The Maltese Falcon- Art on Innovation

by Nancy Knudsen on 14 Oct 2007 Great Christmas present idea for someone who loves superyachts!

The Maltese Falcon is a clipper sailing luxury yacht owned by American hectomillionaire Tom Perkins. It one of the largest privately-owned sailing yachts in the world at 88 metres (289.1 feet), after yachts such as Royal Huisman's Athena and Lurssen's Eos . Ken Freivokh Design were the appointed designers (after an invention from the German engineer Wilhelm Prölss). The yacht was constructed in Tuzla, Turkey by the Italian firm Perini Navi. The Falcon was the third yacht built by this firm for Perkins.

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed] It completed its trial sail in the Sea of Marmara to the Bosphorus strait on 12 June 2006, and made its maiden voyage from Turkey to Italy via Malta in July 2006. S/Y Perkins rents the Falcon out for between EUR€ 325,000 to 335,000 per week[1] plus expenses.

The ship has fifteen square sails (five per mast) which open in six minutes. The three carbon fiber masts were manufactured and assembled by a company financed by Perkins at the Yildiz Gemi yard in Tuzla, 50 miles south of Istanbul, Turkey, under the supervision of the English company Insensys, and are free-standing and rotating.

The yacht is easily controlled and has been seen to sail off her anchor and away from berths within harbors. The yacht's sophisticated computer detects parameters such as wind speed automatically and displays key data, however Perkins does not permit the computer to actually sail the yacht. An operator must always activate the controls, yet it is possible for a single person to pilot the yacht.

The Falcon has two 1800 horse-power Deutz engines running at 1800 rpm with a top speed of 20 knots with minimal wave-making and virtually no vibration or noise and with a smooth and non-turbulent wake.

The yacht has a permanent crew of 18 to maintain the technical aspects including the rig and to operate the onboard 'hotel', which can accommodate twelve guests plus four guest staff.

Recognized as the most incredible, influential and ground breaking yacht the world has ever seen, the Maltese Falcon has now been captured within the pages of an exclusive art book; The Maltese Falcon: Art of Innovation.

This stunning photographic record of 240 pages and over 300 incredible and unique images promises to deliver one of the most collectible reference works of this decade. The words capture the essence of the project, the personal accounts, the anecdotal stories and the emotion witnessed during the evolution of this revolutionary feat of engineering.

This is an exclusive documentation of the most technically advanced and innovative yacht ever to sail the sea's.

The Maltese Falcon truly demonstrates the art of innovation, as Tom Perkins said himself 'A yacht of such innovative beauty simply had to be built'

This book is available for purchase by visiting www.superyachtart.com/mfb

Alternatively if you wish to order a copy to review please contact contact Anna Slater, Sales and Marketing Manager at anna@theyachtreport.com or telephone +44 207 924 4004.