Many of us associate the Black Pearl with the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. Although this superyacht may not be quite as magical as the ship in Pirates of the Caribbean and likely won't magically be shrunk inside a bottle, it will still blow your mind.
Built by the Dutch company Oceanco, this three-masted sailing yacht extends 106.7 metres in length, firmly securing its position as the largest sailing boat in the world. It was owned by Russian billionaire Oleg Burlakov from 2018 who sadly passed away this June at the age of 72, but it remains under the ownership of his family. In addition to his business ventures in the energy, aerospace and chemical industries, he will be largely remembered as the owner and visionary behind the revolutionary Black Pearl.
©Tom Van Oossanen
The Black Pearl is an ecological super yacht
Production of this pioneering eco-friendly sailboat began on July 7, 2010 and was fully completed six years later, launching in 2017. One of its key technologies is power regeneration, using its speed through the water under sail to generate electricity with a variable pitch propeller. This is effectively combined with a hybrid propulsion system and numerous innovative features, such as waste-heat recovery.
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This megayacht has three decks and six luxury cabins. And by luxury, we mean that these are not just cabins, with each cabin being connected to its very own private lounge. The cabins are divided into a main suite, 2 VIP suites and 2 double guest cabins and according to the manufacturer, it can accommodate 12 guests.
How fast can the Black Pearl sail?
Although the maximum speed is specified by the manufacturer as being 15 kn flat, under full sail and in good winds, it’s much faster. Its captain, Chris Gartner, believed that the moment the Black Pearl proved her sailing ability, there would be renewed interest in sailing yachts. And he was right because believe us, if you think you're flying as fast as the wind at 8 knots, that’s nothing. This beauty can sail at a leisurely 18 knots and using very little fossil fuel.
When you see the Black Pearl deploy her black sails, it's a sight to behold but to see her at sea is a true marvel. And if you can't imagine what it's like, check out the video when we encountered her at the harbour.
YACHTING.COM TIP: If you're yearning for a luxury yachting experience, take a look at our article — Luxury yacht charter: all-inclusive holidays at sea.
So what’s next in store for this superyacht? First it’s going to cross the ocean at record speed but we’ll see what the future holds after that. Perhaps it will provide inspiration for other developers to push the boundaries even further.
Basic specifications of the Black Pearl superyacht:
| Hull length | 106.7 m (350'1") | |
| Hull width | 15.0 m (49'3") | |
| Dry weight | 2864 t | |
| Builder | Oceano | |
| Port | Alblasserdam | |
| Country of origin | Netherlands | |
| Year of manufacture | 2018 | |
| Hull | Steel | |
| Superstructure | Aluminium | |
| Design | Naval Architecture | Dykstra Naval Architects |
| Interior | Nuvolari Lenard and Gerard Villate | |
| Exterior | Nuvolari Lenard and Ken Freivokh Design | |
| Type | Sailing ship | |
| Class | Lloyd's Register | |
| Hull type | Single hull | |
| Rigging | DynaRig | |
| No. of decks | 3 | |
| No. of masts | 3 | |
| No. of guests | 12 | |
| Guests lounges | 6 | |
| Sailing speed | 12.0 kn | |
| Maximum speed | 15.0 kn | |
| Maximum sailing speed | 30.0 kn | |
| Registration | Cayman Islands | |
| Sail area | 2,900 m2 | |
© www.instagram.com/syblackpearl
YACHTING. COM TIP: Want to see more breathtaking photos of this captivating beauty? Check out this article. Although you won't be able to find pictures of the ship's interior pictures there either, you'll discover lots of interesting info about this superyacht, such as that it was actually built as a tribute to the French King Louis XVI.
Only a few chosen ones will actually get on board of such yacht. But even smaller super yachts will give you the feeling of a luxurious holiday. And after all, luxury is not everything. The best sailing experience always depends on a good crew. And we have a lot of ships for them.
Affordable sailing boats for your vacation:
I can't arrange a 100-metre sailboat for you, but we do have superyachts. Just give me a call.
