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The 25 Greatest Superyachts of the Past 100 Years

Yacht design and technology—from steam engines to hydrogen fuel cells—have changed dramatically over the last century. these 25 standout vessels have been at the forefront of that revolution., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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A Century of Sea Change

Yachts have seen remarkable transformations in design and technology in the last 100 years. The lengths and shapes have changed decade by decade, from the mini-ocean liners of the 1920s to a more glamorous, fuller shape by the 1950s, eventually giving way to the layered wedding-cake construction that was so popular until about a decade ago. Now, just about anything goes, judging from the list below, with yachts boasting vertical bows being the most popular.

Technology also changed over the years, from steam engines to diesel to a growing list of hybrid diesel-electric powerplants. In the next five years, expect to see the first generation of superyachts with hydrogen- or methanol-powered fuel cells. What really hasn’t changed in the last century are owners’ desires to create superyachts that are unique, often clashing with the accepted design norms of the time.

Here are the 25 greatest superyachts from the last 100 years.

'Delphine' (257 Feet 9 Inches) 1923, U.S.A.

Delphine is the original 1920s oceangoing queen. American automobile magnate Horace Dodge commissioned the vessel, rumored to have once hosted former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, and Michigan shipbuilding company Great Lakes Engineering Works built it in 1921. At 258 feet, Delphine remains the largest yacht ever built in the U.S. that is still in operation. She is also the largest active steam-driven yacht in existence. The two original 1,500 hp steam engines were re-equipped with two modern water-tube boilers during a 2003 refit, which provide 18 metric tons of steam per hour. Surviving a stint in the U.S. Navy during World War II, several fires, and multiple owners, Delphine is today fully restored to her 1920s glory, including original teak on the main deck and a revived Tiffany-designed interior.

'Talitha' (247 Feet) 1929, Germany

Talitha is one of the world’s first superyachts with an exceptional pedigree. F. Krupp built the vessel, which was originally penned by naval architects Cox & Stevens (leading designers of their day), in Kiel, Germany. First known as Reveler , Talitha was delivered in 1929 to Russell Algar, chairman of the Packard Car Company. A string of high-profile owners ensued, including John Paul Getty Jr. in the 1930s, son of one of the richest men in the world at the time. Getty commissioned an exterior and interior redesign by late superyacht designer Jon Bannenberg and, in 1993, a full reconstruction was completed at the Devonport shipyard in Plymouth, U.K. Regular refits since, including a 1999 newly installed wheelhouse, has made Talitha successful as a popular charter yacht.

' Malahne' (164 feet) 1937/2015, UK

Originally designed and built for the owner of renowned J-Class yacht Velsheda , classic motor yacht  Malahne enjoys a period interior designed by Scottish designer Guy Oliver (best known for styling London’s 10 Downing Street and Claridge’s). Original Art Deco features include Baccarat crystal, Willer porcelain, Georg Jensen silverware, and a lamp by 1930s designer Edgar Brandt. The yacht was once used as the production headquarters for Lawrence of Arabia and had luminaries such as Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra walking the teak decks. In 2015, it underwent an extensive restoration at British shipyard Pendennis, which focused on maintaining its old-world glamour, including the yacht’s 25-foot custom-built Cockwells varnished Brazilian mahogany high-speed tender.

'Savarona' (446 Feet 9 Inches) 1931, Germany

Launched in 1931, Savarona was built for an heiress, enjoyed by royalty, and starred on the big screen. Built by Blohm & Voss for Emily Roebling Cadwalader, granddaughter of Brooklyn Bridge engineer John Roebling, 446-foot Savarona was featured in the German science-fiction film Gold . The Turkish government bought the vessel in 1938 and leased to Turkish businessman Kahraman Sadıkoğlu in 1989, who spent $45 million refurbishing the yacht. The original steam turbine engines were replaced with modern Caterpillar diesels, but the original 282-foot gold-trimmed staircase remains. Today, Savarona is the official presidential yacht of the Republic of Turkey.

'Shemara' (212 Feet, 2 Inches) 1938, Great Britain

Within a year of being built in 1938, 212-foot Shemara was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and used throughout World War II as a training vessel for anti-submarine warfare. Following the end of its service, the superyacht returned to her owner Bernard Docker, who entertained high society aboard its decks. Later in life, Shemara endured long periods of neglect until current owner Charles Dunstone acquired her in 2010, starting the long road back to refurbishment. Alongside much of the original teak and steel exterior features, Shemara is now fitted with a Rolls-Royce diesel-electric system, including two electrically driven azimuthing pods and a bow thruster.

'Christina O' (325 Feet) 1943/1954

Possibly one of the most eminent superyachts of all time, 325-foot Christina O didn’t begin life in the spotlight. Built in 1943 by Canadian Vickers, the vessel served as a frigate in World War II until 1954 when Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis bought it as war surplus for a mere $34,000. He spent $4 million on the refurbishment and then entertained the world’s elite on board, from Maria Callas and Grace Kelly to Jack and Jackie Kennedy, prior to Onassis marrying Jackie. Named after Aristotle’s daughter, Christina O enjoys a bronze-edged swimming pool with a mosaic dance floor that rises at the push of a button. The stools in Ari’s Bar retain the original leather upholstery.

'V2V' (ex-Carinthia VI) (137 feet, 7 inches) 1973, Germany

The first major yacht designed by Jon Bannenberg and a breakthrough build for German shipyard Lürssen, Carinthia VI is a star of the decades, commissioned by supermarket magnate Helmut Horten as the sixth yacht in his Carinthia fleet. However, Carinthia V was in fact the original version but sadly hit an uncharted rock on her maiden cruise in the Mediterranean and sank. Horten ordered an almost identical replacement (this time with extra watertight bulkheads) and used Carinthia VI until his death in 1987. In 2016, the yacht suffered severe damage in a fire. Its new owner then bought the yacht, undergoing an extensive rebuild in Turkey to its original Bannenberg lines that was completed in 2023 when the yacht was renamed V2V.

'La Sultana' (214 Feet 56 Inches) 1962, Bulgaria

A Bulgarian passenger ferry turned Soviet spy vessel, 214.5-foot La Sultana has a checkered past. Built in 1962 for operations in the Black Sea, it was absorbed into the Russian fleet during the Cold War and sent to the North Atlantic for unofficial reconnaissance on the United States and United Kingdom. In 2015, La Sultana  completed a seven-year refit, which saw the addition of a raised bow, seven guest cabins across six decks, and a diesel engine installed to drive the original propeller. Several spying instruments were also discovered, including a radioactivity detector and thick aluminum insulation across the entire boat. The original push button steering controls are still in operation.

'Highlander' (164 Feet) 1986, Netherlands

American media mogul Malcolm Forbes commissioned the 164-foot Highlander , built by Feadship to a Jon Bannenberg design with De Voogt naval architecture, in 1986. The yacht’s historic guest list reads like a who’s who of Hollywood stars, from Elizabeth Taylor to Robert De Niro. Two bathrooms in the master suite are offset by six guest cabins. Those lucky enough to charter this piece of yachting history also have use of Forbes’s original cigarette boat, now re-painted in jet black with a bold red stripe.

'Tatoosh' (303 feet) 2000, Germany

Built by Nobiskrug for cellular pioneer Craig McCaw, the 303-foot Tatoosh was more famously owned by the late Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, who bought the yacht off McCaw in 2001. Penned by German designer Claus Kusch—with input over the years from Jon Bannenberg, Terence Disdale, Martin Francis, and Stefano Pastrovich— Tatoosh is arguably one of the foremost explorer yachts of the modern age. The vessel was conceived to be a world cruiser with all the toys and entertainment that a yacht could carry. Alongside two helicopter landing pads, it has 11 staterooms for 19 guests, a heated swimming pool with a lifting floor, a cinema, and a dive center with a nitrox refilling station for deeper dives.

'Al Salamah' (456 Feet 10 Inches) 1999, Germany

At the time of its construction in 1999, 456-foot Al Salamah was the third largest yacht in the world. The build began at German yard HDW in Kiel but was completed by Lürssen in Bremen, the only yacht builder at the time capable of meeting the owner’s demanding timeline. Al Salamah was commissioned by the late Saudi Arabian crown prince Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz. Estimated to be worth in the region of $200 million and accommodating 36 guests, the ample amenities include a cinema, a fully equipped onboard hospital, two full-time beauticians, a business center, and a spa.

'H' (ex-NEOM) (311 feet) 2000, Netherlands

Delivered in 2000, the 311-foot  H   remained the largest Oceanco yet built and the largest yacht built in Holland until the delivery of Kaos (ex- Jubilee ) in 2017. Originally named Al Mirqab , the vessel was a highly private yacht under the ownership of the Qatar royal family before ex-politician and co-owner of Formula One Force India team Vijay Vittal Mallya took ownership in 2006. The Maltese government seized the lavishly outfitted yacht, which includes a helipad large enough for a twin-engine helicopter, Elton John’s baby grand piano, a full medical suite, and triple engines each delivering 10,000 hp, in 2017 over unpaid maritime bills. NEOM was auctioned off to her current owner in 2018.

'Rising Sun' (453 Feet) 2004, Germany

Built for Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison in 2004 and currently owned by business mogul David Geffen, Lürssen’s Rising Sun is another Jon Bannenberg success story, completed two years after the designer’s death. Even with her 453-foot length and 7,841-gross tonnes volume, Rising Sun achieves an impressive top speed of 28 knots. The owners were impressed enough with the speed to build a suspended, tube-like walkway so visitors can see the four MTU 20V 8000 M90 diesel engines providing the power. A bank of full-height curved windows run along the entire length of the superstructure, flooding the interior with natural light and giving the yacht a striking exterior profile.

'Motor Yacht A' (390 feet, 4 inches) 2008, Germany

Few yachts divide opinion like M/Y A . Designed by Philippe Starck, engineered by naval architect Martin Francis, and built by Blohm + Voss, the yacht is rumored to have cost in the region of $300 million to bring to life. Characterized by its head-turning reverse bow and vertical superstructure, the vessel is a private floating fortress where guests’ access to the water is restricted to the stern. It boasts a cathedral-like tender garage and three swimming pools; it’s also the predecessor to the even more controversial S/Y A , which emerged nine years later and briefly held the place of world’s largest sailing yacht before being displaced by Koru.

'Dubai' (531 Feet 5 Inches) 2006, Germany

Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei first commissioned Dubai in 1995 to be built in collaboration by German shipyards Blohm + Voss and Lürssen. But the superyacht was not completed until 2001 by Platinum Yachts when current owner, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, took over the project. British studio Winch Design crafted the exterior, and the vessel is reported to have cost in the region of $400 million to build. Dubai  was the largest yacht in the world until 2010, when she was replaced by Roman Abramovich’s 533-foot Eclipse . Dubai ’s amenities, spread across eight decks, include a helipad, two 33-foot chase boats, a squash court, and 20 Jet Skis.

