The 10 Largest Sailing Yachts on the High Seas, From Jeff Bezos’s ‘Koru’ to the Ultra-Modern ‘Black Pearl’
While Lürssen claims a whopping 13 of the 25 largest yachts in the world, Oceanco rules the waves when it comes to sailing vessels. The Dutch shipyard scoops the top two spots on this list, with a total of three overall, including the famed Black Pearl.
For four years, Black Pearl ranked as the largest sailing vessel until early 2023 when Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s 417-foot sailing gigayacht Koru delivered, and a new flagship was born. That’s because the most unusual and easily recognizable of the largest sailing yachts in the world doesn’t even qualify for this list. The 468-foot sailing yacht A, which has been subject to sanctions, is officially designated as a sail-assisted motoryacht, meaning it’s a hybrid that only uses its sails to supplement its diesel propulsion.
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But the rest of this list comprise true sailing vessels, many with classic lines and others employing modern racing and cruising designs to the fullest.
Here, our top 10 largest sailing yachts in the world in 2024.
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‘Koru,’ 417 Feet, 2023 Oceanco
Koru is both the largest sailing yacht in the world and the largest superyacht to come out of the Netherlands. Commissioned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Koru—meaning “new beginnings” in Māori—is a three-masted schooner (with each mast being 230 feet high), making it the tallest sailing yacht in the world. The vessel is built in the style of a 19th-century vessel, complete with a wooden figurehead at the bow of Norse goddess Freyja. Bezos twinned his sailing yacht purchase with Abeona, the largest support vessel built by Damen that same year.
‘Black Pearl,’ 350 Feet, 2018 Oceanco
Perhaps even more impressive than Black Pearl’s 350-foot length are the five years it spent in collaborative development at Oceanco prior to delivery. Benefiting from the combined expertise of Dykstra Naval Architects, BMT Nigel Gee, Nuvolari Lenard, Ken Freivokh, and Gerard P Villate, Black Pearl is one of the most ecological yachts ever built. Three 230-foot DynaRig Carbon masts and a 30,967-square-foot sail area deliver a faster, lighter, and more efficient sailing experience than any other sailboat in the world, the shipyard claims, clocking speeds of 20 knots. Hinging spars fold down to allow the boat to pass through the Panama Canal. Two variable-pitch propellers harness kinetic energy while under sail, meaning Black Pearl can cross oceans without ever starting up the engines.
‘Eos,’ 305 Feet, 2006 Lürssen
Delivered in 2006, the three-masted schooner Eos was commissioned American media and film mogul Barry Diller and his fashion designer wife, Diane von Fürstenberg. The couple still owns the boat. The yacht’s masts stands at 200 feet, the maximum allowed to pass under bridges globally, meaning it can navigate anywhere in the world. Eos, named after the Greek goddess of dawn, knocked the 295-foot Athena, named after the Greek goddess of wisdom, off the top spot for largest sailing yacht when it launched from Lürssen’s facilities.
‘Athena,’ 295 Feet, 2004 Royal Huisman
The second three-masted schooner on this list was built by Royal Huisman for American software entrepreneur Jim Clark. The vessel may have been inspired by classic sailing yachts of the past, but its advanced engineering was years ahead of its time. Designed by Pieter Beeldsnijder and Dykstra Naval Architects, Athena’s sail handling gear, including in-mast and in-boom furling, enables the yacht to sail easily in light winds. It’s also credited with giving its owners the kind of significant interior volume typically only found on motoryachts, including a full-beam primary suite and a sky lounge on the upper deck.
‘Maltese Falcon,’ 289 Feet, 2006 Perini Navi
Few yachts are as widely admired or celebrated as the 289-foot Maltese Falcon. Built for the late American venture capitalist Tom Perkins, the iconic three-masted schooner is defined by its groundbreaking DynaRig, which comprises three unstayed “weapons-grade” carbon-fiber masts that are connected to an electric sail and rotating mast system. Aside from its striking looks, Maltese Falcon trumps on performance, too, with an impressive 24 knots under sail. It also has the world’s largest outdoor cinema, where movies are projected onto the lower sail. With a 2023 refit, a new indoor cinema room on the main deck, a Japanese-style dining room, and a gym with an electric muscle stimulator have been added.
‘Aquijo,’ 282 Feet, 2016 Oceanco/Vitters
Built by Oceanco and Vitters, sailing yacht Aquijo places performance first. The aluminum ketch-rigged yacht features a custom steering system and sail plan that helps it reach a top speed of 17 knots. Inside, it’s just as impressive with a guest elevator, dining for up to 24 people, three outdoor bars, and a beach club with steamroom, sauna, and Jacuzzi. Even the flybridge has gimballed tables to prevent drinks from spilling when the yacht is heeling.
‘Sea Eagle,’ 266 Feet, 2020 Royal Huisman
Sea Eagle is another delivery from Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman and lays claim to the title of world’s largest aluminum sailing yacht. Delivered in 2020, the three-masted Panamax schooner’s interior and exterior was designed by Mark Whiteley with naval architecture by Dykstra Naval Architects. Inspired by Athena (No. 4 on this list), Sea Eagle is a more contemporary vessel, with a fast-looking hull shape, long waterline and plumb bow. Owner Samuel Yin stipulated the need for the yacht to host business meetings, which is why the forward part of the superstructure includes a large salon with expansive seating and a 16-seat dining table for both business and pleasure.
‘M5,’ 257 Feet, 2004 Vosper Thornycroft
British yacht builder Vosper Thornycroft delivered M5 (ex-Mirabella V) in 2004 to Joe Vittoria, an American yachtsman who owned a series of sailing superyachts all christened Mirabella. M5 remains the world’s largest sloop (a one-masted sailing boat), a record that was bolstered by the 10-foot extension added by new owner, Rod Lewis, when he acquired the yacht (and renamed it) in 2013. Shortly after, Lewis circumnavigated the world in M5.
‘Badis,’ 230 Feet, 2016 Perini Navi
Originally launched as Sybaris in 2016 for experienced yachtsman Bill Duker, Badis is an all-aluminum ketch built by Italian shipyard Perini Navi. Naval architecture and sail plan optimization are by Philippe Briand, with an interior and exterior by PH Design. Badis is the largest sailing yacht to come out of Italy (the Maltese Falcon was built by Perini Navi in Turkey), sleeping 12 guests in six cabins, with a crew of 11. The vessel is equipped with two variable-speed generators that supply power to the ship’s main grid, storing excess energy in battery packs.
‘Atlantic,’ 227 Feet, 2010 Van de Graaf
This Atlantic was inspired by the much older 212-foot Atlantic delivered by Townsend & Downey in 1903, which set the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing in 1905. Classic sailing enthusiast Ed Kastelein set about building a replica. He enlisted Dutch shipyard Van de Graaf which delivered his 227-foot Atlantic in 2010. Its three 164-foot-high masts support 18,300 square feet of sails, moved by 36 custom bronze winches. The interior differs from the 1903 namesake. The new Atlantic has rich, wood-paneled staterooms and a bright, airy lounge with plenty of natural light, courtesy of the skylights.
