World's Largest Sailing Yacht A

[JJ77]

American yacht design;


Isobel!

[Souzag818]

I gotta go with the consensus...that is the ugliest boat I've ever seen. It's not even a pretty motor yacht(which is what it really is...)

[Steadman Uhlich]

Another famous ship with a higher stern and high sides: "Mayflower."

[Franziska]

That was probably the brief. ;-)

[jimbunyard]

Well...if memory serves, believe that is called a 'poop deck' and actually serves a purpose, namely preventing the ship from getting 'pooped', or swamped by following seas...notice too that the 'Mayflower' has a raised structure at the bow to help deflect waves.

So while it seems unlikely that 'A' will be pooped, the deck at the stern is quite the opposite of a poop deck. In fact, from a seaworthyness (that dreaded term here at CF) point of view, with the sugarscoop bow and relatively open stern; if the vessel did get in trouble and take on water, the lack of a true poop deck could actually be a failure mode...

One more strike against it, this time from a beautiful-because-of-fitness-for-purpose standpoint.



(Apologies to those tired of seeing it)

[Polux]

That big monstrosity that give origin to this thread is not the biggest sailing yacht, it is the biggest motor sailor.

I can't wait they finish building this one, that besides being the biggest sailing yacht (after being built) it is certainly not a motorsailor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isbl0sT77Tg

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

It is generally true for most areas of design not just yachts. For example the last burst of creative innovation in the US auto industry was in the 50s with fin tails, fiberglass bodied Corvettes, etc. And in the home goods category - furniture, small appliances, etc. I don't believe there was ever any burst at all. It's been European led since the beginning and later influenced by the Japanese. American toasters, coffee makers, washing machines etc were always ugly and visually unappealing (but sturdier) siblings of its European, and later Japanese, counterparts. The first thing one notices coming over here from Europe is that most older American home appliances (when they were still built and designed in US) look like they belong in a factory or institutional setting where looks don't matter. It's gotten a little better in the past few years but not from native pressure for better looks but despite of it. It was always function over form in US and form over function over in Europe. So may be that's what draws someone to pay $1.5mil for that Schulz boat.

American coffee maker.



Italian coffee maker.



Same with the boat design.

So.. I recently got the leading coffee maker, hand made in Holland, and for a filter machine, expensive at $300 ish.

I dont find it so much attractive as functional for the job of making perfect coffee.

I believe the ability to bring water to 204F and make a pot of coffee in 6 minutes dictated the housing that would contain a solid copper heater and the type of water flow required to do a proper coffee extraction.

Some boat designs are like that. The designers ideas are dictated by usage and functionality. SOme designers are better at prettiness than others.

Would I swap this coffee maker for a cosmetically prettier one? Heck no!

Edit addition. Also the comparison in design in the two photos above are for a filter machine and an espresso machine. Two different types of coffee and therefore two different designs.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Polux

That big monstrosity that give origin to this thread is not the biggest sailing yacht, it is the biggest motor sailor.

I can't wait they finish building this one, that besides being the biggest sailing yacht (after being built) it is certainly not a motorsailor:

WOW!... that really is special.

Thanks Polux, is she under construction, if so..where?

[Island Time O25]

Weavis, your coffee maker is much more closer to the Italian one I've posted and seems both functional and attractive. Exactly what I was talking about. BTW most Euro design coffee makers, even non-espresso types, brew tastier cup of coffee than your stock Hamilton Beach one. Being a coffee nut I'm always looking for that perfect cup, even if from a lowly drip maker (IMO worse machine to make coffee from). So far the only drip maker which result I actually like, as opposed to just tolerate, is Braun, which I believe is a German brand but now owned by P&G as a legacy owner from Gillette.


Also as far as Mayflower is concerned we forget the story behind that ship. The Puritans chartered not the best or the latest of ships but the one they could barely afford. Thus they got the ugly duckling and terrible sailor of their time. Their deep physical discomfort during the voyage is well documented. Not that other ships would've been much better in that department but Mayflower was pretty bad even by contemporary standards. They reached New England (not even their destination) not because of it but despite of it.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

It is generally true for most areas of design not just yachts. For example the last burst of creative innovation in the US auto industry was in the 50s with fin tails, fiberglass bodied Corvettes, etc. And in the home goods category - furniture, small appliances, etc. I don't believe there was ever any burst at all. It's been European led since the beginning and later influenced by the Japanese. American toasters, coffee makers, washing machines etc were always ugly and visually unappealing (but sturdier) siblings of its European, and later Japanese, counterparts. The first thing one notices coming over here from Europe is that most older American home appliances (when they were still built and designed in US) look like they belong in a factory or institutional setting where looks don't matter. It's gotten a little better in the past few years but not from native pressure for better looks but despite of it. It was always function over form in US and form over function over in Europe. So may be that's what draws someone to pay $1.5mil for that Schulz boat.

American coffee maker.



Italian coffee maker.



Same with the boat design.

NaH, very old Italian design. Right now they are like that

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Polux

NaH, very old Italian design. Right now they are like that

That's exactly my point. You take an old American design and it looks dated. But your run of the mill Italian design of similar vintage still looks contemporary. Like this one. And it actually looks even better up close. Like a little work of art.

[a64pilot]

Yes but the old Italian ones didn't work, something that maybe the new ones don't either.
I'm a form follows function guy myself, it looks like it does cause it works best that way.
"Art" has for the most part eluded me, I wouldn't give you a nickel for a Picasso, except to resell it, same for that US guy who painted soup cans, Warhall?

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Yes but the old Italian ones didn't work, something that maybe the new ones don't either.
I'm a form follows function guy myself, it looks like it does cause it works best that way.
"Art" has for the most part eluded me, I wouldn't give you a nickel for a Picasso, except to resell it, same for that US guy who painted soup cans, Warhall?

I have the opposite experience. I have a bunch of Italian stove top coffee makers many from the 50s and 60s. All still work perfectly and produce exquisite cups of coffee. Periodically I do have to hunt for the right size rubber seals but often end up making them myself. And most seals which go bad look like they were original. Wish Italian cars lasted that long or even worked as well - a rant from a former Maserati owner . When I sold it for parts I did keep this, IMO unbelievably great looking timepiece.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Yes but the old Italian ones didn't work, something that maybe the new ones don't either.
I'm a form follows function guy myself, it looks like it does cause it works best that way.
"Art" has for the most part eluded me, I wouldn't give you a nickel for a Picasso, except to resell it, same for that US guy who painted soup cans, Warhall?

In what regards coffee machines it is hard to beat the Italians. Their machines make the best coffee.

Close, Warhol, Andy
and not only soup cans:

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by Polux

That big monstrosity that give origin to this thread is not the biggest sailing yacht, it is the biggest motor sailor.

I can't wait they finish building this one, that besides being the biggest sailing yacht (after being built) it is certainly not a motorsailor:

Watch from the 5:00 min mark and please explain how the pool becomes a helicopter pad and how any pilot could land there so close to the mast and boom.

Also on deck boat storage forward would be a lot less clean looking once everything is in place.