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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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Top 10 Biggest Sailing Yachts In The World

The top 10 largest sailing yachts in the world have a combined length of 944.5 meters.

These include the Sea Cloud, which is almost a century old, and the much anticipated Oceanco’s 127m Project Y721 set to launch in 2022.

Read on for our list of the world’s top 10 largest and biggest yachts.

1. Sailing Yacht A | 142.8m

Sailing Yacht A tops this list, measuring in at 142.8m. At 12,558GT, it is also the heaviest sailing yacht on our list, measuring 5 times more than the second-largest sailing yacht.

Sailing Yacht A, built by  Nobiskrug  in 2017, blends impressive sailing and motor yacht designs into a highly innovative vessel.

The boat features three 100m freestanding masts higher than London’s Big Ben, making her an eye-catching vessel. 

2. Sea Cloud | 109.5m

Sea Cloud has sailed the high seas since 1931. The 2532 GT vessel was built for Edward F Hutton and heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post by German shipbuilder Friedrich Krupp.

The 109.5m sailing yacht has interchanged ownership several times and was rebuilt in 1978 by new German owners. The vessel is available for charter to provide guests with a luxury sailing experience. 

3. Black Pearl | 106.7m

Black Pearl was designed to cross oceans with just the power of the sail. The vessel is 106m in length and is striking with her black sails, weighing in at 2,864 GT.

She was delivered in 2018 and built by  Oceanco . The vessel features an advanced solar system. She also has a high-tech DynaRig setup by Dykstra Naval Architects .

4. EOS | 92.92m

EOS was built for American media and movie mogul Barry Diller under a shroud of secrecy. The three-masted Bermuda rigged schooner was launched by  Lürssen  Yachts in Germany in 2006 and refitted at Dutch Royal Huisman Shipyard in 2011.

Since her launch, she has remained one of the most private vessels in the world. EOS weighs in at 1500 GT.

5. Athena | 90m

Athena was delivered in 2004 by Royal Huisman Shipyard. The 1103 GT vessel is unique, with its advanced engineering and spacious interior that is uniquely sized for a sailing yacht.

She features naval architecture by Dykstra Naval Architects and Pieter Beeldsnijder Design. The 90m Athena was built for US software developer Jim Clark.

6. Maltese Falcon | 88m

The Maltese Falcon is one of the most photographed yachts of all time. The 88m yacht has an advanced automated square-rigged DynaRig and three rotating carbon fiber masts.

The 15 square sails hold 25,800 feet of canvas, giving her unprecedented performance, speed, and maneuverability. The yacht was built by renowned sailing yacht builder  Perini Navi . 

7. Aquijo | 86m

 Aquijo is an 86m sailing yacht built by Vitters Shipyard and Oceanco and launched in 2016. She is the largest ketch-rigged sailing yacht in the world, with her main mast reaching 88.4m into the air.

She displaces 1538 GT. Her exterior design and naval architecture were designed by Tripp Design Naval Architects . 

8. Sea Eagle II | 81m

Sea Eagle II was delivered in 2020 from Royal Huisman. The impressive sailing yacht is the shipyard’s largest by volume, displacing 1150 GT.

The three-masted schooner has a carbon Panamax rigging by Rondal and was built in collaboration with designer Mark Whiteley and Dykstra Naval Architects. She is also the world’s largest aluminum sailing yacht.

9. M5 | 77.6m

M5 was launched as Mirabella V in 2004 and delivered to American yachtsman Joe Vittoria. M5 is still the largest sloop in the world to this day.

The impressive yacht was built by Vesper Thorneycroft in England and has undergone several refits. In 2013, she was refitted by Pendennis and extended by 3.2m. She was refitted again in 2019.

10. Badis I | 70m

Badis I was built by Perini Navi and delivered under the name Sybaris in 2016. Philipe Briand consulted with the famous shipbuilder on naval architecture.

PH Design contributed her wooden veneer interior, accommodating 12 guests. Badis I is one of the largest yachts Perini Navi has delivered from their Italian shipyard.

