maxi yacht

Published on July 31st, 2024 | by Editor

Maxi yachts to compete for World title

Published on July 31st, 2024 by Editor -->

The 2024 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup will feature the very first World Championship for ‘Maxi 1’ when racing takes place on September 8-14 in Porto Cervo, Italy. As part of the main event, the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship will be open to maxi yachts with an IRC TCC of 1.700-2.200 and up to 100 feet in length.

The International Maxi Association (IMA) is responsible for overseeing and nurturing the sport of maxi racing, and is permitted officially to hold two world championships each year. In 2010, the first Rolex Mini Maxi World Championship was held during the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, and since then world championships have been held for the Maxi 72 and J Class under the auspices of the IMA, the latter taking place out of Newport, RI in 2017.

“The International Maxi Association endeavours to adapt its world championships to wherever across the maxi fleet there is the greatest competition,” explains IMA Secretary General Andrew McIrvine. “Over recent seasons, we have seen the 100 footers increasingly ramping up their programs with boats that were once cruiser-racers now becoming more thoroughbred racing yachts with all the development, sail programs, and elite level crews that that entails. As a result we are expecting at least ten Maxi 1 yachts to be competing at our new World Championship.”

Already entered for the Maxi 1 World title is 100 footers Leopard 3; a trio of former Wallycentos – Magic Carpet Cubed, Galateia and V; SHK Scallywag – Seng Huang Lee’s David Witt-led campaign returning to race in the northern hemisphere for the first time since the pandemic. Then there is the 93-foot Bullitt, last year’s Rolex Middle Sea Race winner; the 85-foot racer Deep Blue; the 82-foot Django HF in her first race since receiving some major modifications; the ClubSwan 80 My Song; and the brand new 80-foot Capricorno for which the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 World Championship will be the first regatta in which she will race.

While yachts larger than 30.51m (100ft) compete in their own Super Maxi class, the IMA Maxi fleet today encompasses yachts of 18.29m (60ft) to 30.51m (100ft), as published annually in the IMA Maxi Class Rules. In recent seasons, the IMA has shed monickers from its classes such as Racer/Racer-Cruiser/Cruiser-Racer and Mini Maxi, in favor of dividing up the Maxi fleet solely by IRC rating.

For example at the 2023 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Maxi 1 was for yachts with a TCC of 1.700< (ie 100 footers); Maxi 2 1.600-1.700 (ie the former Maxi 72s); Maxi 3 1.400-1.600 (the former Mini Maxi Racer-Cruiser class), Maxi 4 1.260-1.400 (the ex-Mini Maxi Cruiser-Racer class, but including a Swan 80 and a Southern Wind 82) and Maxi 5 <1.260 (the former Mini Maxi Cruiser class, ie Swan 65).

“The aim of this is entirely to encourage yachts of a similar performance to race against one another to ensure the best possible competition, rather than rely on any highly subjective terminology,” explains McIrvine.

Maxi yacht world championships have long been associated with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and Porto Cervo. From the early 1980s, the International Class A Yacht Association (ICAYA – the IMA’s previous name) regularly held here World Championships for the ‘Class A’ ; the name of the maxi class as defined by the IOR rule of that era. It is because of this that, to this day, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is still referred in sailing circles as ‘the Maxi Worlds’.

The last World Championship held at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup was for the Maxi 72 class in 2018 when it was won by Dieter Schön’s Momo. The World Championship for this class was withdrawn due to dwindling numbers and the Maxi 72s increasingly racing out of class. Despite no longer racing within the confines of their box rule, the remaining former Maxi 72s continue to enjoy the best racing with four currently entered in September – Jethou, plus Jolt, Proteus, and North Star, which will be competing in their own class in Porto Cervo in September.

Event details: https://www.yccs.it/regate-2024/maxi_yacht_rolex_cup-3314.html

Source: IMA

Tags: International Maxi Association , Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

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MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP: CLASS PERFORMANCES

Porto Cervo, 09 September 2023 – Since the early 1980s, maxi yacht owners and sailors have been drawn to the Costa Smeralda and specifically the annual Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. Considered the perfect sailing package the event unites first-class organization, a majestic sailing environment and the world’s leading maxi yachts and professional crews.

Rolex and event organizer the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) have enjoyed a close partnership for nearly 40 years. The longevity of this collaboration has been at the heart of the event’s continued success and evolution. Support for the organization of the week-long regatta is provided by the International Maxi Association (IMA).

The 2023 edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup will be considered a special vintage. Four days of racing offered the full repertoire of the Costa Smeralda sailing experience, from the strong breeze, big waves and robust sea state of the regatta’s initial exchanges to the light, unstable conditions which closed proceedings.

The Maddalena Archipelago’s myriad of race courses feature numerous narrow passages and rocky outcrops. On such testing fields of play, sailing powerful yachts at high speeds requires total synergy in teamwork and deft boat handling skills.

Sailors, drawn from the cream of professional sailing talent, were left enthralled by the week’s competition. Former Rolex World Sailor of the Year, Mike Sanderson, part of the afterguard on  Bella Mente , was one such example: 

“The location is so special. Sun, big waves and big breeze. For so many teams this is the pinnacle event of their year. We have worked all year to develop the boat to be ready for this regatta.”

For Mitch Booth, two-time Olympic medallist, overall Rolex Middle Sea Race winning skipper in 2021 and tactician on Leopard 3 , the event is without equal:

“Coming together in such an iconic place, it is a real season highlight and a clash of the titans, the best against the best in perfect sailing.”

Accolades went to the six class winners who showed great consistency and expertise in dealing both with the vagaries of the conditions but equally the formidable nature of the opposition. Proving triumphant were:  Galateia  (Maxi Class A),  Bella Mente  (Class B),  Spirit of Lorina  (Class C), Y3K  (Supermaxi),  Svea  (J Class) and  Allegra  (Maxi multihull).

