MAGMA Structures, a global leader in composite technology based at Trafalgar Wharf in UK’s Portchester, is a creator of the revolutionary ‘DynaRig’ for the outstanding 88-metre charter yacht Maltese Falcon. Launched by Perini Navi in 2006, sailing yacht Maltese Falcon has proved that the DynaRig is a highly efficient, reliable, practical, easy to use and, above all, safe sailing system, delivering ease of handling, reliability and efficiency, even when sailing at 18 knots.

MALTESE FALCON

Maltese Falcon

In 2000, Dykstra Naval Architects were one of a number of naval architects asked to come up with a proposal for a Perini Navi 87m hull for a fast and safe ocean passage making rig. Several rig options were proposed, including a schooner rig, a traditional and modernized barque rig and the DynaRig. The owner quickly selected the DynaRig as he was trying to revive the ‘Clipper’ sailing concept of safe, fast sailing speeds in ocean conditions, together with single person button-controlled sail handling and good windward performance.

The rig for The Maltese Falcon yacht was developed, tested and built by a specialist engineering team with years of successful large yacht and rig experience, under the personal guidance of the yacht’s first visionary owner, Tom Perkins. The team spent over 90,000 design and development hours on the rig, the fittings, the sails and the sailing systems.

Superyacht Maltese Falcon has 3 free-standing, rotating masts approximately 58m in height which hoist a total sail area of 2400m². Since its launch in 2006, the vessel has cruised and raced extensively in the Pacific, Caribbean, Atlantic and Mediterranean, covering well over 100,000 miles; a large majority under sail. The yacht has executed more than 11,000 individual sail sets, through storms, gales and calms and raced in many superyacht events and transatlantic regattas.

Remarkably, for a 1200 tonne, 89m LOA vessel, luxury yacht Maltese Falcon has won several regattas including wins in three consecutive Perini Navi Cups in conditions ranging from flat calm to 35 knots plus. In each of these regattas, the entire sailing operation was carried by a crew of just three; helmsman, trimmer and tactician.

The unique characteristics of her rig enable luxury charter yacht Maltese Falcon to be sailed easily by just a few crew, as well as being able to manoeuvre confidently in confined waters, sail on and off her mooring and set sails for even very short trips; something other sailing superyachts are not able to achieve.