'Savannah' (273 feet, 11 inches) 2015, Netherlands

Savannah is renowned for being the first hybrid yacht on water, with fuel savings of up to 30 percent. It blends a single diesel engine with three gensets, batteries, a propeller, and an azimuting pioneering electro-mechanical propulsion platform. Built by Feadship, the yacht’s 41-foot beam was such a tight fit for the Dutch canals during delivery that the builder wrapped her in protective film and used plywood on the sides to serve as fenders. With its interior and exterior designed by Cristina Gherardi Benardeau, the yacht was also ahead of its time, with a corridor of double-height video walls, a floating superstructure, and an underwater Nemo lounge.

'Maltese Falcon' (289 Feet) 2006, Turkey

The legendary Maltese Falcon broke the mold of yacht design when launched in 2006. Perini Navi’s 289-foot, three-masted schooner was the result of its adventurous owner, the late Tom Perkins, and naval architect Gerard Dykstra’s radical design idea. The show-stopping Dynarig concept, now coined the Falcon Rig, catapulted Maltese Falcon to becoming the world’s most instantly recognized yacht, not to mention one of the most complex and largest sailing vessels ever built. The contemporary, computer-controlled sail system is based on freestanding carbon masts and yard-arms into which the sails furl. This system allows for easy sailing in all sea conditions. Famous charterers include Tom Hanks, Hugh Jackman, and Google cofounder Larry Page.

'Eclipse' (533 Feet) 2009, Germany

Aside from stealing the title of world’s largest yacht from 531-foot Dubai by a mere 1.5 feet, Eclipse is an exercise in amenities. Delivered to her owner Roman Abramovich in 2009, the vessel features a 52-foot swimming pool within an extensive beach club, two helipads, and a helicopter hangar under the foredeck. The 533-foot yacht is powered by a diesel-electric system driving azimuthing pods, one of the first of its kind. Eclipse retained the title of world’s largest yacht until the arrival of 590.5-foot Azzam in 2013. Designed inside and out by Terence Disdale, Eclipse took five years to build and is reported to have cost in the region of $590 million.

'Chopi Chopi' (262 Feet) 2013, Italy

Tasked with an experienced owner’s brief for a private yacht on which to spend long family holidays, CRN delivered with  Chopi Chopi . The largest yacht built by CRN at the time of her 2013 launch, the 262-foot Chopi Chopi remains the Italian yard’s flagship. A 656-square-foot owner’s suite with private terrace is complemented by a helipad capable of landing a three-ton helicopter. The interior ceiling heights are in excess of seven feet. But the focus of the design is on comfortable outdoor living, realized by a large beach club with an adjoining sauna, hammam, and spa with a treatment room.

'Azzam' (590 Feet) 2013, Germany

At a whopping 590-foot, Azzam has held the title of world’s largest yacht since her launch in 2013. Azzam was built by German yard Lürssen in a record three years for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the current President of the United Arab Emirates. Alongside a 95-foot main saloon, Azzam carries a submarine and its own missile defense system. Two gas turbines and two diesel engines propel the yacht through the water more than 32 knots.

'Black Pearl' (350 Feet) 2018, Netherlands

Delivered by Oceanco in 2018, the 350-foot Black Pearl is only the second yacht in the world to be fitted with Dykstra’s DynaRig carbon masts and sailing system. Its eye-catching black sails span 9,514 square feet and can be set in a record seven minutes with the push of a button. The hybrid propulsion system combines wind power with two electric propulsion motors, and its controllable pitch propellers generate enough energy to support the yacht’s hotel load. A waste heat-recovery system is just one of the onboard features that helps to realize the owner’s vision of a “zero-impact” yacht.

'Excellence' (262 Feet) 2019, Germany

Built for an experienced serial owner, American automobile magnate Herb Chambers, the Winch-designed 262-foot Excellence was delivered in 2019. The vessel takes its design inspiration from Motor Yacht A , which Chambers at first didn’t care for but then began to love. The piercing reverse bow (that mimics the beak of an American eagle) and triple-height glass-fronted atrium give it curb appeal but has also led to the yacht being likened to a spaceship. Driven by the desire to have a connection to the outdoors, the design rests upon a symbiotic relation between the indoors and out and was ultimately successful, partially due to the use hundreds of square feet of curved, mirrored glass panels.

'Koru' (417 feet) 2023, Netherlands

Oceanco’s 417-foot Koru , commissioned by Jeff Bezos, is a three-masted, black-hulled schooner with a bowsprit, classic lines, and white superstructure. Reportedly costing $450 million to build and accompanied by a 246-foot custom Damen support yacht  Wingman , the new vessel is the world’s largest sailing yacht (knocking S/Y A off the top spot). Koru also holds the title of the largest superyacht ever built in the Netherlands and the tallest sailing yacht in the world, with masts that measure over 230 feet.

'Obsidian' (417 feet) 2023, Netherlands

Feadship’s 2023 delivery Obsidian has the appearance of a spaceship. But the boat’s technically advanced propulsion package, described as having a 90 percent reduction in total CO2 emissions, is what places it on this list, carrying the Dutch builder one step closer to its goal of achieving a zero-emission superyacht by 2030. The hybrid diesel-electric system is designed into a single-floor engine room creating additional interior space for owners, guests, and crew. With no drive shafts or rudders, the steering is done through a pair of electric Veth contrarotating thrusters. The diesel generators will also run on HVO, a second-generation biodiesel that manufacturers describe as a net-zero CO2 fuel. A low profile, horizontal styling features, and clean exterior shapes are a preamble for the yacht’s interior, which includes an underwater observation area—known as the Aqua Lounge.

'Luminance' (417 feet) 2023, Germany

Delivered in late 2023, Lürssen’s eighth largest build, Luminance , ranks as the 12th largest yacht in the world and is the 30th yacht built by the German shipyard with an exterior design by Espen Øino. The six-deck behemoth is one of the most significant yachts to be launched this year, with an internal volume of 9,000 GT, a beam of 66 feet, and an interior by Francois Zuretti. The gigayacht features two helipads, two Jacuzzis, a large swimming pool, and a distinctive stretched bow.

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Small Craft

Late 19th & early 20th century british yachting, the sailors: amateur british & irish yachtsmen before world war one, the yachting monthly: may, 1906–the present.

From an introduction to "The Log of the Sunbeam" in The Yachting Monthly (Illustrated) , May, 1906.

• Herbert Reiach, 1906–1921 (his death aboard his boat)
• Malden Heckstall-Smith, 1921–1926 (considered by many, including succeeding editor Griffiths, to have produced a ruinous five years)
• Maurice Griffiths, 1926–1939 (the January, 1927 issue was the first published with Griffiths' name at the masthead)
• Kathleen Palmer 1939–1945 (filling in for Griffiths' during his R.N.V.R. service)
• Maurice Griffiths, 1945–1967
• John D. "Des" Sleightholme, 1967–1985
• Andrew Bray, 1985–1992
• Geoff Pack, 1992–1997
• James Jermain, 1997–1999
• Sarah Norbury, 1999–2003
• Paul Gelder, 2003–2012
• Kieran Flatt, 2012–

My adventures in a Laurent Giles Vertue

• About Drumler
• Vital Statistics
• Vertue Owners Association
• V1 Andrillot
• V19 Cardinal Vertue
• V35 Vertue XXXV
• V44 Speedwell of Hong Kong
• V99 Corio Vertue
• V106 Kainui
• V120 Stelda
• V198 Sumara of Weymouth
• Vertues V1 – V50
• Vertues V51 – V100
• Vertues V101 – V150
• Vertues V151 – V218
• Recommended Reading
• Vertue Blogs

About Vertues

The Vertue class yachts have been described as the finest cruising boats of their tonnage ever built.  Yachting Monthly magazine recently rated the Vertue as 3rd out of the Top 100 Best Boats of the 20th Century. .

At least 180 Vertues have now been built all over the world, mostby either E.F. Elkins and Sons of Christchurch, Kent; Newman and Sons of Poole, Dorset or the Cheoy Lee Shipyard in Hong Kong (which is where Drumler was built). The GRP Vertue (ie. fibreglass) is licensed by only one builder: Bossoms Boatyard of Binsey Village, Oxford.

The first Vertue (though it was not yet called a Vertue – the class was not officially named until 1945) was the yacht Andrillot.   Commissioned by Dick Kinnersley of Guernsey in 1936, he asked Jack Laurent Giles to design him a pocket cruiser with ‘a fine entry, turn on a sixpence, sailed single-handed, yet suitable for a couple and had enough sail aloft not to need an engine’.

Built by Moody’s boatyard in Southampton, Andrillot was a 25 foot 3 inch gaff-rigged cutter, of pine on oak, apparently designed as a modernized, miniature Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter.   She had a very short, low coachroof, with sitting headroom and just two berths below. Her rig represented the highest development of the gaff cutter before it was finally replaced by the now more common Marconi Rig or Bermudan Sloop.

Andrillot soon earned herself a reputation as a very seaworthy boat, mainly due to the long passages she began to make, which were quite remarkable for a small yacht by the standards of the day.  By the outbreak of the war, some ten sisters had been built, rigged as Bermudian sloops.  One of these, Epeneta , skippered by Lawrence Biddle, won the Little Ships Club’s Vertue Cup in 1939 and it was from this cup that the class takes it name.

The post-war period brought with it many changes in values.  Yachtsmen wanted better, smaller boats, and the Vertue was ideally suited to their needs.  Giles made some alterations to improve the accommodations: a dog house was added to give standing headroom, the sheer was slightly straightened to create more sitting headroom over the berths, and the general layout was replanned.  The original underwater lines have never been altered. Through all of her changes, her looks are a strange combination of delicacy and ruggedness.

Apocryphally, a sign on  Durban ‘s  seafront forbids any yacht to put to sea in winds over  Force 7 , without the harbour master’s permission, unless she’s a  Vertue.

There was a series of articles on the Vertue published by Classic Boat Magazine in 1996 (Feb, Mar & Apr issues), which give a lot more background history, and which you can download here.

Classic Boat – February 1996

Classic Boat – March 1996

Classic Boat – April 1996

And also a more recent article in Yachting World, in a series they ran in 2004 on ‘Modern Classics’.  The November issue features the Vertue.

Yachting World – November 2004

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History of Sailing & Boat Types

A Brief History of Ships

When and where did sailing originate? The answer to that question is threaded through our entire written history. Humans have been using various forms of boats to travel by water for longer than we have had written language. The oldest known reference to a ship was from approximately 10,000 BCE, where a carving depicted a reed rowing ship that carried twenty men. Experts believe that boats were around a lot longer than that though so far, there has been no physical proof. Ship travel is older than any other form of transportation and has been steadily improving over the millennia.

It has been determined that the first sea-worthy ships were not even built by humans but by their evolutionary predecessors, Homo Erectus, nearly 800,000 years ago. This explains how they were able to spread across the planet. The mega sailing ships and cutting edge boats of today are direct descendants of those ships built by an extinct species so long ago. It is stunning to think of how far we have come while remaining tied to the water.

Since then, ships have been made of every conceivable material, and they were used to spread people around the globe before other types of transportation like airplanes came into use. These trusty vehicles are still valued and used for warfare, commerce, and recreational sports.

