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M5 (ex Mirabella V) restyled by Pendennis Shipyard
M5 's stern was remodeled at the pendennis shipyard in falmouth, uk and completed her sail trials successful..
M5 was originally built in 2004 as Mirabella V . Until she is still the largest sloop with over 75 meters (length of the hull) and an almost 90 meters long mast.
Designed and manufactured by Carbo-Link with OYS making the fittings, the 34 new carbon fiber stays, and titanium fittings with built-in dynamic fiber optics have decreased the weight of the rig by 18 tons. The sail trials not only established the M5 ‘s potential speed but tested the new system and balance of the yacht under sail for the first time. During several hours on the water with challenging sea conditions, the remodeled boat performed well, reaching 17.7 knots in 18-23 knots of wind.
![sailing yacht mirabella 5 M5 Yacht ex Mirabella V](https://yachtemoceans.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/superyacht-m5-uai-258x145.jpg)
The project, due to be completed over the next month, has seen a collaboration between Pendennis and the original designer Ron Holland , to achieve the Owners idea of extending the stern by 3m which has created a new sleeker profile providing an impressive aft deck area. During the refit, Pendennis has completed extensive engineering works and the interiors have been redesigned by UK company Redman Whiteley Dixon .
![sailing yacht mirabella 5 M5 Yacht ex Mirabella V](https://yachtemoceans.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Side-profile-comparison-uai-258x133.jpg)
M5 carries now a water plane on aft deck
Stepping the huge mast
Close to the wind when she was MIRABELLA V
Main Specifications of Sailing Yacht M5
Vosper Thornycroft | |
75.22 m (pre-remodel) / 77.6m (post-remodel) | |
14.82 | |
10 m | |
Ron Holland | |
Ron Holland | |
Redman Whitely Dixon | |
Composite - Eglass | |
2004 |
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Mirabella V sailing yacht becomes M5 and checks in for major refit
Mirabella V , the largest sailing sloop in the world - and fifth largest sailing yacht - has arrived at the Pendennis Plus yard in Falmouth, UK to start a year-long refit. Now renamed M5 by her new owner, who bought the yacht from Joe Vittoria last June, the 75.2m yacht is being adapted inside and out to suit his needs.
M5 will have a 3 metre stern extension, giving her a larger bathing platform, and a side boarding platform installed. The structural fabrication of the composite stern will be undertaken by Green Marine with support from structural engineers High Modulus, while her original naval architect Ron Holland will be steering all the structural improvements.
Her interior will also undergo a transformation with original interior designers Redman Whiteley Dixon involved in the redesign of the main and lower decks in a contemporary style.
The refit will also see the main engines, generators, switchboards and sewage treatment plant replaced and the air-conditioning system, electrics and entertainment system upgraded. A 10 year DNV survey will complement these works. The yacht's 90m mast, which is being removed ahead of the structural work, will be overhauled along with the rig, and she will also have a full hull repaint.
The yacht’s captain, Rocka Romke, has explained the process behind the selection of the British-based team: 'The team assembled for the works are testament to the quality of the workforce and facilities available in the UK. Of course Ron Holland is very familiar with the yacht and is perfectly positioned enhance its appearance whilst remaining sympathetic to the original design. Both Pendennis Plus and Redman Whiteley Dixon have established reputations as being amongst the best in their fields with experience in both the large yacht and sailing yacht sectors. I believe the collaboration between these parties will elevate M5 to be one of the most impressive and original sailing yachts in the world both in structure and style.'
Once her refit has been completed in 2013, M5 's new owner plans to cruise her extensively, but she may yet return to the charter market.
