Meet “Dream Symphony”, the world’s tallest sailing ship under construction – Robb Report

Size matters: if Dream symphony is never completed, it would eclipse the 289 feet Maltese falcon, currently the fourth largest sailing ship in the world.

When Dream symphony was first announced in 2014, the yachting world was in turmoil. At 462 feet in length, she promised to be not only the largest yacht produced in Turkey, but also the largest sailboat ever built (with the exception of the power-assisted sailing yacht. Sailboat A, which is technically more of a motor sailboat than a sailboat).

Even more incredible is that Dream symphony had to be built entirely of wood. The use of epoxy laminated iroko (African teak) is an integral part of boatbuilder Dream Ship Victory’s vision to successfully integrate laminated wood into modern shipbuilding. The site has a successful track record. In 2013, he delivered the 212 foot Mikhail S. Vorontsov, constructed entirely of laminated mahogany.

More than double the length, Dream symphony is a much bigger technical challenge. Of course, the biggest challenge since its announcement seven years ago has been finding an owner, or rather a second owner. After the initial hubbub on the largest sailing ship in the world, Dream symphony became dark.

“The original owner withdrew when the Ukrainian crisis hit”, Dream symphonydesigner Ken Freivokh said Robb Report. “The project continued to a point, a bit slower, but now we are looking for a new owner.

In fact, the project is at a standstill. Freivokh shared footage of a partially built hull inside the shipyard, and he says it has progressed since, but not to the point where it looks like its majestic renderings. While gigayachts in the motor yacht segment are ordered and delivered on a regular basis, the world’s largest sailing yacht will need a very special owner.

When or if“The yacht is finished, it will be worth the wait. Dream symphony brings together the same A team that designed the iconic sailing superyachts, the 350ft Black Pearl and 289 feet Maltese falcon. The design and engineering of the hull was carried out by Dykstra Naval Architects, while Freivokh was responsible for the interior and exterior.

“Building the biggest sailboat is what the owner of the shipyard has always wanted to achieve,” says Freivokh. The shipyard’s preference for wood is based on the material’s renewable and recyclable properties. But the directors of the shipyard go further, claiming that wood produces a ship of “equal or even greater strength” than steel and aluminum.

However, the navigation was not smooth. When Dream Ship Victory approached RINA to certify the construction, the Italian shipping agency hesitated. He had never certified a wooden vessel over 98.4 feet in length. This was followed by a rigorous process managed by Dykstra Naval Architects, involving composite experts Gurit, and exhaustive testing by laboratories at Delft University of Technology in Holland and the University of Messina in Italy. The results satisfied RINA to certify construction and construction began.

“It’s almost the equivalent of a huge composite construction,” Freivokh said. “Epoxy lamination is a pretty complex system, but it preserves the wood, which means it should last a long time and behave in a very predictable way.

The original owner called for an elegant use of wood in the interior. “The idea was to express the beauty of the wood, so the owner wanted a fairly classic interior, and even the exterior is a modern take on a classic,” says Freivokh. “At one point, we envisioned a contemporary style like Black Pearl, but the owner resisted this in favor of something more traditional so this is a four masted schooner.

The four masts rise 229.7 feet above the water, carrying roller stays on Hoyt booms with a total sail area of ​​54,680 square feet. If built, the boat will also have a diesel-electric propulsion system for a maximum range of 5,900 nautical miles. A two-story atrium with a spiral staircase is paired with the owner’s duplex apartment spread over two floors. The “convertible veranda” connects the owner’s living quarters with the main hall via a glass winter garden that opens onto the elements. More glass features in the double height glass pool on the aft deck, with a bottom that rises to double as a dance floor or helipad. Like motor yachts its size, Dream symphony was designed with a spa, treatment rooms and a gym.

Freivokh is currently working on two more wooden superyachts currently under construction at Dream Ship Victory, and is finalizing a 243ft yacht for Turquoise, another Turkish shipyard. “The owners who want to build in wood are still in the minority, but it’s very personal and some love the passion associated with beautiful old classics”, explains the designer.

May be. But the new owner must be ready to take on a much bigger technical challenge to claim the title of the world’s tallest sailboat.