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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.’”

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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Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design

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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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Better Sailing

Largest Sailboats in the World

Nowadays, the production of enormous and luxurious sailboats and yachts is more and more increased and never ceases to impress. International shipyards build these vessels, from the Netherlands to the United Arab Emirates, the US, Greece, Italy, and the United Kingdom, among others. And, new launches and refits are distributed each year, at the request of owners on an international level. In this article, I will list the world’s largest sailboats and yachts in case you want to get informed on that topic or charter one with your crew for cruising around the world. However, this list is updated every year but some of these vessels are timeless. Follow me!

Black Pearl by Oceanco – 350 ft

Black Pearl is the world’s biggest sailing yacht, standing at 350 feet and costing more than $200 million. Long before her first voyage, the ship drew international attention for its innovative architecture. Also, for her eco-credentials, and technical advances, all of which have set a new industry and earned her multiple awards for innovation.

Keep in mind that this vessel isn’t manufactured only by one designer but forms a result of an ambitious cross-industry collaboration. Some of the best international sailing professionals and creative minds have cooperated to manufacture this incredible vessel. And, it isn’t just her aesthetics that makes her distinguish, but also her utilization of the very latest green technology. According to Oceanco, they have made her capable of crossing the Atlantic without using any fuel. But how?

Firstly, her three powerful 230ft DynaRig carbon masts are a design of Dykstra Naval Architects. This innovative structure subdivides her sails into smaller sections. And, the best thing is that sails are set or furled just by touching a button. On top of that, and to maximize effectiveness the Black Pearl doesn’t rely on propulsion from fossil fuels. Meaning that with a single person that is able to set 2,900 sq meters of sail area in just a few minutes, she offers the possibility to turn off the main engines and harness the power of the wind. As a result, the costs are significantly minimized and it is also much better for the environment. So, under sail, the boat can reach an incredible 30 knots and regenerate enough energy to power the whole load. And, also without the need of running the generators. 

We don’t know a lot about her interior, but we know that she has six cabins with accommodation for up to 12 guests. These include a master suite and two VIP cabins. She also has immense recreational spaces spread across her three decks, but because of her secretive nature, there’s not too much information disclosed. Some photographs show that there is a pool aft of the main deck and a hot tub aft of the upper deck. Moreover, there’s a fold-down platform at the aft of the boat that is probably transformed into a full-beam beach club. And, imagine that we aren’t fully aware of what her commodities and interior spaces offer. A true masterpiece!

EOS by Lurssen – 305 ft

At 305ft, the three-masted schooner EOS is the world’s second-largest boat. The first launch was in 2006 by Lürssen Yachts, and the vessel is one of the world’s most exclusive yachts. The Eos is a Bermuda rigged three-masted schooner and one of the world’s largest private sailing yachts. EOS, a superyacht of significant proportions has impressed many since it was first launched. In 2006, Lurssen Yachts completed this 305-foot luxury yacht.

The superyacht EOS is a luxurious vessel that can accommodate up to 16 guests in 8 cabins and can be handled by a crew of approximately 15 professionals. Lurssen was the naval architect who brought this yacht design to life. The interior decoration of this boat was also done by Bill Langton and Francois Catroux. EOS, one of the world’s largest private sailing yacht, uses twin MTU diesel engines and can reach a top limit continuous speed of about 16 knots. The ship’s engine produces 2332 horsepower. Her total horsepower is 4663, and her total wattage is 3480.

>>Also Read: Best Sailboats Under 100k

Athena by Royal Huisman – 295 ft

The Dutch Royal Huisman Shipyard designed the 295-foot super sailing yacht, Athena, in 2004. Pieter Beeldsnijder Design created the superyacht’s exterior lines, while Dykstra Naval Architects and Pieter Beeldsnijder Design collaborated on the naval architecture, and Rebecca Bradley Interior Design created the interior. Athena is one of the largest sailing yachts since the 1930s, and she can outrun any other sailing superyachts with speeds of up to 19 knots.