Since its foundation, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup has been the showcase for the evolution in maxi yacht design and technology. The 48-strong fleet at this year’s 33rd edition was one of the most eclectic to date. From the largest entrant,  Svea  (43.6m/143-ft) through to the smallest  Blue Oyster (18.3m/60-ft), an eye-catching range of yachts were on display.

Innovations for the 2023 edition included the first ever appearance of the maxi multihulls. As YCCS Commodore Michael Illbruck explains this aligns with the event’s perennial commitment to be at the forefront of developments: 

“Change is a constant in the world of yachting, and continuous evolution has been the key to the success of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, right from the first edition in 1980 up to the present day. The inclusion of multihulls fits perfectly with this perspective, a natural development of an event that has always been characterized by cutting-edge technology. Opening up to other categories allows owners to continue to pursue their passion and may inspire others to do so.”

The oldest competing yachts included the J Class  Velsheda  and the recently restored  Baruna , both dating back to the 1930s. Thomas Bscher’s Baltic 68  Open Season  proved a highlight amongst the newer launches and one which symbolises a movement within sailing design to consider even more closely the environmental impact across all aspects of boat building and performance. Creating fair and exciting competition across such a diverse fleet requires significant race management organization, one the event has long been renowned for. The rating system and division of classes is constructed with this in mind and to provide owners and sailors with the platform to pursue their passion for the sport.

On the water, one of the closest divisions was the eight strong Maxi B group where American yachts  Bella Mente  and  Proteus  broke away to contest the title. Going into what proved to be the regatta’s final race, they were tied on points.  Bella Mente  finished first to cap an impressive week on the water which saw the stellar crew, predominantly together for the past decade, claim two bullets and three second places. Delight for owner Hap Fauth:

“We come every year and it is the pinnacle of our season. This is our fourth victory in eleven years and the hardest fought.”

Even closer was the Supermaxi competition. Only three points separated the top three yachts –  Moat ,  Inoui  and eventual winner  Y3K , the recently launched Wally 101. It marked a return to Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup success for owner Claus-Peter Offen:

“I have been racing here for 25 years. For us it is the highlight of the regatta season. This is where we want to be thanks to the beauty of the area and of the yacht club.”

For the class winners, crowned at the final prizegiving, victory at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is reward for overcoming world-class competition, an intense and challenging racing programme and having prepared in peak form for the pinnacle event in the maxi yacht calendar. The overriding sentiment was an appreciation for an event which always delivers on excellence.

ROLEX AND YACHTING Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand's enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world's most famous harbours. Rolex's partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

ABOUT ROLEX AN UNRIVALLED REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND EXPERTISE Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Perpetual watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization. The word ‘Perpetual’ is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 600 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.

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For the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, the Multihulls Are Here

For the first time, the regatta, which has always been for monohulls, will include big catamarans. Capsizing could be an issue.

By David Schmidt

Call it a game of speed, tactics, underwater rocks and double the number of hulls.

For the first time in its 43-year history, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup , which begins on Monday in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, will include up to five maxi multihulls. These fast and powerful catamarans, which measure at least 60 feet, bow to stern, can often sail faster than monohulls, but they don’t carry capsize-preventing keels.

This presents a challenge at the Maxi cup. The regatta is known for its coastal courses. These often wend past the Maddalena archipelago’s islands and submerged rocks, and, critically, through Bomb Alley.

This stretch of water, about 15 miles long, separates the archipelago from Sardinia’s north-northeast flank. When the strong northwesterly winds — called the mistrals — blow, Bomb Alley can get boisterous, which should yield exciting, if not scary, racing.

“This is an experiment, really,” said Andrew McIrvine, secretary general of the International Maxi Association , which organizes the regatta with the hosting Yacht Club Costa Smeralda . He said the decision was initiated by a member’s request.

“A lot of Maxi owners are getting a bit long in the tooth, and it will probably extend their racing life by a few years if they can race on a catamaran, rather than hanging on to the back of a Maxi,” he said.

Catamarans have two hulls to create stability, rather than a single narrow hull and a heavy keel. Critically, they generally lean over — or heel — less than a monohull, which makes it easier to move across the yacht during maneuvers. But if the sails are not adjusted to match the wind gusts, multihulls can lose their balance and capsize.

“There’s the old saying about running aground that sometimes gets applied to capsizing big multis: There’s two clubs, those who have and those that will,” said Paul Larsen, who is the race skipper of Allegra, an 84-foot catamaran. “It’s no joke.”

While the risks are real, regatta organizers were clear that they wanted to attract sophisticated racing-focused multihulls.

“There are a lot of horrible caravan multihulls,” McIrvine said, referring to cruising-oriented catamarans. “We won’t just take anything because it’s big, that’s for sure.”

Regatta organizers said that the multihulls would compete in their own class. However, weather depending, the catamarans could sail similar or separate coastal courses as the monohulls, potentially setting up passing situations with the slower-moving monohulls.

“I see the opening up to multihulls as a natural thing, a natural development of an event that has always been characterized by cutting-edge technology,” said Michael Illbruck, commodore of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. “This type of boat entirely fits with the Maxi world.”

Five Maxi-size catamarans initially entered the regatta, the maximum under the event’s rules, but one had a catastrophic fire and another capsized, sustaining season-ending damage.

Unless other Maxi multihulls enter the regatta at the last minute, that leaves three of the multihulls that will race, two of which will be making their racing debut on the Maxi cup’s coastal courses.

Regatta veterans describe these courses as aesthetically pleasing and tactically challenging, and regatta organizers said the islands could also modulate sailing conditions.

“The various courses around the archipelago of La Maddalena offer an area with limited waves when the prevailing mistral wind blows,” said Edoardo Recchi, the club’s secretary general and sports director. “This kind of course fits the characteristics of multihulls better.”

The archipelago’s often flat waters can make for fast sailing, but navigation can also be confined.

“The proximity to land puts real pressure into the decision-making as the consequences could be of far more importance than simply the race result,” Larsen said. “It’s challenging, thrilling and spectacular.”

This places a premium on crew choreography, especially when the mistrals howl.

