Seduction of Sail

A sailing superyacht offers the same experience, most of the same facilities and the same changeable seafront a motor yacht offers, but there’s something more – and it’s something that once you’ve experienced it, is very hard to give up. It’s a little slice of magic. And that magic starts when the engine stops.

“It’s about that moment when you turn off the engine and you’re being propelled purely under sail – the noise stops, and all of a sudden you’re gliding along on the ocean,” enthuses Jamie Small, a sales broker based with brokerage firm Burgess who is also a keen sailor.

“It’s a fabulous feeling. The enjoyment you derive is in getting from A to B, not just in getting to B – it’s in the process, the journey, and it’s wonderful, especially if you’re driving the boat, but also as much or even more if you’re able to relax on board while sailing.”

The joy of sailing – or rather, of enjoying sailing without the hard work of actually doing the sailing – is one of the draws of sailing superyachts, where a professional crew take care of the mechanics, allowing you to sit back and revel in the sensation. But whereas smaller charter sailing yachts might appear a compromise in terms of accommodation, deck areas and general amenities, superyachts don’t come with those limitations.

Whether it’s a 100-foot, sleek-decked performance sailing yacht with acres of teak decks above and sumptuous accommodation below, or a classic sailing yacht that evokes the spirit of a golden age, drawing admiring glances wherever she goes, or even a large cruising super sailer with a huge deck saloon and a generous flybridge, there’s a sailing superyacht for every taste and indeed every style of passagemaking.

No-one could argue that the extraordinary spaces on board the iconic 88-metre Maltese Falcon or the 86-metre Aquijo, for example, are not everything you could ever want on board. But, more importantly – as with all sailing superyachts – these are vessels that can take you across oceans without firing up the main engines, or carry you to the furthest reaches of the planet with a far more sea-kindly motion than an ungainly motor yacht. What’s more, while the power and potency of their huge rigs can be daunting, size does not always translate to difficulty of sailing.

“The technology that’s on a lot of these boats – whether it’s a DynaRig set-up like the Maltese Falcon or something like Sea Eagle’s triple rig – is advanced, with things like captive winches, furlers and remote-control systems that effectively mean you can have a large amount of sail area controlled by one person or a minimum crew,” says Small.

Moreover, under-deck sheeting and modern minimalist design means all those extra lines and controls are typically hidden, resulting in a safe, trip-hazard-free environment on board that’s family-friendly.

Die-hard powerboaters will say the biggest difference between motor and sail is the fact that a sailing yacht doesn’t always stay level. However, it can be argued that particularly when sailing to windward, a degree of heel is part and parcel of the experience.

Of course, it can still be a little disconcerting for those new to sailing. However, on a superyacht these facets are minimised, meaning that even those who’ve never set foot on a sailing yacht before can be confident they won’t be pushed out of their comfort zone.

“It’s not so much an issue these days,” Small advises, “because the size of boat that you can potentially charter now, which ranges in superyacht terms from 30 to 80 metres and up, is not a barrier to people who either don’t understand or don’t have experience of sailing; the righting moment is big and the heel angles are much reduced. You don’t have some of the more aggressive heel angles that you get on smaller yachts, so it opens up sailing to a much wider market.”

Additionally, says Small, sailing yachts present a more sustainable option either for reducing emissions or for reducing fuel consumption.

“There’s no doubt you save fuel if you’re under sail alone,” he confirms, “but also, a lot of our yachts combine sailing with motoring to reduce their fuel consumption quite massively – and it is a massive saving.”

It’s one of the reasons why sailing tech is starting to crossover into the commercial shipping sector, where emissions regulations and the economic benefits of fuel saving are significant. There’s a return effect of that too, because it means sailing will only gain more and more visibility, which will open more charterers’ eyes to not only the possibilities, but also the positive benefits that sailing superyachts offer. “I’m not sure whether people choose sailing specifically to be more environmentally friendly,” Small adds, “but it’s definitely a very nice by-product.”

Sailing, of course, is not just about cruising. There’s also a burgeoning regatta circuit for superyachts that has really taken off in the last 15 years, and this is also available for potential charterers looking for something a bit different.

The key is that while there are some competitive, race-orientated sailing superyachts, the essence of many of the superyacht regattas is fun, kinship and friendly rivalry.

Perhaps the best known is the St Barths Bucket, which takes place on the waters around the Caribbean island of St Barths in the Northern Hemisphere spring. A sister to the bucket regattas that first started in 1986 in Nantucket, next to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, US, the original ethos – that of friendly and fun competition, where no yacht was allowed to win twice – has morphed somewhat, but the central elements of friendship, fun competition and a shared passion for the sea remain. And it’s an experience that no motor yacht charter can even come close to replicating.

“It’s an incredible event in a beautiful place,” says Small, “and it’s not too serious – you’ll have a lot of fun. They structure it in a way that means pretty much everyone ends up on the podium getting some sort of silverware, and owners – and charterers – love it.”

How, he asks, can it not be addictive for people who get involved with it? “Superyacht regattas are great,” he adds, “I’ve actually sold sailing yachts off the back of them!”

It’s true that sailing superyachts are in a distinct minority when it comes to the global fleet – more than four out of five superyachts are motor yachts – but Small thinks more people definitely need to get on board sailing boats. Although there’s the challenge that there’s a multitude of ways to get out on the water now under the power of the wind – such as kiteboarding and foiling – that fact also presents an opportunity as harnessing the power of the wind isn’t such an alien concept to them.

But fundamentally, he argues, it comes down to the unique feeling that sailing delivers – and it’s something that with a superyacht, is neither uncomfortable nor unapproachable, even for those who’ve never sailed before. It’s why everyone should consider a sailing charter at least once

in their lives. “It’s all about trying to tune people into how incredible it is just to be powered by the wind and the cathartic feeling you get going from A to B under sail alone,” Small concludes.

“It’s far cooler, and yes, you have the environmentally friendly facets as well, but really, the sensation and the experience is where it lives.”

burgessyachts.com