super maxi yacht price

The super maxi (racing yachts under 100’ or 30m) are increasingly popular and as more yachts are launched the competition gets better. Super maxis are raced in all the large worldwide yacht events from the Fastnet to the Sydney to Hobart to the Middle Seas race.

LEOPARD 3 is a racing sailing yacht, as launched in 2007. She is a new concept for a 100ft super maxi from Farr Yacht Design.  LEOPARD 3 meets the demanding requirements of a luxurious, signature charter yacht, as well as a passage record breaker and a race winning super maxi in a fantatic new concept developed by Farr Yacht Design.

Racing maxi ‘Maximus’ is definitely the latest and most impressive super maxi to ever appear on the world stage.  She may even represent one of the biggest design leaps in all monohull yachting. The name comes from Maximus' unbridled maximum power to weight ratio. Maximus is quite a step forward in design and technology in the world of yachting and when compared to other super maxi designs (notably Zana/Conical Minolta & Scandia). This is perhaps not surprising given the project mission – To design, build and successfully race the world’s fastest and most innovative monohull under 100 ft with adherence only to the rules of science and experience. There are no class rule handbrakes here!

Why is Maxims set to be the fastest thing afloat and beat every other monohull she mixes with? Simple really - her team. She has the best possible design and building team, willing and extremely capable owners and a fantastic sailing crew. As with anything, if you want to do something great you need to gather around great people. EBS Yachting (Maximus) has achieved this without compromise.

Every now and then in history you can get a congregation of amazing people in one area and place – a class of genius. The Maximus team is comprised of perhaps the most outstanding individuals and companies in ocean yachting in the world. As it turns out they are almost all New Zealanders. Anyone heard of Greg Elliot, Clay Oliver, Chris Mitchell, Southern Spars, North Sails, Cookson Boat Builders? Why not throw in a nuclear physicist/innovator and a very successful race campaigner and businessman as the owners, into the mix!

At her launch Maximus was dressed in modernist silver and measured in at 100 feet or 30.5 meters in length overall, weight unknown. She made quite an impressive sight. In the words of Stewart Thwaites who was there (the owner, campaigner and racer of super maxi Konica Minolta): “It just looks beautiful really…”.  The old adage in Aeronautics that ‘if the plane looked good to the eye, she would fly well’, perhaps rings true here with yachting also.

The key with making a yacht fast is high power to weigh ratio, achieved with strategic weight distribution, high righting moment and low weight, yet strong materials. When righting moment is high, more horse power can be designed into the rig and sails. The hull, spars and sails therefore need to be light and the bulb on the keel deep and heavy. Class rules traditionally hamstring a designer from the challenge of taking design and technology to its full potential. This is not the case with Maximus. Throw in a streamlined, easily driven hull and a skillful crew and you have all the ingredients for speed.

Weight to power ratio and righting moment has been maximized in Maximus by an extremely frugal addition of weight throughout all parts of the yacht. The hull and much of the equipment and fittings are completely composed of carbon. So too are the spars – the mast could be lifted by one very well balanced Scottish caber tosser! Further weight is stripped down with the absence, rather alteration, of some fittings normally found on yachts, such as cleats and many usually conventional winches – the luff is tensioned down rather than pulled up with a halyard. The winches that are used are also made from carbon. Add to this a revolutionary rotating mast (the first for a monohull) for more efficient use of the wind (and less drag) and a keel which telescopes into itself and cants to a larger angle than ever before.

Perhaps unexpectedly, safety has not been compromised is favour of performance alone. Crash bars have been fitted in strategic places (carbon fiber off-course) and the hull has been designed, by Greg Elliott, with higher than necessary top sides to minimize the crew’s exposure to fast moving deck wash. Maximus is fully equipped with safety gear, has a strengthened canting keel and is able to function completely manually, without auxiliary power. It is not hard to understand why the team has a particular emphasis on safety and prudence as they are in uncharted territory in yachting with respect to boat speeds and pressures.

The Velocity Prediction Analysis suggests that Maximus will smash speed records with her long straight lines, low drag, high righting moment, maximum power to weight ratio, efficient and huge sail area, rotating mast, and extra canting keel. Add to this an excellent managerial and sailing team and she is likely to not only find racing regatta line honors but dissolve opponent’s spirits in her wake in the process.

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SUPER MAXI 86 / WAY OF LIFE Yacht for Sale

Previously known as: MORNING GLORY

SUPER MAXI 86 / WAY OF LIFE Yacht for Sale - 86' Mc Conaghy

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Detailed information, unveiling the legendary 2003 mc conaghy super maxi 86 'way of life'.

Set sail on an extraordinary journey with the 2003 MC CONAGHY 86' 6" "SUPER MAXI 86 / WAY OF LIFE" Racing Sailboat, currently available for sale in Koper, Slovenia.

WAY OF LIFE, formerly known as MORNING GLORY, is a Super Maxi 86 with a remarkable global racing legacy. Constructed by Mc Conaghy Boats in 2003, this groundbreaking canting keel Super Maxi has made its mark in the USA and Mediterranean Maxi racing circuits.

Originally named MORNING GLORY and designed alongside PYEWACKET, this vessel embraced cutting-edge technology and the principles of the CBTF (Canting Ballast Twin Foil) at the time. Her immediate victories in prestigious offshore events drew global attention to canting keel technology. Notably, her hull design, while narrower compared to modern racing yachts, relies heavily on the canting keel for stability.

A standout feature of this yacht is its clever rotating canard or forward rudder, operated at the helm either independently or in conjunction with the main rudder, showcasing a highly innovative system. While she may not dominate on reaches, she excels in Velocity Made Good (VMG), flat water, and remains competitive alongside the world’s top racing yachts.