They are testaments to human ingenuity and perseverance. Over the course of hundreds of thousands of years, there have been many significant changes made to the way in which boats are made, sailed, and appreciated by the general public. This article will go over the different kinds of boats, historical events, and ships of significance and also a brief glimpse of current 21st-century sailing.

Table of contents

Types of Boats and When They Originated

There have been many kinds of ships and floating transportation used throughout mankind's history. With so many years and different civilizations traveling by water to explore, trade, and wage wars, there have been a large number of boats for every conceivable purpose. As building materials improved through the ages, so have the designs of seaworthy ships.

Below is a timeline of the history of various types of boats and the advent of any significant shipping features.

Most of the earliest boats were lashed together rafts of anything that would float (e.g., reeds, bamboo, balsa, and other woods, etc.). All of these types of rafts and small boats are still in use today around the world. There is no single geographical location that can be narrowed down for when and where rafts started as a means of water transportation.

Sailing Boats

The first sailing boats recognized by historians were those used by Egyptians in 4000 BCE. They were made of reeds and traveled the Nile using masts and sails.

Invention of Planks

It was not until around 3000 BCE, the Metal Age when tools were invented that allowed for the creation of planks that could be used in boat building. Planks made it possible to construct very large ships for war and trading. The first civilizations to use these types of larger ships were the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Egyptians. Egyptians at around 2500 BCE were starting to use larger ships to travel across the ocean.

Galley Ships

A galley ship is propelled by rowing and sails. These were quite common starting in 1550 BCE until the early 19th century. Originally, they were employed most notably by the Phoenicians. War galleys were quite popular until the late 16th century, after which they began to be phased out. These ships are most known for being warships but were also used for trade and piracy. The battle of Lepanto in 1571 is history's largest naval battle involving rowing ships and involved over 400 galley ships.

Common among the Vikings, these ships also used sails and rowers but were built to be much narrower and longer. They started being constructed for long-distance travel around 1000 AD. These amazing ships were created for exploration and conquest. Made with long overlapping planks and a single large mainsail, they were easily identified and were used to travel between Scandinavia and the coasts of France, Britain, and Spain.

The Chinese junk ships employed sails reinforced with bamboo for better aerodynamics, bulkheads to separate sections, and rudders. They came into common use around 1100 AD. In 1405 and until 1433 there were many trips across the Indian Ocean made by Zheng He who worked for the Ming emperor of China. These were exceptional craft for their time. The most massive junk ship was 150 meters long and had nine different masts.

Invented in the 14th century by the Dutch, the yachts were mostly used by rich ship merchants who used these as personal celebratory vehicles. They were also used for a time by the Dutch navy.

Spanish Galleon

Unlike the galley ships that were mainly propelled forward using oars, the Spanish Galleon used enormous sails. They were so big that it took multiple people to take them in and out using thick ropes. They were used in the 16th century to transport goods to and from the Americas. These were also used by pirates and have become the iconic historical sailing ship in the media.

Steam Powered Ships

The world's first steam-powered ships were built in 1819 and were mostly used for transporting people and goods across the Atlantic Ocean.

Clipper Ships

Fast with tall masts and longboat type hulls, the Clipper boats were created in the 1800s. One of the largest, the Royal Clipper was one of the largest ships of its kind for decades, and it featured a five-masted barque.

Oceanliners

Metal ocean liners first started being used in the mid-1800s. Most of these steel-hulled ships were competing between the economic interests of the United Kingdom and Germany.

Paddle Steam Boats

Riverboats that used paddles and steam to power them up and down between river towns began to be used in the late 1800s.

Diesel Powered Ships

Around 1910 the steam-powered ships started getting converted to diesel.

Hovercrafts

The idea of a hovercraft - a boat that floated on cushions of air-filled fabric - was invented in 1955 by Christopher Cockerell.

Container Ships

Cargo ships hauling large containers were utilized starting in the 1980s, and their use and size have continued to grow in the decades since then.

Cruise Liners

Ships used specifically as get-away, recreational locations came into popularity in the 1990s, and they have been around since though their popularity has waxed and waned over the years.

Historical Sea Crossings and Events

Most of the world's continents were populated long before the invention of writing, but a few were rediscovered through sea travel. These historical sea crossings and events are responsible for some of the most important war, exploration, and trade journeys recorded throughout history.

Prior to the 15th Century

• Greenland was discovered between 980-982 by the Norse sailing explorer Erik the Red.
• Around eight years later, Erik the Red's son, Leifur, reached Newfoundland.
• The Norse continued to sail and expand their travel near Vinland by boat, including the married explorers Thorfinn Karlsefni and Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir.

15th to 18th Century

• Christopher Columbus, starting in 1942, began several famous sea voyages that led to the discovery of the Americas.
• In 1500, Pedro Álvares Cabral sailed to Brazil.
• The Straits of Magellan are named after Ferdinand Magellan, who sailed through them from Spain to reach the South Atlantic in 1519.
• In 1563 Nicolas Barre was among a group that was the first to build ships in the Americas and sail them all the way across the Atlantic. It was a harsh journey, and only seven of their number survived.
• The first Atlantic trade route was mapped and utilized in 1566 by the West Indies fleets.
• In 1732 the Ann crossed the Atlantic from London and reached the area that is now Georgia carrying the famous James Oglethorpe.
• William Harrison sailed using the H-4 timepiece in 1764. The device on that particular voyage allowed for the creation of longitude.

19th Century

• The first steamship that sailed across the Atlantic was the SS Savannah in 1819.
• In 1865 the very first successful transatlantic telegraph cable was put in place by the SS Great Eastern.
• The Norwegians Frank Samuelsen and George Harbo were the first to row all the way across the Atlantic, and they did so in 1896.

20th Century

• In April of 1912, the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg and sank, and there was a loss of well over 1,200 lives. This is one of the most famous instances of a boat sinking and began a period during which many boats were sunk with large numbers of people on board. The increase of war and transport vessels led to many more instances with similar loss of life.
• In the years between 1914-1918 during WWI, approximately 2,100 ships sunk and 153 U-boats were destroyed.
• In WWII, 1939-1945, it was reported that roughly 3,700 ships were sunk and 783 U-boats were destroyed.
• Ann Davison, in 1952, became the first woman to sail alone across the Atlantic Ocean.
• Quite a few individuals crossed the Atlantic Ocean in the 1960s alone, but Robert Manry was the only one to do so without stopping, and he did it in 1965 using his sailboat Tinkerbelle.
• Gérard d'Aboville was the first man to row single-handedly across the Atlantic, and he did so in the year 1980.
• The first woman to single-handedly cross the Atlantic in a rowboat was Tori Murden in 1991. The entire journey took over 81 days.

Famous Ships in History

These are the ships that you have read about in history books and heard through the retelling of stories. They each played a part in creating the world that we live in today. These were all unique either due to their physical presence or a way they were used, and they are a small number of the thousands of important ships that have helped carry our species across this great globe.

Santa Maria

Originally named Marigalante, the ship sailed by Christopher Columbus was 117 feet and had three masts and a deck. It was also equipped with bombards and fire granite balls. On Dec. 25, 1492, she was run aground near Haiti. The Santa Maria was the largest of the three ships that Christopher and his crew sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. Parts of the ship are still searched for by ship-wreck hunters though pieces of what was believed to be The Santa Maria were found in the mid-2010s.

It is believed that the ship which brought the pilgrims over to Plymouth, Massachusetts, to establish the New England colony was approximately 90 feet and square-rigged. This sailing ship made its trip in 1620 bringing supplies and new settlers to the Americas from England.

U.S.S. Constitution

The warship U.S.S. Constitution was also referred to as "Old Ironsides." It is the oldest commissioned warship and was launched in 1797, and it is currently kept in Portsmouth, England. It is 204 feet and could carry around 450 crew members and 50 guns. The U.S.S. Constitution was the flagship in the Tripoli pirate war that took place in the early 1800s. There were other victories over the many years of its service that left it with the famous nickname, including the War of 1812. This vessel saw many skirmishes on the seas and remains a stalwart reminder of many wartime events.

HMS Victory

This is by far the most famous of the royal ships. It was launched in 1765 and was designed by Sir Thomas Slade. At 186 feet it was able to carry 100-guns and roughly 800 men. Although it sailed through many adventures, the HMS Victory is most known for being the flagship under the control of Admiral Horatio Nelson during the Battle of Trafalgar which took place in 1805. The ship has been partially dismantled and has been part of a museum since 1928.

RMS Titanic

Everyone knows the name Titanic. There have been books, movies, plays, and songs written about this tragedy. What had been a promising ship turned into a cautionary tale. This luxury liner was meant to cross from New York to England in 1912. It sunk early April 15th after striking an iceberg. Of the over 2,200 crew and passengers approximately 1,500 were killed. This remains one of the most tragic events of the 20th century.

This British navy ship was commissioned in 1820 and sailed all around the world. It was responsible for transporting Charles Darwin to South America among other places. During this voyage is when the naturalist developed his theory of evolution based on the species that he studied. The ship was 90 feet 4 inches and had two masts. It was intended as a naval scout and took part in other light duties. The observations that Charles Darwin made while traveling aboard the HMS Beagle changed the thread of scientific discovery.

Flying Cloud

This clipper ship had quite a history. It was 225 feet and incredibly fast. Captain Josiah Perkins Creesy set a record in 1854 for sailing from Cape Horn to San Francisco, and his speed record was not beaten for nearly 130 years. This ship is also famous for having set an early speed record for the same trip, but with the ship under the control of Josiah's wife, Eleanor Creesy.

Battleship Bismarck

This was a German battleship in WWII launched in 1939 as part of the Nazi navy. This was one of the largest class of warships made by the German army and reached a length of 792 feet, 8 inches at the waterline. It sailed for eight months during WWII and spent that time raiding allied ships in the Atlantic Ocean. In 1941 after sustaining heavy damage from allied forces, it was scuttled and sank. The wreck was later discovered in 1989 by Robert Ballard.

Sailing for Sport

Sailboats have been used for hundreds of years to break speed records around the world, and that kind of sport sailing has only increased within the last decade. This kind of pastime has evolved to the point where there are Olympic sailing classes, international sailing clubs, and even an International Sailing Federation (ISAF), which was created to make the sport safer.

The ISAF was originally called the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU), which was created in 1907 as a way of regulating sailing rules. This allowed sailors from all over the globe to compete together since they no longer had incongruous letters of the law to follow when competing during sailing competitions. Everything from the uniform to safety precautions became standardized. In 1960 a universal set of rules was agreed upon by multiple parties, which made it easier for everyone involved in sport sailing.

There are multiple sailing disciplines that are a part of the sport today. They include but are not limited to the following.

• Match Racing
• Team Racing
• Speed Sailing
• Wave Riding

In addition, there are also several different types of courses that one might sail along during these events. These are listed below.

