MiniCat GUPPY is a 3 metres-long sailing inflatable catamaran that’s easy to carry and can be carried in a car or taken on a plane.

The new Minicat GUPPY is the latest model in the portable catamaran brand’s range, which currently consists of the three cats: Minicat 460, Minicat 420 and Minicat 310. Like its predecessors, the GUPPY was developed in collaboration with famous sailor Laura Dekker and offers a new construction concept.

The trampoline of the GUPPY model is for the first time firmly connected to the two hulls and also remains attached when folded. This reduces the assembly time for the ready to sail Minicat GUPPY to just 10 minutes compared to the other models. The inflatable catamaran weighs only 26kg, making it very easy to transport – even on foot – in its stowage bag ((165x30x30cm).

The catamaran, which is suitable for two persons, is easy to assemble by rolling out the hulls and trampoline, inserting the two 0.50 metre long keel fins, inflating both hulls, inserting the centre tube and rudder, putting the three-part mast together and finally pulling it into the sail and placing it on the water.

The Minicat GUPPY glides and reaches speeds of up to 15 knots. Thanks to its lightness, GUPPY can sail well even in weak winds and its low draught keel fins make it stable, easy to control and usable in shallow and inland waters.

At a glance…

Length: 3000 mm
Width: 1500 mm
Height of the mast: 3950 mm
Weight: 26 kg
Diameter of floats: 330 mm
Sail: 3,9 m²
Trampoline: 1600×1450 mm
Stowage bag dimensions: 1650x300x300 mm
Carrying capacity: 235 kg
Number of persons: 2
Time of assembly / dismantling: max. 10 min.
Price: €2.595 including VAT.
Contact: MiniCat

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The post MiniCat GUPPY: The easy to carry inflatable catamaran appeared first on YBW.

Dufour Yachts have announced they will be launching a brand new Grand Large model  in 2019: the Dufour 430 Grand Large.

The latest member of the Grand Large family, which includes the D310, D360, D382, D412, D460 and D520, will be unveiled globally at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2018 alongside the already announced Dufour 390 Grand Large.

Designed by Umberto Felci, the D430 will boast a new, more spacious hull,  larger roof design, and the integration of high-end equipment and new on-board technology.

The Dufour 430 benefits from all the Dufour Yacht’s stunning interior layouts and finishing, boasting sturdy and functional furniture and spacious  cabins and heads finished in high quality materials. The interior layout can be adapted and designed according to the owner’s wishes.

The standard configuration has been upgraded with USB plugs, led lights and a variety of accessories and equipment,  including the water-boiler, which has doubled in capacity and has been increased from 20L to 40L.

Layouts and specifications The Dufour 430 comes in 2 layout versions and three different types woods: moabi, oak and teak.

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The post Dufour Yachts announces the launch of a brand new yacht: The new Dufour Grand Large 430 appeared first on YBW.

From the iconic Camper and Nicholson-designed  J-Class, Endeavour to the showstopping Maltese Falcon, each of these stunning yachts are guaranteed to get adoring looks wherever they sail to in the world. With sleek exteriors and state of the art interiors, these vessels are the ultimate way to sail in sheer luxury.

Valquest – £8.87 million

From the pen of the legendary Ed Dubois, Valquest has a sleek look, helped by its low profile deckhouse.

The all-aluminium sailing yacht has a modern interior, with stunning white leather and mahogany throughout the 40.8-metre (133.7ft) ship.

She was delivered in 2009 by the Dutch yard Bloemsma van Breemen, which also built Lionheart, the first J-Class with an aluminium hull.

On board, an exclusive guest list of up to nine people can be luxuriously accommodated in a large owner’s suite, two double and one twin cabin – all with en suite shower facilities and state-of-the-art entertainment centres.

The split-level main saloon really impresses: skylights allow plenty of natural light, while the stunning separate dining room and bar is ideal for formal dining and entertaining.

For those wanting to relax on deck, a covered social area is perfect for alfresco parties.

Valquest is currently on the market and can be inspected in Monaco.

Bliss – £10.83 million

One of the few sporty composite sailing superyachts currently on the market, Bliss is a yacht designed to serve two masters – those who have a passion to cruise the world and those who love the thrill of racing.

She was launched in 2010 by Yachting Developments, New Zealand, which was responsible for the refit of the America’s Cup J-Class, Endeavour and for restoring Sir Peter Blake’s first yacht – Bandit.

Another beauty from the design boards of Dubois Naval Architects, Bliss has a characteristic sleek exterior.

Inside she doesn’t disappoint, with a contemporary and luxurious interior décor by Design Unlimited, featuring a palette of white, grey, red and black.

The 36.8-metre (120.7ft) Bliss can take up to 10 guests in three cabins.

Shenandoah of Sark – £13.68 million

Credit: Getty Images

A must for the true sailing connoisseur, Shenandoah of Sark has to be one of the most unique and desirable yachts in the world.

This classic 1902 three-masted gaff rigged schooner has a rich history and was built to be the ultimate retirement luxury by one of the richest bankers in America, Charles Fahnestock.

She is a true tribute to the bygone age of sail and epitomises beauty, grace, elegance and speed.

The 55-metre (180ft) ship was last refitted in 2009, with traditional and contemporary interior styling by the late Italian architect Gae Aulenti, who was responsible for the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, and Bureau Veritas.

Wood lined rooms, glass skylights and port holes and a wood and brass onboard library certainly add to the ambience on board: think the golden age of yachting.

Shenandoah can accommodate an intimate gathering of up to 10 people, with a luxurious master cabin, along with three double cabins and two additional pullmans.

Endeavour – £15.97 million

Credit: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images

A rare chance to own a piece of America’s Cup history, and a yacht often attributed for the resurgence of the J-Class.

When she challenged for the Auld Mug in 1934, Endeavour was one of the most advanced ships of the day.

Built by Camper and Nicholson, the yacht’s owner, Thomas Sopwith utilised his aviation design expertise on her rig and winches, as well as giving her a steel hull and mast.

Although the America’s Cup challenge was unsuccessful, the 39.56-metre (130 ft) Endeavour still made her mark in the racing circuit and won the hearts of many.

Sadly, a series of owners mistreated her and she was left a complete wreck, abandoned in the Solent until she was bought by Elizabeth Meyer in 1984.

Endeavour was completed rebuilt by the Royal Huisman Shipyard in 1989 before undergoing an extensive refit in 2010/11 by Yachting Developments, New Zealand, which included a new deck structure and deck layout and a new rig and sails.

This stunning  yacht can sleep up to eight guests in a master suite, two doubles with en suite facilities and a twin cabin with bunk beds.

Marie – £25.61 million

Credit: Rick Tomlinson

With her distinct red and black hull, Marie certainly stands out from the crowd.

Reminiscent of a pirate ship (she even has miniature canons on board), there is nothing brusque about her stunning open-plan golden interior.

Large skylights provide plenty of natural light and the high gloss anigre finish gives a warm feel throughout.

This 55-metre (180ft) ketch even has a Steinway baby grand piano – for anyone wanting to relive the luxurious and decadent Great Gatsby lifestyle.