The Royal Huisman Shipyard in Holland designed Athena for US software developer Jim Clark. Because of Athena’s advanced engineering, she can sail in light winds while still providing the interior space usually reserved for motor yachts. Athena has been credited with reaching 19 knots under sail in stronger winds. A large owner’s suite, four guest quarters, a saloon and dining room on the main deck, and a sky lounge on the upper deck are some of the areas among the yacht’s three decks.

Maltese Falcon by Perini Navi – 289 ft

The pioneering 289 ft Maltese Falcon is popular for her automated square-rigged DynaRig sail plan. This makes her one of the most famous yachts of all time and definitely one of the most photographed in recent years. Three free-standing rotating carbon-fiber masts carry a total of 25,800 square feet of canvas on 15 square sails, resulting in exceptional performance, speed, and maneuverability. The yacht was sold in August 2009 to her current owner, who regularly participates in superyacht regattas, demonstrating the yacht’s capabilities. It was constructed by Perini Navi and designed in partnership with her first owner, Tom Perkins.

Elena Ambrosiadou currently owns the Maltese Falcon, but the American venture capitalist Tom Perkins was the first to own her. The three-masted schooner is the world’s fifth-largest sailing yacht. The rig of the Maltese Falcon consists of three unstayed, “weapons-grade” carbon fiber masts, as well as a completely computerized sail and rotating mast system. The whole boat benefits from exceptional design, development, and engineering. She is also capable of reaching speeds of up to 24 knots while sailing. The interior design by Ken Freivokh is a mix of modern chic and hi-tech development. The construction design uses leather, glass, wood, and steel, and it houses a modern art collection. Lastly, the yacht can accommodate 12 people and is available for charter.

Aquijo by Vitters Shipyard and Oceanco – 282 ft

Vitters and Oceanco collaborated on the widely awaited Aquijo. Both Dutch yards collaborated closely with the owner’s representative to design a highly complex and of ultimate performance sailing vessel that, when launched, was the world’s third-largest sailing superyacht. Aquijo is a ketch-rigged aluminum yacht with a custom steering mechanism. Her interior layout provides clear sightlines because of her exceptional superstructure. This Dutch sailing yacht firstly came up in 2015 and was the largest ketch-rigged sailing yacht in the world. Her mainmast rises 280ft above sea level. Her naval architecture and exterior design are a creation of Tripp Design Naval Architects.

Sea Eagle II by Royal Huisman – 266 ft

With hundreds of projects completed to date, Royal Huisman has an enviable track record of delivering exceptional sailing superyachts. Even by these criteria, the most recent vessel to leave the shipyard is more than we expected. She is one of the top ten largest sailing yachts and the world’s largest aluminum yacht. Sea Eagle II is a spectacular 266-foot with three masts and a Panamax schooner. Her design is a creation of the Dykstra and Mark Whiteley Design team that built the stunning 186 ft Royal Huisman ketch Aquarius just over a year ago.

The sheer size of this yacht is mind-boggling. The 13-foot freeboard has sleek hull lines, and the two-tier deckhouse, which includes a half-raised bridge, is remarkably in proportion. The main deck-level accommodation has a large expanse of glass, with just a few mullions interrupting the 360o view. Furthermore, there’s immense cockpit space, with enough room left over in the aft deck.

Mark Whiteley was in charge of the interior design as well as the exterior styling. He designed the interior in a plain, modern style with straight lines. Soft color leather handrails and upholstered wall panels enhance the lacquered Alpi walnut panels, polished natural oak floors, and dark stained wenge trims. As for the rigging, each mast has in-boom furling, and the two aft have staysails for use when reaching. Lastly, the tank and wind tunnel tests help to verify various headsail options, particularly the differences between a large blade jib and a large staysail or yankee.

