Aquijo: The World’s Largest Ketch

Aquijo was launched in January, 2016, in the Netherlands and has already gone through her 5-year refit.  Her lifting keel is the largest ever designed, at 484,000 lbs. (220 tons) of lead, with a minimum draught of 17’ (5.2m) and maximum of 38’ (11.6m).

Her carbon fiber main and mizzen masts are 298’ (91 m) tall, and hoist sails that are 11,840 sq ft. (1,100 m2) each. Adding in the headsail, she has a sail area of 34,950 sq. ft. (3,247 m2). By comparison a regulation baseball infield is 8,100 sq. ft. (752 m2).

This is the Jacuzzi in the aft spa which has water tight doors for use while underway.

The master stateroom is on the main deck. Note the curved sliding glass doors.

Rather than having one huge salon, the owner wanted several smaller, more intimate places for conversation.

The on-deck Jacuzzi and lounge just abaft the mainmast, the most comfortable place on deck.

One of the 6 guest staterooms. The vessel sleeps 12 guests plus the owners (and crew).

Al fresco dining for 12, plus 6 seats at the bar. Inside is formal dining for 22.

Aquijo was designed by American Bill Tripp for German industrialist Juergen Grossman, the founder of GMH Groupe, a low-CO2 steel maker using electric arc furnaces with 100% scrap steel. It has 6,000 employees and € 2 billion in annual sales.

Aboard Aquijo to make raising the enormous sail area possible, sophisticated reefing and sail handling systems have been developed. In-boom furling systems allow the main and mizzen sails to be furled or unfurled at the same time, according the designer. Custom built carbon and aluminum 40-ton winches control the sheets and halyards.

A Remarkable Bill Tripp Design

Bill Tripp, who splits his time between Connecticut and Amsterdam, says, “When we go head to wind we hoist the main and the mizzen together, and I’d say on average that’s a six minute process. Then once they’re up, you just bear off, and roll out the jib – 30 seconds say. And then you’re off, you have three sails up, and you’re only thinking about those three sails. It means going sailing is pretty easy.”

When sailing at this scale, maneuvers take a degree of forward planning. “Because we have a staysail, and a heavy weather jib, we have to furl the big jib when tacking,” explains Tripp.

“Vitters (the Dutch builder along with Oceanco) organized a system that keeps a nice amount of tension on the jib sheets furling in and out so that they are not flailing about. It’s not a dinghy tack, but it is safe and orderly. The spinnaker is on a fast furler and furls up in 30 seconds, making gybes less complex.” According to the builder, she is built to function at up to 20° of heel.  Aquijo’s hull has been tested to withstand the full force of rigging and keel, including mast compression and the effects of her 220 ton keel in a knock-down situation. Vitters custom designed a steering system to give direct feedback of the hydrodynamic pressure on the rudders to the twin wheels to create the elusive sailing ‘feel’.

In summing up the essence of the vessel, Bill Tripp said. “On a boat like Aquijo it’s the use of it, and the feeling you get. It’s not about fine wines or great speaker systems, it’s about bringing you to things you wouldn’t otherwise experience.”

FYI -- She is available for charter for $550,000 per week.