“All the teams are working with big gear and very high loads, and mistakes can be very costly sailing amongst the archipelago,” said Kinley Fowler , an America’s Cup winner and the sailing team manager of Convexity², a Gunboat 68, describing the forces exerted by the big sails. “This will be exaggerated on the multihulls as we will be going faster, so it means that we will need to be thinking one or two steps ahead the whole time.”

Despite these scrawny margins, multiple teams are hoping for the mistrals.

“I’d prefer a windy regatta,” Larsen said. Of Allegra, he said, “The boat has proven itself to be strong and fast, and the crew know her well.”

Others are also confident about their boat-handling abilities.

“We have a really strong team and are not afraid to push the limits,” Fowler said. While the Maxi cup is the debut regatta for Convexity², Fowler said that the core team had sailed together for years. “Fingers crossed we get to light it up.”

While the three multihulls are fast and powerful, Lord Laidlaw’s Highland Fling 18, a new Gunboat 80, is built for speed. It should be able to sail at more than 30 knots in certain conditions.

“We are definitely on the edge of speed, loads, systems — and my helming ability,” he said, adding that helming a Maxi multihull is much different than a monohull. “Great to be learning something new at 80.”

As for racing the boat through Bomb Alley in a mistral, Lord Laidlaw, who has won his class at this regatta multiple times aboard his previous Highland Fling monohulls, was candid.

“A bit scary, if I am honest,” he said, explaining that the team had taken precautions to prevent capsizing. They include incorporating sail-handling equipment that automatically releases the ropes that control the sails if certain thresholds (loads or heel angle) are surpassed.

As for dealing with a possible capsize, the teams — and the regatta organizers — are prepared.

“We will also be wearing helmets and Kevlar vests with built-in life jackets, something we have never done before,” Lord Laidlaw said.

Recchi, of the yacht club, said safety boats would be on the racecourse. He also said the event would mitigate risk by monitoring weather forecasts and real-time reports, and by selecting courses that best match conditions.

“Additionally, in the event of a major issue, the Coast Guard is on standby with their boats to help, and a towing boat will be also on standby in Porto Cervo,” he said.

There are the submerged rocks to consider, too.

“It is very easy to ground around the northeast of Sardinia,” Lord Laidlaw said. “Many people who cut corners have regretted it.” He admitted that he had twice hit those rocks.

Unlike monohulls with fixed keels, multihulls can retract their daggerboards, which are the vertical underwater foils that enable the boats to sail a straight course. When the daggerboards are down, multihulls often draw as much water as their keelboat counterparts.

When the daggerboards are retracted, multihulls become shallow-draft vessels, which can create tactical advantages on courses that wend past islands and submerged rocks.

“The fact we can raise the boards — where keelboats can’t — might allow us to cut a few corners where there are outlying shallows,” Larsen said. “But this is a high-stakes game.”

Lord Laidlaw said raising the daggerboards on the Highland Fling 18 took seven seconds. But then you can go “sideways, maybe further into the rocks,” he said.

While all teams want a safe regatta, they also want to win.

“Let’s see how tight the racing is,” Fowler said about sailing near the rocks. “We may have to push the limits to get a jump on the competition.”

This wasn’t a one-off assessment.

“When the racing is tight,” Larsen said, “all cards are on the table.”

• Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2024

08.09.24 - 14.09.24

Porto Cervo, ITA

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Svea, Shamanna, and Highland Fling XI win at Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

The 32nd edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup drew to a close on Saturday after four days of close racing out of Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo. 

The final classification remained unchanged from the penultimate day of competition after the last day of racing was cancelled due to the incoming mistral with gusts in excess of 30 knots. The race committee took the decision to send the 50-strong fleet (the event’s second-largest fleet on record) back to port for prize giving.

The 43.6 metre Vitters sailing yacht Svea was crowned winner of the J Class fleet after securing the win on all but one day where Velsheda came out on top. Taking second place was the 41.55 metre Ranger on its Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup debut under new ownership, followed by Velsheda and Topaz respectively.

Bouwe Bekking, tactician on the J Class Svea said : “We had a fantastic week, we did a lot of training, we sailed well, had good starts and that helped a lot. The crew work was excellent, the boat was well prepared, no breakages which is a big thing with these J Class boats which weigh 185 tonnes.”

In the Supermaxi division, the 35.2 metre Swan 115 Shamanna triumphed over the Spirit Yachts 111 Geist while fellow Swan 115 sistership Moat 1 finished in third place following a retirement on day four of racing due to outhaul issues. Christopher Brand, captain of Shamanna said: "We're delighted with the result, the boat goes brilliantly and the crew was perfect. We thank the organisation for setting up a Supermaxi class separate from the J Class yachts, which improved the competition."

The Maxi class was the largest division with 13 entries. Lord Irvine Laidlaw's 25.5 metre Reichel/Pugh Highland Fling XI took the win ahead of the Wallycento Galateia and the Wally 93 Bullitt . Speaking at the event, Laidlaw said: “The boat is 13 years old this year and we’re delighted that we can still compete and compete well against all these other boats that are significantly younger. We’ll be back next year with a new 80-foot cat and we’re looking forward to that very much, it’s the best place in the world to go sailing and hopefully we’ll have the fastest catamaran in the world.”

Also competing in the Maxi category was Pier Luigi Loro Piana's brand new canting keel ClubSwan 80 My Song which finished in a respectable fifth.

In the Mini Maxi 1 group of thoroughbred racing yachts, the 22 metre JV72 Vesper claimed victory ahead of Proteus and Bella Mente, marking another win for skipper Jim Swartz after coming first overall at Les Voiles de St Barths Richard Mille earlier this year. The scores were incredibly tight at the top of the Mini Maxi 2 class, where RP78 Capricorno got the better of the Mylius 80 Twin Soul B by just one point, with the Wally 78 Rose taking third place.

As a mark of respect for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the penultimate day of racing,  Peter Dubens’ North Star and Sir Peter Ogden’s Jethou , raced for 96 seconds before they dropped sails. Their crews stood to attention, heads bowed, for a minute of silence before returning to port.