• Short Course Racing
• Coastal and Inshore Racing
• Offshore Racing
• Oceanic Racing

Most of these have been around for over a hundred years, and the longevity of the sport makes it attractive to a lot of new sailors because there is a rich history to become a part of and learn about. Even today, boat designers are constantly attempting to push the envelope and creating something newer and faster than any ships that have come before. That kind of drive and competition is what has allowed shipping to remain such a solid part of our species' history throughout the millennia. Sailing provides an escape for many people who are tired of a digitized, impersonal world. It is a way to connect back with nature and our own past.

Modern Era Sailing

The 'age of sail' was from 1571 to 1862, when the majority of all ships were masted vessels. In the last several hundred years, ship sailing has taken on a more recreational aspect. With the advent of airplanes, there was a much faster and safer way to travel across the oceans. That being said, they are still used for war and commerce. However, for the most part, sailing boats are relegated to sports and transportation while heavier motored ships with no need for sails have taken over most of the cross-Atlantic duties.

While most sailing is done on light craft close to the shoreline, there are still plenty of adventurous skippers who spend months or even years at sea using only sails to guide them across the oceans. People stay aboard sailboats that are docked as well going out into open waters rarely but using the living space. It is eco-friendly and less expensive than renting in some areas. No matter what you are interested in there is a masted vessel that can give you what you are looking for, whether it be exploring the seas, vacationing near the continent's shoreline, or traveling for business or pleasure across the oceans.

Now that you know more about the history of these amazing watercraft, it is easier to sit back and recognize all of humankind's collective accomplishments. There are thousands of voyages that have changed the path of human evolution and created the world that we live in today. Trade routes, wars, and exploration have all played a part in creating the countries and economies that we live within. There are few things in the history of the world that have left so deep and everlasting an impact as sailing ships and other boats.

In 2020 there is an ever-growing number of personal sailing ships available to buy on the market. Sloops, dinghies, schooners, yawls, and yachts are just a few of the ships available for people to use for going out to sea with their friends and families. In a world that is constantly shrinking with the advent of ever-increasing communication technology, being able to disconnect for a while and feel a sense of adventure is a gift.

Related Articles

Daniel Wade

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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Legendary boats of the 20th century: where are they now?

Boats that made iconic voyages in the last century and the people who boldly steered them have now reached legendary status. We all know their names and achievements, but what fate overtook these boats after their accomplishments and do they sail today?

Suhailey, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's 32ft ketch , is one of the most famous small sailing boats in the world. Built in India for the fateful race  "Golden Globe"  in 1968-69 ( 1968-69 Sunday Times Golden Globe Race ), she became the first boat to make a solo, non-stop voyage around the world.  Suhayli  was the only vessel of nine competitors to reach the finish line, thus winning both first place and fastest circumnavigation of the world.  Sir Robin Knox-Johnston  gave his prize money to his colleague's family  Donald Crowhurst who died during the race.

Suhayli  for a while "retired" in  National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England where she stayed for five years. In the museum, her teak board was deformed, and in 2002  Knox Johnston  took it and began to repair the damage. Since  Suhayli  made several notable public appearances, including at the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant for Queen Elizabeth II and at the opening of the race  2018 Golden Globe Race .

Sayula II  went down in history as the winner of the first round the world race  Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973-74 ... The captain of this elegant Swan 65 was a Mexican  Ramon Carlin.  No matter what,  Sayula ii  is still owned by the Carlin family and races. Though  Ramon Karlin  passed away in 2016, his son, Enrique, stood at the helm during  2017 Rolex Swan Cup  in the British Virgin Islands, having spent nearly three weeks en route from Mexico to race. Other family members also make up the boat's crew, including Ramon's great-grandchildren.

Ramon Carlin's story was featured in a documentary  "The Weekend Sailor »2016 and 65ft / 19.8m yacht model  Swan 65  was reissued by a Finnish shipyard  Nautor's Swan  as a luxury performance cruiser in 2019.

Gipsy Moth IV

In 1967, the 64-year-old  Sir Francis Chichester  sailed around the world aboard a 16-meter yacht  Gipsy Moth IV.  Despite being built specifically for this voyage, she experienced several equipment breakdowns, and then Chichester felt that in the long run it was too big a boat for one person. Nevertheless, his completed circumnavigation of the world set records for speed and distance and inspired a generation of sailors.

In 1968  Gipsy moth iv  was exhibited in dry dock in  National Maritime Museum, Greenwich  next to the famous Cutty Sark clipper for public display. The boat remained there for decades and was eventually closed to visitors due to wear and tear. After a significant recovery in 2004, she completed her second voyage around the world, this time with a rotating crew, which included a total of 90 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Now the boat belongs  Gipsy moth trust  and regularly travels with a hired crew to cover maintenance costs.

Wanderer III

For anyone interested in marine literature,  Wanderer III  (Wanderer) will be a familiar name. The boat belonged to yachtsmen and writers  Eric and Susan Hiscock , who made their first circumnavigation of the world in the early 1950s.  Wanderer III  became a celebrity for a book that came out  Eric Hiscock "Around the World in Wanderer III".  The Hiscocks continued their voyages on other boats,  Wanderer IV and Wanderer V , as we continued to write, but  Wanderer III  remained the favorite boat of their readers, including the young boy from the book named  Thies matzen .

As an adult, Matzen met the owner  Wanderer III who saw his passion for the boat and agreed to sell it to him. Today Matzen and his wife Kiki, also renowned yachtsmen, have made a commitment to keeping her in top condition, despite the problems associated with the continuous sailing of the wooden boat for 60 years. They were awarded the Blue Medal by the Cruise Club of America in 2011.

Steinlager 2

Is there in history  Whitbread  a brighter boat? Probably no.  Steinlager 2 skipped by sir  Peter Blake was a titan in the race  Whitbread round the world  in 1989-1990 and she remains the only boat to win all six stages of the race. After  Whitbread  she was sold, she was distilled to Italy, where she went under the names  Safilo and Barracuda .

Then, the Swiss yachtsman  Stefan Detzhen fascinated by maritime history, acquired it, returned it to its original appearance and took it to Alicante to participate in the regatta  Volvo Ocean Race's Legends Regatta ... After the regatta  Steinlager 2  bought by the company  Nz sailing trust , and returned the boat home to New Zealand, where it became a valuable platform for youth development programs, while preserving the heritage and pedigree of the yacht and the crew that operated it. Now  Steinlager 2  runs up to 200 days a year, on board with high school students who learn yachting and life skills on board.

Blake's other yacht  Lion New Zealand  participating in  Whitbread , also part of the program  Nz sailing trust ... These boats are the ideal platform to form youth as leaders and as a close-knit crew. Students must work together to get these yachts from point A to point B. These programs are transformational for many, with 2,000 participants passing through them every year.

American promise

This iconic design  Teda Hood  was created to travel around the world  Dodge Morgana  in 1985, during which he became the first American to circumnavigate the world solo non-stop, setting a new record in 150 days.

After that,  American promise  was used as a training ship for the United States Naval Academy, and then was sold  Rozallia project  in 2011. The Maine-based organization is conducting oceanographic research to clean up and protect marine ecosystems, and they decided that a sailboat would be the best fit for their conservation mission, while having the smallest possible carbon footprint. In fact, they did not use the engine to start the generator for three years as  American promise  now runs on solar, wind and hydropower.

Rozallia project  also converted a vessel for nine crew members with space for scientific equipment that allows them to take water and sediment samples, measure salinity and observe the ocean floor. During the summer months  American promise  walks aboard with volunteers who help with conservation work, data collection and environmental action.

Named after  Joshua Slocama , the world's first voyager around the world, this boat is a favorite with many yachtsmen, thanks in large part to its legendary participation in the race  Sunday globe ... Governed by  Bernard Moitessier Joshua was on his way to winning the race when Muatessier deviated from his course to the finish line and just kept going into the Pacific Ocean. Although it came as a shock to the whole world,  Bernard Muatessier  explained this by the fact that he is happy at sea and that it can "save his soul." Among other things, he found the growing commercialization of ocean yachting unsettling and could not bear the circus of press and spectators that he would surely face upon his return.

Today  Joshua  belongs  To the Maritime Museum in La Rochelle  in France, and at the request of the late Muatessier, she sails about 150 days a year from May to November.  Joshua and Suhailey  attended the start of the 2018 Golden Globe Race, which was held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original race  Sunday Times Golden Globe Race.

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The top 10 largest classic yachts in the world

While the definition of a "classic" is certainly not clear cut, the term is generally applied to any wooden or metal yacht constructed prior to 1975. Embodying a traditional look that harks back to the glamorous, bygone eras of sailing, classic yachts retain their original construction materials and building procedures for the hull, as well as the rigging and sails if they have them. Though they cannot muster up the speeds of the world’s fastest yachts, classic yachts are priceless relics of history that have stood the test of time, carrying storied pasts as well as something of a celebrity appeal within the yachting community. The legendary El Mahrousa has held onto the top spot for over a century and it looks unlikely she’ll be moving any time soon; read on to discover our official list of the largest classic yachts in the world.

El Mahroussa | 150.57 metres

Measuring 150.57 metres, classic yacht El Mahrousa was first delivered by the Samuda Brothers shipyard in 1865 and managed to carry the title of the world’s biggest yacht unchallenged for over a century before eventually being surpassed by a new-build in the 1980s. She was originally built for the Ottoman governor of Egypt, Khedive Ismail, to receive visiting dignitaries, and was present at the opening ceremony of the Suez Canal in 1869. She also played a part as the Egyptian representative at the 1976 Bicentennial Fleet Review in New York harbour. Under the power of three Parsons steam turbines, she can reach a top speed of 16 knots.

She has been refitted multiple times; in 1872, when her paddle wheels were removed, she was lengthened by 12.1 metres. She saw a further extension of 5.2 metres in 1905. By the end of the 20th century, however, El Mahrousa had fallen into disrepair and was relegated to serving as a museum ship. In 1992, she underwent a major refit so that she could sail to Italy for the Christopher Columbus Fleet Review, and she now serves as the Egyptian presidential Yacht though she is seldom seen in public. She is usually berthed in Alexandria and is listed as a training ship for the Egyptian Navy.

• Builder: Samuda
• Country of build: United Kingdom
• Delivery year: 1865
• Length Overall: 150.57 m
• Beam: 12.98 m
• Gross Tonnage 4560 t

More about this yacht

More stories, savarona | 135.94 metres.

Savarona was first delivered by Blohm + Voss in 1937, and is named after a rare type of black swan found in the Indian Ocean. The 135.94 metre superyacht was originally built for American heiress Emily Roebling Cadwalader, whose family business constructed both the Brooklyn and Golden Gate bridges. In 1937, she was purchased by the Turkish state as a presidential yacht for Kemal Atatürk, the founding father of modern-day Turkey. Following Kemal‘s death, Savarona was renamed Gunes Dil (Sun Language) and used as a Turkish Navy training ship. After years during which her condition detirorated, she was eventually purchased by Kahraman Sadikoglu in 1989, who spent $35 million on her refurbishment.