Marie has many elegant design features like the private aft owner’s cockpit and the Art Deco inspired skylight above the oval dining table.

Credit: Dana Jinkins

Marie was penned by Dutchman Andre Hoek, who designed the winner of the 2017 America’s Cup Superyacht Yacht Regatta in Bermuda, Lionheart.

This superyacht thoroughbred can sleep up to 10 guests in four luxurious cabins fit for a king.

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Athena – £41 million

The fourth largest sailing yacht in the world, the graceful and majestic Athena is a timeless classic.

This three masted 90-metre schooner has played host to the likes of Hollywood actors Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Griffin Dunne and Fisher Stevens.

Designed by Pieter Beeldsnijder with Dykstra Naval Architects and built by the Royal Huisman Shipyard, she is based on the Italian fashion designer family Gucci’s 1927 wooden schooner, Creole.

Credit: David Churchill

The 90-metre (295.3ft) Athena is a true blend of traditional yachting style, along with modern sailing technology.

Designed by Rebecca Bradley Interior Design, her rich interior features wood and a palette of blues and creams.

Five sumptuous cabins, including a stunning full beam master suite, can sleep 10 in utter luxury.

Sybaris – £80.29 million

Credit: Perini Navi

Sleek and sculptured, Sybaris is the sixth largest private yacht in the world, and everything about her is elegant and impressive.

Launched last year, she was designed by the creators of the iconic Maltese Falcon, Perini Navi, along with the expertise of the award winning designed Philippe Briand.

Her size and scale amaze: Sybaris is powered by 3,000sq m of sail. She also has two Rondal custom produced carbon masts, a retractable keel, and a new captive winch system.

Down below, it is easy to see why she won last year’s Monaco Yacht Show‘s best interior award.

The Miami-based PH Design has created a spacious and luxurious open plan living space, with a focused use of titanium throughout the yacht.

The lustrous alloy was used for handholds, rails and other fittings. Specialist craftsmen from the F1 world were brought in to help with the construction.

Bespoke furniture and bleached oak joinery gives it a contemporary style, and 12 guests can be comfortably accommodated the six guest cabins. The full-beam owner’s suite includes two bathrooms a dressing area, walk-in wardrobe, an office and lounge.

Outside, a broad, well-protected deck affords private dining and lounging, with a unique 60-foot flybridge offering incredible views under sail.

The 70-meter (230ft) Sybaris is currently for sale, lying in the Monaco area.

Eos – £116.45 million

Credit: Franco Pace

A former holder of the largest private sailing yacht in the world title, the custom sail yacht Eos was build by the world famous Lürssen shipyard.

The 92.9 metre (304.89ft) Bermuda rigged schooner belongs to billionaire media mogul Barry Diller and his fashion designer wife, Diane von Fürstenberg.

She was delivered in 2006 and underwent a refit in 2013 following a fire on board.

Eos’ interior has been designed by François Catroux, named by Vanity Fair as the “Über-Rich’s Favorite Interior Designer”.

Known for his symmetrical design, Catroux previously penned the interior design for another Lürssen superyacht – the 316-foot Limitless.

Eos has a clean and contemporary interior, with a use of neutral tones and wood.

She can take up to 16 guests and 21 crew and features a displacement aluminium hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Eos has plenty of toys and tenders to keep guests entertained at sea.

Maltese Falcon  – £116.45-£232 million

Credit: Burgess

Chartered by the likes of Tom Hanks and Hugh Jackman, the iconic Maltese Falcon has to be one of the most photographed and best known yachts of all time.

The 88-metre (288.7ft) Perini Navi yacht is famed for its revolutionary sailing system – the Falcon Rig – which delivers exceptional performance and speed.

The square rigged DynaRig sail plan is automated. Three self-standing and rotating masts accommodate 15 sails for a total sail area of 2,400sq m. These are controlled by a touch of a button on the ship’s bridge.

Although purists might argue the Maltese Falcon is not a true sailing superyacht, most agree that she is stunning to behold.

The VIP outside bedroom

Original built for the American capitalist Tom Perkins (he would only ever say that she cost more than $150 million, but less than $300 million), the Maltese Falcon was later sold for $100 million to one of the richest women in the world, billionaire hedge fund founder Elena Ambrosiadou.

Today, she is available for charter, taking up to 12 guests for the most luxurious holiday of their lives: think Jacuzzis, an al fresco cinema, spa, gym, spacious saloon and a crew of 17 to deliver your every want and need.

Sailing Yacht A – £360 million

Credit: Getty Images

Sailing Yacht A is the world’s most expensive privately owned sailing superyacht.

Again, while many argue that she is not a true sailing yacht, her size certainly makes her impressive.

The leviathan is a staggering 143-metres (469 ft) long, and has three distinctive mast which are some of the tallest and most highly loaded freestanding composite structures in the world.

Each mast can sustain 90 knots of wind.

The three sails were created in 2016 at Doyle Sailmakers in Salem, Massachusetts, and the tallest mast – 91 metres – even has a small room inside.

Built for the Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko, the sail-assisted superyacht has been designed by Frenchman Philippe Starck, who was behind Melnichenko’s previous superyacht, Motor Yacht A, and Steve Jobs’ superyacht, Venus.

This advanced superyacht has a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system and state-of-the-art navigation systems.

One of the balconies on board. Credit: GTRES/PA Images

The interior is kept a closely guarded secret, although it is believed that Sailing Yacht A has eight floors.

Much has been made of its unique 93-square-foot curved glass observation pod in the vessel’s hull.

Sailing Yacht A was built at Nobiskrug’s shipyard at Kiel, Germany, and features teak, and a steel hull and steel superstructure with high-tech composite fashion plates that can be formed into any shape or size.

Inside, Sailing Yacht can luxuriously accommodate up to 20 guests and a crew of 54.

The post 10 of the most expensive sailing yachts in the world appeared first on YBW.

5 December 2017

Bénéteau’s much awaited 9.75 metre Figaro 3 will be built in the former Jeanneau shipyard of Nantes Cheviré.

The first 50 boats, reserved for the members of the Figaro class will be priced at €155,000 (excluding tax) then the boat will be available to buy at  €175,000 (excluding tax).

26 September 2017

French yacht builder, Bénéteau has announced that mass production of the new Figaro 3 is expected to begin shortly.

It follows successful sea trials of the firm’s prototype at Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie on France’s Atlantic coast between July and mid September.

The 9.75-metre VPLP design is the first one-design production monohull to be equipped with foils.

“The feedback is very positive. The results are in line with what the naval architect envisaged: the foils provide both additional stability and a phenomenon of lift, which makes the boat very balanced,” explained the head of the Figaro 3 programme at Bénéteau, Eric Ingouf.

“The gentleness and precision of the helm took everyone by surprise and it’s a very important element with a view to not overloading the autopilots,” he noted.

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Following the sea trials, a second Figaro 3 is now being built.

Once tested, it will be used as the ‘yardstick’ for the production boat ahead of the start of mass production at Bénéteau’s Cheviré site.

“We’re beginning to produce hulls and decks from mid-September,” confirmed Ingouf.