M5 by Vosper Thornycroft – 254 ft

This superyacht is a creation of Ron Holland Design and construction of Vosper Thornycroft in the United Kingdom. The yacht received a refit in 2014 at Pendennis Shipyard. As a result, they redesigned and extended the stern portion of the vessel by three meters, among other changes. Her keel, however, was slightly unbalanced because of the refit. Another big refit, completed in 2020 at the NCA shipyard, aimed to rebalance the keel by halving it and pushing the ram housing 300 mm forward. They used a three-tone of grey livery with a metallic palladium hull, anthracite silver superstructure, and crystal silver mast and boom for the repainting procedure. And, all these, in addition to her technical improvements.

M5 is the legendary yacht Mirabella V; a creation made in Southampton, England. To this day, she is the world’s largest sloop. M5 was built for Joe Vittoria, an American yachtsman who sailed her for seven years. Her new owner renamed her M5, and when she was refitted at Pendennis she was extended by 3.2 meters until her relaunch in 2014. She also has a new RWD-designed interior. Let’s note that M5 has a 780-tonne displacement, i.e. 165 tonnes of which is the keel. Lastly, the carbon fiber mast stands at an incredible 88.3 meters tall and has a sail area of approximately 3,700 square meters.

Enigma (Phocea) by DCAN – 246 ft

Enigma (formerly Phocea) was a sailing yacht designed by DCAN in 1976 in Toulon, France. She’s 246 feet long, with a top speed of 12 knots. Also, she was refitted, like many yachts, and the most recent one was in Germany in 2000. She can accommodate 12 guests and has a crew of 16 sailors. In addition, Enigma is a four-masted schooner. She was primarily built for speed performance, and she crossed the Atlantic in 8 days. During this voyage, she achieved speeds of 30 knots under sail.

Mouna Ayoub bought Phocea in July 1997 and made her some refits in Lürssen. As a result, the British naval architect Dalrymple-Smith has significantly improved the interior as well as her exterior design. Her interiors feature modern wood paneling and furniture. The main suite is on the main deck, while the VIP guest cabin and 4 other double cabins are on the lower deck. Just before Royal Huisman launched Athena in 2004, the Phocea was the world’s largest sailing yacht. Unfortunately, in 2021, the Enigma was partly destroyed by fire and therefore sunk the next day.

Badis I by Perini Navi – 229 ft

Badis, the second-largest Perini Navi sailing yacht to date, was launched in 2016 for Bill Duker, a multi-superyacht owner. The name comes from an ancient Greek city in Italy known for its hedonism and rich feasts. She is the second-largest boat built by the yard since the Maltese Falcon. So, Badis I, or Sybaris, was made for the American businessman Bill Duker in 2016. She went for sale in April 2017 for €88 million and sold in October 2018.

Perini Navi’s team as well as the French designer Philippe Briand were in charge of the naval architecture on this vessel. The yacht was constructed of alloy with a variable draught keel so as to allow access to shallow areas while maintaining good sailing performance. It’s important to note that Badis I’ sails stretch over a surface of 2,300 sq m and they can be handled with consoles in the cockpit. Lastly, under power, Badis diesel engines generate a total of 3,860hp. This results in a top speed of 17.5 knots and a maximum cruising range of 5,000 nautical miles at 12.5 knots.

Vertigo by Alloy Yachts – 220 ft

And, let’s get to the top 10; the 220 ft Vertigo. A creation of Alloy Yachts in New Zealand (2011), with more than one million hours spent for her construction. The all-aluminum sailing yacht has an iconic sporty exterior from Philippe Brand of France, as well as naval architecture from Alloy Yachts. Her distinctive ketch-rig, streamline hull, and 3,330 sq m of sails all add to her overall performance capabilities. However, keep in mind that she wasn’t built as a racing yacht. Her interior design is a creation of Liaigre and, like all other boats in this list, offers the commodity of enormous interior areas. Lastly, Vertigo is able to sleep up to 12 guests and host a crew of 11.

