,” Walker continues. “From picking up anchors and tenders to go sailing, to the stowage systems of the lazarette and the way the swim platform folds neatly into itself… a lot of it came from the old boat too.”

Walker explains that Baltic created a 1:1 mock-up of the whole deck so the owner could appreciate the full experience. This also helped create an intelligent sailing cockpit around the twin pedestals, keeping the winches well abaft the rope-free social zone. “We tried really hard to make sure everything can be led to any winch,” he says, pointing out the sheaved bases of the drums which allow clear cross-sheeting.

Covered spaces

The bimini is a clever design, which includes a boltrope groove around it, so the entire guest cockpit can be closed off in bad weather. There are also vents in the forward end for fresh air circulation and a 9m 2 sunroof.

This large covered cockpit leads through wide, curved glass companionway doors, which slide open at the push of a hidden button, like something out of Star Trek, and down into a full-beam deck saloon. The integration of these two areas forms the heart of the boat. Both are highly inviting, generously proportioned and very comfortable sections of the yacht from which to appreciate the surroundings.

And then there is the impact of the interior styling. In recent years there have been two superyachts of moderate length that, in my eyes, have truly standout interiors. Both are Baltic yachts with Adam Lay interiors: the 32m/107ft Inukshuk and now Liara . It transpires that the former was an inspiration for the latter. Inevitably, with all that glass Liara has a light, open feel, but the combination of the pale, bleached and stained oak with distinct textures and vibrant colours is superb.

Adam Lay’s styling includes natural aesthetics, bright colours and soft furnishings, as seen here in the forward master cabin

“The design brief for Liara was to create a practical, functional sailing yacht interior with smart stowage solutions and an open feel that reflects the natural environment of the owner’s home, the Channel Islands,” Lay explains. He chose the joinery style and colour schemes and the artwork was commissioned from Guernsey-based artist Valerie Travers.

Much attention was paid to making the interior and particularly the deck saloon appear as large as possible. Lay describes the feeling of openness as incomparable with any vessel of Liara ’s size.

When we were aboard, McKeon pointed out the engineering and geometry challenge involved with engineering the exposed mullions on the coachroof structure. The deckhead panels are recessed between these beams and the result is maximised volume and headroom inside while keeping the deckhouse as streamlined as possible.

Walker told me that although the owners wanted a large interior, they also insisted on a practical layout for use at heel. So although the master cabin is forward, two guest cabins were positioned abaft the saloon so they’d have a choice of berths on passage. These midships cabins also have racks for pipecots.

Like all good offshore yachts, stowage is very well thought out. This includes rack and box systems under the soles to help access under-utilised areas, says Lay. “It is safe to say that every available space has been used!”

Controlling noise reverberation through a carbon shell, while maintaining this high quality of interior finish presented its own challenges. “How and where to use weight was very important,” says Walker, adding: “you could build it 10 tonnes lighter if you wanted.” He also made the point about the time and investment in saving grams in every part of the boat, but that the owner will still want to cruise in comfort, which includes shipping a hearty selection of his (own label) wine.

The lower snug area forward of the saloon

Silent cruising

Tony Todd has a strong interest in mechanical engineering, evidenced by the engine room, an area to which he paid particular attention. Again a full mock-up was made of this beam-wide area below the saloon and the systems chosen show advanced thinking. The wet box for the propulsion leg forms part of the structure. The main engine is offset from here, driving the RPS via a 90° bevel gearbox.

A novel solution is to use a generator on the back of the main engine. The owners wanted to be able to cruise silently at night, and this provided the best option for weight, space and efficiency, together with a single variable-speed generator and a high voltage DC battery bank. The 115kW of batteries allows Liara to run in silent ship mode for up to eight hours with all ‘hotel’ services running.