“All the boats, which are manufactured between September 2017 and December 2018 will only be delivered to their owners at the end of 2018 in the name of sporting equity with a view to participation in La Solitaire-URGO Le Figaro,” he added.

The 50th edition of the famous La Solitaire-URGO Le Figaro singlehanded race in the summer of 2019 will be the first race to feature the Figaro Bénéteau 3.

2 August 2017

The protoype of the eagerly anticipated Figaro Bénéteau 3 is being put through its paces during sea trials off France’s Vendée region.

This is ahead of the start of production in October of the very first on-design foiling monohull.

The sea trials will be taking place over two months and will examine the position of the keel in relation to the mast, the position of hardware and the exact configuration of the keel housing.

15 June 2017

All eyes will be on France’s Vendée region in July – the location for the sea trials of the Figaro Bénéteau 3 prototype.

The very first one-design foiling monohull will be extensively tested for two months.

Bénéteau will be particularly looking at the position of the keel in relation to the mast, which will enable the hull structure to be confirmed.

The position of hardware will also require a long test phase, and the resulting decision will influence the positioning of the reinforcements to the deck foam.

Work on the Figaro Bénéteau 3. Credit: Bénéteau

The French boatbuilder also said the trials will decide the position of the keel and the exact configuration of the keel housing.

If all goes according to plan, the Van Peteghem-Lauriot Prévost designed Figaro Bénéteau 3 will go into production in early October.

Head of the Figaro Bénéteau 3 programme within Groupe Bénéteau, Marc Vaillier, said: “In terms of timing, we’re pretty much on track, give or take a couple of weeks. There are still some additional tweaks, which require a little more time, but we’re managing to stick to our schedule”.

Redner of the Figaro Bénéteau 3. Credit: Bénéteau

Assembly of the foiling monohull is already underway.

Having been infused, the hull has just had all its bulkheads fitted, the engine’s drive train is in place and the keel reinforcements are in position.

The deck, which is also infused, is complete, and the deck fittings will be installed over the coming week.

During this same time frame, Bénéteau will dry fit the deck so as to check all the elements conform and the secondary polyester mouldings, such as the engine housing and companionway, are useable. The mast will be stepped in the third week of July.

Bénéteau says the sails have been designed and “all that’s left is a discussion to outline the finishing touches between the North Sails sail loft and Yoann Richomme, winner of the 2016 Solitaire Bompard le Figaro and consultant skipper on the prototype as head of the Measurement and Safety Committee within the Figaro Class.”

“We have every intention of being in full working order to supply the production line from early October,” stressed Vaillier.

“We’re seeking to release one or two hulls in advance: manufacturing these large polyester composite parts takes time and we must be methodical, which is the key to the tempo if we want to release 1 one-design a week,” he added.

Figaro Bénéteau 3 taking shape. Credit: Bénéteau

It looks like that from early October, the Figaro Bénéteau 2 will be at the dawn of her final season of offshore racing before a much-deserved retirement.

Technical Specifications of the Figaro Bénéteau 3

LOA: 10.85 metres

Hull length: 9.75 metres

Max hull beam: 3.47 metres

Light displacement: 2900 kg

Certification: ISO Cat A/World sailing

The post Bénéteau to build Figaro 3 in the former Jeanneau site of Nantes Cheviré appeared first on YBW.

This 100m super sailing yacht was designed with origami and traditional Asian sailing vessels in mind.

Monaco-based artist George Lucian created the unique design in an attempt to experiment with traditional sailing yacht shapes.

‘Project Origami’ is not the first unique superyacht design from the 29-year-old, with another concept featuring a yacht attached to a 100-metre helium-filled airship.

These renderings show the luxury project taking shape, which will be complete with a jacuzzi, sun beds and recreational areas.

Other elements of the design include the front left side of the hull opening up to become a helicopter pad and reveal a wall of glass surrounding the guest quarters.

The yacht mast will rise from the middle of the integrated glass wall swimming pool, complete with a crow’s nest to give the guests breathtaking views.

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Once built the yacht will be able to accommodate up to 12 guests and crew.

Beside the tenders that are stored in the hull of the yacht, a speed boat is also placed towards the bow of the yacht.

The post Unique origami inspired superyacht concept unveiled appeared first on YBW.

With their distinctive shape and stunning red sails, a Drascombe is a beautiful boat to behold on the water, and holds a special place in many people’s hearts.

As Drascombe’s managing director, Sharon Geary-Harwood, told YBW: “Drascombe is known by many of all ages. It makes me smile when I am at a boat show to hear a child say to their friend: ‘That’s a Drascombe there, as my Grandfather has one'”.

The story of the Drascombe goes back to 1965 when John Watkinson, a retired naval officer, was asked by his wife, Kate, to build a boat to take the family sailing: the only criteria – it had to be safe.

“So John sets to work, he designs and then built by hand a beautiful boat call ‘Katharine Mary’, with her Lug rig, this is where the Drascombe Lugger began,” explained Geary-Harwood, as she picks up the story.

In 1965 with the first one built, the Drascombe was taken to the Earl’s Court Boat Show.

A regatta to mark the 50th anniversary

It sold within 29 minutes with plenty of other orders following.

The first Luggers to be sold were built of wood by Kelly and Hall at Noss Mayo in Devon, and then John Elliott Bros.

But demand soon outstripped production, and with the growing popularity of Drascombe, John Watkinson approached Honnor Marine in Totnes with the plan of producing them in GRP.

“Over the years, there have been many additional models added to the Drascombe range, the Skiff, Scaith, Scaffie, Cruiser Longboat, Peterboat and Drifter, although the Dabber, Longboat, Coaster, Gig and the Drifter 22 along with the Lugger are still being built by Churchouse Boats,” explained Geary-Harwood.

“We have also over the years been able to make advanced changes to the Drascombe Longboat which has enabled people with disabilities and special needs to enjoy being out on the water,” she added.

More than 6,000 Drascombes have been launched since the first one in 1965

Since 1967, the Drascombe has been in continuous production, celebrating its 50th year in 2017. Churchouse Boats got the licence to produce them in 2002.

To mark the momentous anniversary, the very first Drascombe Lugger, Katharine Mary, was exhibited at the London Boat Show. The boat had been found and restored by the team at Churchouse Boats.

In July at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, Katharine Mary took to the water for the first time in many years.

There were further celebrations at the Southampton Boat Show in September, where Barton Marine, which makes products for sailboats including Drascombe, hosted a 50th anniversary cake and champagne event for the iconic boat brand.

“I am very grateful to Barton Marine for all of their support, and especially Suzanne (Blaustone, executive director of Barton) as she understands what it is like to be of the minority female company owners in the marine industry, so it can be very tough at times,” noted Geary-Harwood.

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Drascombe’s managing director said 2018 was already looking like a promising year.

“We have a good order book taking us into the early spring, with more Drascombes being sold to Sailability or outdoor education centres, something which we are very proud off,” she said.

Geary-Harwood said she will always cherish becoming involved with Drascombe.

” I do not regret for one moment of getting involved and then buying a business which has a good brand name along with reputation. To me, the customers are the most important part of any business, and with a good team and good following, it all adds to the uniqueness of what we provide,” she said.