Rebranded as VESPER PI, this yacht claimed line honors against some of the Mediterranean's fastest Maxis and demonstrated its competitiveness in the 2019 Rolex Capri Sailing Week. Subsequently, it emerged as a top performer in the renowned Barcelona race.

Under new ownership, WAY OF LIFE has received substantial investment in recent years, including the replacement of PBO standing rigging in 2019, reducing weight aloft, and an expanded sail wardrobe. This yacht continues to secure line honors victories and provides an exceptional and swift platform for both offshore and inshore racing.

It is currently available for immediate charter or purchase, with a 2019 survey readily accessible for review.

For detailed specifications and refit information, please contact us via email. Embark on your next sailing adventure with a true legend.

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History of Maxi Yachts

Maxi Yachts is a renowned Swedish boat manufacturer with an enduring legacy in the yachting world. The company was founded in the late 1960s by Pelle Petterson, a respected designer and accomplished sailor. The brand was dedicated to crafting high-performance sailing vessels that embodied Swedish craftsmanship, sophistication, and innovative design. The company's pioneering spirit and attention to detail quickly gained recognition, and in less than ten years, the Maxi 1100, their flagship sailing yacht, had become a popular name among enthusiasts and professional sailors.

Over the years, Maxi Yachts has evolved and diversified its range, meeting the high expectations of its global customer base. They expertly blend contemporary design with traditional construction techniques to create sailing vessels known for their durability, performance and design aesthetics. Throughout the 1990s, under the leadership of Petterson's protege, Joakim Karche, Maxi Yachts further cemented its place as one of the leading yacht manufacturers, and it’s models such as the Maxi 1080 were celebrated for their design excellence.

Today, Maxi Yachts is based in Poland and continues to thrive under highly skilled European craftsmanship. Lundh Craft, a distinguished boat building company, carries the torch, ensuring that each Maxi yacht continues to adhere to the highest standards of design, construction, and performance. Notwithstanding the change of location, Maxi Yachts remains true to its core – creating excepcionally well-crafted sailing yachts that embody the spirit of its Swedish heritage. The brand stands firm in its commitment to innovation, perfection, and sailing pleasure, upholding the legacy started by Pelle Petterson more than half a century ago.

Which models do Maxi Yachts produce?

Maxi Yachts produce a range of boats including the Maxi Yachts Dolphin 62 , Maxi Yachts Dolphin 67 , Maxi Yachts Dolphin 75 , Maxi Yachts Maxi 1000 and Maxi Yachts Maxi 72 . For the full list of Maxi Yachts models currently listed on TheYachtMarket.com, see the model list in the search options on this page.

What types of boats do Maxi Yachts build?

Maxi Yachts manufactures a range of different types of boats. The ones listed on TheYachtMarket include Sloop , Cruiser , Racing boat , Offshore cruiser and Cruiser/racer .

How much does a boat from Maxi Yachts cost?

Used boats from Maxi Yachts on TheYachtMarket.com range in price from £8,570 GBP to £3,380,000 GBP with an average price of £692,000 GBP . A wide range of factors can affect the price of used boats from Maxi Yachts, for example the model, age and condition.

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Asking € 700,000

SUPER MAXI 86 / WAY OF LIFE Yacht for Sale

Not for sale or charter to U.S. residents while in U.S. waters.

For sale: 2003 MC CONAGHY SUPER MAXI 86 'WAY OF LIFE.' This iconic racing sailboat, previously known as MORNING GLORY, has a remarkable global racing history. With innovative canting keel technology and recent upgrades, it's a top performer in both offshore and inshore racing. Available for immediate charter or purchase, with a 2019 survey for review.

Specifications

Accommodations, dimensions & capacity, construction.

Complete the form below and one of our experienced sales brokers will be in touch soon.

Full Details

Unveiling the legendary 2003 mc conaghy super maxi 86 'way of life'.

Set sail on an extraordinary journey with the 2003 MC CONAGHY 86' 6" "SUPER MAXI 86 / WAY OF LIFE" Racing Sailboat, currently available for sale in Koper, Slovenia.

WAY OF LIFE , formerly known as MORNING GLORY, is a Super Maxi 86 with a remarkable global racing legacy. Constructed by Mc Conaghy Boats in 2003, this groundbreaking canting keel Super Maxi has made its mark in the USA and Mediterranean Maxi racing circuits.

Originally named MORNING GLORY and designed alongside PYEWACKET, this vessel embraced cutting-edge technology and the principles of the CBTF (Canting Ballast Twin Foil) at the time. Her immediate victories in prestigious offshore events drew global attention to canting keel technology. Notably, her hull design, while narrower compared to modern racing yachts, relies heavily on the canting keel for stability.

A standout feature of this yacht is its clever rotating canard or forward rudder, operated at the helm either independently or in conjunction with the main rudder, showcasing a highly innovative system. While she may not dominate on reaches, she excels in Velocity Made Good (VMG), flat water, and remains competitive alongside the world’s top racing yachts.

Rebranded as VESPER PI, this yacht claimed line honors against some of the Mediterranean's fastest Maxis and demonstrated its competitiveness in the 2019 Rolex Capri Sailing Week. Subsequently, it emerged as a top performer in the renowned Barcelona race.

Under new ownership, WAY OF LIFE has received substantial investment in recent years, including the replacement of PBO standing rigging in 2019, reducing weight aloft, and an expanded sail wardrobe. This yacht continues to secure line honors victories and provides an exceptional and swift platform for both offshore and inshore racing.

It is currently available for immediate charter or purchase, with a 2019 survey readily accessible for review.

For detailed specifications and refit information, please contact us via email. Embark on your next sailing adventure with a true legend.