The very well thought out engine room is situated beneath the saloon

The final part of the layout that particularly impressed me is also one of the most important: the crew area. Keeping a good crew happy is imperative when sailing long distance. “It’s one of the success stories of the boat,” Walker declares, pointing out the size of the mess, laundry, galley and captain’s cabin. The large ensuite Pullman cabins each side of the navstation and the wet hanging lockers at the base of the crew companionway complete the smart layout.

It seems a real sailor’s boat, and Walker agrees: “The owner has a life of experience behind him. The biggest success of this boat is him – he put the right team in place and knew the right places to spend or save money.”

By SuperyachtNews 13 Jun 2023

Baltic launches 110 Zemi

Two-year build period culminates in the naming and launching of the 33.5m baltic 110 zemi….

Named after an ancient Caribbean deity, 33.5m sailing yacht Zemi has been built in advanced carbon composites to a Malcolm McKeon design and is intended primarily as a performance cruising yacht for the owner’s family and friends.

Zemi is Baltic ’s 565th yacht, and was built in the company’s Bosund facility and trucked by low loader to Baltic’s waterside facility and launch site in Jakobstad, Finland, where a mobile crane then lifted it into the water.   Zemi has a metallic bronze hull, and its trademark teak deck and superstructure styling have been described as ‘classic aggressive’ by John Walker of A2B Marine Projects, the owner’s representative. It features vertical coachroof windows and a low-level superstructure along with a teak-skinned main cockpit which can be converted into a large sun lounging area protected by a combined fold-down spray hood and full-length removable bimini. The fold-out transom and bathing platform, which lead into a stern garage for a Williams tender, include McKeon’s trademark wrap-over teak decking continuing onto the transom.

The yacht has a number of headsail options including a fixed furling J1 and J2, a detachable storm jib stay, a furling Code sail tacked forward of the J1 and a variety of A sails set off the fixed bowsprit, which is integral to the hull moulding. This arrangement enables a fast ‘change of gear’ to suit weather conditions.

Interior design is by Swedish architect Andreas Martin-Löf using walnut as the predominant timber, much of it in veneer form bonded onto lightweight honeycomb structures. The weight-saving continues throughout the yacht, including in the head compartments where sink and surfaces use veneers of limestone bonded to lightweight carcasses.

Particular attention has been paid to lighting, with ‘lanterns’ of Japanese rice paper and walnut strips in the corners of the saloon and light sources mounted in panel divides along with extensive coachroof skylighting.

The yacht has a zero-emissions electric propulsion system using a 247kW Danfoss motor with direct drive to a four-bladed folding propeller, rather than a more usual controllable pitch propeller. The absence of a gearbox and the hydraulic controls required for a CPP mean the drive train has fewer parts, takes up less space and saves considerable weight.   Two 129kW gensets charge a large bank of lithium-ion batteries which in turn drive the propulsion motor and supply all domestic, hydraulic and rig-handling requirements. Hydro-generation is possible using the free-wheeling folding propeller while sailing. A telescopic lifting keel can reduce draught from 6m to 3.95m, allowing access to a range of anchorages worldwide.

Following trials this summer, Zemi will head to Norway, Svalbard, Iceland and Scotland, then on to the Canaries, followed by the Caribbean where the intention is to compete in the 2024 St Barths Bucket. A transit of the Panama Canal is also planned, with a crossing of the Pacific.

“Whenever we launch a yacht to join the Baltic family, it’s fair to say the thoughts of many members of our staff sail away with her, celebrating the conclusion of another unique build and wishing her and her owner fantastic sailing,” said Executive Vice President Henry Hawkins.

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Baltic 110 zemi christened by her owners in jakobstad, finland.

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Inside the Baltic 142 Foiling Superyacht Canova

Finnish yard Baltic Yachts has released first-look images inside its recently delivered 43.3 metre  Baltic 142 Custom  sailing yacht  Canova.

The yacht was delivered following the completion of successful sea trials off the coast of Finland on October 20.

The yard said the Lucio Micheletti-designed interior had recently received its "finishing touches" and described it as "a study in understated interior design with white bulkhead panelling and deckheads combining with teak timber veneers."