Her current interiors were re-designed by Donald Starkey and can accommodate up to 34 guests and 54 crew. Guests on board will have access to an elaborate Turkish hammam bath that spans the entire 16 metre beam and a swimming pool, plus there’s also a private cinema for movie nights and a library suite adorned with personal artefacts belonging to her former owner Atatürk.

• Builder: Blohm & Voss
• Country of build: Germany
• Delivery year: 1931
• Length Overall: 135.94 m
• Beam: 16.12 m
• Gross Tonnage 4701 t

Alexander | 121.95 metres

Alexander was delivered in 1965 by German shipyard Lubecker Flender-Werke . She was designed entirely in-house and constructed in steel, with a significant refit undertaken in 1998. With a sizable length of 121.95 metres and a volume of 5,933 GT, there is plenty of space on board the blue-hulled Alexander for entertainment features. 

She boasts a private cinema, a number of al fresco lounge and dining areas, a dual swimming pool and jacuzzi with panoramic views out to sea, a formal dining room and a certified heli-pad on her top deck. Up to 54 passengers can be accommodated on board, served by a crew of 60. She is powered by twin MAN diesel engines that produce a total 16,100 HP, offering a top speed of 18.5. She boasts an impressive range of 4,100 nautical miles at a cruising speed of around 16 knots, allowing her to explore the high seas at length. She can usually be found cruising around the Greek islands and has also spent time sailing in the Red Sea.

• Builder: Lubecker Flender-Werke
• Delivery year: 1965
• Length Overall: 121.95 m
• Beam: 16.9 m
• Gross Tonnage 5933 t

Navtilvs | 115.76 metres

Sporting a towering funnel inspired by classic steamboats, the blue-hulled Navtilvs is easily recognisable from afar. The 115.76 metre superyacht was constructed with a steel hull and superstructure and delivered in 1973 by Greek shipyard Hellenic . She was designed by Prof. Cäsar Pinnau with naval architecture by Maierform . 

Navtilvs has a 14.45 metre beam and her 3,156 GT interiors were styled by Lorraine Bonnet. She can host up to 14 guests and 17 members of crew – but further details of on board spaces remain tightly under wraps. She is powered by two Semt Pielstick diesel engines, providing a total 8,720hp and allowing her to achieve a top speed of 14 knots. She has changed names and ownership a number of times but currently has a Saudi Arabian owner.

• Builder: Hellenic
• Country of build: Greece
• Delivery year: 1973
• Length Overall: 115.76 m
• Beam: 14.45 m
• Gross Tonnage 3156.48 t

Sea Cloud | 109.5 metres

When stockbroker and yachtsman Edward F Hutton married heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post in the 1920s, he introduced her to yachting aboard his three-masted schooner Hussar . Post and Hutton later built an even larger yacht with one more mast, Hussar II , which was designed by Cox & Stevens and delivered in 1931 by German shipyard Friedrich Krupp . The family would spend almost nine months of the year on board, cruising to adventurous destinations such as the Galapagos Islands or Hawaii.

When the couple divorced, Marjorie kept the yacht and renamed her Sea Cloud . She served as a patrol vessel for the US Coast Guard during World War II and in 1955 was sold to the Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo, who renamed her Angelita . After his overthrow, she was acquired by Clifford Barbour, who renamed her Antarna . New German owners rescued her from neglect in 1978, returned her name to Sea Cloud , and rebuilt her in Bremerhaven. In her current form she can accommodate 64 guests and 60 crew and retains her traditional interiors, with gilded finishes and fireplaces adding character to each of her 34 cabins.

• Builder: Krupp Germaniawerft
• Length Overall: 109.5 m
• Beam: 14.94 m
• Gross Tonnage 2532 t

Christina O | 99.15 metres

Christina O is one of the largest yachts to ever emerge from North America. She was delivered by Canadian Vickers in 1943 as HMCS Stormont , an escort frigate for North Atlantic convoys during World War II. She was subsequently purchased by Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, who, in 1954, converted her into one of the most iconic yachts of the era, renaming her Christina after his daughter.

Onassis used his yacht to entertain many of the world’s rich and famous, including his mistress, the opera diva Maria Callas, and Sir Winston Churchill. Christina O set the scene for may of of Onassis’ love affairs and served as the wedding reception on his marriage to Jackie Kennedy.

Christina O was comprehensively rebuilt in Croatia in 2001, but the yacht retains many of her original features including the swimming pool with a copy of the Minoan mosaic from the royal palace at Knossos.

• Builder: Canadian Vickers
• Country of build: Canada
• Delivery year: 1943
• Length Overall: 99.14 m
• Beam: 11.13 m
• Gross Tonnage 1802 t

Nahlin | 91.44 metres

Nahlin has an enviable pedigree, having been designed by the revered naval architect G L Watson for the British aristocrat Lady Yule. While owned by Lady Yule she was loaned to Britain’s King Edward VIII for a cruise with his American lover and future wife Wallis Simpson, a trip that surely played a part in Edward’s decision to marry Simpson and set himself on the path to abdication.

She later became the Royal Yacht of King Carol II of Romania, who named her Luceafarul . After the overthrow of the monarchy, the yacht, now renamed Libertatea , served as a floating restaurant and fell into almost terminal disrepair. Happily, she was found and recovered to England by Nicholas Edmiston and William Collier in 2000. She lay in a Liverpool shipyard for four years before beign sold on to a British owner, and her total restoration, under the management of G L Watson, was completed at the Blohm+Voss yard in Rendsburg, Germany, in July 2010. This included the replacement of almost 70% of her riveted shell plating and the provision of a totally new modern-classic interior designed by Rémi Tessier .

• Builder: Brown J
• Delivery year: 1930
• Length Overall: 91.44 m
• Beam: 11.03 m
• Gross Tonnage 1356 t

Arctic P | 87.57 metres

Arctic P is both a classic yacht with a coloured history as well as a serious explorer who has set records with her far-flung adventures. She was delivered by Schichau-Unterweser as an ice-classed, oceangoing tug in 1969 for the Bugsier Towing & Salvage Company and prior to her conversion was involved in the 1972 rescue of a commercial expedition vessel that ran aground in the Antarctic.

In 1995 she was purchased by one of Australia’s richest men, Kerry packer. Her conversion project, overseen by Claus Kusch , saw her transformed into a private luxury superyacht. She now has amenities including a swimming pool and jacuzzi as well as accommodations for 12 guests and 25 crew.

Still an explorer at heart, Arctic P boats a 17,000 nautical mile cruising range and is well equipped for extreme conditions with a 50mm steel plating on the bow and 30mm on the ice line. In 2013, these features were put to good use when she sailed from the Falkland Islands to the Antarctic Peninsula, setting the record for the furthest journey south ever undertaken by a private vessel.

• Builder: Schichau-Unterweser
• Delivery year: 1969
• Length Overall: 87.57 m
• Beam: 14.78 m
• Gross Tonnage 2610 t

HDMY Dannebrog | 83.21 metres

The Royal Yacht Dannebrog was launched in Copenhagen in 1931 for Queen Alexandrine, wife of King Christian X of Denmark. She displays the distinctive retro styling from the turn of the 19th century that was fashionable among many large motor and sailing yachts built in the early 1930s and features two masts and a steam funnel.

Named after the Danish word meaning "flag of Denmark," Dannebrog remains in service as the country’s Royal Yacht, manned by nine officers, seven warrant officers and 36 seamen from the Danish Navy, and she is regularly used for official visits to neighbouring countries and the many islands that make up Denmark. During her service she has travelled more than 300,000 nautical miles.

The hull’s construction is of riveted steel on transverse frames. The royal apartment in the stern of the vessel can be converted for the use of patients should the yacht be required in her emergency role as a hospital ship.

• Builder: Danish Royal Dockyard
• Country of build: Denmark
• Length Overall: 83.21 m
• Beam: 10.39 m
• Gross Tonnage 1054 t

Chakra | 79 metres

After undergoing an extensive refit in 2016, the 79 metre Chakra has a modern look that disguises her mature age. Delivered in 1963, however, this Van Der Werf is still considered a classic, and was originally used as a commercial vessel prior to an earlier conversion. 

Spanning five decks and offering an interior volume of 2,083GT, Chakra has a number of standout superyacht features. Her exterior spaces offer a swimming pool, beach club, dedicated yoga area and al fresco lounging areas. Moving inside her elegant interiors bedecked with art, she offers a gym, beauty salon and massage room and even hosts a piano on board. She also has a well-stocked toybox complete with tenders, dayboats, scuba gear, kayaks, seabobs and jet skis. She offers an impressive 10,000 nautical mile cruising range and can reach a top speed of 15 knots under the power of her MAN B&W Alpha 3,996hp engine.

• Builder: Van Der Werf
• Country of build: Netherlands
• Delivery year: 1963
• Length Overall: 86 m
• Beam: 12.83 m
• Gross Tonnage 2083 t

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CRUISING SAILBOAT EVOLUTION: Early Trends in Yacht Design

We’ll recall that the advent in the early 19th century of what might be called the first purpose-built cruising boat, Cleopatra’s Barge , was nurtured by the vast personal wealth of one individual, George Crowninshield. And as the 19th century progressed, yachting, not surprisingly, continued to be the domain of the wealthy. The vessels and the egos behind them only grew larger and more extravagant.

Yachting was very much about social status, and this led to the formation of exclusive clubs. The two most prominent were the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS), formed in England in 1815, and the New York Yacht Club (NYYC), founded in 1844. Neither, however, was the first of its kind in its respective continent. The Water Club, formed in Cork, Ireland, circa 1720, is believed to have been the first yacht club in Europe, while the Boston Boat Club, circa 1830, was the first in North America. The activities of these clubs centered on racing and wagering, and the racing could be quite vicious. Competitors in early RYS events, for example, would effectively wage combat against each other, wielding weapons of various sorts in efforts to cut away their opponents’ rigs. Like their Dutch predecessors, RYS members also staged mock naval reviews in which large groups of yachts sailed in formation.

Cruising, it should be noted, was not unheard of. Members of the RYS often cruised in company across the English Channel on wine-buying expeditions along the French coast. Likewise, the first thing members of the NYYC did upon forming their club was to cruise in company up Long Island Sound to Newport, Rhode Island, staging various “trials of speed” along the way. To this day the NYYC Annual Cruise with its competitive squadron runs is religiously observed.

Over time, yacht racing became more formal and less violent, though the wagering continued unabated. The designing of yachts also became a specialized practice. Originally, as was the case with Cleopatra’s Barge , a gentleman’s “yacht” was essentially a working vessel dressed in finery. Its construction might be specially commissioned and executed, but its design was based on common working craft. Over time, however, yachts became unique vessels in every respect. Eventually it became possible for men to earn a living by specializing in the creation of these pleasure craft.