“I have even started sailing, so I can learn more about what our boats can do, along with enjoying some good times with fellow sailors,” added Geary-Harwood.

The post Pictures: Golden celebrations – 50 years of Drascombe appeared first on YBW.

Pink Floyd founding member Rick Wright owned the striking Evrika for 25 years, cruising her extensively in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

Now this beautiful Sparkman & Stephens-designed second series Swan 65 is up for sale, although anyone thinking of owning this piece of nautical rock history will have to part with £450,000.

Built by Nautor Swan in 1982, Evrika has only ever had three owners.

Originally a regular on the regatta circuit, the yacht was bought by Wright in 1984.

Rick Wright. Credit: EMPICS Entertainment

By this time, Wright had left Pink Floyd and had formed Zee with David ‘Dee’ Harris of the New Wave band, Fashion.

Following the release of Zee’s experimental album, Identity, in 1984, which Wright later admitted was a mistake, the Pink Floyd musician explored the Greek islands living on board Evrika before eventually rejoining Pink Floyd.

By all accounts, Wright was an enthusiastic sailor, taking Evrika to the Caribbean where his hospitality became legendary.

The yacht’s current owner, Richard Little, who bought her five years ago, can regale tales of islanders reminiscing about the parties and the free flowing liquor on board.

Original charm

Evrika’s teak laid deck was refurbished in 2007 before undergoing a major refit in 2012, although she still retains many of her original features.

The yacht was complete re-wired and re-plumbed – she still has the original Baby Blake WCs (although they’ve been re-built and modernised)  – and most of the equipment and engineering was either replaced or refurbished.

Down below

Evrika’s interior remains completely original – unchanged from the time Rick Wright cruised on her.

She has a standard Swan 65 layout, with a crew cabin forward, heads compartment with shower, and an upper and lower berth guest cabin starboard.

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A second upper and lower berth guest cabin can be found to port, with an ensuite head.

The main saloon has a u-shaped seating area for eight, twin leafed table and two pilot berths. The galley has a fridge and plenty of working space.

Rick Wright (right) with Pink Floyd members Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Syd Barrett. Credit: PA Archive/PA Images

Starboard is the nav station, and the engine space is beneath the main saloon floor.

The owner’s stateroom boasts a double and single berth arrangement, as well as an ensuite bathroom.

Technical Specifications of Evrika:

LOA: 65’/19.80m
Year: 1982
Beam: 16’3” / 4.95m
Draft: 9’6” / 2.89m
Displacement: 30,600kg / 67,461lb
Hull Material: GRP
Engine: 1 x Yanmar 4LHA-THE 140hp (2000)
Designer: Sparkman & Stephens
Accommodation: 8 berths in 4 cabins
Builder: Nautor Swan

Evrika is for sale through Berthon.

The post A piece of rock history: Pink Floyd yacht – Evrika – on the market for £450k appeared first on YBW.

Oyster Yachts has announced it is to launch two new models – the Oyster 835 and Oyster 895.

The new designs are a continuation of the refining of the Oyster fleet, which started in late 2014 with the Oyster 745.

Since then, all Oysters have infused internal structures and carbon-fibre in key areas of framing and bulkheads; the composite hulls and decks also have a more selective distribution of weight and strength.

Oyster Yachts said it had worked with Lloyds Register of Shipping to gather their technical input to help them develop “more appropriate classification standards for this type of composite yacht”.

The design signature of the Oyster 835 and 895 includes the deck, transom rake and window lines.

Oyster 835

These two new yachts include upgraded systems developed for the flagship Oyster 118, including a captive reel mainsheet system as standard, as well as an anchor-rocker system on the bow prodder for easier handling of large anchors.

Other anchor options include a stylish below deck storage system with an ‘anchor thrower arm’.

Continues below…

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Carbon masts are standard, as are North Sails.

Oyster Yachts says a high basic specification ensures that these two new models provide the superyacht experience comfortably below the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s 24 metre Large Yacht Code.

This makes either of these new models ideal for owners who are wanting to charter.

Oyster 895

For both the Oyster 835 and 895 there is a raised deck option, increasing the superstructure height by around 300mm and providing options for a high-level saloon seating and dining area.

These two new Oyster yachts are built for comfortable world cruising with interior layout options for three or four owner and guest cabins sleeping up to 8 on-board.

There are also options to accommodate two, three or four crew.

All interiors can be customised.

The Oyster 835 and 895 have been designed to replace the successful Oyster 825 and 885.

The Oyster 835 will cost £5.25 million (ex VAT), while the Oyster 885 has a price tag of £6.1 million (ex VAT).

The announcement comes as Oyster Yachts continues to do well in the market.

The Southampton-based luxury yacht builder said it had so far sold 17 of its Oyster 825 and 885 yachts, two of its Oyster 118 yachts and 16 of its smaller models – the Oyster 565, 595, 675, and 745.

Specifications of the Oyster 835:

LOA: 83’ 7”
Length of hull: 79’ 3.5”
Length of waterline: 72’ 1”
Beam: 20’ 8”
Draft standard: 11’ 3”
Displacement (Standard Keel): 145,500lb
Typical engine: Cummins Turbo-charged QSB6.7MD-305 MCD 224kW (305hp)
Fuel tanks: 3,000 litres
Water tanks: 2,000 litres

Specifications of the Oyster 895:

LOA: 89’ 0”
Length of hull: 84’ 7”
Length of waterline: 79’ 4”
Beam: 20’ 9”
Draft standard: 11’ 4”
Displacement (Standard Keel): 153,220lb
Typical engine: Cummins Turbo-charged QSL9-330 246kW (330hp)
Fuel tanks: 3,500 litres
Water tanks: 2,000 litres

The post Pictures: Oyster releases first images of the new 835 and 895 appeared first on YBW.

Pulling on the ropes. Credit: Tall Ships Youth Trust

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Sailing into the sunset. Credit: Tall Ships Youth Trust

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Jeanneau has unveiled it latest family cruiser model – the Sun Odyssey 440.

It has been designed by Philippe Briand, who has been designing the timeless Sun Odyssey range for the French yacht building since 2012.

And for those who may think that all avenues of design for leisure boats have been explored, the Sun Odyssey promises a few surprises.

Briand has managed to find three new ways which Jeanneau believes will make life onboard the boat easier and more comfortable for owners and guests.

The hull is inspired by scow-hulled working boats, which have squared-off forward sections. This offers an unparalleled beam towards the bow of the vessel.

Credit: Bertrand Duquenne

The result is that the owner’s cabin on the Sun Odyssey 440 is very generous with space not normally seen on boats in this size range.

“Space has become very restricted to the stern of boats as owners expect a lot of features here, so I looked for space in the bow, inspired by the Mini 6.50s with their scow-shaped bows, to bring the maximum beam forwards and increase the interior volume without losing performance,” explained Briand.

Secondly, due to a lack of barriers between the cockpit and the deck on the Sun Odyssey 440, and a gentle sloping of the deck towards the stern, movement onboard is unimpeded by steps or obstacles.

According to Jenneau, this helps to improve safety for guests.

But perhaps the most revolutionary feature is the completely new and patented “transformer” cockpit backrest.