It comes after the yard put the innovative DSS foiling technology through its paces during sea trials. Baltic released a video showing the nine metre "long sliding foil" in action and reported a good performance under sail.

"As the speed increases, the heel angle of the yacht reduces, no other system can do this. When the foil is deployed it extends 22ft (6.5m) to leeward," it said.

The yard also reported testing the foil upwind in winds of 20-25 knots, which "proved itself faster and with much less heel".

Canova , a sloop-rigged performance cruising yacht, features naval architecture and exterior styling by  Farr Yacht Design  while  Lucio Micheletti  collaborated with the in-house team at Baltic Yachts on the interior styling.

Canova  stands out for being the first yacht of her size to be fitted with the DSS foil, which is designed to improve comfort and performance capabilities.

Canova  features this innovative use of sailing technology, specifically its dynamic stability system. Developed in collaboration with Gordon Kay from Infiniti Performance Yachts, the system employs a sliding foil that can extend up to nine metres. This feature has featured on smaller yachts, but this is the first time it will be employed on a  large sailing superyacht .

The foil has been designed to be deployed when the yacht is sailing at speed. The estimated result is a top speed increase of 5 to 20 per cent, depending on the conditions. The foil runs directly beneath the owner's cabin amidships.

During  Canova’s  first sailing sea trials, the push-button deployment of the nine metre long foil was reported as being "faultless" and she showed a reduction in heel and pitching motion in stronger wind conditions.

Gordon Kay of Infiniti Yachts previously said, “Having installed DSS in dozens of yachts we can confidently say we have reached another level with the impeccable installation of the foil case in the Baltic 142 Canova”.

Vice president at Farr Yacht Design Britton Ward added: "The predicted performance numbers are remarkable with the boat able to comfortably achieve boat speeds equal to wind speed in moderate to strong conditions".

To make the most of her performance, Canova has an extremely powerful rig and sail plan. A squaretop mainsail with a 3.5m long horizontal batten pushes the mainsail area up to 570 square metres, and her Her J1 adds another 390 square metres. All sails are by North Sails, while her all-carbon rig is by Rondal. The latter utilises Carbo-Link standing rigging, which is specifically designed to handle the increased loads generated by the additional stability delivered by the DSS foil.

Accommodation is for up to eight guests split across four cabins including an amidships owner’s suite. A long Bimini hardtop will extend out from the coachroof over the cockpit, providing a shaded al fresco relaxation spot and powered windows that lower at the touch of a button will provide further shelter in this area.

Other key features include a diesel electric Visedo/Cummins propulsion system, nine metre beam and a lifting keel that can reduce the draught from 6.5 metres to 3.8 metres.

Also put to the test during the sea trials on  Canova  was her innovative diesel electric propulsion and hydro-generating system. Both have been proven to substantially reduce noise and vibration while she is under power. The yard has reported that "during motoring trials the electric propulsion system was barely audible aboard the yacht."

Canova  can use her propeller as a hydro-generator via the electric motor, which then charges her six banks of Lithium ion batteries.

The compact and quiet 420kW electric motor is able to drive the 145-ton yacht at a speed of 14 knots via her rotating, forward-facing, pull propeller, says Mattia Belleri of fluidsailing, who has project managed the design and build of  Canova  for her owner.

“The preliminary numbers are promising and we are confident fine tuning will deliver the performance we are expecting," says Kim Kolam, Senior Electrical Engineer at Baltic Yachts.

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How Nizhny Novgorod became the trade center of the Russian Empire 

“St. Petersburg is Russia’s head, Moscow is its heart and Nizhny Novgorod is its pocket.” This old Russian saying is probably the most succinct way of explaining the meaning and importance of the trading that took place in Nizhny Novgorod.

Why did Nizhny Novgorod become a center of commerce?