Cutters Versus Sloops

As the design of yachts evolved, two fundamental paradigms asserted themselves. In Great Britain, where racing handicaps were based on government tonnage rules for taxing commercial vessels that penalized beam, yachts tended to be narrow and deep. These so-called “cutters”–the term in those days referred to a vessel’s hull form rather than its rig–depended for their stability on a great deal of ballast fixed as low in the keel as possible. In the United States, meanwhile, where beam was not penalized and there was a considerable amount of shoal water along the coast, yachts tended to be wide and shallow. Vessels like this, described as “sloops” (again, the reference is to the hull, not the rig) and sometimes as “skimming dishes,” depended on their wide hulls for stability (though some ballast was carried loose in their bilges) and on centerboards to minimize leeway. The centerboard, an American innovation first patented in New Jersey in 1811, was directly descended from the leeboards used by the Dutch aboard their wide, shallow jaghts .

A radical example of a British cutter with a deep keel and a very narrow hull

American centerboard sloops like Gracie , shown here, were quite wide and shallow

Inevitably, these divergent design paradigms were forced to converge. The first equalizing event came in 1851, when the famous yacht America , owned by John Cox Stevens, a founding member of the NYYC, crossed the Atlantic and trounced a fleet of British yachts in a race around the Isle of Wight. America ‘s hull was not radically shallow, nor did she carry a centerboard, as she had been designed expressly to cross the Atlantic and was based more on New York pilot schooners than on cutting-edge racing yachts. But she was wider than the British yachts she competed against and, more importantly, carried much of her beam aft and had a hollow bow with a fine entry forward. This was the exact opposite of the crude “cod’s head and mackerel’s tail” shape (a wide entry forward with a narrow run aft) that still prevailed in Britain.

As a result of America ‘s success, though British yachts did not immediately become significantly wider overall, their proportions started shifting. Bows became more hollow and concave, and the point of maximum beam moved farther aft. This was exactly in keeping with the first scientific theory of naval architecture–called the Wave Line Theory–which had been developed and promulgated by a Scotsman, John Scott Russell, nearly a quarter of a century earlier, but had until then been ignored in Britain.

Besides winning her famous cup for the New York Yacht Club, the yacht America was an early example of a “scientifically” designed sailboat

Lines of America

The next significant equalizing event came in 1876, when the American centerboard schooner Mohawk capsized and sank in a sudden but relatively moderate squall off Staten Island in New York Harbor. The boat’s owner, Will Garner, his wife, and a party of guests were killed in the incident.

Mohawk , an extreme example of the skimming-dish type, was intended by Garner to be the largest, fastest, most opulent yacht in the NYYC fleet. She was 141 feet long, 30 feet wide, and had a draft of just 6 feet that increased to 30 feet when she dropped her massive 7-ton centerboard. She flew an amazing 32,000 square feet of sail area. The fact that she could not stand up to all her sail in spite of her great beam helped fuel arguments that the wide, shallow yachts favored in the United States were fundamentally unsafe. It did not help either, of course, that Mohawk was slower than Garner had hoped and proved a dud on the race course.

Schooner Mohawk under sail. She proved both slow and unstable

A narrow British cutter named Madge crossed the Atlantic and raced successfully against several U.S. yachts in 1881, and then another large centerboard schooner, Grayling , capsized on her maiden sail in 1883. As a result a vociferous group of “cutter cranks,” who called the skimming dishes “death traps” and favored British designs instead, became prominent in American yachting circles. This led to the development of “compromise” designs pioneered by Edward Burgess of Boston, Massachusetts, an entomologist turned yacht designer who was heavily influenced by British cutters he had observed during a summer spent on the Isle of Wight.

These compromise boats, like the British cutters, had heavy ballast keels, but they were not nearly as narrow or deep relative to their length. Also, like the American boats, they carried centerboards. The litmus test came in 1885, when the Burgess-designed Puritan defeated an American skimming dish, Priscilla , for the right to defend the America’s Cup, then beat a British cutter, Genesta , in the Cup finals.

Lines of Puritan . A successful compromise design that bridged the gap between narrow British cutters and wide American sloops

Racing Rule Development

The final factor that helped to unite the opposing camps of yacht design was the development of empirically based handicap rules for racing. As noted, handicaps originally were based on commercial measurements devised for tax purposes. Over time, however, it became clear that these formulas had little to do with a vessel’s actual performance.

Performance, it was noticed, depended most directly on waterline length–i.e., more waterline equals more speed . In 1883, the first handicap rule based on measurements of waterline length and sail area, the Seawanhaka Rule, developed by New York’s Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, was adopted in the United States. Soon afterward, in 1888, a similar rule came into use in Great Britain. The result, ultimately, was a universal trend favoring boats with overhanging ends whose waterlines increased as they heeled to the wind.

One of the most important yachts to exploit this little rule-beating trick was Gloriana , a 70-foot sloop designed and built by Nathanael Herreshoff for E.D. Morgan in 1891. Gloriana , thanks at least in part to her overhanging spoon-shaped bow, was undefeated the one season Morgan raced her and instantly secured Herreshoff’s reputation as a yacht designer. Described by some as the first “scientifically contructed” yacht, she was also very stable and could carry a great press of sail, as weight above her waterline was greatly reduced and was instead concentrated as ballast in her keel.

E.D. Morgan’s Gloriana under sail. She was undefeated the one season he raced her

Lines of Gloriana

In the decade that followed, the continued development of these features, plus a tendency to cut away as much keel as possible to reduce surface area below the water, produced increasingly radical boats. This evolution culminated in a 1901 Bowdoin Crowninshield design, Independence , that was lightly built with immensely long overhangs, a tiny keel, and a gigantic sailplan. Independence leaked badly, however, and handled, as her skipper put it, like “an ice wagon.” Nat Herreshoff managed to perfect the concept in his equally radical Reliance , which defended the America’s Cup in 1903. Termed a “monster” by many at the time, Reliance measured 144 feet long on deck (and a little over 200 feet overall if you measured from the end of her boom to her bowsprit), and had a waterline length of just 90 feet, with over 16,000 square feet of sail area flying from a single mast that was 200 feet tall.

Lines of Independence

Reliance running off with maximum sail set

Profligacy in the Gilded Age

In all ways, the general trend in yacht construction in the latter half of the 19th century was increasingly grandiose. This was particularly true in the United States, where the enormous expansion of the national economy in the years following the Civil War—the Gilded Age, as Mark Twain termed it—allowed for the accumulation of private wealth on a scale never before imagined. Picking up where George Crowninshield had left off with Cleopatra’s Barge , the American “robber barons” competed with each other in creating ever more extravagant vessels.

Originally, these 19th century super-yachts could function both as cruising and racing vessels. Will Garner’s Mohawk , for example, though intended to excel on the race course, also featured fabulous creature comforts, including gas lighting, hot and cold freshwater plumbing, and a steam-heat system, not to mention a grand piano and other lavish, heavy furnishings. Even America’s Cup contenders were tricked out in this manner and were often cruised between campaigns. By the end of the century, however, the superwealthy tended not to cruise in the sailing vessels they raced, as these were becoming ever more extreme. Instead, they cruised for pleasure aboard enormous steam yachts that were even larger than their sailboats.

The trend toward profligacy, and toward steam, was reflected in the changing composition of the NYYC’s squadron of members’ vessels. In 1870 the squadron consisted of only 49 vessels, four of which were steam yachts. The largest vessel was a 145-foot schooner displacing 275 tons, owned by William Douglas. Within just 30 years, the squadron mushroomed to 402 vessels, 207 of which were steam yachts. The queen of the fleet was Lysistrata , a 314-foot steamer displacing 2,682 tons that belonged to newspaper magnate James Gordon Bennett.

The nearly tenfold increase in the size of the squadron was not really a function of yachting’s growing popularity as a sport. Instead it reflected yachting’s growing importance as a venue for public displays of status and wealth–a fact, of course, that was also reflected in the growing size of the yachts themselves. Many of the “yachtsmen” who owned these vessels, unlike George Crowninshield, who made his fortune at sea aboard trading vessels, had little interest in nautical matters. Even those who owned and campaigned racing yachts were often happy just to write checks (and make wagers) and never sailed their boats themselves.

As for cruising, the tycoons of the late 19th century did indeed wander far and wide in their floating palaces. One of these was an Englishman, Sir Thomas Brassey, who circled the globe in 1876-77 in his 170-foot steam auxiliary schooner Sunbeam . His wife, Lady Anna Brassey, published an account of the voyage (it was, in fact, the first circumnavigation ever made by a yacht) that became a bestseller both in Britain and the United States.

J.P. Morgan’s Corsair . By the end of the century rich yachtsmen most often cruised in large steam vessels and only raced under sail

The Brasseys were followed by many others, particularly Americans who, like Crowninshield before them, yearned to cruise the Mediterranean, where they could purchase art and perhaps hobnob with European royalty. J.P. Morgan, for example, bought his first yacht— Corsair , a 185-foot steamer—in 1881 and at once took off on an art-buying cruise to Palestine. His third Corsair , built in 1899, which he often cruised to Europe, was 304 feet long. James Gordon Bennett, meanwhile, spent almost 20 years living aboard his steam yachts, meandering ceaselessly back and forth across the North Atlantic. Lysistrata , his last and largest vessel, had more than 100 paid crew, a stable for a milking cow, and three separate owner’s staterooms.

Needless to say, cruising on this scale never trickled down to the lower strata of society. But upper-middle-class and middle-class sailors were finding ways to get afloat, and in the end the cruises they undertook turned out to be much more influential.

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Boating Traditions: America’s 100 Oldest Yacht Clubs

The development of yacht clubs in the 1800s is an important chapter of our boating and marina history in the U.S.—and tells us much about the country’s early yearning for nature and community.

The birth of organized boating, rowing, and sail-racing clubs in our country took place in the 1800s and many of these early yacht clubs are still in operation today.

If you’re a sailor, oarsman, or boater, you’re probably familiar with many yacht clubs around the country—but do you know which U. S. yacht clubs have the pedigree to lay claim to being the country’s oldest?

The first time I heard the phrase yacht club was during a weekend at our family camp on a lake in the Northern Tier of New York State, just outside Adirondack Park. As a boy, most of my weekends there were spent fishing, swimming, and boating, and at the neighboring marina I heard sailing stories about the St. Regis Lake Yacht Club, founded in 1897. (Not on the list here, it’s the 156th oldest yacht club in America.) I was and still am a powerboater—learning boating back then in an aluminum boat with a 7 1/2-hp outboard—but I was fascinated by the sailing stories I heard dating back to the turn of the 20th Century in New York’s Franklin County.

At Dockwa, our loose definition of a yacht club is:

• Usually membership-owned and controlled by a board;
• Can be exclusive, but many no longer are;
• Can specialize in many different types of activities such as sailing, racing, cruising, and kids’ programs;
• They do not always have paid employees and might be volunteer-based. 

Many yacht clubs nationally use Dockwa as their dockage reservation-and-booking platform or for marina management. So recently we had some fun office chatter—because we all work remotely, it was actually digital direct messaging office chatter—about which of the country’s yacht clubs have been around the longest.

Without further ado, and giving a shout-out to International Burgee Registry , here is the list of the 100 oldest yacht clubs in the United States, in chronological order of their founding from one to 100, with links to those still operating.

