The 88-metre three-master "Maltese Falcon" has been sailing the charter market for many years anyway, now also as part of the Jumeirah Privé collection. The strategic partnership with the Dubai hotel group relates to the marketing and service on board "Maltese Falcon". One key characteristic remains: the modern square sails. The 88-metre format was first launched in 2006 on the initiative of US investor Tom Perkins, who died in 2016.
"Maltese Falcon" was ahead of its time
Perkins took up the wheel-based sail system developed by German naval architect Wilhelm Prölss, who first presented it as a "dynamic rig" in the 1960s. The free-standing rig has since been developed with Dykstra Naval Architects under the brand name DynaRig. The 15 sails of "Maltese Falcon" extend at the touch of a button from the centre of each of the three 58-metre-long carbon masts to a total of 2,400 square metres, fully automatically and in just six minutes.
Although the spars of the yards look like the wings of a falcon in a dive, the species that gives it its name does not exist in nature. Peregrine falcons are indeed native to Malta, but Maltese Falcon is the name of a crime novel and its film adaptation. This curvature of the yards is precisely the reason why the "Maltese Falcon", unlike traditional square-rigged sailboats, manages angles of 40 degrees into the wind.
Part of a curated collection
From December 2025, the DynaRig pioneer will join Jumeirah Thanda Island as the second exclusive offering in the Jumeirah Privé portfolio. Her first voyage will depart from Antigua, after which she will sail seasonally between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Following crew training, the service will now achieve an impeccable 6-star rating. The chef was personally trained under the guidance of a three Michelin-starred Jumeirah master, and the wellness masseuse also contributed her "holistic expertise of the brand". Even the bed linen has been replaced with the finest, customised fabrics. The travel portfolio of the Jumeirah Group, which is owned by Dubai's ruling Al Maktum family, also includes the Burj Al Arab.
DynaRig initiative picks up speed
The rig of "Maltese Falcon" has proven to be reliable. Since commissioning 13 years ago, not a single structural part has been replaced, Damon Roberts told YACHT 2019 on board the 88-metre boat. As technical director of Magma Structures, he was responsible for production. Magma from the United Kingdom also supplied the sabre masts for "Sailing Yacht A" and the "Black Pearl".
At the end of 2020, the New Zealand mast builders from Southern Spars joined in, introducing the DynaRig brand name and setting up a production facility in the south of Poland. The halls near the town of Ustron can produce spars up to 80 metres long. Work is currently underway there on two masts for Greenpeace's new 75-metre ship, which is due to set sail in 2027 with 2,000 square metres of cloth. A similar system is being installed on a private Catamaran project (57 m) from Western Australia.
Latest overhaul of "Maltese Falcon"
"Maltese Falcon" doesn't look like she has almost 20 years on her keel. At the beginning of 2023, she completed an extensive refit at Lusben in Livorno. Since then, the hull has shone in the typical dark Perini-Navi blue instead of black. New generators and electronics, including navigation equipment, were installed on board, the galley was completely refurbished and the interior renovated.
The yacht can accommodate up to twelve guests and features a master suite that spans the entire width of the ship, a private deck on the flybridge with direct access to the terrace and four double cabins with en-suite bathrooms. Highlights include a three-storey atrium with skylight and curved staircase around the main mast as well as aOutdoor cinema. Jet skis, kayaks, jet surf boards, stand-up paddleboards and snorkelling equipment are available for water sports activities.