This offers protection within the cockpit as well as an elevated vantage point from the helm.

Deck plan. Credit: Maecenter

It can be pivoted 90 degrees from vertical to a horizontal position, so lying flat to offer a full-beam 330% extension of the overall cockpit zone to the rear.

Within the cockpit area, a folding-leaf table provides a comfortable dining space with a concealed, portable fridge inset within the table.

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This fridge can be used for excursions ashore alongside the portable barbecue, which is stowed under the helmsman’s seat, adjacent to the cockpit sink.

Briand believes these new features on the Sun Odyssey 440 will attract new sailors to the brand.

“Almost all our clients for large sailing yachts were at one time owners of smaller, production boats,” he said.

“As yacht designers and naval architects, we see it as our responsibility to steward the next generation of yacht owners through the process of enjoying life on the water, by making ownership of smaller, more affordable boats enticing.”

Credit: Bertrand Duquenne

“This philosophy permeates every detail in the design choices we make, to improve every step of the experience onboard, particularly with these new features on the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440,” stated Briand, who added that everything has been simplified on the 440, with comfort and practically being at the forefront of his new design.

“In the Sun Odyssey 440, I tried to use every wasted space and make it a part of life onboard. This is a design that I believe will still look fresh and current even in a decade’s time,” noted the designer.

The Sun Odyssey 440 will be showcasing at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September.

Briand’s ever-evolving collaborative work with Jeanneau spans over 45 models and four decades, extending back to 1977 when he designed the yard’s Symphonie project at the age of 22.

His designs have graced sailing yachts of every size range and type over his longstanding career, including some of the most luxurious and sophisticated yachts in the world.

The launch of the Sun Odyssey 440 comes as the company celebrates its 60th anniversary.

Technical Specifications:

LOA: 12.64m
Waterline Length (MOC): 12.00m
Beam: 4.30m
Draft: 3.30/1.60m
Keel Weight (L shape Cast Iron): 2,450kg
Light Displacement: 9,244kg

The post Pictures: the revolutionary design of the Jenneau Sun Odyssey 440 appeared first on YBW.

Athena, one of the largest sailing yachts ever built, is for sale with an asking price of US $53 million.

Commissioned by a knowledgeable and experienced yachtsman, this much admired 90-metre three-masted schooner combines the aesthetics of traditional design with modern technology.

Custom built by the world-class Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman, Athena was designed by the late Pieter Beelsnijder in association with the naval architecture talents of Gerard Dykstra & Partners.

Delivered in 2004, Athena completed a comprehensive refit in 2011.

Alfresco dinning area. Credit: David Churchill

The superyacht’s interior, which has been designed by Rebecca Bradley, is arranged over three levels,

Several social areas include a bridge deck saloon or media room and a spacious main saloon leading to a formal dining room.

Below decks, five cabins accommodate up to 10 guests.

A full beam master suite offers a separate study, walk-in wardrobe and luxurious bathroom complete with Jacuzzi tub.

On deck, vast expanses of space divide into intimate areas over two levels, from comfortable shaded seating and al fresco dining to generous provision for lounging and relaxing in the sun.

The interior design brings together rich soft furnishings with lightly stained mahogany. Credit: David Churchill

Athena has beautiful varnished teak joinery throughout.

A 360º bird’s eye view is available from a height of 58 metres via the hydraulically hoisted crow’s nest.

The superyacht’s towering Panamax masts are rigged with some 2,500 square metres of sail power which is easily controlled by touch button technology.

A true world cruiser with several circumnavigations to its name, Athena has predominantly been used privately by her owner since delivery.

The yacht carries an extensive inventory of watersports equipment, including full scuba diving gear.

The fourth largest sailing yacht in the world, Athena has received numerous awards including Best Sailing Yacht over 40 metres at the 2005 ShowBoats Design Awards and Best Sailing Yacht over 36 metres at the 2005 International Superyacht Awards.

Athena is being offered for sale by Burgess.

Technical specifications:

LOA: 90m (295.3ft)
LWL: 60.5m (198.5ft)
Beam: 12.2m (40ft) including rub rail
Draft: 5.5m (18.1ft)
Builder/Year: Royal Huisman, The Netherlands, 2004 (extensive refit 2011)
Naval Architect: Pieter Beeldsnijder Design/Gerard Dykstra & Partners
Exterior Design: Pieter Beeldsnijder Design
Interior Design: Rebecca Bradley Interior Design
Construction: Aluminium hull and superstructure, Alustar masts and carbon fibre booms, teak laid decks
Classification: MCA and Lloyd’s X 100A1 SSC, Yacht (P) Mono, G6, LMC, UMS
Main Engines: 2 x 2,000hp Caterpillar diesels type 3516B (1,492kW) @1600rpm
Guest Accommodation: 10 guests in 5 cabins. Full beam master suite with en suite jacuzzi bathroom, study and walk-in wardrobe; 3 x en suite double guest cabins; 1 x en suite twin guest cabin
Crew Accommodation: 10 x crew cabins forward each with shower room

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The post Pictures: One of the largest sailing yachts in the world – Athena – is for sale appeared first on YBW.

As part of preparations for the Volvo Ocean Race 2020, the chairman of the Mirpuri Foundation has just finished his first transatlantic crossing.

Following his announcement to register the first Portuguese team to take part in the race, Paulo Mirpuri skippered his crew the 2,300 nautical miles from Cape Verde Islands to Barbados on board a 21-metre VOR70.

The yacht, which is now called Mirpuri Foundation, was formerly Green Dragon which came fifth in the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race, skippered by Ian Walker.

It was designed by Reichel/Pugh and built by McConaghy Boats.

Although this was his first ocean crossing, Mirpuri has sailed since a teenager.

Skipper Paulo Mirpuri. Credit: David Branigan/Oceansport

“My debut on an ocean crossing taught me a lot, especially the importance of the spirit and union of the crew on board and also how the ocean shows us the need to be patient,” he said.

“Now I know exactly how to select the Portuguese sailors for the future Mirpuri Foundation team in the Volvo Ocean Race 2020 and I will personally participate in the selection process of the men’s and women’s teams that we intend to form, so we can decide the final crew,” added Mirpuri.

View pictures of Mirpuri Foundation’s arrival in Barbados below

Crew manager, Enrico Civello, said the voyage served as a lesson to all.

“We had strong wind and big seas, which provided an exciting experience for the guests on board. The trip was good, the power of the boat is evident and we always sailed safely,” he said.

“We were so well positioned in the trade winds that we traveled 1,200 miles on the same tack (representing more than half of the 2,100-mile route from Cape Verde to Barbados),” continued Civello.

“The VOR 70 is very sensitive, capable of accelerating or decelerating at the slightest trimming of the sails, daggerboards, canting keel and water ballasts as well as the precision at the rudder. The organisation of the watches on deck worked very well, with 6 hours of work during the day and 4 hours at night, with the crew divided into two groups,” he explained.

Legends to return to mark 45 years of the Volvo Ocean Race

The Mirpuri Foundation is a non-profit foundation set up in Portugal by the businessman and philanthropist Paulo Mirpuri as a vehicle to manage his family’s charitable donations.

