Baltic Yachts

Baltic Yachts made a reputation building high-tech, semi-custom sailing yachts, but in recent years, it has launched a fleet of custom superyachts by noted naval architects and designers.

Baltic Yachts History

In 1973, five young yacht builders defected from the well-known Finnish shipyard Nautor’s Swan and formed their own company, Baltic Yachts, in the Bosund region of western Finland. Their goal was to become a niche builder of high-quality, high-tech sailing yachts for performance-oriented racing and cruising sailors. To staff their shipyard, they drew from local talent in the region; a shipbuilding centre since the 16th century. The founders’ goal was to build sailing yachts that were “faster, stronger and lighter” than the competition utilising exotic construction materials including carbon fibre and high-tech yacht-building method.

After launching the Baltic 46 and 33 production sailing yacht series, Baltic Yachts delivered its first custom yacht in 1975. Two years later, the shipyard was acquired by Finnish shipbuilder Hollming Ltd., enabling it to expand its marketing efforts worldwide. In 1991, ownership of Baltic Yachts passed back into the hands of key staff members. Today, the principal shareholder is Hans Georg Näder a German industrialist, passionate sailor and serial yacht owner. The shipyard offers semi-custom and custom sailing yachts up to 60+ metres in length

Notable Baltic Superyachts

In 2011, Baltic Yachts launched its largest superyacht to date, the 66.7-metre (including bowsprit) Hetairos. Featuring high-tech carbon construction, Hetairos was co-designed by Dykstra Naval Architects and Reichel Pugh Yacht Design.

Yacht designer German Frers designed the light and lithe, 32.64-metre sloop Inukshuk, which Baltic Yachts delivered in 2013. Inukshuk has a telescoping keel that lowers from 3.35 metres to 4.85 metres and an exceptional power-to-weight ratio. The yacht received two ShowBoats Design Awards and Sailing Yacht of the Year from the World Superyacht Awards in 2014.

The 108-foot Javier Jaudenes design WinWin swept the awards tables in 2015 grabbing a pair of prizes each from judges of the ShowBoats Design Awards and World Superyacht Awards, as well as top yacht in the 24- 40m category of the International Superyacht Awards. The following year, 115 foot Nikata from the boards of Judel-Vrolijk and Nauta Yachts captured four ShowBoats Design Awards, a Judges Special Award for Design and Performance at the World Superyacht Awards and Best Sailing Yacht in the 24-40m category from the International Superyacht society

In 2016 Baltic delivered the high performance 130 foot My Song designed by Reichel Pugh and Nauta Yachts to owner Pier Luigi Loro Piano. The yacht, in addition to being a podium finisher at many regattas, received 2017 prizes from the World Superyacht Awards, the ShowBoats Design Awards (2) and the International Superyacht Society. The yacht was involved in an accident while being transported in 2020 and declared a total loss.

Baltic’s 54 metre Pink Gin VI is the world’s largest carbon fibre sloop. Built for the yard’s principal owner, the 245-ton, silver sloop features a 71-ton, two-stage lifting keel, a 67.9m carbon fibre Rondal mast and two fold-out terraces. Naval architecture is by Judel-Vrolijk & Co and interior design and styling by Design Unlimited. Pink Gin VI took the WSA title of Sailing Yacht of the Year in 2018.

The 43.3m Canova, a Farr Yacht Design project that features a sliding horizontal foil from Dynamic Stability System, was launched in the summer of 2019. Canova won the World Superyacht Awards sailing yacht of the year title in 2020 and Best Naval Architecture prize from the Design & Innovation Awards judges. In addition to the largest-ever application of the DSS foil, the yacht also features diesel-electric propulsion and a hydro-generator system, all intended to make her greener, quieter, more comfortable and easy to maintain.

Also launched in 2019 was the 34.14 metre Liara designed by Malcolm McKeon and Adam Lay for cruising and occasional regatta sailing. Liara took a Boat International Design & Innovation Awards for both Exterior Styling and Interior Design in 2020

Specialisations

Baltic Yachts operates yards in Jakobstad and Bosund, Finland, where it builds new luxury sailing yachts. It also has a service facility in Palma de Mallorca with a 1,000-tonne lift that provides “lifecycle services” including yacht maintenance and refit work including paint, plumbing, carpentry and electrical.

Baltic unveiled a motor yachts division in January 2017 with designs for the 27-metre Baltic MY88, 34-metre Baltic MY112 and 41-metre Baltic MY135; and a Day Boat range with the 15-metre Baltic MY49 and 17-metre Baltic MY56. Its first motor yacht, a 78 footer designed by Mani Frers and called Bill and Me, delivered in July 2017.