The Bottom Line

So, this is it! This is the list of the biggest yachts in the world. I know that many of us might not even get aboard a boat of this size but we can still dream about it. On the other hand, there are people that can’t stand this kind of luxury for their sailing voyage. In any case, these vessels are mostly destined for wealthy people that can afford this kind of budget. Keep in mind that you can always charter a boat of these dimensions in order to live the luxurious way of sailing for a while. I hope that you enjoyed this article and wish you all safe and happy voyages!

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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10 Best Sailboats for Solo Sailing (One Person)

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 27, 2023

The idea of single-handed sailing or solo sailing appeals to racers and cruisers alike. But what are the best sailboats for solo sailing? Well, let's find out.

Whether you've been thinking of going for a day's sail without assistance or dreaming of a solo passage to Bermuda, the desire and the magic of venturing out alone at the sea is something that any sailor can experience. It doesn't matter if you're cruising or racing, solo sailing, of course, requires you to change your thinking as you'll be solely responsible for the entire operation of the boat. More importantly, choosing a well-founded boat is critical to solo sailing.

When sailing with a crew, things may seem a little easy because you share the responsibilities among the crew and support each other in case of anything. But what happens when you decide to venture out alone or sail single-handedly? Whatever motivates you to go out sailing solo, you should choose a good boat that you can perfectly operate single-handedly.

In this article, we'll highlight 10 best sailboats for solo sailing, their prices, their best rigs, and everything else that you might need to sail them comfortably and safely.

Table of contents

General Features of Best Sailboats for Solo Sailing

Here are the general features to look for when choosing the best sailboat for solo sailing.

The Availability of Automation Systems

The forces that you sometimes have to deal with when out sailing can be extreme, to say the least. It doesn't matter whether you're sailing solo or with a crew, it's always very important not to underestimate the power of the wind and tide. While you can do a lot on your own, having some automation systems in place is an important feature if you're planning to sail single-handedly. In other words, a good sailboat for solo sailing should have various automation systems to make your work a lot simpler.

So if you're planning to go solo sailing, it would be great to consider a boat with the following systems:

• ‍ Autopilot for steering
• Lines running aft (running to the cockpit)
• Roller furling
• Electric windlass
• Hydraulic bow/stern thrusters with remote

Stability and Ease of Use

Again, the best sailboats for solo sailing are generally not known for their speeds. This is because they typically have wide beams and short waterlines, which are vital in providing stability thereby limiting their speeds. In short, the best sailboats for solo sailing usually sacrifice speed and additional performance for ease of use and stability.

Boat Features

When it comes to the structure of the boat itself, it's important to go for a boat that is close to the water, relatively small when compared to the wave height, and has lighter ballast, especially when compared to the displacement ratio. The idea here is that these features can combine to increase the boat's performance when you're sailing solo.

Additionally, a good solo sailing boat should be designed with a flat profiled aft bottom section. This is to ensure that the boat can come up on a plane when the wind conditions are breezy or marginal.

When it comes to the best sails for solo sailing, you can go for the unique sail design that combines both a Bermuda sail and a gaff sail. This can be essential in giving you a more sail area on a shorter mast than is possible when using either a gaff sail or a Bermuda sail. More importantly, the combination of a gaff sail and a Bermuda sail not only gives you a greater sail area on a shorter and easy to control mast but can also reduce the heeling force that's common in boats with taller and narrower sails.

Still on sails, it makes a lot of sense to choose easily operated sail controls. You certainly want a sail that one person can tuck a reef in quickly and be able to easily adjust the sheets. You should, therefore, prioritize the reefing and sail handling systems.

In terms of rigs, the gaff rig is arguably the best when solo sailing. Although the Bermuda rig is the most common, especially in modern sailboats, you can lose some windward abilities because of its lower aspects. As such, you can choose to use the gaff rig thanks to its ease of use and superior downwind performance.

10 Best Sailboats for Solo Sailing

There are numerous sailboats out there that can be easily and properly handled by a skilled and experienced sailor. To make it a lot easier for you, the following boats are great choices when solo sailing. Whether you're just looking to experience how it feels to solo sail or short-handed, they all offer easy, comfortable, and safe sailing.