It supports specific projects in aerospace, medical research, marine conservation, wildlife conservation and social responsibility.

Already, dozens of Portuguese sailors have applied to be part of the Volvo 2020 crew, with the final selection expected to be announced by the end of 2017.

Mirpuri, who plans to sail the last leg of the 2020 race, warned that selection will not just be based on sailing skills.

“It is not enough for them to be very good technically. It is essential that, as future ambassadors of the Mirpuri Foundation, they share its values,” he said.

“Our main aim will be to publicise worldwide the foundation’s work on raising awareness about and conservation of oceans and marine ecosystems,” added the philanthropist.

Once the team has been announced, sea training will begin and will continue for nearly three years until the round-the-world race in 2020.

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The post Pictures: Plans for first Portuguese Volvo Ocean Race team in 2020 appeared first on YBW.

Egoist has been designed to be fast and responsive and to be sailed with the minimum of crew.

The 100-foot carbon sloop concept uses the timeless lines of a classic sailing yacht, for which the Philippe Briand Studio is known, but with a contemporary twist.

Deck plan

The yacht has a very roomy interior salon with a master cabin and comfortable accommodation for two crew members.

It is fully customisable, to “be a pure pleasure for the owner, not bowing to the demands or tastes of anyone else.”

Render of the aft of Egoist

“The concept of Egoist is to become an owner’s self-indulgent fantasy; it should be the yacht that they have always dreamed of owning,” explained Philippe Briand, who’s designs for competition have included eight yachts for six America’s Cup campaigns; two of the vessels for the French team that won the Admiral’s Cup in 1991; and countless high-performance offshore racing yachts.

A “fresh take on a classic Eastern Seaboard sailing yacht”, Egoist is built as an ideal day sailor or a cruising yacht for an owner who wants to enjoy the sailing experience of a superyacht without the need for numerous crew.

Sail plan for Egoist

As with all of Philippe Briand’s designs, the thinking behind this project is one of a expert sailor with actual racing competence and experience.

The winner of 31 international awards, Briand’s team is currently working on a 28-metre series yacht, as well as three bespoke yachts ranging from 55-metres to 90-metres in length.

Plan of Egoist

Previous Briand sailing yachts include the Bristolian II, the 220-foot Vertigo and one of the largest racing yachts afloat, the 139-foot Mari-Cha IV, which won the Rolex Cup in 2005.

The studio, which is based in London, has also designed a range of production yachts including the Jeanneau 64, Sun Odyssey 469, First 50 and the CNB 60.

Specifications of Egoist

Hull length: 100ft/30m

Hull beam: 19.6ft/ 6m

Waterline length: 84.6ft/25.80m

Draft: 13.1ft/4m

Light displacement: 45t

Full load displacement: 55t

Rig dimensions: I 35.50m; J 10.72m; P 36.50m; E 11.95m; LP 11.20m

Sail Areas: A. Spin. 700mq; Code O 300mq; Blade 180mq; Main 250mq

Upwind Sail area: 430mq

Downwind Sail area: 950mq

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The post Pictures: New 100-ft carbon sloop concept Egoist unveiled appeared first on YBW.

Contest Yachts has now entered the sailing superyacht market with the Contest 84CS.

The 84 foot vessel has been designed in partnership with the German naval architects judel/vrolijk & co.

The vessel is equipped for both long distance cruising and racing.

The Contest 84CS will be launched in 2018

Up to 10 guests can be accommodated on the superyacht. Below deck, there are five cabins and five heads for guests.

There are two further cabins for up to four crew, along with a galley. Both can be fully enclosed for extra privacy.

Owners can specify either an aft or forward master suite, with service quarters also changing ends.

One of the two options below deck

The interior of the sailing yacht is described as “modern-classic” and has been designed by Wetzels Brown Partners of Amsterdam.

The company has worked closely with Contest Yachts since the launch of the Contest 72CS in 2012.

Like the judel/vrolijk designed Contest 67CS, the hull of the Contest 84CS has a moderate-shallow underbody running back from the plumb bow.

It has an integral bowsprit and optional furling asymmetrical spinnaker, as well as a soft chined, broad stern with twin rudders for precise yet light control at the twin helm stations.

Owners can choose to have the master suite forward

Attention has also been paid to noise and vibration; the engine room has the latest in sound insulation. There is also a dedicated technical room.

A large lazarette can house a compressor and toys, while a sizeable RIB can be stowed in the foredeck tender well.

The Contest 84CS is the flagship in this new range of eight yachts, which includes the 16 metre Contest 52MC motor cruiser.

The sailing superyacht will be launched in 2018.

The family-run Contest Yachts is known for its coastal and blue water sailing yachts.

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It’s been a real labour of love for photographer Anthony Smith and quartermaster Bart Huijs to create this beautiful book on the famous clipper Stad Amsterdam (literally The City of Amsterdam).

It took the pair no less than four years of combined sailing and shooting to produce this stunning coffee table tome, which depicts not only their beloved subject, but also life at sea, the beautiful places they visited and the curious marine life swimming up to the tall ship to take a peek.

Packed with over 200 colour and black and white pictures and diary entries taken from quartermaster Bart Huijs’s journal, this book takes the reader on a virtual voyage where both clipper and nature will enchant and transport to far away worlds.

“My connection to the Stad Amsterdam goes back to 2009 when I was invited to join the re-sailing of the Voyage of the Beagle for a 35-part documentary series for Dutch television.”, the book’s photographer and author Anthony Smith tells YBW.
“I was one of the presenters of the series as well as the ‘ship’s artist/photographer’. I ended up spending eight months on the ship as we worked our way around the world.

“During that time I came to fall in love with the ship, the sea, and a life at sea. A couple of years ago I was reminiscing about our voyage with my friend (and former quartermaster) Bart Huijs and whilst we were looking through our photos we realised that we had a very special set of images.”

It didn’t take long for Smith and Huijs to embark on an other adventure together, albeit one of a different kind.

“There was no other book about the Stad Amsterdam (which is rather surprising given her status as the flagship of Amsterdam, which welcomes thousands of day-guests and hundreds of sailing passengers aboard every year) so we decided that we should be the people to create one!” says Smith. “It has turned out to be a very successful project and one that we have enjoyed enormously – I believe we really have done justice to this wonderful ship.”.

Partly inspired by the 1854 clipper frigate The Amsterdam, Stad Amsterdam was born to represent the Dutch capital and to celebrate its commercial spirit.
Designed by Dykstra Naval Architects, the building work on the clipper began in 1997, starting with the 60.5m long steel hull.
That was just the beginning. It took three more years, 15 aluminium yards, more than 800 blocks of wood, over 13 kilometres of rope, steel rigging and of course, its famous three masts to complete the vessel.

Stad Amsterdam was unveiled and christened on 1 June 2000, to coincide with the city’s SAIL Amsterdam 2000 tall ships festival.

The stunning tall ship is evocative of old times. You can imagine the great adventures clippers such as the Stad Amsterdam had.

Since then Stad Amsterdam has travelled all over the world, with more voyages in the pipeline. She has trained hundreds of people in the art of sailing, has been used as a charter-ship for guests, and has travelled the route of the HMS Beagle for the Dutch TV programme Beagle: In Darwin’s Wake.

