Haute Yachts: Sail Away Aboard Marie

There’s something unmistakably romantic about seeing a sailing yacht slip over the horizon. There’s also something romantic about a yacht owner with a famous sailing yacht tapping the same design and build teams to create a new one. Such is the case with Marie, a 180-footer delivered over the summer. Built by Vitters Shipyard to engineering and interior design parameters by Hoek Design, Marie is the successor to Adèle, a same-size ketch delivered in 2005. But even though the new yacht bears the same hull design and sail plan, it is certainly a yacht with its own identity. And you can experience it yourself, as Marie is available for charter.

One of the things making Marie distinctive is the rich, deep black paint on her mast and hull. How many sailing yachts — or just yachts in general — can you think of that stand out this way? Guests who aren’t afraid of heights can ask the crew if they can get a ride up the mast in the crow’s nest. It rises 123 feet up Marie’s 187-foot-high mast.

Inside, more delights await. A baby grand piano takes center stage in the saloon. The owner enjoys inviting people to perform while onboard, so it makes sense that the instrument is prominently placed. If you can’t play the piano, never fear; it can be set to self-play mode.

More not-to-be-missed aspects of Marie’s interior: the owner’s collection of antique armor and firearms. Then there’s an antique mirror skylight directly above the dining table. Expertly crafted anigre wood lines the walls in every room, including the three guest staterooms and the master suite. And speaking of the master suite, it includes a steam room in the en suite bath, and the bedroom area yields access to a private cockpit.

As for performance, Marie should thrill sailing enthusiasts. In 20 knots of breeze, it should be capable of 17-knot speeds or better. Helping in this regard: 1,445 square meters (15,548 square feet) of sails. Imagine how those sails will look when Marie races in the Spirit of Tradition Class competitions in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, for which Andre Hoek, principal of Hoek Design, says the yacht was engineered.

Marie’s weekly charter rate in the Caribbean this winter is $215,000. Contact your favorite charter broker or Fraser Yachts, which holds the central listing.