Jeanneau Sunfast 3200

{{boat-info="/boats/jeanneau-sun-fast-3200"}}

From the outset, it's easy to see that the Jeanneau Sunfast 3200 is designed with offshore short-handed sailing in mind. In addition to being a purist's sailing boat, this boat is a small and light boat that can be easily handled. Even better, it has the stability and strength to handle long passages and that's exactly why it was initially designed with the Trans-Atlantic race in mind.

With this boat, you can easily attain double figures in terms of speed even if you're sailing downwind. In essence, the Sunfast 3200 is designed with some of the latest technology to afford you the best strength-to-weight ratios. It has all the necessary features to allow you to easily adapt it to perform perfectly either as a cruising or racing sailboat. Some of its greatest features include the two double cabins, the chart table, a galley, and a head compartment.

This boat is particularly impressive when sailing off the wind and it's designed to ensure that it's functional and reliable even when solo sailing. This is perhaps because it's designed and set up for racing, so it can be great for you especially if you're looking for a coastal cruiser that can be easily handled.

Using the sloop Marconi can be the best way to go given that this vessel has a keel-stepped mast. Its maximum beam begins at 60% aft of the stem before extending to the transom, which can result in the sled hull being driven by a mainsail-heavy rig. This can then fly the masthead asymmetrical off a short sprit.

Given that the Jeanneau Sunfast 3200 is a very modern boat that's equipped with some of the latest boating technology; it comes with a base price of about $160,000. This is a vessel that's built by one of the world's premier builders and offers an intriguing blend of technology, reliability, functionality, practicality, and performance.

Having been the European Yacht of the Year for 2008, the Sunfast 3200 may just be the godsend boat for your solo sailing dreams.

{{boat-info="/boats/hanse-371"}}

If you're looking for a slippery cruiser-racer that's always ready to sail single-handedly, you might perhaps want to take a serious look at the Hanse 371. Introduced in 2003, the Hanse 371 is a mid-sized boat that was designed in a true blend of old and new boating technology. Thanks to its furling and self- tacking jib, the Hanse 371 becomes an instant single-handed sailing vessel that takes much of the strain out of your solo sailing adventures. That's not all; this boat is more popular as a result of its autopilot system. Press a few buttons and you'll be ready to go.

Although it's a little bigger and not one of the smallest boats out there, it can be a great option if you're planning to sail solo but on a vessel that offers a tremendous amount of space. Whether you love a boat with a shallow or deep center of gravity, the Hanse 371 has a commendable large galley and a spacious cabin layout.

Everything about rigging this boat is designed to be easy. Again, the jib on a roller furler is self-tacking. In essence, everything is standard and easy to use, which makes this boat a dream when sailing single-handed.

Already a classic that's known for its stylish interior, timeless look, and ultimate performance, the Hanse 371 is a coveted vessel that may cost you around $60,000.

Hunter Channel 31

{{boat-info="/boats/hunter-channel-31"}}

Launched in 2001, the Hunter Channel 31 is structured with a hull and keel design that makes it easy to sail single-handed. This is a British-made vessel that has steadily moved from the racing scene to become a well-respected cruiser, especially among the solo sailing community. Thanks to its faultless handling and impressive turn of speed, the Hunter Channel 31 provides near uncomplicated sailing without losing its impeccable handling features.

Its well-balanced hull shape can either be structured with a low or deep center of gravity. It also has an efficient twin keel to give it more stability, which is perfect for solo sailing. This is, without a doubt, one of the main reasons why Hunter Channel 31 has proved popular among solo sailors trying to sail across narrow channels.

The Hunter Channel 31 is also designed with a great standard deck layout, as well as a non-compulsory self-tacking jib that comes with a single line mainsail reefing. That's not all; the tiller steering is also efficient if you're sailing single-handed as you can steer it with your legs while trimming sails.