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Maxi 1000: Quick, seaworthy and solidly built

• Graham Snook
• June 9, 2022

If you’re looking for a quick and comfortable cruiser that is full of great features with solid build quality, few boats can rival the Maxi 1000, as Graham Snook discovers

Product Overview

Anna-Leigh and Alex Cox have both sailed for many years but Gemini , their Maxi 1000, is the couple’s first yacht. They also own a Sunseeker 31 motorboat, but Anna-Leigh’s yearning to return to sailing won over and they now use either boat when work allows, often cruising the Solent or beyond.

As a first yacht for coastal and offshore cruising, the couple have fallen on their feet with Gemini ; the Maxi 1000 has a good pedigree. Her designer was Pelle Petterson, Swedish Olympic medalist and skipper of America’s Cup challengers.

Being made redundant during a global pandemic might not be the best time to buy your first yacht, but it happened at just the right time for Anna-Leigh and Alex. ‘We never thought we’d be able to own a yacht like Gemini , at least not at this stage in our life,’ smiles Anna-Leigh.

‘After more than 20 years with the same company I was made redundant and Alex was looking to expand Raw Bean [his coffee business], so I joined the company and we bought Gemini . We love her, she’s a great boat!’

A deep forefoot prevents excess slamming to windward. Photo: Graham Snook

The Maxi 1000 was a development of the Maxi 999 that was produced between 1985 and 1992 when the 1000 started production. The model remained in build for 10 years with more than 1,000 built.

Gemini was hull no. 1042, launched in early 2002 and was one of the later boats. Having reached 20 years old, Gemini hides it well; a few loose areas of caulking on the weathered teak decks and scratched detailing of stickers around the coachroof windows show the extent of her life so far.

Covid delays

Anna-Leigh and Alex bought Gemini in 2020, but they weren’t able to collect her from Fowey until spring 2021. ‘We were really lucky though,’ explains Alex. ‘Although because of Covid and the regulations, we weren’t able to visit the boat, Gemini ’s previous owners Pete and Ali Siddall would go down and check on her, they really looked after us well.

‘We couldn’t have asked for a better seller. When we eventually left Fowey they came out and waved us off, taking photos which they then sent us.’

Although they have sailed for years, Gemini is Anna-Leigh and Alex Cox’s first yacht. Photo: Graham Snook

There was a light breeze when I joined Alex and Anna-Leigh at Swanwick, a far cry from the couple’s first date when Alex had borrowed a friend’s yacht to impress Anna-Leigh, only for it to blow a gale – the less said about that trip the better, but they are living happily ever after now.

Gemini was moored stern-to and boarding was easy. The Maxi 1000 has a long bathing platform with a ladder and a step in the transom. Despite having a radar pole fixed to the step, there was plenty of foot space – one more step and I was in the cockpit.

The Maxi 1000 shares a lot of family features with her previous models; sleek with a pleasing sheer line and wedge-shaped coachroof. After the 1000, bows became more vertical and hulls broader.

Petterson has been clever with the design, keeping the freeboard at a sensible height but sloping her decks up gently going inboard to increase the headroom below.

As standard the 1000 was fitted with a 7/8ths fractional rig and a self-tacking jib, which Gemini still has. The couple have found that the furling No2 genoa (28m2) suits their sailing, giving her the extra sail area the self-tacking jib lacks in light winds. Her Lewmar 40ST winches make short work of either sail.

She also has two jib tracks on the inboard edge of the deck; the forward set allows a jib to be sheeted within the shrouds while the genoa passes outboard.

Gemini has the optional teak deck, which adds to her desirability. Photo: Graham Snook

Friendly conditions

In the conditions we had, 6-10 knots true, we weren’t going to be pushing her limits. On the wind (32-35º apparent wind angle) we had an apparent wind speed of up to 14 knots and she was sailing well.

Making between 5.2-5.9 knots in the gusts, she would start to feel pressed but remained comfortable and responsive; a few more knots breeze and the genoa might have needed a turn taking in or switched to the self-tacking jib, but as we only had a short beat up Southampton Water it was soon time to bear away.

At 60º AWA the wind was dropping 7-10 knots but we were getting 5-5.4 knots through the water. Gemini has Whitlock wheel steering; its rod connections keep the steering slack-free with responsive control.

Sadly, the breeze decreased more, at 90º in 6 knots she was making just over 4 knots, but by the time we were sailing at 120º AWA in 3.6 knots apparent, it was more drifting with control than sailing.

It was time to put the kettle and the engine on, and head back. Gemini has the optional full teak deck and she looks all the smarter for it. There are a few places where it’s worn or been sanded to a depth where the caulking sealant has come adrift, but the fastenings holding the deck are still well-hidden by their wooden plugs.

Lewmar 40ST winches make it easier to sail shorthanded. Photo: Graham Snook

She has a detachable mainsheet on a short traveller in the cockpit, enabling the cockpit table or a cockpit cover to be easily fitted.

Stowage in the cockpit is excellent with a cavernous locker to starboard and deep lazarette lockers beneath the helm’s seat and to port.

Moving below, Gemini has wide companionway steps over the engine compartment. The forward section is removable to give good access to the front of the engine. One is instantly struck by the amount of solid wood on show; on the whole, it has aged well.

The Maxi 1000 was available with a teak or an American cherry wood interior, the latter having a more interesting grain pattern.

Below decks

Immediately to starboard is the heads. If you’re entering the boat with soaked oilskins you can get changed in here and then leave the wet kit in the locker to the rear without having to drag it through the boat. Once dry, it can be left in the oilskin locker outboard of the chart table seat, so it’s on hand when you need it.

The chart table is a good size, and what looks like a squeeze is a comfy navigation station. The lid overhangs the table and has a good chunky laminated solid-wood surround with a grab handle forward in the semi-bulkhead.

The locker beneath the chart table has the bin and there’s a drawer beneath that. There is a handy cubby hole outboard, beneath the chart table, and the switch panel is above. Instrument space is a little limited but otherwise, it works well.

