Yesterday, the largest shipyard in Croatia unveiled the largest sailing ship in the world.
Named the “Flying Clipper,” Brodosplit had the honor of launching the world’s largest sailing ship, built for Star Clippers Ltd. from Monaco, reports Dalmacija Danas on June 10, 2017.
The ship, which is 162 meters long and 18.5 meters wide, has a capacity of 2000 tons. It will have five masts and sails that are a total area of 6347 square meters – classifying this sailing ship as a Barque.
Across five decks, the Flying Clipper can accommodate up to 450 people. The ship boasts 224 cabins, of which 150 are luxury cabins for 300 passengers and 74 cabins are set aside for 150 crew members.
“This is the realization of my childhood dream when I sailed to the Baltic Sea. It is not easy to build a ship like that, it is very exciting to see that in today’s times we can make sailboats that were not possible to build a hundred years ago,” said Mikael Krafft, founder, and owner of the Monaco company that has three sailboats in its fleet.
Brodosplit
Luxuriously decorated, with a flair and atmosphere reminiscent of old sailing ships, the Flying Clipper will have a library space and a large salon with a piano that will be spread across three decks. The sailboat will be equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, and each cabin will have internet, a telephone, television, audio system, and other entertainment facilities. Of course, the entire boat will be covered with the highest quality Wi-Fi signal.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to build such a sophisticated ship. There is a lot that goes into building a sailing boat, and I’m proud of its design, the quality and the number of new systems, and the work of our valuable shipbuilders. At this moment, we have opened a new niche, and this is a way to our future of building new cruisers,” said Tomislav Debeljak, president of the Brodosplit Administration. Debeljak added that the Split shipyard is in the pre-contract stages with many world companies.
The Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) recognized the value of this highly sophisticated project and supported Brodosplit by issuing an insurance policy and taking over the risk of part of the loan being repaid.
”I am extremely pleased that HBOR supported this worthwhile project and once again proved that the support of state development and export banks is essential for successful export operations. Exports are the mirror of the national economy, and we are all in the interest of achieving the best results in that area,” said Tamara Perko, president of the HBOR Board.
On open decks, fully covered with teak, the Flying Clipper will have three bars and a spacious kitchen that will spread across three decks. Air conditioning on board will be used according to the highest requirements to meet the comfort of the passengers in all climatic conditions. There will also be three pools on the boat that will be filled with salt or sea water. The pools will be equipped with underwater lights, heating, and bubbles. One of the pools will be made for divers with a depth of 4.5 meters, and the largest pool will have 50 cubic meters of water.
The added value of the boat are the sails, which, besides the crew, can be managed by the passengers themselves – an original element of the Star Clippers fleet of ships. Although it will have two fully independent electric propulsion engines, the boat is primarily intended for sailing and over 80% of the operation is carried out through sailing.
“Brodosplit is a very proud builder today because constructing this new ship has positioned Brodosplit as a pioneer in this niche market of high-quality passenger crafts tailored to the customer’s needs,” said Teuta Duletić, sales drector of Brodosplit.
The Flying Clipper plans to sail to all the seas of the world, and even to the Arctic and Antarctic, which is why it is built according to all weather requirements. The sailboat’s speed will be around 16 knots, and it is expected to sail up to 20 knots with weather conditions and crew experience. In addition to the two-engine drive, it will have a thrust propeller, bow thrusters, and two rudders that will be able to fulfill exceptional maneuvering abilities. Four rescue boats are planned to be onboard, which will also serve as tender boats for transferring passengers to beaches or smaller ports. There will also be eight rafts, four sports boats, and two smaller boats on board.
