Flying yacht designed

Flying Yacht

When they get tired of sailing to windward on their Yelken Octuri-designed trimaran flying yacht the princes Aziz, Dawood & Hashim, corporate executives of the “Masqat Airways” air transport company, can fire up the four, dual-propellor Nissen & Brasseur engines and proceed through the air at speeds of up to 390 km/hour aboard this concept craft, according to the designer. The vessel sports four masts with 1302 sqaure meters of sail area that can convert to wings with sails retracted.

The Web site describes the process: Each mast can be individually oriented through a double-jack system that ensures an optimal positioning regardless of the wind direction. In order to transform into wings, the masts must be lowered into the horizontal position. The sails will then go to storage compartments located inside each mast. The four masts are lifted and lowered by a set of four shrouds set up on two central masts.

The Web site has many illustrations of the yacht in both sailing and flying trim, and discusses other concepts like a honeymoon space shuttle. Since 1997, Octuri has been an interior designer for an airplane manufacturer in Toulouse.

By Ocean Navigator