Top 10 largest sailing yachts in the world

Sea Cloud was designed by Cox & Stevens and built as Hassar II by Friedrich Krupp in Kiel, Germany for Edward F Hutton and heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. Following their divorce, Marjorie kept the yacht and renamed her Sea Cloud. Then, after serving during World War II, Sea Cloud was owned by the Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo, who renamed her Angelita, then by Clifford Barbour, who renamed her Antarna. The yacht was rebuilt in 1978 by new German owners, who changed her name back to Sea Cloud. Sea Cloud has 60 crewmembers and 32 guest cabins and is available for luxury charter all year round.

Instantly recognisable with her black sails and Dynarig set-up, Black Pearl is the second largest sailing yacht in the world. Delivered during the same year as 142.81 metre Sailing Yacht A (officially designated as a sail-assisted motor yacht), Black Pearl spent five years in development at dutch yard Oceanco. Dykstra Naval Architects, Ken Freivokh, Nuvolari Lenard, BMT Nigel Gee and Gerard P Villate all contributed their expertise to this monumental project, which looks set to turn heads the world over for decades to come.

Eos was built in Germany under a cloak of secrecy for her American media and movie mogul Barry Diller. Eos is a three-masted Bermuda rigged schooner and was refitted at Royal Huisman in 2011. After emerging from her refit the yacht caught fire in Norway and had to return to the yard to be repaired.

Athena was built by the Royal Huisman Shipyard in Holland for US software developer Jim Clark. Athena's advanced engineering means that she is able to sail in relatively light airs, while still offering the interior space normally only found on motor yachts. In stronger wind Athena has been credited as attaining 19 knots under sail. The yacht's three closed deck include a large owner's suite, four guest suites, a saloon and dining room on the main deck and a sky lounge on the upper deck.

Maltese Falcon was built for the late American venture capitalist Tom Perkins, and is now owned by Elena Ambrosiadou. The iconic three-masted schooner is the fifth largest sailing yacht in the world. Maltese Falcon's rig is made up of three unstayed, 'weapons-grade' carbon fibre masts, with a fully computerised sail and rotating mast system. The system has been dubbed a triumph of design, development and engineering and Maltese Falcon has topped an impressive 24 knots under sail. The Ken Freivokh interior is a marriage of industrial chic and high tech. It features leather, glass, wood and steel as well as a modern art collection. The yacht has accommodation for 12 guests and is available for charter.

The highly anticipated Aquijo was the result of a collaboration between Vitters and Oceanco. Both Dutch yards worked closely with the owner's representative to create a highly complex, performance-driven sailing machine that became the third largest sailing superyacht when launched. Aquijo is an aluminium ketch-rigged yacht, and features a custom steering system. Aquijo's interior layout provides clear sight lines thanks to her high-volume superstructure.

Delivered in 2020, Sea Eagle II is the most recent addition to the top ten largest sailing yachts in the world. Built by Royal Huisman, Sea Eagle II features exterior styling by Mark Whiteley and naval architecture penned by Dykstra Naval Architects. Sold in summer 2016 by Northrop & Johnson as Project RH400, Sea Eagle II is the largest yacht ever built by the Dutch yard. 

Built by Vosper Thorneycroft in Southampton, England, M5 was launched as the iconic yacht Mirabella V in 2004. She remains the world’s largest sloop to date. M5 was designed by Ron Holland for American yachtsman Joe Vittoria, who enjoyed sailing her for seven years before she was sold on. The new owner renamed her M5 and she was extended by 3.2 metres in a refit at  Pendennis before her relaunch in 2013. Her most recent refit, however, in 2019, saw M5 emerge from the sheds with all new paint-work, composite biminis, a reinforced mast and a new bow-thruster.

M5 has a displacement of 780 tonnes (165 tonnes of which is the keel). The carbon fibre mast is an amazing 88.3 metres tall and can carry approximately 3,700 square metres of sail.

The second largest Perini Navi sailing yacht to date, Badis was built for the multiple superyacht owner Bill Duker and launched in 2016 as Sybaris. The name comes from a Greek settlement in ancient Italy that was famed for its hedonism, feasts and excesses.

Featuring naval architecture and sailplan optimisation by Philippe Briand, this all-aluminium ketch can host up to 12 guests across six cabins. Interiors are by PH Design with a total internal volume of 870GT, while the crew quarters allow for a staff of up to 11.

Under power, Badis's twin MTU 16V 2000 M72 diesel engines generate a total of 3,860hp, resulting in a top speed of 17.5 knots and a maximum cruising range of 5,000 nautical miles at 12.5 knots.

Atlantic might have the looks of an old classic but don't be fooled, this modern three-masted schooner was delivered in 2010 to an owner with a penchant for classic sailing yachts. She was built from scratch as a replica of the famous 64.5 metre Townsend & Downey schooner by the same name built in 1903. The sailing yacht made history when she set the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing in 1905 - a record that remained unbroken for nearly 100 years - but she was sadly scrapped in 1982. 

Inspired by its legacy, owner Ed Kastelein built a replica as a tribute to the record-breaking classic at the Van de Graaf shipyard in the Netherlands. The new Atlantic's three masts stand 50 metres high and support 1,700 square metres of sails with 36 winches in bronze built specially by Harken.