About Sailing yacht

The title of the largest sailing yacht currently holds sailing yacht named "A". The so called "A" has been launched in 2015. The yacht is a sail-assisted and designed by Doelker & Voges (Voges took care of exteriors), Phillipe Starck (took care of interiors and exteriors.

The builder is Nobiskrug in Kiel, Germany and was built for the Russian oligarch billionaire Andrey Melnichenko.

Propulsion

Its propulsion consists of a variable-speed hybrid powerplant with two lineshaft controllable-pitch propellers that is sail-assisted by a three-mast fore-and-aft sailing rig. The freestanding carbonfiber rotating masts were manufactured by Magma Structures at Trafalgar Wharf, Portsmouth.

Sailing Yacht A boasts the tallest carbon masts in the world, each measuring in at more than 90 metres long which is larger than a football field. Doyle Sailmakers USA manufactured the three fully automated carbonfiber/taffeta full roach sails. The furling booms were built in Valencia by Future Fibres. The rigging of this yacht was developed partially to be implemented on cargo ships and to be used for commercial use. The vessel features an underwater observation pod in the keel with 30 cm (12 in)-thick glass. It is the largest private sail-assisted motor yacht in the world.

Delivery and tests

Another milestone was the day Sailing Yacht A was launched. While she was still covered up in this aerial view, it was still a treat to those who had been following her build to get a glimpse of her hull shape and imagine what might lie beneath. Sailing Yacht A's accommodation is spread out over eight decks, and she has a beam of 24.88 metres. She can accommodate 54 crew to take care of this sizeable vessel, which includes amenities such as a touch-and-go helipad.

Sailing Yacht A was delivered by Nobiskrug on February 3, 2017, and left Kiel on February, 5, 2017. It exited the Baltic Sea in light mode on near-empty fuel tanks in order to clear the Drogden Strait with minimum draught. It underwent final sea trials and the final fit-out at the Navantia shipyard in Cartagena, Spain. According to media reports, Sailing Yacht A was handed over to the owner on May 4, 2017 in Monaco by the project team led by Dirk Kloosterman having completed her final sea trials in the Navantia shipyard at Cartagena, and final tests and inspections at Gibraltar.

By Nobiskrug specification the sailing yacht "A" measures at 142.81m / 468ft.

• Building site: Kiel
• Builder: Nobiskrug
• Naval architecture: Nobiskrug & Dykstra Naval Architects
• Exterior design: Philippe Starck
• Interior decoration: Philippe Starck
• Diesel powerplant: two MTU 20V 4000 M73L 2,050 rpm 3,600 kW lineshaft engines
• Electric powerplant: four 14,050–24,050rpm 2,800 kW hotel generators driving two Vacon 4,300 kW lineshaft motors
• Transmission: superimposable/clutched diesel-electric transmission controlled by DEIF systems
• Propulsion: Andritz Hydro / Escher Wyss & Cie. 5-bladed controllable-pitch lineshaft twin screw
• Emission Treatment: Emigeen, 4x DPF (soot filtration) on DGs.