It should, therefore, not come as a surprise that owners of the Hunter Channel 31 keep them for a long time, so finding them on the market will be a long shot. But if you're lucky enough to find one, you'll be getting a great vessel that will never let you down if you want to sail solo.

Like many Hunter designs, the Hunter 31 can be fractionally rigged given that it has a relatively large mainsail to give it a more sail area in light winds and a small headsail with a lower sheet load. In other words, you can efficiently and easily reef from the cockpit.

At about $35,000, the Hunter Channel 31 is quite affordable and is a great bargain in its category.

{{boat-info="/boats/j-boats-j109"}}

The J/109 is unquestionably one of the best single-handed or double-handed sailboats that money can buy. Whether you're looking for a coastal cruiser or a long-distance single-handed vessel, the J/109 will rarely disappoint. That's essentially why its single-handed offshore capabilities remain popular with sailors looking to make North Atlantic crossings.

Even though it is widely categorized as a planing sailboat, this vessel is too heavy for simple planing. Instead, this is a superb boat that offers an all-round performance. It doesn't matter whether you're solo sailing or sailing with a crew, its performance is always top-notch.

Thanks to its asymmetric spinnaker, you can easily jib it from the cockpit, especially in light wind. But when the wind is on the north of 20 knots, you can pole out the jib to give you a quick downwind speed. No matter which type of rig you choose to use, the J/109 offers a fair degree of control.

In terms of price, the J/109 is one of the relatively expensive sailboats out there, though this is compensated with the high standard equipment and outstanding quality of construction. For about $58,000, you can get a great boat that offers excellent solo sailing adventures.

West Wight Potter 19

{{boat-info="/boats/west-wight-potter-19"}}

Designed for safety and easy handling, the West Wight Potter 19 is a great sailboat for solo sailing. Although its name might not be one of the catchiest in the sailing scene, it's been around for over three decades and is steadily becoming a popular pocket cruiser. The original design draws inspiration from the U.K. but is currently built by the International Marine in California.

Over the years, this boat has seen several improvements even though its original look and features still attract a large and dedicated group of followers. This is not only a tough little boat but its hard-chine hull offers incredible stability. This makes it a very easy and ultimately forgiving sailboat. Whether you're looking to sail from California to Hawaii or across the Atlantic, the Potter 19 is outstanding for solo sailing.

This is a Bermuda-rigged sloop. Its sail plan is huge enough to propel the sailboat in various conditions. This makes it a perfect single-handed boat as you can easily set it up or take it down with no special equipment.

This is a remarkably affordable boat. At around $5,000 you can get a superb solo sailing sailboat. But if you want a new Potter 19 with additional features, you could pay about $25,000.

Beneteau 31

{{boat-info="/boats/beneteau-31"}}

As a small cruiser keelboat, this French-designed boat is primarily built of fiberglass and is perfect if you want a vessel that's great for solo sailing while still offering maximum space for comfort. Its galley is equipped with superb stowage and counter space and even a sit-down navigation station with a small table.

Maneuvering this boat under power is quite easy and is well worth it for any solo sailor who is in the market for a coastal cruiser.

It has a fractional sloop rig, which makes in-mast furling a great option. This makes it easy to handle but also powerful in light winds. If you're sailing the boat off the wind, bow pulpit and an optional asymmetric cruising chute can keep things lively.

The new 31 can cost around $115,000, which is quite expensive but certainly worth it if you want to cruise the world in this French masterpiece.

Catalina 315

{{boat-info="/boats/catalina-315"}}

This is a nifty pocket cruiser that raises the quality bar for solo sailors with extreme comfort and performance. With just a 9.45 meter hull, the Catalina 315 has more internal room than most classics and remains superb for solo sailing.

Although it's a much bigger boat, it has little but significant features that make all the difference. For instance, the split backstays are great for balance and functionality. This is one of the main reasons why it won the Cruising World's 2013 Boat of the Year Best Inshore Cruiser award.

