DNV is classing the largest sailing sloop yet built, with a displacement of 750 tons and an overall length of 75m.
It will be built mainly in glass fibre-reinforced vinylester with a sandwich hull and decks, with carbon fibre added where extra strength or stiffness is needed. Although stays and shrouds will be made from high-tensile steel, the 90m mast and boom will be of carbon fibre reinforced epoxy. This is necessary to achieve satisfactory stiffness without the penalty of weight. Due to the size of the sail, 1,400 square metres, the boom will be some 2.0m wide.
The vessel will feature state-of- the-art equipment for sail handling and operation, including hydraulically operated winches and lifting keel. To give operational flexibility for passengers to reach isolated spots and harbours with a vessel this size, the keel can be raised to decrease draft to 4m. The yacht will push the limit of what is possible to achieve with fibre reinforced plastics. It will present great challenges to the manufacturers of hull, rig, sails and equipment.
The vessel is planned mainly for chartering and will accomodate 12 passengers and a crew of 12. It is due for launch in August 2003.
Main particulars are:
LOA 75 m
Beam 14.8 m
Draft 2.1 m of hull, 10 m with keel fully down
Displacement 750 tons
Mass of keel 150 tons
Height of mast 90 m
The vessel will be given the Class Notation
1A1 LC Yacht R0 E0