The aft end of the saloon has over 6ft of headroom. Photo: Graham Snook

Opposite, to port, is the L-shaped galley. It has high fiddles and a good grab handle aft of the large double stainless-steel sinks. Above the stove are deck-level lockers with smoothly sliding doors.

Her original 90-litre water capacity was increased by her former owner to 260 litres for trips away to the Isles of Scilly. There is a good line of drawers and a locker beneath the sinks and a pan locker below the stove.

Headroom below is good, with 1.83m+/6ft+ in the galley, aft cabin and rear of the saloon.

Moving forward, the wedge-shaped coachroof takes away headroom from the forward end of the saloon down to 1.68m/5ft 6in and the forward cabin to 1.6m/5ft 3in.

In the saloon are five deck-level bottom-hinged lockers. Where there would be a sixth on the starboard side is an open-fronted locker with a solid wood fiddle. The lockers have solid wood louvred fronts and weighty solid-wood frames.

Two hatches provide plenty of ventilation in the aft cabin. Photo: Graham Snook

With all this wood it could have easily felt like the inside of a coffin; thankfully though, the Maxi 1000 has a white GRP inner liner which forms the supports for the forward and aft berths, the saloon seat bases, and chart table seat.

Not only does this make the workflow of building the yacht more efficient, it also lightens the lower areas of the yacht.

In these seat bases, one finds lockers that can be accessed from the top and inboard without having to lift cushions or crew. It’s especially handy as Gemini is sensibly fitted with lee cloths, which would further add to the faff of getting into the lockers were it not for these locker doors.

She has a bench seat to starboard and U-shaped seating to port, which has a nice feature that allows the bunk base to slide out to create a double berth. This gives Gemini three decent-sized double berths.

Still in good nick

At 20 years old, Gemini is still in great condition. There are some battle scars in her woodwork and watermarks in her floorboards, but it’s nothing some sandpaper and varnish couldn’t put right.

She has lots of nice little details, such as the raised deck outboard of the helm or the plastic edging around the inspection hatches on the floorboards that seal the edges and stop them from binding and squeaking.

The chart table has plenty of stowage. Photo: Graham Snook

In the forward cabin, there are bottom-hinged doors to access the under-berth stowage without having to lift the bunk cushions. The long vee berth has an infill, but there is no other floor space in the forward cabin, so with the insert in place, as you would do with sheets on the berth, there’s no room to get changed unless you do so in the saloon or lying down. Not an issue with children, but it might not be ideal for you or any guests you invite onboard.

The berth is 2.09m/6ft 10in long with a maximum width of 1.77m/5ft 9in, but at shoulder height it is only 1.44m/5ft 9in.

Alex and Anna-Leigh have found the aft cabin makes the better owner’s cabin on board. It’s easy to see why, it feels huge. While the berth isn’t the widest (at 1.6m/5ft 3in) headroom is 1.83m/6ft and the space above the berth is unusually generous too. I kept expecting to bump my head but it never happened.

The aft cabin also has both shelf and locker stowage outboard. Locker ventilation is great thanks to the louvred doors. There are reading lights and the main light switch can be reached from the berth. The cabin also benefits from two hatches that open into the cockpit for increased ventilation.

Beneath the berth are the batteries and there is also access to the engine and to the saildrive gearbox.

Opposite the aft cabin is the heads, again there is good headroom here. The shower pulls out of the heads and there are mirrored sliding lockers outboard.

The plinth for the toilet is quite high. The toilet has a fold-down cover that stops the toilet from getting wet and gives a good seat for those having a shower. The toilet roll holder is sheltered in the locker under the sink, also in there, you’ll find a drawer for even more stowage.

Louvred doors provide good ventilation to the lockers. Photo: Graham Snook

The Maxi 1000 is a good-looking boat that will find favour with those who like yachts with attractive lines and are happy to have a pretty boat rather than a roomy boat.

She harks back to a time before impractical plumb bows when yachts were more parallelogram in profile than brick. Her narrow beam does restrict her accommodation and interior comfort by modern standards, but she’s a more comfortable sailing yacht because of it.

Looking for rivals, I was struck by the good value the Maxi 1000 offers. The quality of her woodwork was good, but compared to other Swedish-built yachts or yachts of a similar quality she was considerably cheaper, almost a third in some cases.

Although her interior woodwork wasn’t pristine, she is two decades old and the quality of the joinery was better than many yachts built today.

Finding a yacht the same age and price that offers excellent coastal cruising, build quality and clever design features along with the ability for club racing, is a hard task.

For those with deeper pockets, there’s the Finngulf 33, Arcona 340 or the Hallberg Rassy 34. If you’re looking for more performance, there are yachts like the Elan 333 or X-Yacht 332, J105 or the newer Dehler 34, but as YM caters for cruising sailors I’ve suggested three rivals that are similar but with a twist…

Alternatives toi the Maxi 1000

There was an option for a deep performance keel

For a more modern alternative, without having to spend half as much again as a good Maxi 1000, the Dufour 34 is similar in ethos to the Maxi 1000 and within roughly the same price bracket. The 34 model was launched after the Maxi in 2003, and developed into the 34 Performance.

In 2010 it evolved to become the 34e; gone were the aft helm seat and step in the transom. Instead, she gained an open transom with raised aft deck, liferaft locker and fold-down bathing platform, while forward was a larger steering wheel.

Like the Maxi 1000, she’s a nippy 33ft coastal cruiser with the comfort of two separate cabins as standard and a large cockpit that enables her to be used for cruising or racing. Her hull is sleek, well-proportioned and easily driven. She has a single spade rudder and her standard draught was 1.5m/4ft 11in. There was an option for a deep performance keel (1.9m/6ft 2in) to allow her to reach her full performance potential.

A wheel bisects the aft end of the cockpit and got bigger as she became the 34e. Nowadays a boat like her would have twin wheels. The steering was smooth and the large wheel made helming enjoyable.

