The recently delivered sailing yacht from Finnish shipyard Baltic Yachts is the Baltic 108 WinWin. Measuring 33 metres in length, she features naval architecture and design by Javier Jaudenes and interior design by Mark Tucker and his team at Design Unlimited.
Her sleek lines were drawn by Javier Jaudenes, and she is built for two purposes: to either cruise comfortably with limited crew, or race aggressively fully-crewed at Maxi regattas. For these reasons, there was a strong emphasis on achieving minimal weight throughout the project while still having all the comforts on board. Amongst other methods of weight reduction, the hull and deck were laminated in pre-preg carbon sandwich with Corecell and Nomex cores.
She is equipped with a lifting keep, but also carries a retractable propulsion system (RPS), which reduces propeller drag in the quest for the highest possible performance when sailing.
A refinement of the system first used on a previous Baltic vessel, the Baltic 147, Visione, the fixed propeller has been optimised, resulting in lower fuel consumption and a quieter engine, whilst also proving more effective during reversing manoeuvres.
Elsewhere, the sleek superstructure encapsulates a long deck saloon, which is seamlessly connected to a single-level cockpit via the pushbutton retractable glass bulkhead. This bulkhead drops down discreetly, ensuring an uninterrupted transition between interior and exterior.
The spacious cockpit features a sunbathing platform on either side, and provides an excellent area for fast, efficient manoeuvres while racing, and a large enough space to enjoy the best of al fresco dining. The crew entrance located aft ensures quietness and privacy for the owner and his guests.
Good sound insulation and minimum weight were both highly prioritised when designing and constructingWinWin, and several methods have been used to achieve both. These include the optimisation of the Hull/ deck/ bulkheads/ structural laminates to save weight; the lamination of the keel trunk in-house to keep weight to a minimum; the use of natural cork cored sandwich panels for both non-structural and interior panels to achieve better acoustic damping; and carbon / foam / rubber-cork cored floor panels as a result of the engineering collaboration between Baltic Yachts and Van Cappellen Consultancy. Other noise and weight reducing techniques included the use of titanium in many fittings, amongst other methods. The final figures for the boat are a light displacement of just 77,400kg, of which 30,600kg is ballast.
The modern yet functional interior was designed by Mark Tucker and his team at Design Unlimited. The forward section is mostly taken up by a generous master suite comprising of a large, full-width cabin with en-suite shower room, and a study and owners’ lounge stretching down the port side complete with desk, three-sided settee and ample storage. Facing that across the centreline is a Pullman cabin for the owners to use when passage making, demonstrating that this yacht is intended for serious sailing.
The deck saloon is a well-proportioned seating and entertaining area with plenty of light, not least as a result of the retracting glass bulkhe
ad that leads out to the cockpit.
The aft section of the boat includes two twin guest cabins each with en-suite, plus a fully-equipped galley, crew mess with navigation station, and two Pullman cabins providing high-quality accommodation for up to four crew.
In keeping with the brief for a light, minimalist finish, the interior uses washed and limed oak veneers for the floors and interior joinery, while white high-gloss painted lacquered overheads aid in reflecting light throughout. Concealed light panels help maintain the atmosphere of clean simplicity.
This year Baltic Yachts is delivering two new builds, a 108 and 116 footer, along with the re-launching ofNariida, the 105 ft Wally that has been in for a refit this winter. In production Baltic Yachts have a 115 and a 175 foot project alongside the new 130 foot project and the Lifecycle Service department.
She was delivered from the shipyards’ facilities earlier this year, where she then headed to the Canary Islands. She will be spending her first winter in the Caribbean.
