A (sailing yacht)

Sailing Yacht A is a sailing yacht launched in 2015. The vessel is a sail-assisted motor yacht designed by Philippe Starck (exteriors and interiors) and built by Nobiskrug in Kiel, Germany for the Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko.

History
Its propulsion consists of a variable-speed hybrid powerplant with two lineshaft controllable-pitch propellers that is sail-assisted by a three-mast fore-and-aft sailing rig. The freestanding carbonfiber rotating masts were manufactured by Magma Structures at Trafalgar Wharf, Portsmouth. Doyle Sailmakers USA manufactured the three fully automated carbonfiber/taffeta full roach sails. The furling booms were built in Valencia by Future Fibres. The rigging of the yacht was developed partially to be implemented on cargo ships and for commercial use. The vessel features an underwater observation pod in the keel with 30 cm-thick glass. It is the largest private sail-assisted motor yacht in the world.

Sailing Yacht A was delivered by Nobiskrug on 3 February 2017, and left Kiel on 5 February 2017. It exited the Baltic Sea in light mode on near-empty fuel tanks in order to clear the Drogden Strait with minimum draught. It underwent final sea trials and the final fit-out at the Navantia shipyard in Cartagena, Spain. Boat International called it "the boundary pushing superyacht". The yacht is owned by Melnichenko through Valla Yachts Ltd. of Bermuda, and was initially registered there at Hamilton. In December 2021 the yacht was moved to the Isle of Man flag and registered at Douglas.

Sanctions
The yacht was seized by the Italian Guardia di Finanza on 12 March 2022 in the port of Trieste, due to the EU's sanctions imposed on a number of Russian businessmen as a consequence of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A spokesperson for Melnichenko vowed to contest the seizure. While under seizure, the yacht was re-registered in June 2022 at Freetown, under the Sierra Leone flag. As of June 2024, the yacht was at an anchorage in the Gulf of Trieste.

Specifications

 * Building site: Kiel, Germany
 * Builder: Nobiskrug
 * Naval architecture: Nobiskrug & Dykstra Naval Architects
 * Exterior design: Philippe Starck
 * Interior decoration: Philippe Starck
 * Diesel powerplant: two MTU 20V 4000 M73L 2,050 rpm 3,600 kW lineshaft engines
 * Electric powerplant: four 1,050–2,050rpm 2,800 kW hotel generators driving two Vacon 4,300 kW lineshaft motors
 * Transmission: superimposable/clutched diesel-electric transmission controlled by DEIF systems
 * Propulsion: Andritz Hydro / Escher Wyss & Cie. 5-bladed controllable-pitch lineshaft twin screw
 * Emission treatment: Emigreen, 4 × diesel particulate filter (soot filtration) on diesel generators.