YCCS Commodore Michael Illbruck reflected on the week during the closing prize-giving ceremony: “The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is a special event, unique I would say, which we are proud to organise. Some of the best sailors in the world come to Porto Cervo to sail on J Class boats, designed in the 1930s, as well as maxi yachts at the cutting edge of naval technology. We will continue to raise the bar and follow a path of innovation and excellence."

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in collaboration with the IMA (International Maxi Association) and with the support of long-standing title sponsor Rolex. The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is also the penultimate event of the IMA’s Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge (MMIC)

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• Digital Edition

Extraordinary boats: Stormvogel, the original Maxi yacht

• Nic Compton
• June 23, 2022

Stormvogel is known as the ‘original’ Maxi, the first large, lightweight racing yacht of its type, and still racing competitively. Nic Compton looks at her history and rebirth

Last year’s Rolex Fastnet Race got off to a dramatic start, with over 30 knots of wind blasting through the fleet of 330 yachts lined up on the Solent. Not all the competitors were up to the rigours of such a full-on start, with 79 boats retiring in the first 24 hours. But one yacht truly in her element was the 74ft ketch Stormvogel . Despite being 60 years of age, the old warhorse not only took the near-gale conditions in her stride but finished a very respectable 6th in class and 7th in IRC overall.

It was an impressive performance by the yacht often described as ‘the first Maxi’, due to her radical lightweight construction, and marked a welcome return to northern Europe racing for the yacht after an absence of more than 30 years.

“We had a good strong wind at the start, which suited Stormvogel ,” said skipper Graeme Henry. “We were pushing 100%, and didn’t take our foot off the pedal. It was a hard slog to start with, but she took the punishment and stood up to it. The fact she can finish up there with the modern boats shows what a remarkable boat she is.”

By the time he commissioned Stormvogel in 1959, Dutch wood merchant Cornelis ‘Kees’ Bruynzeel had already won the Fastnet Race : overall in 1937 on his traditionally-built Sparkman & Stephens yawl Zeearend and a class victory in 1952 on his plywood Van de Stadt sloop Zeervalk .

He had proven the suitability of plywood in building small and medium sized sailboats but, ever-ambitious, wanted to go a step further and build the biggest yacht allowed in ocean races: up to 70ft.

Stormvogel at the start of the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race. Photo: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

A risky proposition

As the Van de Stadt office was apparently too busy to take on the commission, Bruynzeel asked Olin Stephens, but he was unwilling to risk his reputation on such an outlandish project. Instead, Bruynzeel approached a designer who was not afraid to take risks: Laurent Giles, who had drawn the radical Myth of Malham for John Illingworth.

Giles willingly took on the project. Somewhere along the line Illingworth was persuaded to sketch a design too. But when Bruynzeel showed the two designs to Van de Stadt he was unimpressed and agreed to draw preliminary sketches of his own design.

Faced with three different approaches, Bruynzeel had models made of all three designs and had them tank tested at Southampton University. The Van de Stadt design came out the best and was duly selected.

However, the method of construction, using a laminated skin on fore and aft stringers, was similar to that pioneered by Myth of Malham , so Laurent Giles was engaged to draw the construction plans. To complete the illustrious team, Illingworth agreed to design the yacht’s rig. Construction would be by Bruynzeel’s own company Lamtico, in Stellenbosch, South Africa, which had ample expertise in laminating timber – even if it lacked big boatbuilding experience.

Displaying an impressive full set of sails early in her racing career. Photo: Stormvogel Archive

The new design was built of four layers of Khaya mahogany: the inner and outer running fore and aft and the two middle layers in opposite diagonals. The planks were glued together with Resorcinol, which was the standard glue for laminating timber at that time.

Full length stringers complete with lightweight frames and bulkheads completed the aircraft-like hull construction. The deck and coamings were made of plywood and foam sandwich to produce a rigid, lightweight structure which was integral to the boat’s overall strength.

Stormvogel was built in just 10 months – a remarkable achievement working with such an improvised set-up. She was launched in April 1961 and, after brief sea trials, set off for England. Gordon Webb was the boat’s first skipper and he sailed her up to the UK with a crew of 13, including Bruynzeel. They completed the 7,660-mile voyage, via Saint Helena, Ascension Island and the Azores, in 51 days, averaging a very respectable 7.6 knots.

Launch day for Stormvogel at Cape Town in 1961. Photo: Stormvogel Archive

Fastnet 1961

Stormvogel ’s navigator for the Fastnet Race was none other than Francis Chichester – not yet Sir Francis – fresh from winning the first OSTAR on Gipsy Moth III but yet to sail around the world on Gipsy Moth IV .

Stormvogel got off to a cracking start, leading the fleet out of the Solent, but was set back when her mainsail halyard broke and she was forced to pull into the lee of land to fit a new one. There followed a navigational disagreement between Bruynzeel and Chichester, in which Bruynzeel got his way but Chichester was ultimately proven right, costing them four hours of tacking across the Irish Sea.

Despite this, Stormvogel caught and overtook the rest of the fleet, being the first boat to round the Rock and, a day or so later, the first boat over the line in a time of 3 days, 20 hours and 58 minutes.

Her achievements won Bruynzeel both the Elizabeth McCaw Trophy (first around Fastnet Rock) and the Erivale Cup (first yacht home). Their final position was reduced to 6th on handicap, however, with another Dutch sailor, WNH Van Der Vorm, winning overall on a traditional S&S long-keeler, Zwerver II .

John Illingworth designed Stormvogel’s rig. Photo: Nic Compton

That first race set the pattern for the first 10 years of her career, as Stormvogel swept over the finish line first in race after race, only to be knocked back on handicap. It was the same story in the 1962 Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro Race, the 1963 Shaw Race, the 1964 Newport-Bermuda Race , the 1965 Sydney Hobart Race, the 1966 China Sea Race, the 1967 Transpac, and the Middle Sea Race in 1968 and 69 – to name a few.