With a masthead sloop, rigging the Catalina 315 is a lot easier as it is equipped with both an in-mast roller furling mainsail and a roller furling genoa.

Even though the Catalina 315 will exceed your expectations when sailing solo, it's a high-end sailboat that will cost you north of $175,000. But if that seems expensive, you can look for a used model, which will cost you slightly lower.

{{boat-info="/boats/vanguard-laser"}}

A boat that has become a staple in the Olympics Games, the Laser may be simple and small but a real-go to boat if you want a vessel that will rarely let you down for your solo sailing escapades. As one of the world's most popular single-handed sailboats, its main feature is its sheer simplicity. This might not be the best boat for you if you love those fussy, big boats. But if you're looking for an amazing boat with a two-part free-standing mast and a sleeved sail, the Laser should be on top of your list.

The fact that it has a lightweight hull and is easy to rig makes it one of the most popular racing sailboats in the world with over 200,000 boats in over 140 countries. This is undoubtedly a perfect boat that's specifically designed for solo sailing.

This boat can be rigged using various rigs, so you should go with whatever works for you. We, however, prefer cat rigging the boat since it has no headsail and only has one mainsail. This is a boat that is designed for speed, particularly in high winds. It's also easy to set up, which makes it a marvelous option for solo sailing.

For around $7,000, this is probably one of the most affordable solo sailing sailboats you could ever get your hands on. You should, however, keep in mind that its price may widely vary depending on their availability in your area.

{{boat-info="/boats/oday-rhodes-19"}}

A real classically-styled sailboat, the Rhodes 19 is an ideal family daysailer that can be perfect for you if you're a spirited solo sailor. Whether you're planning to sail in heavy weather or fast, the Rhodes 19 is designed with a forgiving hull and is an accomplished heavy-weather performer. For over 5 decades, and with more than 3,500 boats built, this sailboat has proven time and time again that it has the characters for both beginners and experienced sailors.

With a low center of gravity, this boat remains a classic beauty that's very fast, easy to trailer, and will get many compliments whenever you're solo sailing. No wonder it is still actively raced throughout the United States.

A simple sprit rig can work greatly on this boat but you can also consider Bermuda-Rigged sloop, which is efficient in propelling the boat in various wind conditions.

Its price may vary depending on your location but something around $20,000 will get you a sailboat that's still in tip-top condition.

{{boat-info="/boats/dehler-29"}}

If like most Americans, you have a soft spot for finely engineered German automobiles, the Dehler 29 can be a great option for your solo sailing escapades. Even though the Dehler 29 hasn't attracted a huge following in the American shores, it remains an excellently-structured German sailboat, especially for sailors looking for a stable, agile, adaptable, and comfortable sailboat.

Whether you enjoy a smooth and solo cruise on a breezy afternoon or is energized by speed, the Dehler 29 is one of the most adaptable sailboats. This is certainly why it has received numerous accolades in the boating scene including the 1998 Cruising World Magazine Boat of the Year, as well as Sailing World Boat of the Year award.

Given that it's a single-handed sailboat, you can tiller steer it and cat rig it with ease to give you easy maneuverability, confidence, and absolute versatility.

With powerful dynamics and maximum safety, the Dehler 29 is one of the best German-produced sailboats that will set you back around $55,000.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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2024 Catawba Island Boat Show scheduled for 3 days this month

• Updated: Apr. 13, 2024, 7:22 a.m. |
• Published: Apr. 13, 2024, 7:10 a.m.

The annual three-day Catawba Island Boat Show – billed as the largest spring in-water boat show on the Great Lakes – is coming up. AP

• Marc Bona, cleveland.com

PORT CLINTON, Ohio – The 18th annual Catawba Island Boat Show is scheduled for Friday to Sunday, April 26-28.

The show, billed as the largest spring in-water boat show on the Great Lakes, is put on by the Ohio Marine Trades Association . More than 100 power and sailboats ranging from personal watercraft to motor yachts will be featured at the Catawba Island Club.

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