The Sailing Yacht A, the world’s largest private sailing yacht, left the German Nobiskrug shipyard last week for Spain, from where it will perform its latest sea trials in the Mediterranean after being handed over to its owner, Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, owner of Motor Yacht A.
The S / Y A hull is made of steel, and its superstructure in high technology composite materials capable of being shaped in any size and shape, a technology that Nobiskrug has been developing over the past 15 years. Its design was commissioned to the French designer Philippe Starck in collaboration with the Dutch Dykstra Naval Architects. Starck was also in charge of designing the M / Y A.
The three masts of the A, about 100 meters high, were manufactured by the British Magma Structures, and are some of the highest structures ever made of composite materials. The sails were commissioned by the American company Doyle Sails, and can be hoisted and lowered by an automated system. Two diesel engines of 3,600 kW move the vessel at a maximum speed of 21 knots, and the motor’s autonomy reaches 5,320 nautical miles at 16 knots of speed, almost enough to sail from Lisbon to New York and back.
Of 143 meters in length, the A has 4.5 times more interior volume than Project Solar, the second sailing yacht in size, and has 25% less interior volume than the Dilbar, the world’s largest yacht in terms Of gross tonnage. The interior of the ship is divided into eight decks, with capacity for 20 guests attended by a crew of 54 people. Among the features that make A unique are an underwater observation gallery, an electric diesel hybrid propulsion system and a high-tech navigation system.
You can follow the A route on the Marine Traffic website