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- Yachting World
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Historic launch of world’s largest sloop, Mirabella V
![sailing yacht mirabella 5 Yachting World](https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2019/08/YACHTING-LOGO-BLACK-240-square-200x200.jpg)
- November 27, 2003
David Glenn joined the crowds thronging the banks of the River Itchen to watch the world's largest sloop Mirabella V emerge from VT's Woolston yard, the last yacht to launch from this famous ship-building site
The much awaited and considerably delayed launch of Joe Vittoria’s 247ft (75.20m), £30 million, Mirabella V, the world’s largest sloop, took place at the VT shipyard at Woolston in Southampton today in front of hundreds of people lining the banks of the River Itchen.
Due down the ways at 1200 GMT after Vittoria’s wife Luciana had released the traditional bottle of christening champagne, the 500-ton composite hull, minus its 150-ton lifting keel, had to be given a nudge with a hydraulic ram to set it off along its greased wooden slipways.
Mirabella V should have been launched some six months ago and the tallow that had been put in place between the runway and the wooden cradle, in which the yacht sat, had hardened over time causing a 15-minute delay.
The event was historic in more ways than one. Not only is Mirabella V the largest sloop in the world but it is the last vessel ever to be launched at VT’s Woolston yard which has been sold and will shortly be demolished. According to VT’s press officer Phil Rood more than 600 ships have been launched from this site in the company’s 100 years history. “It seems fitting that the last vessel to go down the ways is the biggest of her type. It’s an historic moment.”
As we stood watching and waiting for the massive hull to slide into a sun-bathed Itchen River following a night of storms, a great cheer from the 250 VT ship workers and Joe Vittoria’s guests signalled the moment had arrived and the gleaming, white painted hull slid effortlessly towards us. Her broad stern created more of a wave than a splash but the precision operation went smoothly with only inches to spare either side of the hull. Divers were sent down to remove the cradle still attached to the hull and then Mirabella was shepherded alongside a nearby wharf by tugs.
Mirabella V will be towed to Portsmouth on Sunday 30 November where she will be moored alongside in the Naval dockyard to have the steel fin of her lifting keel lowered into its casing through an opening in the deck. She will then be floated into a flooded dry dock on the floor of which will be the bulb of the 150-ton keel. The dock will then be drained, the steel encapsulated bulb offered up to the fin and the two sections welded together. If observers think the hull of this extraordinary yacht is impressive, wait until they see the mast. The 285ft (87m) carbon fibre tube is still in the Porchester yard of Halmatic (owned by VT) where is was constructed but it will shortly be taken on a barge to Empress dock in Southampton where it will take a team of riggers two weeks to dress it during December. The standing rod rigging from Ocean Yacht Services, weighs 15 tonnes alone and each Bamar furler for the headsails more than 3.5 tons each. As John Channon of Bamar said: “Every job needed to dress the mast will take a team!” The plan is to step the mast between Christmas and the New Year. Nobody can be quite sure when the first sailing trials will take place but the most optimistic prediction is late January 2004. Certainly by February or March Mirabella V will be preparing for her first outing and Yachting World and yachtingworld.com will be there to record yet another remarkable moment in sailing history.
Mirabella V is owned by Joe Vittoria who sold the car rental company Avis Inc in 1987 after becoming chairman and CEO. Together with Mirabella C and Mirabella 111C, both sailing yachts of more than 130ft (40m), he will charter Mirabella V to a maximum of 12 guests who will pay US$250,000 a week for the yacht. Mirabella V’s first charter obligation will be the Cannes film festival in May and next winter she will head for the Caribbean.
Transportation History
Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
2003: The Launch of the World’s Largest Single-Masted Yacht
![sailing yacht mirabella 5](https://transportationhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/mirabella_v_at_rinia.jpg?w=1400)
November 27, 2003
The yacht Mirabella V was launched at the VT shipbuilding company’s shipyard at Woolston in the city of Southampton in southeastern England. With a length of more than 245 feet (74.7 meters) and a height of 290 feet (88.5 meters), Mirabella V is the largest single-masted yacht (sloop) ever built.
