Preben Nyeland
04/01/2005
The waterfront skyline in Antibes, France, reached new
heights – nearly 152 feet, that is – with the arrival of Canica. Her
towering, five-spreader titanium mast eclipsed the other sailing yachts moored
around her.
Built just 150 miles south of the Polar Circle at Baltic
Yachts in Bosund, Finland, the 141-foot Canica is the company’s second
largest vessel and a big step up for the owner, whose previous boat was a
Baltic 73. The project was originally conceived to be 130 feet, but was
extended by architecture team Judel and Vrolijk to incorporate everything the
owner wanted, including five staterooms and a six-person sauna.
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The real challenge, however, was matching performance to her size. The goal was to limit Canica’s displacement to half that of similar-sized sailboats while containing her draft in order to ensure access to ports around the world. More than 100 configurations were evaluated before the team settled on a high-tensile stainless steel fin on a lifting keel with a draft range of 3.5 to 5.85 meters, a 50-ton lead bulb and a titanium-and-carbon fiber rudder.
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Aft, alfresco dining and seating
cockpits are separated by the helm. Photograph by Carlo Borlenghi. (Click image to enlarge)The sandwich-core hull employs pre-preg construction using foam, balsa and carbon fiber inside layers of Kevlar on a beam of just over 27 feet. In their zealous quest to reduce weight, the designers even cut holes in the stainless steel deck blocks and sheet tracks. The engineering choices produced a performance machine that displaces 50 to 70 tons less than comparable, traditionally constructed vessels.
Canica’s sail complement includes a non-overlapping 110-percent jib, a smaller furling jib on an inner stay that flies 50 percent of the area of the larger one, and a furling Code Zero designed for very light reaching conditions. The mainsail is relatively large and features a furling boom. The rigging is all electronically controlled from the helm and allows Canica to achieve 17 knots, two knots faster than her cruising speed when powered by her 1,000-hp Caterpillar V12 engine.
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The foredeck is a clean sweep interrupted only by two stainless steel Dorado ventilators. All eight hatches are flush with the deck, creating a broad expanse for topside socializing. The aft area includes seating for 12 at twin tables that flank the salon entrance. A large folding spray hood, hidden and in plane with the coach roof, protects the companionway to the salon. The aft entry to the owner’s cabin is similarly protected, and its hood shelters a recessed seating area for 10. The yacht’s transom opens hydraulically to reveal dinghy stowage and a swim platform.
Belowdecks, designer John Munford’s interior scheme is simple and classical, using rich Honduras mahogany to link the open floor plan. In fine Finnish tradition, Baltic’s cabinetmakers made exquisite use of the wood, creating raised-panel joinery, eye-catching inlays in the formal dining table and rounded edges and corners throughout. A high-gloss varnish brings it all to life. "The interior reflects the airiness of the mezzanine-deck salon," said Munford. "The raised navigation and casual dining area give ideal, panoramic views, whereas the forward lowered area provides a lofty, cosseted environment for dining and relaxed seating."
The salon and pilothouse sit atop the engine room and feature a casual dining area for six to starboard and a nav station to port. Two steps down is the formal dining room and an entertainment area appointed with comfortable sofas for watching TV.
Three of the five ensuite cabins lie aft. The portside master suite includes a writing desk, vanity and direct access to the sauna. Starboard are the kids’ twin cabin and the captain’s quarters. Forward of the generous salon are double and twin guest suites, crew quarters for four, a crew mess and the galley.
Baltic ably met its challenge, producing a highly functional sailing yacht that is fast, yet extremely livable – which Canica proved during the 18,000 nautical miles she covered during her first seven months sailing the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.
Contact Baltic Yachts at 358 6 781 9200. www.balticyachts.fi
| Yacht Name: | Canica |
| Yacht Type: | Sail Yacht |
| Draft Up: | 11' 6" (3.51m) |
| Draft Down: | 19' 2" (5.84m) |
| LOA (Actual length): | 141' (42.98m) |
| LWL (Length of water line): | 117' 4" (35.76m) |
| Displacement: | 17.2 (light) tons |
| Power: | 1,000-hp Cat V12 |
| Beam: | 27' 3" (8.31m) |