But as Van de Stadt said: “Bruynzeel didn’t care much about the handicap, he just wanted to be the first to arrive and the final ranking didn’t matter to him.”

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In terms of sheer sea miles, the distance covered by the yacht in its first 10 years is extraordinary. Bruynzeel thought nothing of sailing from Europe to Cape Town, to Buenos Aires then to the Caribbean, to the US and back to Europe in a single year, taking in half a dozen ocean races along the way.

In 1965/66, Stormvogel took part in the Transpac, followed by the Sydney Hobart and the China Sea Race, before heading back to California for the Big Boat series in San Francisco. In her first six years alone she sailed 200,000 miles, the equivalent of sailing around the world once a year.

By 1968, Bruynzeel had already moved on and built himself a new toy: the 53ft Van de Stadt-designed Stormy , featuring a strangely incongruous clipper bow. Stormy came 3rd overall in the inaugural Cape to Rio Race in 1971, and won both line honours and overall race victory in the 1973 edition of the same race. In 1980, aged 80, Bruynzeel died on board Stormy while cruising in the Mediterranean.

Second life

Meanwhile, Stormvogel went through two owners in the 1970s before being acquired by an Italian owner in 1982. It was a relationship that was to last right up to the present day.

Stormvogel featured in the movie Dead Calm by mistake. The producers were meant to use Bruynzeel’s other boat, Stormy, but had to cross Stormvogel to reach her and decided to use the bigger yacht instead

Stormvogel ’s new owner soon put the boat through her paces, sailing across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, then across the Pacific to Australia (where she featured in the classic thriller movie Dead Calm ) and Indonesia, arriving in Thailand in 1987.

For the next 20 years, Stormvogel barely left south-east Asia, cruising and doing charters between Thailand, Malaysia, Bali and Singapore and competing in local races, such as the King’s Cup, the China Sea Race and the Raja Muda Regatta.

New Zealand boatbuilder Graeme Henry skippered the boat throughout the 1990s. He started the process of restoration in 1991, replacing the mast step with a solid I-beam and getting rid of the non-original bowsprit. There were ongoing repairs to the hull, particularly on the starboard bow where she was hit by a whale in the 1970s, before Stormvogel finally returned to the Med in 2007.

She joined the Panerai classic yacht circuit for two seasons – winning class in 2008 – before heading across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. For a few years she alternated between Europe and the Caribbean, under the watchful eye of skipper Ian Hulleman, including winning class at the Antigua Classics in 2013.

Opening decklights let plenty of natural light flood down below – brightwork was finished to a high standard during restoration. Photo: Nic Compton

Showing her age

It was very nearly Stormvogel ’s swansong. When taken out of the water at Finike on the southeast coast of Turkey in autumn 2014, the full extent of the yacht’s deterioration became apparent. Water had worked its way between the layers of planking, rotting wood and corroding fastenings, while electro-galvanic reaction between different metals had created its own toxic miasma.

Hulleman did most of the repairs single-handedly over a period of nearly three years, before the boat was moved to Metur Yachts in Bodrum for the final fitting out and refitting of systems. The emphasis was to keep the boat as original as possible, even to the extent of designing and 3D printing stainless steel replicas of the original cupboard latches.

Stormvogel’s grand saloon table, surrounded by traditional pipecots, swinging lamp, and more modern flatscreen TV. Photo: Nic Compton

By spring 2020 the work was complete and the boat was duly relaunched – straight into the middle of a pandemic. It would be another year before she could be sailed to Valencia, in Spain, and prepared for her return to ocean racing, with Graeme Henry as Fastnet Race skipper.

Back at the Fastnet start line last August, there was no way Stormvogel would be able to repeat her original winning performance against so many much younger boats – though she did manage to shave nearly two hours off her 1961 course time, finishing in 3 days, 19 hours and 2 minutes, despite sailing a longer course.

At 60 years young, she isn’t going to retire any time soon.

Sixty years old and still going strong. Photo: Nic Compton

Stormvogel s pecifications

LOA: 22.70m / 74ft 6in LOD: 22.25m / 73ft 0in LWL: 18.08m / 59ft 4in Beam: 4.88m / 16ft 4in Draft: 2.82m / 9ft 3in Sail area: 245.5m2 / 2,589ft2 Designed displacement: 31.2 tonnes

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100ft Black Jack wins Palermo-Montecarlo line honours and sets new race record - 44 hours, 34 minutes and 14 seconds. She crossed the finish line at 08:34:14 on August 22

(photo: Circolo della Vela Sicilia / Studio Borlenghi)

Palermo-Montecarlo offshore race is underway. It is the last event of the IMA 2023-24 Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge

Spectacular start for 2024 palermo-montecarlo offshore race. 50+ boats including 5 maxis were on the start line off mondello, siciliy, palermo-montecarlo offshore race sets sail tomorrow august 20 from off mondello, sicily.

(photo: Loro Piana / Studio Borlenghi)

New World Championship at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup (September 8 to 14): the Rolex IMA Maxi 1 Worlds will be open to maxi yachts with an IRC TCC of 1.700-2.200 and up to 30.51m (100ft) in length

(photo: IMA / Studio Borlenghi)

Aegean 600 prizegiving. AIOLOS, owner IMA member George Procopiou, wins 1 place in Maxi division and is also presented with the IMA George Andreadis Challenge trophy

(photo: AleN photography / Nikos Alevromytis)

V70 Aiolos (GRE), owner George Procopiou, finishes the Aegean 600 under the Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion. She will claim victory in Maxi class

(photo: Deea Buzzdugan /Aegean 600 HORC)

