🚤 S/Y A: The World’s Largest Sailing Yacht 142m by Nobiskrug 🇩🇪

Overview & Background 🌍🛥️

• Name: Sailing Yacht A
• Owner: Andrey and Aleksandra Melnichenko 🧑‍💼👩‍💼
• Builder: Nobiskrug, Germany 🇩🇪
• Design: Philippe Starck 🎨✨
• Naval Architecture: Dykstra Naval Architects, The Netherlands 🌐
• Construction: Magma Structures, UK 🇬🇧
• Sails: Doyle Sails, USA 🇺🇸
• Glass Windows: GL Yachtverglasgun GmbH, Germany 🇩🇪

Specifications & Features 📏✨

• Length Overall (LOA): 143 meters (469 feet) 📏📐
• Beam: 25 meters (82 feet) 🌊
• Draft: 8 meters (26 feet) 📏
• Gross Tonnage: 12,558 tons ⚖️
• Masts: 3 made of carbon 🌳
• Sail Area: 3,747 m² (equal to half a football pitch) ⚽
• Cruising Speed: 14 knots 🚤💨
• Top Speed: 21 knots 🚀
• Decks: 8 🛳️
• Guests: Accommodates 20 guests 👫
• Crew: 20 crew members 👨‍✈️👩‍🍳
• Touch-and-Go Helipad: Located on the bow 🚁
• Underwater Observation Area: One-foot thick glass in the keel 🧐
• Elevators: Multiple 🛗
• Spiral Staircases: Free-floating 🌀
• Garages: For 4 tenders and 1 submarine 🚤🔧

Design & Engineering 🏗️🔧

• Hybrid System: Diesel-electric power package with controllable pitch propellers 🌱
• Composite Masts: Largest globally, designed to withstand up to 90 knots of wind (Category 2 hurricane) 🌪️
• Sails: Made from a combination of carbon and Technora fibers, covered with taffeta for UV protection 🏴‍☠️
• Glass Windows: Touch-sensitive black glass with a magnifying effect 🌟🔲

Financials 💰📈

• Price: Approximately $600 million 💵
• Annual Running Cost: $50-75 million 💸
• Construction Cost: Estimated at €400 million (£292 million or $451 million) 💶

Legal and Controversies ⚖️🚫

• Seizure: In March 2022, Italian authorities seized Sailing Yacht A following the imposition of EU sanctions on Andrey Melnichenko due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 🇺🇦🇮🇹
• Initial Impoundment: The yacht, valued at $600 million, was impounded due to sanctions related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which affected several Russian oligarchs and their assets 💣🚢
• Legal Disputes: The yacht was previously arrested in Gibraltar in 2017 over a €15.3 million breach of contract claim by Nobiskrug 🚢⚖️
• Draught Issues: The yacht faced technical and legal issues due to discrepancies in its draft, leading to modifications and additional weight adjustments ⚓

Historical Context 📅

• Pre-Engineering Start: March 2011, with significant research and development financed by Melnichenko 🛠️
• Launch Year: 2017 📅
• Initial Name: Project 787 ‘White Pearl’ 🏷️

Construction Details 🏗️

• Shipyard: Nobiskrug, based in Rendsburg, Germany 🇩🇪
• Design Contributions: Philippe Starck provided both interior and exterior design, with additional structural elements by various international firms 🎨🔧
• Fibers & Sails: The sails are a sophisticated blend of carbon and Technora fibers, enhancing performance and durability 🏴‍☠️

Unique Features ✨

• Masts: Curved and towering 100 meters above the waterline 🌟
• Sail Area: Massive total sail area for optimal performance 🌊
• Glass Observation: One-foot thick glass for underwater views 🧐

Ownership & Management 💼

• Owner: Andrey Melnichenko, a Russian billionaire and businessman 🌟
• Management: The yacht was delivered to Melnichenko in Monaco after extensive sea trials and final inspections in Gibraltar 🚢