2006. Maltese Falcon, the boat that revolutionized the sailing world

Welcome to the special section “GdV 5th Years.” We are introducing you, day by day, An article from the archives of the Journal of Sailing, starting in 1975. A word of advice, get in the habit of starting your day with the most exciting sailing stories-it will be like being on a boat even if you are ashore.

Maltese Falcon, the boat that revolutionized the sailing world

Taken from the 2006 Journal of Sailing, Year 32, No. 7, August, pp. 100-105.

88 meters, 2400 square meters of sails on three rotating masts. Aboard Maltese Falcon the boat that revolutionized the world of superyachts. Before that time truly sailing with this size was impossible. A milestone in the yachting world.

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Beyond imagination

It is 88 meters long, has a sail area of 2400 square meters in three self-supporting masts. Here is the Maltese Falcon, Tom Perkins’ world’s largest sailboat revolutionizing the sailing world with the unique Dynarig system.

A maxi yacht armed with square sails. When news of this particular request had reached the newsroom, it seemed like sheer madness, and the first drawings circulating seemed almost fake. Instead, five years after planning began, the Maltese Falcon, an 88-meter Perini Navi, has been unveiled in La Spezia, which is not only the world’s largest privately owned sailing yacht, but a challenge and a revolution in the history of yachting. One of those milestones in the path of technology and sailing that will be missed in the years to come.

American shipowner Tom Perkins, with a passion for sailing in his blood, asked Perini Navi, the undisputed leader in sailing vessels, in 2001 for a design that would represent “the big leap” in sailing. The unwritten battle between wealthy American owners over very large, awe-inspiring boats had long since begun: each had chosen his own way of expressing himself, and after Mirabella V (75 m sloop), and Athena (90 m classic schooner at bowsprit), Tom Perkins decided to break new ground and school of thought in international yachting.

The birth of the Maltese Falcon

Thus was born Maltese Falcon, an 88-meter hull, with 3 self-supporting masts. of over 58 meters in carbon, without rigging, rotating, carrying five square sails each, for a total of 24.00 square meters of sails. It is normal, therefore, that the protagonists are the best companies in the world, in their respective fields. It was decided to bring in Dijkstra and Partners of Amsterdam for naval architecture and masts, Ken Freivokh ‘s firm in Hampshire for interior and exterior design, the British Insensys for engineering and mast construction, and the Doyle Sailmakers group for sail design and construction. Perini Shipyard, along with the boat design, construction, and management of the entire organization, designed and implemented the system for sail handling and management, mast rotation, winch operation, and safety control. This super-team proved quick in interactions and tremendously effective in synergies. The boat was entirely built at the Perini shipyard in Yildiz Gemi, Turkey. The hull is made of steel and the superstructure of aluminum. It has no movable drift, as ballast in the fixed keel is 200 tons of lead and in the side boxes 50 t. of salt water, with a transverse transfer system that is accomplished in about 12 minutes. To compensate for fuel consumption for displacement all 2 sides are loaded, under sail when facing long edges the windward side will be loaded, also to provide more comfort for guests.

Maltese was born to break many speed records set over time, from ancient clippers to modern carbon monsters, and for this kind of absolute performance a dagger board, a carbon extension that will increase the draft to 11 meters, will be mounted on those occasions on the bottom of the keel and will be positioned by divers. Thanks to the handling and control systems Maltese Falcon can be maneuvered by one person, as is the case with all Perini Navi vessels. The Maltese Falcon‘s remarkable interior, with 289 square meters of salon and wheelhouse and a large owner’s apartment with a large study room, walk-in closet and gym, is complemented by four other guest suites. There is also a sixth stateroom on the upper deck that enjoys unparalleled views. The total number of people accommodated on board is 12.

The words of shipowner Tom Perkins

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Owner Tom Perkins’ words after the first sea trial: “I repeatedly stated that I wanted a project not just a boat, perhaps even to convince myself that the path would be long, I kept the role of project manager to myself and today I can proudly say the results of this first sea test: at 38 degrees from apparent wind, with an intensity of 15.8 knots we sailed at 10.5 knots without any fatigue or apprehension. At 60 degrees from the wind, still of the same intensity, the boat’s cruising speed became 14 knots. The balance was perfect. The rudder correction never exceeded 0.6 degrees upwind narrow and 2.5 degrees upwind wide. The heeling angle was always about 15 degrees, under gust we got up to 20 degrees. The drift angle was well below 5 deg. even though we had not yet mounted the dagger board. Since it was our first day of sea trials and we wanted to be cautious, we achieved these results without the top sails (top gallants and royals). The maximum load on the masts never exceeded 50 percent of the parameters-limits set by specifications that we had already calculated using very conservative methods, so we think there is great room for improvement in the numbers recorded today.”.

CEO Giancarlo Ragnetti, very satisfied with the sea trial said “The Maltese Falcon represents a new milestone in the yachting industry. Its sail plan is a true revolution that will have a major impact on the large sailing yacht market. Its technological achievements and the sublime quality with which it was made set a new benchmark for large yacht builders. This was achieved thanks to the commitment, dedication and know-how of the staff who worked passionately on this impressive project. The Maltese Falcon is a clear example that the Turkish yachting industry is now among the top in the world “.

M.F. Natoli

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