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39 years ago the International Maxi Association was started as a small gathering of maxi yacht owners wishing to bring more co-ordination to their sailing. Since then it has grown both in the size of its membership and its remit, to become an organization with much wider influence and endorsed by World Sailing to organize World Championships and to manage maxi racing globally. The IMA’s overall aim is to encourage greater participation in maxi racing around the world. To this end, the Association has become increasingly involved in all the regattas with significant maxi participation. Another of the IMA’s major responsibilities is to encourage the highest standards of race management, safety and measurement for both inshore and offshore maxi yacht events. For maxi regattas the IMA assists with the standardization of entry and the writing of notice of races and sailing instructions. The Association can also assist with race management and support and endorse events that are held to its high standards. For 2021 as well as all our usual events and our Mediterranean Maxi Inshore and Offshore Championships, we are adding a new regatta run by the Yacht Club Italiano as a season opener in Portofino at the end of April. We are also supporting the famous Transpacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Hawaii and the Aegean 600. Our flagship event, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, we trust will be able to proceed this September in Porto Cervo in near normal conditions. Here and at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez we will be joined by the J Class, a class formally affiliated with the IMA, as we await news of their next World Championship. The IMA’s membership remains healthy – a trend we hope will continue. We need maxi owners to support us so that we can support them! We remain extremely grateful for the generous long term and loyal support from our main sponsor Rolex and are pleased to welcome Credit Suisse as a further sponsor. We also thank the marine clothing company Code 0 for kitting out the IMA team in smart new gear. As usual I thank my hard-working and dedicated staff. Throughout the pandemic we have met weekly on Zoom but are greatly looking forward to seeing each other in person, as well as all maxi owner and sailors in the forthcoming season. We wish you an excellent season ahead.

February 2021 Andrew McIrvine IMA Secretary General

International Maxi Association Legal Headquarters: c/o BfB Société Fiduciaire Bourquin frères et Béran SA - 26, Rue de la Corraterie - 1204 Genève - Switzerland

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History of Maxi

Maxi Yachts was founded in 1970 by Swedish engineer and sailor Pelle Petterson. The company's origins are deeply rooted in Sweden, where Petterson combined his prowess in yacht design and competitive sailing to create high-quality, performance-oriented sailing yachts. Initially, Maxi Yachts gained a reputation for producing innovative and durable boats, which quickly became favourites among sailing enthusiasts for their ease of handling and robust construction.The early years of Maxi Yachts were marked by significant successes and expansions, with iconic models like the Maxi 77 and Maxi 95 defining the brand's commitment to excellence. Pelle Petterson's designs focused on a blend of performance, comfort, and reliability, which helped establish Maxi Yachts as a prominent name in the sailing community. The company's dedication to quality craftsmanship ensured that their boats were not only competitive on the racecourse but also highly sought after by cruising sailors.Today, Maxi Yachts remains a respected name in the world of sailing, though it's worth noting that the company has undergone various ownership and management changes over the years. The production of Maxi Yachts has shifted from its original base in Sweden, and the brand is now under the umbrella of the Swedish company Najad AB, which acquired Maxi Yachts in 2012. The production facilities and operations are integrated with Najad's resources, allowing Maxi Yachts to continue its tradition of creating exceptional sailing vessels while benefiting from shared expertise and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Which models do Maxi produce?

Maxi produce a range of boats including the Maxi 1100 , Maxi Dolphin 62 , Maxi Dolphin 67 and Maxi Dolphin 75 . For the full list of Maxi models currently listed on TheYachtMarket.com, see the model list in the search options on this page.

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Maxi manufactures a range of different types of boats. The ones listed on TheYachtMarket include Sloop , Cruiser , Racing boat , Aft cockpit and High performance boat .

How much does a boat from Maxi cost?

Used boats from Maxi on TheYachtMarket.com range in price from £16,000 GBP to £3,330,000 GBP with an average price of £576,000 GBP . A wide range of factors can affect the price of used boats from Maxi, for example the model, age and condition.

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Maxi Racing to the Max

• By Kimball Livingston
• February 21, 2023

Maxi racing in the Med is hot. Call it a lesson in the value of getting your act together. The game has grown and changed dramatically—and deliberately—with fleets of 50 as the new normal. Ten years ago, none of this was ensured. The secretary general of the International Maxi Association, Andrew McIrvine, tells us, “Rapid change was needed, or it was going to just die.”

How it didn’t “just die” is a story worth telling, and we lean on McIrvine for that. “The International Maxi Association was originally a social club for the owners of 80-footers. That generation was going out as I was invited in,” he says. “The racing had categories that were impossible to define, so people were always gaming it. What’s a racer-cruiser versus a cruiser-racer? And could we ever have effective class splits based on hull length?”

The answer to that, as proven, is no he says. “The categories are now performance-defined, using a single-number IRC rule that includes an accurate weight measurement, not a calculated weight. We photograph the interiors so we know who’s stripping them out. The database includes 155 boats, and it has checks on people who fly too close to the rules. That gives other people the confidence to come out and race.”

The 2023 Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge offers a series of six events, wrapping up in August with the Palermo-Montecarlo Race. That’s 500 miles from Sicily to the Champagne at Yacht Club de Monaco—not to forget the fly-through gate at Porto Cervo along the way and the option of leaving Corsica to port or to starboard. It’s a sporty race in a sporty calendar.

“I truly believe the IMA has made a difference. We’ve attracted a new, younger membership. We’ve added events, and the compass has expanded from the Med to the Caribbean . Whereas we used to have a big mini-maxi contingent and not many boats 80 to 100 feet, in 2022 we suddenly had 12 of the 80- to 100-foot maxis racing, and racing on proper terms. At least two of the current owners are building new boats, which I believe is the sign of a healthy class.

“Then there are the Maxi 72s that have all been modified outside the box they were designed for, but they still race together. They’re more optimized than the other boats, so no one outside their group wants to race against them—they’re a threat—but we can usually give them their own sandbox to play in.”’

And what of the Wallys that seems to have disappeared?

“We gave that up. Wallys come in different sizes, different speeds. I can’t think of a single case of twin Wallys. Now they’ve rejoined according to their ratings, and I think, frankly, the Wally era is over. Luca Bassani’s success with Wallys is such that all designers have copied his concept. When he started, big race boats were neither ergonomic nor pretty, and the decks were bristling with winches. If you go aboard any boat now, it looks like a Wally.