“When I think about all the experiences that I have had whilst sailing
on the Stad Amsterdam – the storms, the wildlife, working up in the
rigging etc. “, concludes Smith “the moments that I remember most fondly are the long
crossings, weeks away from land, and the simple, self-contained little
world that the tall ship provides.”.

Stad Amsterdam by Anthony Smith and Bart Huijs is available from Amazon.

The voyage begins….the stylish black and white cover of the book.

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The post Stad Amsterdam: a voyage in pictures appeared first on YBW.

Scottish designed and built Moonbeam III is a work of the yacht designer William Fife III, part of a line of Fifes who earned fame during the golden age of sailing by building two America’s Cup challengers for English tea mogul Sir Thomas Lipton.

The Fifes made a reputation for themselves by designing yachts that were both beautiful and speedy at the William Fife and Sons shipyard in North Ayrshire on the Firth of Clyde in Scotland.

Designed and launched in April 1903, Moonbeam III was ordered by the London lawyer, Charles Plumptre Johnson, a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Royal Thames Yacht Club, to take part in regatta on the east coast of England.

In fact, the yacht has won at least two races in its more than 100 years sailing. In the Mediterranean’s Course Croisière Méditerranée race, it took first place in both 1927 and 1928, under the name Elbis.

Moonbeam III has also passed through the hands of notable owners over the years. In the early 20th century it was acquired by Félix Amiot, an aviation pioneer, who stored it on dry land in Cherbourg for 24 years.

It’s been restored a few times as well. In 1970, it was sent to Southampton on the other side of the channel for a restoration project that took ten years, and was carried out at the Camper & Nicholson yard. More recently, the yacht underwent a full restoration in 2006 in France.

The yacht has often homeported in Saint-Tropez, on the French Riviera and has participated in many major events for classic yachts such as an event in Cowes in 2001 for the Jubilee of the America’s Cup and Fairlie in Scotland for the Fife Regatta in 2008.

The Fifes launched four Moonbeam models between  1858 and 1920, but Moonbeam III was the first in a series of fast yawls designed by the firm that fell in line with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) measurements revised in 1900, and came when William Fife III — the family’s most celebrated designer — was at the height of his skills. Moonbeam III is built with teak planking on an elm frame. Initially designed with a yawl rig (2 masts), the yacht now has a gaff cutter rig.

The yacht is being auctioned at Retromobile, the Parisian classic car show that features both strange and stunning exhibits from across the motoring world.

If you’re inclined to bid, bring a hefty bank account balance, as Auctioneer group Artcurial expects the yacht to fetch 1.5 million euros. See a gallery of photos below.

The post Pictures: Historic Scottish yacht at auction for $1.7m appeared first on YBW.

There have been some truly impressive boat launches in 2015 and it’s not been easy to pick the ones that really stood out for us. Whether it’s because of their design, their speed, features or accommodation, all these new boats have left an impression. Find out why and see our complete gallery below.

Hanse 315
Beautiful, great for coastal cruising and easy to sail.

W1DA 33
One design offshore racing and practical cruiser, innovative design and environmentally conscious.

Rustler 37
The Rustler 37 got Yachting Monthly very excited as yachts by Rustler don’t come out very often. This craft feels firm and sturdy, and whilst the acceleration may take some time in gusts, once it starts, there’s no slowing her down. Read Yachting Monthly’s review here.

Axopar 28
“The Axopar is a real master of all trades.”, says MBY’s Jack Haines. “Fast and with a brilliant hull it also manages to squeeze sleeping accommodation and five forward-facing seats into its lithe frame. Best of all? It is excellent value for money.”. Watch MBY put Axopar 28 to the test here.

Princess S65
“Handsome, spacious, beautifully finished and capable of nearly 40 knots, the S65 is a sure sign that sportsbridges are here to stay. If you can accept the slightly smaller flybridge it is almost the perfect owner/operator machine.”, says MBY boat tester Jack. MBY puts Princess S65 to the test here.

Barracuda SV11
Motor Boat & Yachting Jack Haines says: “If the XO is the most bonkers production boat we tested this year then the Barracuda is the most bonkers outright. It is £1 million worth of fully armed military assault craft, capable of going through anything the sea dare throw at it. In the February issue editor Hugo puts it (and himself) to the test in heaving seas off Ireland.”

XO 250

“Possibly the most bonkers production boat we have tested this year.”, says Jack Haines. “It is weapons-grade fun out on the water and looks like the Devil’s personal water chariot. The hull is hard and nails and, despite its compact length, the 250 will pretty much go through anything.”

See all the other boats we’ve loved this year and find out why in the gallery below.

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Frank Gehry has unveiled the wooden sailing yacht he designed for himself.

The world-renowned architect worked with Argentine naval architect German Frers to create the yacht, and the pair have been working on the vessel since November 2008.

Dubbed Foggy, the yacht is named after Gehry himself, based on the 86-year-old’s initials, F.O.G., and was built by the Brooklin Boat Yard in Maine, which is known for its skills in wooden boat engineering. The group used a cold-moulded construction process as well as carbon fibre and titanium details to ensure the ship’s strength could hold up to the architect’s design that included hundreds of glass squares inset in latticework frames both on deck and in the ship’s hull.

The traditionally crafted larch-hulled and teak-decked boat features the architect’s signature curved, sail-like lines both above and below decks. An avid sailor, Gehry’s sail-inspired building designs include the world famous Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and Paris’ Fondation Louis Vuitton fashion palace as well as the IAC building known as ‘The Sails’ in New York.

Although this is the architect’s first foray into boat design, he owns a fibreglass-hulled ship – soon to be renamed Foggy 1 – and sails weekly. And he isn’t the first architect to have a go at designing his own yacht. Zaha Hadid, John Pawson and others have also tried their hands at adapting their building design prowess to sailboats.

Foggy has already won the Round the Island regatta in Martha’s Vineyard this summer – stripped of its furniture to reduce weight and using a 105-foot carbon fibre mast – and Gehry has plans to take Foggy through the Caribbean to Panama to visit his recently-completed Museo de la Biodiversidad.

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Designs for a futuristic hydrofoil trimaran yacht have been revealed by architect Dr Margot Krasojevic. Commissioned by HoldenManz wine estate in Cape Town, the perpetual motion yacht will be solar and wind powered, with construction due to start in April 2015.

This unique yacht features a carbon fibre sail that curves to form part of the hull and a retractable Kevlar sail covered in aeronautical film. Energy is collected by the solar panels on the wing sail, with a combination of fresnel lens and holographic film clad on the outrigger, projecting more of the sun’s rays onto the panels.

The sail rotates around the mast and has a series of motorised creases to catch the wind. The wingsail is actuated by motors that control these movements, using solar cells and wind energy.

The form of the main hull acts as one unit with the wingsail, which wraps into the main body of the hull, creating a continuous surface. This results in the motorised mast changing the shape of the sail, allowing it to harness more wind.

Dr Margot Krasojevic said: “Flexible solar panels located on the top and bottom of the wingsail surfaces generate electricity using wind and solar energy.

