While the industry is brimming with sensational motor yachts, there is nothing quite like handing yourself over to the elements and discovering the joys of sailing. With plenty of vessels to choose from this season, we’ve rounded up some of the finest out there and showcased the very best of sailing yachts for charter….
Aquijo
Stats: 86m, Oceanco/Vitters, 2016, 12 guests, 17 crew
Highlights: At 86 metres, Aquijo is the largest ketch in the world – a thoroughbred, and the product of not one, but two Dutch powerhouses, Vitters and later Oceanco, which joined forces to complete this truly unique sailing yacht. With a configuration that allows her to cruise the world, racing, taking storms and gruelling sea states in her stride, she is the perfect pairing for wild cruising and has an experienced crew that will gladly put the yacht through her paces.
Aquijo is available to charter with Edmiston from €505,000 per week.
Maltese Falcon
Stats: 88m, Perini Navi, 2006/2022, 12 guests, 18 crew
Highlights: Maltese Falcon single-handedly transformed the superyacht industry after her delivery in 2006. A head-turner in any port, the 88-metre took six years to complete, due to the complexity of her radical unstayed masts made of 'weapons-grade' carbon fibre and her computerised sail and mast control system.
Currently undergoing an extensive refit at Italian yard Lusben, the refit division of Azimut-Benetti, work will include several major structural modifications, including the addition of a new 10-square-metre pool and sunbed on the aft portion of the flybridge deck. She will also receive a new steel-structured aft awning running from the superstructure to the stern sofa. A force to be reckoned with on the water, few yachts have such a presence in the industry, making the Maltese Falcon a fabulous charter yacht and a sublime choice once she resurfaces from her refit later this year.
Maltese Falcon is available to charter with Burgess from $420,000 per week.
Shenandoah of Sark
Stats: 55m, Townsend & Downey, 1902, 10 guests, 8 crew
Highlights: With elegant and intrinsically classic interiors, this 103-year-old 54-metre sailing yacht is undoubtedly one of the most sophisticated vessels available for charter. With a flexible configuration that allows for additional berths if required, accommodation is for 10 on board, each set within cabins that are packed with books and rich oil paintings. There is even a baby Steinway on board, taking pride of place in the main saloon. The embodiment of the golden age of sailing, Shenandoah of Sark is also a supercharged sailor and happy to lean into the waves for some adrenaline-filled action.
Shenandoah of Sark is available for charter with Burgess from €125,000 per week.
Q
Stats: 51.8m, Alloy Yachts, 2009/2016, 12 guests, 9 crew
Highlights: Originally launched in 2009 as Mondango II at Alloy Yachts, this Dubois-designed bluewater cruiser is a multi-award-winning ketch-rigged sailing yacht offering an outstanding combination of performance excellence and comfort. Following a refit in 2016, her interiors are intrinsically contemporary, designed by Reymond Langton with plenty of glass, polished metal finishes, and a subtle oriental influence.
Out on deck, Q boasts a flybridge with a comfortable seating area a dining table, and a large Jacuzzi surrounded by sunpads, ideal for entertaining and relaxing after a day out on the water. Her toy box is brimming with entertainment, from kayaks and water skis to snorkelling gear and inflatables.
Q is available to charter with Camper and Nicholsons from €245,000 per week.
Athos
Stats: 63.2m, Holland Jachtbouw, 2010, 12 guests, 10 crew
Highlights: Perfectly equipped to facilitate the perfect family sailing holidays, Athos strikes the perfect balance between high-powered performance and luxury living at sea. Her vast exterior deck offers plenty of space for socialising, with a shaded dining area on the aft and a private deck area adjoining the master suite.
The yacht recently returned to the charter market having undergone an extensive refit, which included a 1.25-metre extension at the stern and a total rebuild of the interior. Hoek Design once again stepped in to oversee the naval architecture, interior styling and layout changes of the guest accommodation, main saloon, crew service areas and deckhouse. Her styling is now warm and inviting, which has made her a more sophisticated offering.
Athos is available to charter with Y.CO from $205,000 per week.
Parsifal III
Stats: 53.8m, Perini Navi, 2005, 12 guests, 9 crew
Highlights: After gaining a starring role in the hit superyacht reality TV show Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Parsifal III will undoubtedly cause a stir in any marina. But this isn’t the only reason why this 53.8-metre sailing yacht is one of the finest charter vessels out there, her performance as one of the fastest yachts Perini has built, hitting top speeds of up to 16 knots thanks to her high-tech carbon masts and fully automated in-boom furling.
Outdoor entertaining areas are equipped with a hot tub, sunpads, a wet bar, and al fresco lounging and dining with an optional awning. For something a little different, guests can choose to dine on the hydraulic swim platform with the waves gently lapping at their feet. She has a striking interior styled by Rémi Tessier with dark ebony and light sycamore finishes offering further dining and socialising areas.
Parsifal III is available to charter with Camper and Nicholsons from €195,000 per week.
Baracuda Valletta
Stats: 50m, Perini Navi, 2009, 10 guests, 7 crew
Highlights: Having been created by a partnership of the finest names in yachting, Baracuda Valletta is undoubtedly a pedigree. The 50-metre sailing yacht’s deep purple sails are immediately recognisable – alerting neighbouring yachts that there is a real performance ketch in the vicinity. A canting keel offers stability when underway and lifts to leave a four-metre draft, allowing her to access shallow harbours and anchorages closer to shore. Baracuda Valletta’s interiors are minimal and contemporary, with pops of purple throughout – in keeping with her sails. She can accommodate up to 10 guests in five cabins.
Baracuda Valletta is managed by Parsifal Yachting from €185,000 per week.
Ohana
Stats: 49.7m, Fitzroy, 2012, 10 guests, 8 crew
Highlights: With an impressive regatta history, this 10-guest, 49.7-metre Fitzroy won’t let you down if you decide to bookend your cruise with a little competition. Built in 2012 with a 2019 refit, she certainly doesn’t sacrifice comfort for sailing prowess. On board guests will discover a whitewashed oak interior, a glamorous aft dining saloon encased in glass and a sprawling flybridge deck that’s perfect for socialising and sunbathing. There are also plenty of toys and diving gear on board, including water skis, a wakeboard, and paddle boards.
Ohana is managed for charter by Fraser from €165,000 per week (winter rate).
Atlantic
Stats: 64.5m, Van der Graaf, 2010, 12 guests, 12 crew
Highlights: A true-to-life replica of one of the world’s most iconic sailing yachts, Atlantic offers classic charm with modern amenities. The original vessel was commissioned by Wilson Marshall, a notable New York Yacht Club member, and was designed by William Gardner; one of America’s foremost yacht designers.
Today her classic lines are just as mesmerising and her traditional wood-panelled and red velvet interiors intrinsically welcoming. But on board guests will find modern tech, with upgraded AV systems throughout. Meals can be taken al fresco or indoors aboard this rigged schooner, with a toybox offering sailing dinghies, Jet Skis and waterskiing gear for charter guests to enjoy.
Atlantic is available to charter with Camper & Nicholsons from €110,000 per week.