Below decks, the layout is very similar to the Maxi 1000, even if it doesn’t match the Maxi’s quality; instead of one-piece laminated surrounds to the galley and chart table Dufour uses corner pieces and has an ‘assembled’ feel rather than the crafted feel of Swedish boats.

The use of darker mahogany veneers is also more apparent on board. The berth size is good and, unlike the Maxi, there is room to stand in the forward cabin and there is hanging and shelved stowage in the forward cabin too.

The saloon has a bench seat on each side, with the chart table to starboard. The heads is opposite the galley and there’s the option for a second aft cabin. As the 34 is a newer design and was launched when the Maxi was ending her production cycle, one should expect to pay more.

An easily driven hull shape gives the 346 good directional stability. Photo: Bob Aylott

The centre cockpit Moody 346 is a good option for those wanting more interior space while still retaining good sea-keeping. It comes at the expense of performance, but the 346 is certainly no slouch – far from it.

Just under 250 Moody 346s were built since its launch in 1986, and some also featured twin keels.

On deck, the 346 can’t compete with the large aft cockpit of the Maxi 1000 or the Dufour 34, and the downsides of the centre cockpit may outweigh the benefits; the raised position increases rolling motion. It’s also smaller and there are more steps to move around the boat from here, whether you’re heading to the saloon, or mooring up or boarding from aft.

However, there is decreased pitching, a large aft cabin and greater owner privacy. Indeed, it is below decks where the 346 makes up ground.

For many, the privacy and space offered in the separate aft cabin is what persuades them to choose a centre-cockpit design. The galley is a longer L-shape and has more countertop space, but much of it is along the corridor to the aft cabin where the headroom is reduced by the cockpit’s shape.

It is the cosy aft cabin that steals the show here though, especially for a sub 35ft yacht. Not only does it have a large double berth outboard to port, but opposite there is also an L-shaped sofa.

While her interior might feel a little dated now, the 346 remains well made and practical, and can offer many miles of comfortable coastal cruising to anyone who chooses to buy one.

Most of the Westerly Storm 33s have tiller steering. Photo: Lester McCarthy

Westerly Storm 33

For those who like the idea of a 33ft cruiser with a touch of speed, but can’t stretch to the Maxi 1000, a cheaper alternative is the Westerly Storm 33.

The Storm was Westerly’s 1986 take on a performance cruiser and it sold 141 of them. After seven years, it (along with the company) was revamped. She became the Regatta 330 and another 15 were built.

The Storm holds true to Westerly’s values: tough British-built boats with solid joinery that sailed well. The majority have tiller steering, making them quick to respond and rewarding to sail.

The cockpit is a good size and while the coamings are low, they are sloped making them very comfortable when sitting out of the cockpit. Forward, the companionway has a teak grated bridgedeck, and steps below; this gives those operating the coachroof winches more room and provides stowage for the liferaft.

Her interior quality still shows today, although it’s clear that after more than 35 years interior design has evolved while the amount of solid wood has decreased. The lack of a forward anchor locker has increased the space and size of the forward cabin, and it has lockers and floor space to show for it.

The saloon is a good size as is the L-shaped galley, but what she gains forward she loses in the smaller aft cabin and heads. Westerly Yachts remain a popular choice with cruising couples and those with small families and the Storm is no different; she was designed for the British coastal waters and has all you need to enjoyably navigate them.

Expert Opinion

A yacht built by the old Nimbus boat yard and designed by Pelle Petterson is, without doubt, a winning combination of well thought out design and substantial construction standards. As a result, these boats always hold their value.

Of the yachts I’ve surveyed, very few had serious structural problems, but there are a few issues you need to be aware of. Port light fittings within the saloon can allow moisture into the normally very well finished internal joinery and laminate.

Many topsides were moulded in a dark blue pigment and while reasonably colour-fast for around five to 10 years, many do end up with the typical chalking and fading that many dark coloured gel coats suffer with. It can be quite noticeable where repairs have been previously undertaken.

Some 1000s had teak decks overlaid onto the main working GRP decks and as with several other yachts of this age, it’s very important to evaluate the condition and watertightness of the deck as replacement costs will always be expensive.

If you’re considering the wing keel option, take a close look at the hull to keel joint condition and obviously the internal fastenings. It’s not uncommon for yachts of this age to need the fastenings properly checked. It is also important to pay attention to the rudder blade condition as moisture absorption is frequently an issue as well.

Ben Sutcliffe-Davies, Marine Surveyor and full member of the Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association (YDSA) www.bensutcliffemarine.co.uk

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Berthon UK (Lymington, Hampshire - UK) Sue Grant [email protected] 0044 (0)1590 679 222

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MaxZ86, WAY OF LIFE

McConaghy Boats, MaxZ86 Built 2003 / €700,000, + VAT

Broker’s Comments

WAY OF LIFE, formerly MORNING GLORY is quite simply an iconic MaxZ86, with an enviable racing history across the globe.

This record-breaking canting keel, built by McConaghy Boats, has had a strong presence in the USA and Mediterranean Maxi racing scene since new.

She was built originally as MORNING GLORY, alongside PYEWACKET – as a sistership, and encompassing the new (at the time) technology and design thinking of the CBTF (Canting Ballast Twin Foil).

Her immediate successes in the top offshore events at the time made the world turn their heads to canting keel technology. The hull form is surprisingly narrow compared with today’s wide reaching machines that reduce drag as righting moment comes mainly from the canting keel.

The clever rotating canard, or forward rudder is operated at the helm, and either independently, or fixed at a ratio with the main rudder, a very clever system.

Although arguably not quite as powerful reaching, she still holds her own in VMG, and flat water and capable of competing alongside the world’s most competitive yachts.

