Since the shipyard was founded in 2015 by Michael Schmidt, YYachts models have been characterised by their ease of use. The lightweight carbon construction and long bowsprit show that the Y9 is also designed for sailing performance. The 55-tonner has 430 square metres of sail upwind and up to 859 square metres downwind with a gennaker. During the passage from Greifswald to the Mediterranean, the "Bella" captain logged 26 knots top speed and a distance of 240 nautical miles. As on the Y7, two people on deck should be enough, thanks to the push-button control of the sail systems and the fact that manoeuvring stress is avoided thanks to the self-tacking jib and a mainsail that can be sailed without backstays thanks to the narrow top. In addition, the cockpit is free of the mainsheet, which is attached to the fixed bimini between solar panels - true to YYachts' keep-it-simple philosophy: a yacht must be reduced to the essentials without compromising on comfort.
"Bella" is the first representative of a new small series, a 90-foot single-unit construction laid with "Prevail" in Greifswald as early as 2021. The Y9 also relies on lines by Bill Tripp, easily recognisable by the striking deckhouse. According to YYachts Managing Director Dirk Zademack, the creation of the Y9 can be traced back to several discussions with owners: "The customers were actually interested in a length of 100 feet. But in my experience, yachts above this size become disproportionately expensive because many customised components have to be installed. With our expertise, we have therefore realised the comfort of a 100-foot yacht in a length of 90 feet." The extra space results from the voluminous hull with a wide stern, into which the tender parks transversely. On "Bella", this is a Y-tender for the first time, a carbon cat with a length of 4.35 metres and only 230 kilograms. The air hose fills and empties via integrated pumps in just 45 seconds, reducing the width by 30 centimetres when empty. The Y-tender is powered conventionally via an outboard motor or electrically.
Five large windows on each side of the hull provide insights into the interior, which Norm Architects from Copenhagen and Design Unlimited from Lymington developed for the first Y9. The two design studios created a Scandinavian-elegant look that follows the principle of "soft minimalism"; oiled oak and grey fabrics and panels determine the colour palette. Katrine Goldstein, Managing Director of Norm Architects, says: "The Y9 follows the design of the already award-winning Y7, but is much more complex and goes deeper. It will be a luxurious retreat to unwind from the constant stimuli of everyday life." On "Bella", the owner's flat is located in the bow, and the spacious crews quarters are distributed accordingly at the stern. YYachts offers a total of five layout options for the Y9, three of which are based on an aft owner's suite.
Technical data "Bella"
- Length over everything: 29,71 m
- Waterline length:26,04 m
- Width:6,80 m
- Draught (fixed keel): 4,70 m
- Draught (telescopic keel):3,20-4,80 m
- Displacement:55 t
- Ballast:18,9 t
- Fuel tank:3.000 l
- Fresh water tank:2.000 l
- Motor:2x Volvo D4
- Mainsail:242 m²
- Self-tacking jib:188 m²
- Code Zero: 520 m²
- Gennaker:617 m²
- Class:RINA
- Exterior design: Tripp Design
- Interior design: Norm Architects/Design Unlimited
- Shipyard:Michael Schmidt Yachtbau GmbH
