Dynarig makes a comeback
Perini Navi, Dykstra Naval Architects and Magma Structures have announced a new joint venture named Falcon Rig. The three companies were behind the 289ft (88m) Perini Navi Maltese Falcon, which has three radical, unstayed rotating Dynarigs. The yacht was commissioned by the late Tom Perkins in 2003.
Following its launch three years later,
Maltese Falcon proved to be a breakthrough design, combining reliability with ease of handling. But since then, only the 2016-built
350ft (107m) Black Pearl, which also uses freestanding carbon rigs built by Magma Structures in the UK, has adopted a similar rig.
The three companies have now pooled resources in the Falcon Rig enterprise, as they believe this technology could convince superyacht owners to choose sail over power.
The combination of complex and highly loaded sheets and running rigging associated with modern yachts deters potential owners, they say, whereas this solution combines performance and efficiency with simplicity.
The Dynarig is a push-button affair involving no massive loads. Sails furl out of the yardarms in a similar fashion to tall ship rigs but without the same quantity of running rigging. It has allowed the owners and charterers of Maltese Falcon to spend 80% of their time under sail, making it a more sustainable prospect.
Maltese Falcon has completed 16,000 individual sail sets and over 100,000 hours of sail usage, and made two transatlantic crossings using no fuel. Its push-button simplicity means it can, and does, sail short hops from bay to bay.
“Bringing our expertise to the new Falcon Rig collaboration, we hope to pave the way for sailing yachts to be sailed more easily, more often and safer,” says Thys Nikkels, managing director of Dykstra Naval Architects.
Perini Navi has unveiled a series of 184-302ft (56-92m) designs with Falcon Rigs. It says it has a letter of intent to build the 92m yacht (which would be Perini’s largest ever sailing vessel).
The rig technology is available for other yards and designers to adopt.