Recently under the guise of VESPER PI, she claimed line honours against some of the Mediterranean’s fastest Maxis and proved to be competitive in the 2019 Rolex Capri Sailing Week, and since then a top performer in the famous Barcelona race.

Now under new ownership and given a new lease of life with substantial investment in recent years. With replacement PBO standing rigging in 2019 – saving more weight aloft, and she has a substantial sail wardrobe.

This yacht is still taking line honours victories and offers a superb and fast platform for offshore and inshore racing.

Available immediately for charter or for purchase.

A 2019 survey is available.

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Yacht Details

• Builder: McConaghy Boats
• Model: MaxZ86
• Yacht Name: WAY OF LIFE
• Hull Designer: Reichel Pugh
• Year Built: 2003
• LOA: 87’3” / 26.60m (inc. bow sprit)
• LWL: 78’8” / 23.99m
• Beam: 15’7” / 4.75m
• Min Draft / Max Draft: 7’3” / 2.20m
• Displacement: 21,495kg / 47,388lb
• Berths: 15 berths in 1 cabin(s) / 1 head/WC(s)
• Engine Count: 1 Yanmar 4LHA-HTP Diesel
• Country: Koper, Slovenia
• Asking Price: €700,000, + VAT

Contact Details

Ben Cooper Berthon UK Tel: 0044 (0)1590 679 222 E-Mail: [email protected] Click image for full broker profile.

Enquire about WAY OF LIFE

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• The World’s Fastest Thoroughbred Racing Yachts Are Going Head to Head Again

Sailing’s most beautiful and technical racing yachts are battling for line honors once again.

David reed's most recent stories.

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They’re back. After a year of mostly canceled events due to Covid-19, the Maxis, the world’s largest thoroughbred racing yachts , are going head-to-head in one of sailing’s most exciting series. The most prestigious contests on the calendar are organized by the International Maxi Association , founded 41 years ago to manage the growing competition between yachting’s high-tech grand dames.

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Not to be confused with the elegant sailing giants known as Superyachts, which typically compete in gentlemanly regattas (sometimes called “buckets”) where boats are required to maintain at least 131 feet of distance between them, Maxis differ in size—Mini-Maxis at 60 to 79 feet, Maxis at 79 to 100 feet and Super Maxis from 100 feet—but are all built for close-hauled racing. With lightweight, carbon-fiber hulls and sails that can run into the six figures, Maxis are purpose-built speed machines, with crews scrambling across wet decks to lift giant spinnakers as skippers steer their race boats within spitting distance in an attempt to gain minor tactical advantages over the competition.

A yacht on course in the Rolex Giraglia 2021.  Giulio Testa

Among owners, the Mini-Maxi class has become the most popular, for the romantic reason that owners are required to steer their own boats. That involves much more than standing behind the wheel during a race. Owners often oversee the designs and builds of new boats, and help recruit veteran Olympic, America’s Cup and ocean-race sailors who fly in to crew the high-dollar machines. Planning a single campaign can take months.

We’re currently in the middle of Maxi season, the main events for which include the Maxi Yacht Capri Trophy , won in May by Vincenzo Addessi’s Fra Diavolo; June’s 241-nautical mile Rolex Giraglia , where Adalberto Miani’s Arca SGR was first to finish; the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup , in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, in early September; and late October’s 606-nautical mile Rolex Middle Sea Race , which starts and ends in Malta with a race around Sicily in between. (Some Covid-related changes are in effect this year, with the Giraglia, considered the oldest race in the northern Med, starting in Sanremo, Italy —rather than Saint-Tropez—and ending in Genoa.) As always, sailors are looking to claim not just the victory but the coveted “line honors” that accompany it: First across the finish line is first to the champagne.

Sailors competing on the Tyrrhenian sea in Capri, Italy.  Courtesy of Rolex

The year’s highlight is the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, featuring a week of intense coastal racing involving around 50 boats. The Aga Khan’s remarkable Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo is the host club, with Sardinia’s picturesque hills and charming ports reminding visitors why it remains the Shangri-La of sailing. And backdrops like Sardinia are the added attraction of Maxi racing, beyond its thrilling competition. The contests take place in some of the Med’s most idyllic settings, which make for ideal vacation spots after the trophies have been awarded.

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30m LEOPARD 3

Designed by Bruce Farr and built by McConaghy Yachts, the Maxi 100 LEOPARD 3 is a great combination of a record-breaking offshore race boat and a stylish superyacht for sailing in the Caribbean and the Med!

In cruising mode, she offers space and comfort for six guests in three cabins, one large saloon and dining area, a cockpit table for lunches under the sun awning, and a wide sunbed area on the aft deck.

In race mode, she turns into a light super maxi that can compete with the fastest race boats on the circuit, demonstrating her pedigree once again by winning the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup and the Voiles de St Tropez in 2016, after beating many world sailing records across the Atlantic and in the North Sea!Also very succesful on the charter market, she is fully MCA compliant and has a very high annual revenue that makes her financially competitive all throughout the year.   LEOPARD 3's records:

- Cape Town to Bahia Race record in 2009

- Powered sailing systems 24 hour record (495.1nm) in 2010

- Round the Island Race record in 2013

- Transatlantic Ambrose Light - Lizard Point record in 2008

- Cowes - St Malo Race monohull record in 2008

- Transatlantic Superyacht & Maxi Regatta record in 2012 (3.300nm at 18.6 knots average speed)

LEOPARD 3 is now available for racing charters or event charters, click here to get to know more : HERE

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Inside The Wild World Of Super-Maxi Yacht Racing

The world’s fastest and most advanced sailing seafarers head to the Caribbean to compete in the yachting world equivalent of F1.

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I hit the tarmac in Sint Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles revved up to partake in the yachting world equivalent of Formula One for the weekend. Hopping onto a screaming machine taming the forces of nature to barrel along billionaire style. For it was the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta and I was going racing aboard a super-maxi yacht .