“You could also go the way of Rambler and Comanche, where you pay more and more money to be more and more uncomfortable. Down below, you’re sitting in a carbon-black hole (black because paint adds weight) beside an engine that runs to power the canting keel and the winches. On deck—and it’s true with the Maxi 72s—you find they are exhausting boats to sail because they’re fast upwind at steep angles only. They’re on the edges of the hull to keep the wetted surface to a minimum. The hulls are so wide at the stern, all the crew is hiked hard at the aft end of the boat. And then, in a tack, you’re going from 45 degrees to 45 degrees, and if you don’t get it right running across the deck, you’re in trouble. On a clean deck, there’s nothing to grab on to.”

Placing itself somewhere in between the extremes of the grand-prix set and the ­leaning cruisers, Nautor has a new ClubSwan 80 it’s touting as a one-design class. Loro Piana brought Hull No. 1 to the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup last year at Porto Cervo, and the boat performed well. Weighing the odds of developing a successful one-design, it’s worth remembering that the ClubSwan 50 had its skeptics, who were proven wrong. But the 80 is a take-no-prisoners statement. It’s a major turn for a company whose classic racing events feature boats with furniture. Now we’re talking all carbon with a canting keel, a tacking daggerboard, push-button controls, twin rudders, design by Juan K, and construction in Italy by Persico—very fashion-forward. I’m sure you had a look at that boat.

“It’s a fascinating project, and it looks extreme, but it has, theoretically, cruising potential,” McIrvine says. “Inside, it’s all black carbon—artfully crafted—accented with strips of mahogany veneer. No furniture, but you have the option of adding interior modules for cruising. And we shouldn’t overlook the carbon-fiber bidet in the owner’s head.”

Clearly, Nautor thinks the IMA has a good thing going, and it wants a bigger piece of it. Beyond rational class definitions, one very important thing is resonating, McIrvine says. The owners are driving.

“Our rule is critical, and we are strict about imposing it, with rest breaks allowed,” he says. “Generally, it takes a lifetime to amass the wealth to race a big boat. By the end of a day race, most owners are exhausted. Which is not to say that amateur drivers are on their own. An astonishing number of names you know show up to whisper, ‘A little higher, sir, a little lower.’ That keeps the standards high, and it’s a reminder that being a pro sailor is a dodgy profession. There are only 10 TP52s in the Med, for example, only nine SailGP teams in the world and five America’s Cup teams. However, we don’t restrict driving in the superyacht group at all.”

The other boat debuting at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup was FlyingNikka , which raised the concern of foiling monohulls threatening the order. “ Nikka showed that she can sail in the fleet safely, so at St. Tropez we put her in a class where her rating was absurd. The boat would do 35 knots in the right conditions, but they couldn’t keep her on foils going upwind. Tacks were agonizingly slow. What Roberto Lacorte is looking for is line honors in longer races.”

The venues where maxis can and now gather are also a draw. The Caribbean was the inevitable expansion opportunity beyond the Med, where it’s obvious that people like to go to St. Tropez, Capri, Sorrento, Giraglia and so on. Neither coast of the United States can accommodate such a fleet.

“Water depth is a huge challenge for race committees,” McIrvine says. “A lot of the Bay of Naples is 1,200 to 1,500 feet deep. Off St. Tropez it’s much, much deeper. We’re using MarkSetBot, which is promising. It’s not 100 percent reliable, but an upside beyond remote control is that you can’t wrap your keel around an anchor line because there is no anchor line [on a GPS‑directed robot mark].

“Our people are selective about where they choose to race. One owner told me it costs him $750,000 to take his boat, team and containers to Porto Cervo for five days. No one wants to spend that kind of money on a badly run regatta, so it’s a conservative bunch.

“The IMA has a small board of directors backed up by a dynamic, insightful team. IMA costs are supported by membership subscription except for Rolex, which has been fantastic. When I started with the IMA, the Rolex people told me, ‘We’ve been giving you money, but your people just put it in the bank.’ I said, ‘I’m sure I can fix that,’ and I have. There is a lot of travel now, a much more glam yearbook, a lot of publicity. About half the boats racing last year were flying the IMA flag.”

So, everything is coming up roses? “There are still supply-chain issues around securing building materials. Outside of maxi racing, the 30- to 40-foot range is falling off a cliff, except for shorthanded distance racing. Looking ahead, we still don’t know if we are in a recession or a hiccup, but in previous recessions, maxi racing has gone on, looking good for two or three years longer than you might expect. Then the boats stay on the dock.”

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What Is A Maxi Yacht?

Wondering what is a maxi yacht? This type of large sailing vessel is extremely popular in the Whitsunday Islands , which happens to be one of the world’s most breathtaking sailing destinations! So if you’re planning a boat trip through the Whitsundays , you may want to brush up on your knowledge of maxi yachts and consider hopping on one for your exploration of the Coral Sea!

A maxi yacht generally refers to a racing yacht that is over 21 or 22 meters in length (68-71 feet). Though they are often built and designed for racing, many maxis are converted into tour boats after their racing careers. But many maxis have fascinating histories, whether it’s competing in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race or taking on global sailing expeditions. 

Because these boats are built with premium materials and engineering processes, they have superior speed and sailing capabilities compared to other catamarans or power boats. A maxi yacht can cost millions of dollars to build and maintain, so you can be sure you’re stepping aboard a top-notch vessel when you hop onto a maxi! 

Maxi Boat Tours In The Whitsundays

If you’re looking for the ultimate sailing experience in the Whitsundays , a maxi yacht boat tour is the way to go. They are some of the fastest boats, meaning you can cover more ground and see more sights in less time. Most maxi tours are 2 nights, with either 2 or 3 days for exploring. So you’ll get to pack in so much sightseeing in the Whitsundays during your tour!

Super maxi yachts are also the most spacious options for boat tours in the Whitsundays. There are often extensive cabins and saloons that allow ample space for relaxing on board. Often carrying groups of around 20-30 passengers, you’ll have a fun, social experience aboard a maxi yacht. 