The city is very conveniently located at the confluence of two major rivers, the Volga and Oka, which run across the whole of Russia and flow into the Caspian Sea. In addition, the Volga was the only arterial waterway linking the West with the East. Nizhny Novgorod, moreover, was on the railway network, so one could travel to the Caucasus, Persia, Turkey, Central Asia and even India and China from there. Thanks to its geographical position, the city had always been a thriving trade hub and archeologists have found Arabic and Byzantine artifacts proving that it had trading links with the East as early as the 13th-14th centuries. The first documented fairs and gatherings of merchants go back to the 16th century.

Nizhny Novgorod at the end of the 19th century

Initially, fairs were held not in the city itself, but by the walls of the Makaryev Monastery lower down the Volga. They were temporary affairs and lasted one or two days. In the 17th century, however, Tsar Aleksey Mikhaylovich established a five-day duty-free period for trade, thus attracting even more merchants. These often stayed for longer periods, paying tax to the treasury outside the period of exemption.

In the early 19th century, it became clear that the space near the monastery was not big enough to accommodate all comers and, furthermore, the makeshift rows of wooden shopping booths burned down at one point. By that time, the Nizhny Novgorod Fair had already become incredibly important, bringing an enormous amount of money to the state treasury. 

View of the fair at the end of the 19th century

The fair was moved to Nizhny Novgorod proper - to the point of land where the Volga and Oka converge. Emperor Alexander I postponed repairs in his own palace to allocate six million rubles for the construction of a new building for the fair. And he didn’t lose out - merchants brought merchandise worth 24 million rubles to the first fair, which opened on the new site in 1817, with the figure increasing to 57 million rubles by 1846.

One of the buildings of the Gostiny Dvor (indoor market) in Nizhny Novgorod

Contemporaries called the Nizhny Novgorod Fair the “trading court of Europe and Asia”. Foreigners sold their wares wholesale to local merchants and manufacturers and 90 percent of all goods from the East passed through the Nizhny Novgorod Fair, from where they were distributed throughout Russia. In turn, foreign merchants bought goods from Europeans and Russians.

What was bought and sold at the Nizhny Novgorod Fair?

General view of the fair, chromolithograph, 1896

By the 1850s, up to 700 foreign merchants would attend the Nizhny Novgorod Fair. At the same time, the volume of trade with Asia in the middle of the 19th century exceeded turnover with Western Europe by one-and-a-half to three times.

One of the main items of trade was tea from China. In the 1880s, between 800 and 900 poods (a Russian unit of weight equal to about 16.38 kilograms) of tea worth 42 million rubles were brought to Russia every year. There were even separate Asian trading pavilions in the style of Chinese pagodas at the fair.

Chinese pavilions at the fair, late 19th century

In return, the Chinese bought the furs and skins of all kinds of animals; from foxes, squirrels and muskrats to sheep and cow hide.

From Iran, handmade rugs, silks, cotton fabrics, as well as a wide range of dry foodstuffs - walnuts, pistachios, dried pitted and unpitted apricots, almonds, prunes, millet and rice - were brought to Russia. And the Persians themselves took back wool, metal and leather goods, porcelain, writing paper and many other things.

Pyotr Vereshchagin. Lower Bazaar in Nizhny Novgorod, 1860s

Russia also exported sugar, linen, hemp, cotton and leather goods, wool, wood, metals and much more to the East. The variety of merchandise was astounding. In the 1820s, Russian official Yegor Meyendorff gave a list of the goods purchased by Bukhara merchants: “The goods exported from Russia include cochineal [a red dye - ed.], cloves, sugar, tin, red and blue sandalwood, cloths, red Kungur, Kazan and Arzamas leather, wax, some honey, iron, copper, steel, gold thread, small mirrors, otter skin, pearls, Russian nankeen [cotton fabric - Russia Beyond], cast-iron cauldrons, needles, coral, plush, cotton headscarves, brocade, small glassware and a small quantity of Russian canvas…”  

Fishing also became a very important article of trade. “Fishing for beluga, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, catfish and some other fish species was almost completely monopolized by Russian merchants throughout the Southern Caspian,” according to historians A.A. Ivanova and A.V. Ivanov.

