Amazing £360 MILLION superyacht – with 300 ft tall masts and bomb proof glass – leaves Germany en route to its Russian billionaire owner
THE MOST futuristic yacht on Earth has set sail and is on its way to meet its Russian billionaire owner.
After taking four years to build, the state-of-the-art vessel was finished in Kiel, Germany, and is now on its way to an unspecified destination in southern Spain.
The stunning yacht has been made for Russian billionaire industrialist Andrey Melnichenko.
He will test it for himself in the Spring, however his new toy has already undergone successful sea trials on the Baltic Sea.
Boasting three 295-foot masts – the highest carbon masts ever produced – the yacht is distinctive thanks to its unique wedge-shaped boat hull.
One of the masts are even accessible from the inside.
But sailors do not need to climb them, as the yacht's sails are operated by a button – and they can even rotate to make best use of the wind.
Because of this, it will be able to sail the waves at speeds of up to 24 mph.
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It also contains garages for four vehicles and a submarine, and a helipad on the bow.
A spokesman for Mr Melnichenko has previously said the yacht "pushed the boundaries".
He added: "This project was a considerable financial risk for him as he had to fund massive R&D to see if he could achieve his vision.
"But he is a man to always push the boundaries and to challenge the industries he works with to think out of the box so he can achieve something new and exciting as well as beautiful.
"Sailing Yacht A is a monument to invention."
Benjamin Maltby of MatrixLloyd, added: "Make no mistake – this will be a very significant ship."
"While precise details of the sailing rig have yet to be released, not since the days of the mighty clipper sailing ships, such as the Cutty Sark, has such a large sailing vessel been built.
"This new superyacht will be nearly twice the length and over twice the width of the Cutty Sark.
"She will instantly become an inspiration to cargo ship owners, and a floating demonstration that sails – combined with the latest materials and technology – mean that dirty diesel engines are no longer needed as the primary means of propulsion.
"The green lobby should be celebrating – as cargo ships are significant CO2 contributors. The masts were built by Magma Structures in Portsmouth – just a stone's throw from another well known sailing vessel, HMS Victory, which is less than half the length of this new superyacht."
Named "A", Andrey Igorevich Melnichenko wanted the yacht to come in first place in every shipping register.
It is thought that "A" cost £339million to make, and was designed Philippe Starck.
The Frenchman described the hull as "more of a fish than a building".
Melnichenko, 44, is married to model Aleksandra Melnichenko, 39.
He has an estimated net worth of around £10.7billion, making him the 11th richest person in Russia.
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