Held annually this is one of the highlights of the yacht racing world’s calendar, drawing the best boats and crews from all over the world to pit their machinery and knowhow against each other during a long weekend of hard racing, hard partying and camaraderie—all on one of the most welcoming islands in the Caribbean.

The super-maxis are the ultimate racers of the yacht world and are governed by a set of rules which describe them as monohulls of more than 100 feet in length, with a keel and no limit on the number or type of “appendages.” Pure bucket-list stuff, where if you have to ask what it costs you clearly have no idea what you are getting into. At the end of ancient maps, uncharted waters were simply marked with mystical creatures and the notation, “here be dragons.” Well that is where I was headed. And fast.

Installed at the newly-opened Morgan Resort & Spa in this Dutch West Indies idyll, I inhaled deeply of the view; and pondered what a view it was, out over turquoise waters and clear blue skies gusting 25-plus knots of wind. For things were about to go super-maxi off the beaches of Sint Maarten, in the form of a ride aboard one of the most legendary racing yachts on the water today—Leopard 3.

At a touch over 100 feet, this carbon fiber/Nomex-hulled missile can shoot through the water at over 40 knots when at full tilt downwind. Fully rigged with over 15,000 square feet of thermo-formed carbon composite sails on her 154-foot carbon fiber mast and rigging, she is an extreme machine that has won everything from the Rolex Maxi Cup to Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, set trans-Atlantic speed records, and carried her racing crew of 20-plus souls to victory across the globe.

Designed by the legendary Farr Yacht Designs based out of Annapolis in Maryland, she is wide—22 feet at the widest point of her beam—and perfectly suited for fast offshore racing with more than a few tricks up her sleeve. Her “appendages” include a keel that cants up to 40 degrees, stabilizing her as if 200 extra crew members were sitting on the rail, and twin asymmetric lifting dagger-boards located either side of the mast to perfectly balance the sail forces when racing at full tilt.

The days of ex-NFL linebackers with 22-inch biceps grinding the winches of racing yachts are mostly behind the likes of Leopard 3, which features hydraulic winches, but the combination of almost military discipline and ballet-like choreography among its professional racing team are a delight to behold. The Captain and tactician calling the moves with precision timing, and an otherworldly sense of the wind down to the second, divining increases and decreases in invisible forces as if Merlin himself were aboard as the team trims sail to maximize speed at all moments.

The real key to the deployment of this technological wizardry is the team which employs it. As with Formula One, two things are necessary in spades—enormous amounts of money, and enormous amounts of skill and experience on the team. One begets the other, but it also pays for the eye-watering expenses of maintaining the boat and crew in peak condition with every carbon sail, titanium nut and bolt, and carbon fiber piece in optimal race-ready condition. Like life, things wear out, break, and go amiss.

I’ve been on boats that have snapped masts, lost sails, hell, almost sank. And for mere mortals if this happens you go bankrupt. But in the world of billionaire yacht-racing, you just Fedex a new carbon fiber mast half way around the world overnight, and have it fitted to keep you racing the next day. I saw Larry Ellison do this at Antigua Race Week one year when his yacht Sayonara snapped its mast—and it says everything you need to know about sailing super-Maxi style.

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Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup: A feast for the eyes

• November 3, 2022

Porto Cervo is one of the most spectacular venues in the world, and this year’s Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup was a feast for the eyes. Andi Robertson reports

Walk the hallowed docks of Sardinia’s Yacht Club Costa Smeralda during the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup and it was impossible to get anywhere fast. The collection of maxi yachts this year was truly mesmerising, each meriting more than a passing glance. Correspondingly, the army of top professional sailors assembled was literally a who’s who of generations of America’s Cup , Ocean Race and Olympic sailing stars.

To leave the real world and immerse yourself in the Porto Cervo bubble is something special. Even the grizzled, white-haired pros who recall the formative years of the ‘Maxi Worlds’ and who come year in, year out, show no complacency. They love it and always will because it is the pinnacle event of maxi racing.

Post-pandemic, more than ever, there is a renewed appreciation for this spectacular event. Here there are no distractions beyond the wind blown rugged granite scenery, the turquoise waters and the rocky network of islands forming the La Maddalena archipelago.

The 32nd Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup was not the biggest ever, mustering 46 racing maxis in six classes, but it was almost certainly the most competitive event for many years, with quality in depth through each of the divisions.

The fleet was also more diverse than ever. For the first time since 2014 there were four J Class yachts competing under their own JCA handicap – an elegant step back in time contrasting sharply with the debuting foiler Flying Nikka , which raced in its own class, and the just launched powerful ClubSwan 80 My Song which lined up in the 13-boat maxi fleet.

Rambler off Isola delle Bisce lighthouse north of Porto Cervo. Photo: Luca Butto

A different league

“For sure after the pandemic there seems to be more people wanting to sail big boats than ever before and being able to afford to do so. And this regatta was in a different league to previous events in terms of quality,” noted the International Maxi Association’s secretary general Andrew McIrvine.

“One interesting development is now having absorbed the Wally class – which had a bunch of 80-footers and a bunch of 100-footers racing together – and getting them into performance, rather than size related classes, we have a good 13-boat maxi class. That is definitely better.

The foiling Flying Nikka raced in a class of its own

“And we have a more race orientated fleet, there used to be cruising maxis, and we have more professionals, whether or not you consider that a good thing. We are still very strict on the owner-driver rule, except in the Super Maxi fleet where in fact the two top owners are young and steer their boats anyway.”

In a typical September week at Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup there will be days of light winds and very often days lost to the Mistral. A fixed Thursday layday may seem like an anomaly but many owners – and their crews – start to feel their age mid week. This edition was no different, early starts made the best of the building Mistral on Friday, but Saturday proved unsailable.