Fishing boat of the Murmansk fishery industry

Over time, products from new developing industries, including metallurgy and textile   manufacturing, were added to the exports. They included inexpensive chintz manufactured at the famous Shuya factories in Ivanovo Region. And, in the 1880s-1890s, trading in oil and oil products even began here.

The machinery section at the fair in 1896

With the passage of time, bank branches were opened at the fair, the services of lawyers became available and exchange dealings were transacted. The fair was a very important event for major Russian merchants and manufacturers. But self-employed artisans and representatives of the arts and crafts industry also took a very active part. Spinning-wheels, wooden spoons, folk costumes, painted trays, crockery, lace - the work of the best artisans from all over Russia was represented. They, in turn, would spend the whole year preparing for the fair and would try to bring their best wares.

The handicrafts section in 1896

How the fair was organized

Jules Verne's ‘Michael Strogoff’ describes the Nizhny Novgorod Fair as follows: “This plain was now covered with booths symmetrically arranged in such a manner as to leave avenues broad enough to allow the crowd to pass without a crush. Each group of these booths of all sizes and shapes formed a separate quarter particularly dedicated to some special branch of commerce. There was the iron quarter, the furriers’ quarter, the woolen quarter, the wood merchants quarter, the weavers’ quarter, the dried fish quarter, etc… In the avenues and long alleys there was already a large assemblage of people… An extraordinary mixture of Europeans and Asiatics, talking, wrangling, haranguing and bargaining… On one of the open spaces between the quarters of this temporary city were numbers of mountebanks of every description; harlequins and acrobats deafening the visitors with the noise of their instruments and their vociferous cries… In the long avenues, the bear showmen accompanied their four-footed dancers, menageries resounded with the hoarse cries of animals…”

General view of the fair during spring high water on the River Oka, 1890

From the mid-19th century onwards, the official duration of the fair was a little over a month, but, in practice, trading continued from July to September. The fair was an occasion for general festivity in the city - more than 200,000 people would arrive in Nizhny Novgorod during the period of trading and there would be a circus and a theater and performing musicians. Electricity and water supply were brought to the site of the fair in the 1870s-1880s. The fair had a positive impact on the whole of the city - Nizhny Novgorod had convenient infrastructure facilities, and hotels and inns were extensively built. One of the first tram lines in Russia was inaugurated there in 1896.

Eastern traders at the fair

There were also two cathedrals at the site of the fair - the ‘Staroyarmarochny’ (“Old Fair”) Transfiguration Cathedral, which opened in 1822. The architect was Auguste de Montferrand (who later built St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg with a very similar colonnaded drum under the main dome). 

The ‘Staroyarmarochny’ (“Old Fair”) Transfiguration Cathedral

In 1881, Emperor Alexander III himself, along with his spouse and son, the future Nicholas II, were present at the inauguration of the Alexander Nevsky ‘Novoyarmarochny’ (“New Fair”) Cathedral. Construction of a new main fair building, in the Russian style, was completed in the same year (the similar GUM department store on the Red Square appeared later). All three buildings survive to this day. 

The fair’s principal building

In 1896, the All-Russia Industrial and Art Exhibition was held in the grounds of the Nizhny Novgorod Fair - the biggest such exhibition in the history of the Russian Empire. More than 100 temporary pavilions were built for it. The first Russian motor car, as well as engineer Vladimir Shukhov’s steel lattice structures, were on display at the exhibition.

16th All-Russia Industrial and Art Exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod, 1896

After the 1917 Revolution, the fair continued to function for a time, but it was not as popular as before - and there was no longer any freedom of trade, the latter having been fully placed in the hands of the state. In 1929, the Bolsheviks finally closed down “this capitalist, socially hostile phenomenon”. Many of the fair’s buildings were demolished - or converted into residential housing. 

One of the last Nizhny Novgorod fairs in the Soviet time, 1924

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