#1 Narragansett Boat Club , RI — 1838

#2 Detroit Boat Club , MI ( shown below ) — 1839

#3 New York Yacht Club , RI — 1844

Fun fact : The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) launched on July 30, 1844, when John Cox Stevens invited eight friends to his yacht Gimcrack , anchored in New York Harbor. The nine who met formed the NYYC and Stevens became its first commodore. Members then departed on a yacht cruise to Newport, beginning the historical connection between the NYYC and Newport, RI.

#4 Mobile Yacht Club , AL — 1847

#5 biloxi yacht club, ms — 1849, #6 pass christian yacht club , ms — 1849, #7 southern yacht club , la — 1849, #8 springfield yacht club , ma — 1850, #9 carolina yacht club , nc — 1853, #10 hoboken yacht club, nj — 1856, #11  brooklyn yacht club , ny — 1857, #12 jersey city yacht club, nj — 1858, #13 buffalo yacht club , ny — 1860, #14 neenah-nodaway yacht club , wi — 1864, #15 carteret boat club — 1865.

‍ currently Raritan Yacht Club , NJ

#16 Riverton Yacht Club NJ — 1865

#17 toledo yacht club , oh — 1865, #18 williamsburgh yacht club , ny — 1865, #19 atlantic yacht club , ny — 1866, #20 boston yacht club , ma — 1866, #21 palisades boat club , ny — 1866, #22 detroit yacht club , mi ( shown below )— 1868.

#23 New York Athletic Club Yacht Club, NY — 1868

#24 south boston yacht club , ma — 1868, #25 bunker hill yacht club, ct — 1869, #26 new hamburgh yacht club , ny — 1869, #27 oshkosh yacht club , wi — 1869, #28 portland yacht club , me — 1869, #29 san francisco yacht club , ca — 1869, #30 fishers island yacht club , ct — 1869, #31 savannah yacht club , ( shown below ) ga — 1869.

#32 Eastern Yacht Club , MA — 1870

#33 lynn yacht club, ma — 1870, #34 manhattan yacht club , ny— 1870, #35 milwaukee yacht club , wi — 1870, #36 beverly yacht club , ma — 1871, #37 new jersey yacht club — 1871, #38 north shore yacht club , ny — 1871, #39 seawanhaka yacht club , ny — 1871, #40 toms river yacht club , ny — 1871, #41 old club yacht club, mi — 1872, #42 santa barbara yacht club , ca — 1872, #43 st augustine yacht club , fl — 1873, #44 albany yacht club, ny — 1873, #45 hudson river yacht club, ny ( shown below ) — 1873.

#46 Knickerbocker Yacht Club, NY — 1874

#47 lake geneva yacht club , wi — 1874, #48 perth amboy yacht club, nj — 1874.

‍ currently Raritan Yacht Club

#49 Quincy Yacht Club, MA — 1874

#50 chicago yacht club , il — 1875, #51 duxbury yacht club, ma — 1875, #52 rhode island yacht club , ri — 1875, #53 savin hill yacht club , ma — 1875, #54 varuna yacht club, ny — 1875, #55 florida yacht club , fl — 1876, #56 bristol yacht club , ri — 1877, #57 great salt lake yacht club , ut— 1877, #58 new bedford yacht club , ma — 1877, #59 rochester yacht club , ny — 1877, #60 marblehead yacht club , ma — 1878.

‍ founded as Marblehead Boat Club

#61 Cleveland Yachting Club , OH — 1878

#62 monmouth boat club , nj — 1879, #63 yonkers yacht club , ny — 1879, #64 larchmont yacht club , ny — 1880, #65 old dominion boat club , va — 1880, #66 chelsea yacht club , ny — 1881.

‍ founded as Carthage Ice Yacht Club

#67 Oswego Yacht Club , NY ( shown below ) — 1881

#68 Yale Corinthian Yacht Club , CT — 1881

#69 narragansett yacht club, ri — 1882, #70 beach haven yacht club, nj — 1882, #71 raritan yacht club , nj— 1882, #72 american yacht club , ny — 1883, #73 carolina yacht club, sc — 1883, #74 fort schuyler club yacht squadron , ny — 1883, #75 harlem yacht club , ny — 1883, #76 minnetonka yacht club , mn — 1883, #77 onondaga yacht club , ny — 1883, #78 winthrop yacht club , ma — ( shown below ) 1884.

#79 Quannapowitt Yacht Club , MA — 1884

#80 the american yacht club , ma — 1885, #81 bar harbor yacht club , me — 1885, #82 corinthian yacht club , ma — 1885, #83 inter-lake yachting association , oh— 1885, #84 newburgh yacht club, ny — 1885, #85 sandy bay yacht club , ma — 1885, #86 shattemuc yacht club , ny — 1885, #87 annapolis yacht club , md — 1886, #88 chelsea yacht club , ma — 1886, #89 corinthian yacht club of san francisco , ca — 1886, #90 ischoda yacht club , ct — 1886, #91 put-in-bay yacht club , oh — 1886, #92 red dragon canoe club , nj — 1886, #93 san diego yacht club , ca — 1886, #94 shelter island yacht club , ny — 1886, #95 biscayne bay yacht club , fl ( shown below ) — 1887.

#96 Cedar Point Yacht Club , CT — 1887

#97 housatonic boat club, ct — 1887, #98 lake champlain yacht club , vt ( shown below ) — 1887.

#99 Quaker City Yacht Club , PA — 1887

#100 volunteer yacht club , ma — 1887, you can also find many of these marinas on marinas.com for easy access to information about hours, contact phone number, address, and more..

LIST SOURCE: Burgees.com. See the entire list of America’s oldest yacht clubs by clicking here.

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• Digital Edition

Best yacht 2023: European yacht of the year winners

• Toby Hodges
• January 21, 2023

The European Yacht of the Year 2023 winners have been announced and comprise the best yacht winners in five categories including a special mention award. Toby Hodges was one of the 12 jury members who test sailed each of the 21 shortlisted yachts before deciding on the winners.

The European Yacht of the Year programme is a highlight of my year as it gives us  jury members the opportunity to assemble our shortlist of the best nominees, seatrial each and every one of them and discuss what works and what doesn’t at sea and in port, in order to choose the best yacht of 2023 in a variety of categories. Our trials were held in La Rochelle and Port Ginesta, Barcelona over the autumn of 2022.

This is the 20th anniversary of the European Yacht of the Year awards, which were presented at a gala event on the opening evening of the Boot Düsseldorf Boat Show on 21 January 2023.

Together we comprise 12 magazines across Europe, each the leading voice on boat testing in their respective countries. The result is indisputably the most thorough, impartial and respected awards programme for new production yachts worldwide.

Best yacht 2023

Best performance yacht.

Nominees: Elan E6 ; Beneteau First 36 ; Grand Soleil 40 ; Italia Y 12.98; Solaris 50

Three Italian pure performance cruisers and two very different yachts built in Slovenia made for a varied and exciting Performance category. Where once we could assume a cruiser-racer was a fairly standard format design, over the last decade it’s been much more the sexy fast cruisers the Italian yards specialise in. But as French yards like Pogo and JPK have proven, we salute lightweight planing yachts – and the Beneteau First 36 is the first real production yacht in that spirit.

Winner: Beneteau First 36

Here’s a yacht that puts the focus firmly back into sailing. The First 36 has been kept inviting and approachable – unlike many yachts that can plane, the look is modest, not aggressive. It’s uncomplicated, unfussy and the result is a pleasure for all to sail. It’s more about what you can’t see, the design and engineering, which should ensure longterm demand.

The small, fiddly heads compartment and lack of tiller options are perhaps the only real detraction from an otherwise brilliant collaboration by Seascape and Beneteau, from concept to build quality.

It was their goal to keep this area of the market relevant and prove a mainstream brand can do it, rather than only niche specialist yards. To create a mass produced yacht at this weight and to this foam-cored quality and one that can bring so much fun is a feather in the cap of the First brand.

Price: (ex VAT) €238,813

Jury comments:

“The complete universal cruiser-racer.” Pasi Nuutinen, Fin.

“The truly modern fast cruiser that dares to be different and that not enough yards dare to build.” Jochen Rieker, Germany.

“Fast but easy going, precise but not nervous, and lightweight, yet comfortable.” Marinus van Sijdenborgh de Jong, Netherlands.

Best Luxury Yacht

Nominees: Oceanis Yachts 60 ; Oyster 495 ; Ice 62 Targa

A spacious production yacht, a premium bluewater cruiser and a highly customised Italian performance cruiser shows the variety on offer in the 50-60ft+ market, while giving the jury some tricky comparisons to make.

Winner: Oyster 495

It is hard to imagine that the decor of a yacht can change its look and feel quite this much, yet the layout of this second 495, Eddie Jordan’s dramatic looking Tuga , is in fact identical to the first boat that I spent several days aboard last summer. At its heart is a wonderfully (Humphreys) designed and engineered luxury bluewater cruiser conceived from the ground up, built in a new dedicated facility to a repeatable quality very few yards are capable of.

The 495 offers consistent passage making speeds in real voluminous comfort – whether enjoyed from the deep cockpit or the best-in-class aft cabin. Deck stowage and mechanical space is also superb. Then factor in the family appeal of Oyster’s after sales and world rally programme and you start to appreciate the premium world this sub 50-footer gives access to.

Price: (ex VAT) £1.35m

Jury comments

“So reassuringly strong, so surprisingly quick in straight line speed, so great to helm, so easy to handle and so, so comfortable if you want to retreat to her living quarters!” Jochen Rieker, Germany

“A true blue water cruiser that makes no compromise in terms of comfort, safety or sailing abilities.” Loic Madeline, France

“The entry level of the Oyster range brings with it the build quality and customisation typical of the yard’s largest models… perfect for a couple’s globetrotting dreams.” Alberto Mariotti, Italy

Best Family Yacht

Nominees: Bente 28; Dufour 37 ; Linjett 39

Typically this category brims with midsize cruising yachts from mainstream manufacturers. And while the Dufour flies that flag, when you put these three nominees together you have a diverse selection of interesting new cruising yachts from 30-40ft to suit significantly different budgets.

Winner: Linjett 39

If you haven’t heard of Linjett before, prepare to be impressed. The 39 offers easy fast family cruising and occasional racing in luxurious comfort and proves that classic needn’t be old fashioned.

Linjett exudes Scandi heritage: a third generation 50-year old brand, it’s run by three brothers and has built 900 yachts from its 19th Century Rosättra yard in Sweden. Sturdy and stable the 39 instils instant confidence and proved a delight to sail. The Linjett is set up to easily shorthand it too, with two winches and a bank of clutches each side positioned aft in reach of the helm.

The interior is offered with two or three cabins and the latter we saw had an excellent layout, including separate shower/wet hanging compartment aft. The joiner work is first class, with traditional mahogany used as standard, or the more contemporary European Oak on the test boat.

This is a premium yacht, but you get what you pay for. It will surprise most and ensure everyone steps ashore smiling.