Without question the standard of boat and sail handling gets higher every year. To see the J Class rivals tacking up ‘Bomb Alley’, as the rock-strewn passage north of Porto Cervo through the La Maddalena and Caprera archipelago is known, in 18 knots of breeze and flat water – seemingly within touching distance of the shore – is incredible.

Lord Irvine Laidlaw’s Highland Fling XI. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi

Running downwind America’s Cup rival helms Peter Holmberg and Ed Baird showed a precision in their boat placement akin to sailing a Laser, all while choreographing nearly 30 crew. Are there elements of brinksmanship or bravado? Maybe, but the truth is many of the afterguard crew will have raced on these waters dozens of times, and laying one corner when others can’t will reap a dividend of several boatlengths.

The Super Maxi division victory was the biggest win yet for a ‘young’ (at just turned 50) Swedish owner on his Swan 115 Shamanna .

He also owns the well known Spirit 100 Gaia and Gerdney , a classic Swedish Skerries 95ft cruiser. He races Shamanna with eight of his long time friends – among them a cardiac anaesthetist, a pal who was ‘The Bachelor’ on the Swedish reality show of the same name – and a posse of good pros managed by British former Volvo/Whitbread, America’s Cup ace Guy Barron.

The 82ft custom Wally Highland Fling XI. Photo: Luca Butto

Raising the standards

Barron has sought to keep raising the standards of the ‘amateurs’ so they are fully integrated and respected by the pros, rather than allowing a ‘them and us’ scenario develop. Barron sailed with the owner and his friends originally in Sweden and was able to impart his knowledge and involve them in a way which has become important on the big Swan. “We sat down and said let’s make sure your guys get trained up and are part of it. So between Shamanna and Gaia we share the same pros, the same group and we’re all used to sailing with each other.”

Barron reckons – after some counting – that he has now raced from Sardinia 34 times, the first time being at the 12 Metre Worlds in 1987. “It is one of the best venues in the world and I never ever tire of racing around through Bomb Alley. It is breathtaking. I remember I was on Boomerang and we had THE crash.

Close fleet action. Photo: Luca Butto

“We hit a rock going 9.5 knots, having just got full speed on we stopped dead. We pulled the engine off the mount, cracked every frame in the boat, blew the terminals off the top of the batteries, flattened the wheel, the pedestals, seized the mainsheet and the runner winch. I ended up in an ambulance with George Coumantaros the owner. He’d fallen over and inverted his cheek. I slid forward, hit the solid stainless reaching stanchion and very luckily did not break my leg. I sail past there and still hear the noises in my head. It is a truly wonderful place to sail!”

Mini maxi rivalry

The six boat Mini Maxi 1 division is the domain of what were previously the Maxi 72 class. Now only Jim Swartz’s Vesper and George Sakellaris hull sister Proteus are close to Maxi 72 trim, all of the other four boats have had extensive modifications. Ironically the top two overall were Vesper , with Gavin Brady as tactician, and Proteus .

The changes across the rest of the fleet have been various: Peter Dubens’ North Star is the first boat to now use stored power for running rigging and sails with seven fewer crew – which at the Maxi Worlds gives a four-point rating credit. Spirit of Jethou (23.5m), Cannonball (22.86m) and Bella Mente (22.55m) have all been lengthened and have deeper keels. Bella Mente has a taller rig, as has Cannonball which can also now carry 1,000kg of water ballast per side.

Despite their differences, this was a very competitive class of boats which were conceived as the last word in maxi racing and richly laden with talent.

Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup fleet racing in Sardinia’s La Maddalena Archipelago. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi

“We were fortunate to be consistent. We did not screw up,” smiled Gavin Brady after racing. “In fact the boat is arguably the same as when it won the World Championships five years ago (as Momo ). It is cool, I think, for Vesper to win the World Championship with the same keel, the same mast, the same sails.

“Our sport needs to see some sustainability and it is a good message that if you have something that works and you just go and sail well you don’t need to change the mast and the keel. That is something special for Jim as he does not want to go down the ‘arms race’ route. He wants to go and race, and may the best team win.

“This fleet of seven boats have evolved. It’s clear the owners want to develop their boats in the way they want and not be told what to do by a box rule. You have Jethou at one end and North Star at the other and we all went round the top mark within 30 seconds of each other. It’s not the Maxi 72 box rule of old but it is working and we have happy owners.”

Crew on the rail of the iconic J Class Velsheda. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi

Water ballast, and how it is treated under rating systems, is one factor many grand prix teams are watching carefully, in readiness to adapt their boats. “The water ballast is the elephant in the room right now,” Brady explains.

“Everyone is trying to be secretive but we all know what is going on. Everyone has drawings to put water in everything from a TP52 to a maxi but we just don’t know what the rule is going to do. I think it is a good way, a clean way to make boats go faster. Salt water is in abundance and if we want to pump water into the boat to make it faster and more fun it is a lot more sustainable than carbon fibre and sails that will go to landfill.”

Lord Irvine Laidlaw bade farewell to his faithful Reichel Pugh 82ft custom Wally Highland Fling XI with a swansong win in the 13-boat maxi class. Cameron Appleton calls tactics alongside navigator Andrew Cape: “Porto Cervo is a unique place usually offering a real range of conditions, inshore racing and navigational type courses, and you have to be good at every part of it,” Appleton recalled.

“You get to know the tricks of the place and where the wind bends are but it is how you get there to use them that is the skill.”

With co-owner Niklas Zennström driving his first regatta on Svea , flying the flag for his native Sweden, the J Class title was never really in doubt, though the racing was always close.

Svea seems to have a speed edge and has a great crew marshalled by Bouwe Bekking. The J Class are looking towards a World Championship in Barcelona during the 37th America’s Cup with potentially seven or eight boats. Next to return to the fold will be Rainbow , bought by Kiwi owner Neville Crichton, who is refitting the boat in Palma to be ready for the later part of next season.

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