Commissioned by Russian tycoon Andrey Melnichenko for a price of approximately $318 million, the 468 foot sailing yacht titled ‘A’ has been designed by Philippe Starck and built by Nobiskrug. This three-mast monolith (with a beam greater than 81 feet) is the largest vessel in the world to be powered by sail and boasts of eight decks all dressed in teak, with a steel hull and a composite superstructure. The three masts are all fashioned from carbon fiber, each measuring about 300 feet in height. The yacht’s propulsion system comprises two MTU 3,600 kW diesel engines and two 4,300 kW electric motors, propelling it to a top speed of 21 knots and a range of 5320 nautical miles. The yacht’s delivery is expected sometime in early 2017.