Price: (ex VAT) SEK 4,208,000 (approx €400,000)

“Practically flawless yacht for offshore, coastal and archipelago cruising, peppered with a big spoonful of performance and a strong flavour of luxury,” Pasi Nuutinen, Finland

“Aesthetically immortal because it is impeccably designed and built with modern construction techniques.” Alberto Mariotti, Italy

“A fast luxury yacht that is also the best family yacht… timeless.” Axel Nissen-Lie, Norway

Best Catamaran

Nominees: Balance 482 ; Catana OC ; C-Cat 48 ; Excess 14; Fountaine Pajot Aura 51 ; Lagoon 51; Nautitech 44 Open

What started out as two separate multihull categories – Family and Performance – merged into one once the jury appreciated the boundaries are quite blurred and that some of these catamarans belong in both camps.

All seven of these 40-50-footers merit close scrutiny for anyone after space and cruising comfort. The decision lies with how much you tweak the performance:comfort ratio.

Winner: Nautitech Open 44

We saw a good, interesting battle of the aft helm cruising cats this year in the Excess 14 and the Nautitech. For those who cite a lack of visibility and protection as reasons not to choose this route, try sailing this boat! Direct steering brings so much more helming pleasure – you get the enjoyable feeling and communication more associated with a monohull. I consider this 44 Open to be the ideal size to go distance sailing, with good performance, low draught and space for family and friends.

The interior design is smart and inviting – not as voluminous as some, but certainly enough to be smugly comfortable at anchor. Out of all the multihulls nominated or sailed in the last year, this cat impressed me the most.

Price: €560,800 ex VAT. (€818k ex VAT as tested).

Jury Comments

“This is a catamaran that makes the heart beat out at sea rather than at a boat show.” Axel Nissen-Lie, Norway

“Sailing sensation sets the Nautitech apart. She’s delightfully sensitive in light wind and gets more and more convincing with speed – which she picks up to very decent numbers.” Pasi Nuutinen, Finland

“This shows why the desire for catamaran sailing is spreading: It combines the comfort of two hulls with the good sailing characteristics of a modern yacht.”  Lori Schüpbach, Sui

Best Specialist Yacht

Nominees: Astus 22.5 ;  Ecoracer 25; Ace 30

Always the most diverse category, once again this did not disappoint with its contenders comprising a plywood IRC scow, a trailable trimaran and a recyclable sportsboat!

Special mention: Sustainability – Ecoracer 25

A reusable, recyclable prototype competitive sportsboat. If a ‘garage project’ such as this can successfully prove that the use of more sustainable materials, such as thermoplastic resins, linen fibre, basalt and recyclable carbon, are a viable solution for boatbuilding already, there is no excuse why the mainstream production yards shouldn’t already be employing them!

While most fibre-reinforced boats are destined for landfill, here the composites can be separated from the resin after immersion in a solvent, to make reusable composite products.

This is an on trend one-off racer, which at 1.1 tonnes and 2.7m beam can be towed when tilted and takes one hour from crane to sailing. It’s so much fun to sail, even in the lightest puffs, and won the ORC sportsboat class on Lake Garda on its debut season.

A shame it’s only a prototype, but the future looks bigger and brighter for this startup brand Northern Light Composites, with a 30ft version going into production. Congratulations on taking the initiative.

Price: Circa €80k

“Without changes the leisure boat market will be regulated and potentially fade away. The 100% recyclable Ecoracer 25 has shown that it’s possible to turn green for real.” Morten Brandt-Rasmussen, Denmark

“Shows that a technically complex sailboat can be built in a better way – without compromising on performance.” Axel Nissen-Lie, Norway

European Yacht of the Year Jury

Toby Hodges, Yachting World, GBR Jochen Rieker, YACHT, GER Loic Madeline, Voiles & Voiliers, FRA Pasi Nuutinen, Vene, FIN Roland Duller, YachtRevue, AUT Alberto Mariotti, Vela e Motore, ITA Morten Brandt-Rasmussen, Bådmagasinet, DEN Marinus van Sijdenborgh de Jong, Zeilen, NED Joakim Hermansson, Praktiskt Båtägande, SWE Axel Nissen-Lie, Seilmagasinet, NOR Diego Yriarte, Nautica Y Yates, ESP Lori Schüpbach, Marina.ch, SWI

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cruising sailboat FISHER 25

Overall length : 7.69 m Width : 2.85 m Displacement : 4,294 kg

The hull is a heavy-duty hand laid GRP moulding, which includes a clear gel coat underwater. The cast iron ballast is encapsulated in the GRP keel and glassed over with further laminates to form an integral part of the hull structure. ...

cruising sailboat 40 AFT COCKPIT

Overall length : 40'00" Width : 13'00" Draft : 4'07"

The Reliant Yachts 40 Aft Cockpit is a high-performance, world capable cruising yacht ideal for a couple or family. Although her look is classic beauty, below the waterline she reflects the latest thinking in fluid dynamics..The Reliant ...

cruising sailboat 22

Overall length : 6.5 m Width : 2.2 m Draft : 1.1, 0.3 m

The POINTER 22 is specially designed as a modern all-round sailing boat with an extra amount of opportunities. During the design process, special attention was drawn to the needs of the modern sailor: it all culminates in the POINTER ...

cruising sailboat Oysta 30

Overall length : 29'00"

This lovely boat was built here at the shop many years ago. It found a wonderful life in British Columbia for many years with a documentary film maker and his family. Sadly, one day while it sat at its mooring buoy, someone boarded ...

cruising sailboat Regina 35

Overall length : 10.8 m

Don’t draw any hasty conclusions about a 35 footer being too small. Even though this is our smallest boat she comfortably has enough space for four people and a couple of occasional guests Data: Loa: 10,80 m Lwl: 9,50 m Beam: 3,54 m Draft: ...

cruising sailboat M7

Overall length : 7.3 m Width : 2.6 m Draft : 0.7 m

For this project we have wanted to unite tradition and the latest technologies. We have developed a new Llaut, based on the typical Mallorcan llaut that has proven its effectiveness and suitability for our seas for generations. And the ...

cruising sailboat BESTEVAER 45ST

Overall length : 14.1 m

Upsizing tends to be the trend, but this owner went from a Bestevaer 60C to a Bestevaer 53T, and now to a 45ST. So that meant downsizing! However, the owner of the "Africa" knows what he's doing: "The kids no longer sail with us, and ...

cruising sailboat 21 CR

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Sailing in areas where you are on your way for a larger yacht for days can be reached within a day with the trailerable Waarschip 21 CR! Thanks to its weight – incl. Trailer less than 1000 kg – this Waarschip can be transported by ...

fast cruising sailboat DJANGO 9.80

Overall length : 9.8 m Width : 3.6 m Draft : 1.6 m

The Django 9.80 is the ideal saiboat for all those who dream of taking a beak and getting away from it all, with their family, their friends or solo.

cruising sailboat Mr Roosevelt

Overall length : 12.6 m

Mr Roosevelt A sister ship to the first Davidson 42, Teddy Bear, Mr. Roosevelt was built for the Stevenson family, with construction the same as Teddy Bear in cedar core with eglass laminates over laminated Kauri frames and keel floors. ...

cruising sailboat VERTUE II

Overall length : 7.81 m

This is the classic boat of choice for the single-handed long distance sailor. Yachting Monthly gave the Vertue 3rd place in its Top 100 Best Boats of the 20th Century. They enthused that: "Laurent Giles 26 foot classic has proved to ...

cruising sailboat Watson 33

Overall length : 10.24 m Width : 2.5 m Displacement : 2.4, 3.6 t

Elementary my dear Watson ..... who was a doctor…. The name of this boat is an allusion, but is at the same time the justification of its concept. It is indeed an elementary sailing ship. But under this apparent simplicity is hiding place ...

cruising sailing super-yacht CONRAD 115 - LUNAR

Overall length : 35.3 m

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cruising sailboat 28 Magnam

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The size in the range of 28’ allows the Magnam 28 to be a truly versatile yacht combining the portability of smaller models with the space and comfort of the 32’ long Dreamer 32. The cabin space allows for the design of 2, 4 or 6 comfortable ...

cruising sailboat HABER 620

Overall length : 6.5 m Width : 2.5 m

TECHNICAL DATA Length over all with bowsprit and rudder - 6,50 m Hull length - 6,12 m Beam - 2,5 m Draught - 0,32/1,35 m "Centre" boards - 1 Sails - 19,8 m2 mainsail - 11,8 m2 foresail - 8 m2 Weight of yacht with standard equipment ...

cruising sailboat Seguin 44'

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Galavant is hull Number 7 of our great Seguin design. Laucned in 1982, she remains one of our favorites.

cruising sailboat RIDAS 35

Overall length : 10.55 m

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cruising sailing yacht JP54

Overall length : 18.24 m

Hull length: 16.45 meters Overall length: 18.235 meters Beam: 5.3 meters Air draft: 25.10 meters Draft: 3.5 meters (2.5 m with the keel canted) Displacement: 9 tons Engine: Steyr Motor MO54 Hybrid (sail drive) Diesel engine: 55 hp Electric ...

cruising sailboat 36 DS

Overall length : 10.85 m

Year 2004, at the June Finnish "Floating" Show, the new Degerö 36 DS was launched. Based on the hull of the 35 S, and designed by Håkan Södergren, she has the benefits of the deck saloon and internal helm coupled with the traditional ...

cruising sailboat DIVA 38

Overall length : 11.5 m

The Diva 38 was introduced to significant praise and the press gave it to ranks in tests. At the Scandinavian Boat Show it was elected Boat of the Show and the proclamation read, "With the Diva 38 a big step is taken for cruiser/racers. ...

coastal cruising sailboat C 29

Overall length : 8.8 m

The first boat of Open C Yachts range is the Open C 29. This boat is designed for day sailing, week end sailing or coastal cruising. Sail across the channel or Irish Sea, sail to Corsica or Balearic Islands from Mediterranean coast. Lifting ...

cruising sailboat Essence 44

Overall length : 13.8 m

Specifications Length hull 13.80 m Length over all including bowsprit 15.45 m Length hull at waterline (standard spec.) 10.70 m Beam over all 3.60 m Draught standard 2.30 m Displacement at empty weight (kg) 9.000 kg

fast cruising sailboat WINNER 9

Overall length : 9 m

SAILING THE WINNER 9 IS GREAT PLEASURE Whether you are interested in just easy and fast cruising, or interested in fast sailing fun, Winner 9 offers you both worlds, converting easily from fast cruising into fast sailing fun. On deck, ...

cruising sailing yacht

Overall length : 15.3 m

LOMOcean Design has worked in close colaboration with Powersail New Zealand Ltd to deliver this truly radical new concept. The vessel has been developed to sail and motor at 18 knots. She incorporates many novel features including dynamic ...

coastal cruising sailboat COM PAC ECLIPSE

Overall length : 6.5 m

Designed for ease of trailering and of set up with the Mastendr™ System. This new sloop from Hutchins has been designed with shallow 18" draft board up and 62" board down. The plum shallow entry bow allows this sloop to guide thru the ...

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