Check out our top maxi tours here!

Best Super Maxi Yachts in the Whitsundays

Once you’ve decided to board a maxi yacht for your Whitsunday adventure, you may be wondering what are the best super maxi boat tours to choose from. Here is a quick overview of the top maxi yachts where you can have the sailing experience of a lifetime in the beautiful Whitsunday Islands . 

All maxi sailing tours visit the iconic Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Lookout , as well as numerous marine life-rich snorkeling spots . They also include all food throughout the tour, and many are BYO alcohol. 

British Defender

British Defender is one of the most incredible maxis in the Whitsundays! At 77 feet long, this sturdy and spacious vessel was built in 1989 and has sailed all over the world. There are 3 bathrooms on board, each with a hot shower, as well as single and double bunks that can fit a total of 28 guests. 

As you sail to Whitehaven Beach and numerous excellent snorkeling spots over 2 day and 2 nights, passengers can get involved and help the crew with sailing! British Defender is also the only maxi in the Whitsundays with air-conditioning! If you’re visiting Tropical North Queensland during the hot summer months, you’ll definitely want that air-con so you can eat, sleep, and relax in comfort. 

British Defender is also available for private charter!

This 3-day, 2-night maxi tour is another one of the top sailing tours. Apollo has an extensive and successful racing history! This boat has won every major race on the east coast of Australia and is now one of the most comfortable tour boats in the Whitsundays. 

On your tour with Apollo, you’ll visit gorgeous local spots like Stonehaven Bay, Nara Inlet, Langford Reef, and of course, Whitehaven Beach . Apollo also offers the perfect balance of fun and relaxation. This 75-foot-long maxi has space for 26 guests, so you can make new friends but it’s not a party boat so you’ll be able to enjoy some serenity on your tour as well. After being fully refitted in 2022, Apollo is running better than ever!

Apollo is also available for private charter!

Siska offers a 2-day, 1-night tour that is the perfect social experience for young people ages 18-35. With only 24 guests on board, you’ll be able to make new friends without feeling too crowded on this luxurious maxi yacht. 

There is a spacious saloon with two dining tables, and an extensive awning that will provide some shady relaxation spots when anchored. Because Siska only runs for 2 days and 1 night, it’s a great overnight maxi tour for those who are short on time. But if you have at least 2 nights to spare exploring the Whitsundays, British Defender or Apollo are the ideal options!

Siska is also available for private charter!

Live chat with our travel experts or call us at +61 7 4914 2425 if you have any questions about planning your Whitsunday sailing trip!

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Six people missing, including british tech tycoon mike lynch, and one dead after tornado sinks luxury yacht off sicily.

Rescuers were on Monday searching for six people – including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch – who went missing after a luxury yacht was hit by a tornado and sank off the coast of Sicily, killing one of the 22 people on board.

The vessel was hit by the tornado at around 5 a.m. Monday, according to a spokesperson for Italy’s Coast Guard. The yacht was anchored about a half a mile from the port of Porticello on the Mediterranean island.

Four Britons and two Americans are among those missing, the spokesperson said.

A source told CNN that Lynch, the founder of software giant Autonomy, was a passenger on the yacht. The source spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Fifteen people were rescued, including Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares, and one child was airlifted to the children’s hospital in Palermo. Eight people were hospitalized in total, according to the mayor’s office. One body was found on the hull of the yacht, the Coast Guard said.

A small waterspout – one of several types of tornadoes – developed over the area Monday morning, according to a report from the European Severe Weather Database. Other strong storms across Sicily brought torrential rainfall late Sunday, dumping more than 4 inches (100 mm) of rain in less than four hours in Brolo, east of Palermo.

The weather forecast had warned of potential strong winds, with storms across the entire southern region of Italy Sunday, the Coast Guard spokesperson added.

One survivor, Charlotte, 35, described how she battled to hold onto her one-year-old daughter, Sofia, reported Italian news agency ANSA, as a barrage of waves sank the yacht.

“In two seconds I lost the baby in the sea, then I immediately hugged her again amidst the fury of the waves. I held her tightly, close to me, while the sea was stormy,” she told journalists. “Many were screaming.”

The captain is among the survivors, the spokesperson for Italy’s Coast Guard said.

The 56-meter yacht called the “Bayesian,” which flies under a British flag, had mostly British passengers and crew, in addition to two Anglo-French, one Irish and one Sri Lankan, the spokesperson told CNN. The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told CNN two of its citizens were involved in the incident, but were not among those still missing. The nationality of the dead person has not been disclosed.

The Italian fire brigade said its divers had reached the yacht’s hull 49 meters (160 feet) below sea level, according to a press statement. The brigade also dispatched helicopters to bolster the search operation.

The captain of a nearby boat said he turned on his engine to avoid crashing into the Bayesian, Reuters reported, as fierce gales swept the area.

“This morning we got this strong gust and we had to start the engine to keep the ship in an angled position,” he told reporters on Monday. “After the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone.”

The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is deploying a team of four inspectors to Palermo to conduct a preliminary assessment of the yacht, a source familiar with the operations told CNN. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not say when the team is expected to arrive in Sicily.

British tycoon among those missing

Lynch, the British entrepreneur missing from the yacht, had been plagued by legal woes since 2011 , when he sold his company to tech firm Hewlett-Packard (HP) for $11 billion.

In June, he was acquitted of fraud by a jury in San Francisco, after prosecutors accused him of trying to inflate Autonomy’s revenue in the latest chapter of the legal saga.

He turned ground-breaking research at Cambridge University into the foundation of Autonomy, which became Britain’s biggest software company and a member of the blue-chip FTSE 100 index.

Lynch was lauded by academics and scientists and asked to advise the British government on technology and innovation.

Ownership records held by maritime information service Equasis show that the yacht is owned by the Isle of Man-registered Revtom Limited company. Revtom Limited’s latest annual return from April lists Bacares as its owner.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s Catherine Nicholls, Benjamin Brown and Eve Brennan contributed reporting.

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