The designer of Mirabella V was Ronald John Holland, a naval architect who has specialized in the design of large sailing yachts. Mirabella V was built by VT specifically for Joseph Vittoria, who served as chairman and CEO of the Avis car rental company from 1987 to 1997 and helped facilitate that company’s acquisition by Hospitality Franchise Systems, Inc. Vittoria had Mirabella V created as part of his fleet of charter yachts, and he named her after previous vessels that he owned. Vittoria had developed a love for sailing while growing up in Long Island and working as a “launch boy” at a yacht club in the village of Sea Cliff on the western region of that island.
Hundreds of people lined up along the banks of River Itchen to watch the launch of Mirabella V. After Vittoria’s wife Luciana christened Mirabella V with a bottle of champagne, a hydraulic ram helped push the yacht down the wooden slipways and into the water.
“The event was historic in more ways than one,” reported Yachting World magazine. “Not only is Mirabella V the largest sloop in the world but it is the last vessel ever to be launched at VT’s Woolston yard, which has been sold and will shortly be demolished.” Phil Rood, VT’s press officer, told Yachting World that more than 600 ships had been launched at that location during the company’s 100-year existence. Rood also noted, “It seems fitting that the last vessel to go down the ways is the biggest of her type. It’s an historic moment.” Mirabella V remained a part of Vittoria’s fleet until 2013, when she was acquired by a new owner and renamed M5.
For more information on M5 (formerly Mirabella V), please check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirabella_V
Additional information on this yacht’s 2003 launch is available at https://www.yachtingworld.com/mirabella-v/historic-launch-of-worlds-largest-sloop-mirabella-v-38969
Photo Credit: ArnoWinter (Creative Commons)
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
M5 is a sloop -rigged super yacht launched in 2003 as Mirabella V. She is the largest single-masted yacht ever built. Ownership. Mirabella V was built as part of a fleet of large sailing yachts used for luxury private charters by Joseph Vittoria, former Chairman and CEO of the Avis car rental company.
MARVELLOUS M5. On board M5, the largest single-masted sailing yacht in the world. A massive sailing yacht refit for an aviator with a need for speed - Marilyn Mower discovers a project that combines pragmatism and ambition in perfect measure that came to create M5. BRADLEY WENTZEL.
The sail trials not only established the M5‘s potential speed but tested the new system and balance of the yacht under sail for the first time. During several hours on the water with challenging sea conditions, the remodeled boat performed well, reaching 17.7 knots in 18-23 knots of wind.
Designed by Ron Holland and built by VT Shipbuilding in the UK in 2004, the 75.2 Mirabella V is the world's largest sailing sloop and currently the fifth largest sailing.
Mirabella’s reacher at 20,450ft2 (1,900m2) will be the biggest sail in the world and will be made by Doyle Sailmakers, who have been commissioned for three sails, including a working jib.
The Sailing Yacht M5, originally known as Mirabella V, is the world’s largest single-masted yacht. The yacht is powered by two Caterpillar marine engines, reaching top speeds of 14 knots. The SY M5 was designed by renowned yacht designer Ron Holland and constructed under the supervision of High Modulus Europe Ltd.
Mirabella V, the largest sailing sloop in the world - and fifth largest sailing yacht - has arrived at the Pendennis Plus yard in Falmouth, UK to start a year-long refit.
Together with Mirabella C and Mirabella 111C, both sailing yachts of more than 130ft (40m), he will charter Mirabella V to a maximum of 12 guests who will pay US$250,000 a week for the yacht.
The yacht Mirabella V was launched at the VT shipbuilding company’s shipyard at Woolston in the city of Southampton in southeastern England. With a length of more than 245 feet (74.7 meters) and a height of 290 feet (88.5 meters), Mirabella V is the largest single-masted yacht (sloop) ever built.
Guests will also be able to sail small yachts, enjoy remote controlled replicas of the Mirabella V, ride jet skis and have their own 29 ft motor launch ? all carried in a garage at the stern of the vessel.