Best Naval Architecture: Sailing Yachts, Boat International Design & Innovation Awards 2019

While many details about this yacht are not public, the yacht’s owner, an engineer who was integral to the development, was eager to allow the yacht’s naval architects to share design and performance information. Dykstra Naval Architects created both the hull envelope and the advanced DynaRig sail plan. At 106.7m overall, with a 97.5m waterline length, Black Pearl is an enormous yacht with a hull that still manages to look sleek with enormous loads generated by a sail area in excess of 2,900m2 spread over three unstayed, rotating masts. The design mission was to deliver a top speed of 25 knots under sail and achieve it on a yacht with a 7.23m draft and 2,550 tons displacement at full load. In addition, the owner wanted a “zero impact” yacht capable of emissions-free cruising. To this end, the yacht has a sophisticated diesel-electric propulsion system optimised with an assist by Lateral Naval Architects using two main diesel engines and electrical motors connected to variable pitch propellers. Three equal gensets plus 648kW of battery capacity provide for house loads and peak shaving. Shaft generators powered off propellors that can be adjusted for optimal pitch at any sailing speed return carbon-free electricity to the batteries when the boat is under sail.

Judges Comment