“During bright, windless days, the wingsails will face the sun and only solar energy will be generated. On windy days, the wingsails will rotate to generate the largest combined energy from the wind and sun. At night, the wingsails will generate just wind energy.”

Wind energy generated by the wingsail is converted to electricity and used to power the boat. It also runs a desalination unit which provides up to four litres of clean drinking water per hour.

This innovative yacht also features a set of fold-out hydrofoils. When the boat is in monohull mode, these hydrofoils can be deployed, pushing the main hull up above the water, reducing resistance by up to 80%.

Finally, the main cabin is lined with holographic film which generates extra energy by capturing incident light.

The second stage of the project involves a series of elliptical tracks running across the yacht’s boards, attempting to harness the main hull pendulum motion to run the perpetual retrieving magnetic turbine motor.

You may also like our underwater living gallery

Images: Dr Margot Krasojevic

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The London Boat Show kicked off on Friday 9 January, with star-studded launches attracting huge crowds. Singer and former X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger drew hundreds to the Sunseeker stand as she helped launch their latest model, the Predator 57.

Plenty of other big players feature at this year’s show at the Excel, including Princess, Beneteau and Fairline.

New attractions aimed to give this year’s event a different and innovative feel. The show’s 4D experience takes visitors on a journey through a number of nautical environments, bringing to life the atmosphere, scents and soundscapes.

The London Boat Show, now in its 61st year, features close to 400 boats and even more exhibitors.

The marine team from Time Inc. UK are also at the year’s show. Make sure you pop along to our stand to say hello and purchase the latest issue of your favourite boating magazine.

Ben Ainslie Racing is one of the other big attractions this year, with talks from the team’s sailors and designers about their British America’s Cup challenge.

The team’s foiling Nacra is on display, along with newly launched merchandise. You can also get the chance to step on board an AC45 with their 3D experience.

The Rockley watersports pool is back again this year, with children able to take part in a number of fun and exciting activities.

Eighty-three boats will be debuting at this year’s show, including the likes of the Fairline Shadow S and the Sunseeker Predator 57.

As visitors enter the show, they’re met by a ‘wall of rain’ that detects your body movements as you approach and stops when you’re about to pass underneath, making sure you don’t get wet.

During the show, a number of well-known names are set to grace the halls of the Excel, including Sir Ben Ainslie, Princess Anne and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

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The British Society of Underwater Photographers has unveiled the winners of its annual BSoUP / DIVER Annual Print Competition – celebrating the best in underwater photography.

Image credit: Nick More

More than 100 photos were entered into the competition with 80 being shortlisted and put on display at the Dive Show at the NEC in Birmingham.

Overseas winner/ Image credit: Elaine White, Light show in Kulkukan Cenote

11 category winners were decided by a public vote that ran throughout the show, while the overall winner was chosen by an independent panel of judges.

Runner up/ Image credit: Dan Bolt

This year, more than a thousand visitors completed voting slips and 4,046 valid votes were counted.

Overseas runner up/ Image credit: Pash Baker

British photographer Terry Steeley’s was the overall winner of the competition with his picture, Taj Mahal Cenote and diver.

Judge Steve Jones said of the image: “All three judges were unanimously agreed. For me, it is a classic cave/cavern shot that portrays a scene that is both mysterious and inviting – it made me want to go there!”

Image credit: Terry Steeley

Fellow British photographer Kirsty Andrews was highly commended for her photograph, Fireworks anemone, which also won her the British and Irish category.

Image credit: Kirsty Andrews

Nick More’s photograph of a blue shark was also highly commended by the judges.

Image credit: Nick More

Elaine White’s landrover picture was the third of the highly commended photographs.

Judge Martin Edge said: “A fond favourite of mine from the very first moment that I walked into the gallery at 9am on Saturday morning was the print of a Land rover and diver by Elaine White taken in Chepstow N.D.C. A crafted Image indeed.

“The balance, composition and lighting were first class with the print quality adding to the overall impression.”

Image credit: Elaine White

Judge Steve Jones said: “One of the key observations from judging this year’s print competition was the high quality of entries in the non-advanced categories – this bodes very well for up and coming talent.

British and Irish runner up/ Image credit: Kirsty Andrews

“Another pleasing observation was the excellent entries in the British and Irish category – good to see our photographers producing such fine imagery in local waters.”

Advanced Overseas winner/ Image credit: Ellen Cuylaerts

Nick Blake was awarded Advanced British and Irish winner for his photography, Jellyfish and sunburst.

Image credit: Nick Blake

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The two crew aboard their Koopmans 48 Stormvogel had a nasy shock when they discovered a leak around the centreboard of the vessel. Three or four bolts appeared to have broken and the centreboard was moving freely, with a flow rate estimated at around 20ltrs per minute.

The frantic crew called on two other boats they’d been travelling with to help, who in turn contacted rescue services.

Stormvogel’s crew were able to stabilise the moving centerboard with a piece of wood and later activated their EPIRB after speaking to the Australian and Norwegian rescue services. After an hour, the skipper was able to control the ingress of water by mounting a new electrical pump in the bilge and were later informed by rescue services that a cargo ship was on its way.

After discussing how to save the yacht, the skippers settled on the idea of using cement to stabilise the centerboard. Luckily for the crews, the container ship that came to their aid, just happened to have cement on board and was able to transfer the product via dinghy to the yacht.

Other galleries you may be interested in: Sailing community devastated by Hurricane Odile

With the situation now under control and after a bit of DIY, all three vessels were able to make the final push to Cairns and arrived safely in port on 28 June.

Other galleries you may be interested in: Indonesian cargo ship transformed into luxury yacht

Images: Pendana blog

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Sailing aboard their foiling AC45, Ainslie and his team mates enjoyed some windy conditions on the Solent.

Launching a British America’s Cup team has been a long-term goal for the four-time Olympic gold medalist.

Ainslie is hoping that the 35th edition of the race will see the cup brought back to British waters when the competition began in 1851.

The boat the team sailed on was originally raced under BAR colours during the America’s Cup World Series in 2012/13 and has subsequently been modified to fly on hydrofoils.

Ainslie said: “Ten months ago we had nothing, so to be out there today foiling in one of these boats – after such a short time frame – is the result of a huge amount of effort from all of the team, especially the shore team and the designers.”

“For us sailors it’s a real privilege to get out there and sail one of these boats. It’s been a great first day and it’s a good start, but it’s only a start and we have a lot of work to do over the coming months,” said Ben Ainslie.

The team took to the water just a few week after the charity 1851 Trust was launched by Ainslie, of which the Duchess of Cambridge is a patron.

The charity aims to inspire and engage a new generation through sailing and the marine industry.

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OverBoard Waterproof iPad Case

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The sculptures, named Ocean Atlas, weigh over 60 tonnes and were submerged in the Bahamas in the summer of 2014. It is currently the largest single underwater sculpture in the World.

Mr Taylor is currrently working in Lanzarote working on a major new underwater museum for the Atlantic Ocean.

To view more photos, go to his underwater sculptures website here.

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Check out a selection of images from the start of this year’s Volvo Ocean Race in Alicante

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