The evolution of pieces of steel and other materials to a sailing masterpiece is always a joy to witness. Many would have seen this transformation and seen the near finished product when the sail yacht Helios was launched. She was launched about three and three quarter months ago at the end of August. Helios was launched on the 29th of August 2007 to be exact. Helios was known as the build number C.2099.
Helios features a beautifully finished fiery red hull colour with a contrasting white superstructure. The underwater hull is painted in a black non-glossed colour with a white pinstripe boot. The gleaming white superstructure features a main saloon area and interior navigation station while the upper level boasts a prominent fly bridge.
Large wrap around darkly tinted windows allow a wealth of natural light inwards. A dark low-level wind and privacy visor on the fly bridge compliments the dark windows. In the hull, sizable rectangular windows serve as the lower deck’s connection to the outside world. On the main deck, bold, highly polished stainless steel railings secure the perimeter of the Helios.
The exterior deck surfaces are all finished in teak, a luxury hallmark. If you make your way towards the foredeck of the Helios, you will find a large cavity. This cavity has been purposely incorporated into the foredeck to house the yacht’s main tender. Along the gently curved passage ways on either side, one can make their way to the stern. Once there, an abundance of sheltered seating will be evident.
Wide ‘U’-shaped seating can be provided when the cushions are brought out. There is a generous and centrally placed stairs that dissects the seating in half. This gives alternate access to the open stern region of the Helios. Loungers and chairs or tables can be placed on the open stern or one can simply lean on the sturdy stainless steel railings and watch the scenery pass by.
Helios rests on the smaller realm of Perini Navi’s recent construction but none the less, she looks a wonderful vessel. At only 45 meters long, she is a sloop rigged sail yacht aimed at blending sail performance with the ability to provide a highly luxurious environment for the owner and 12 charter guests alike.
While on the topic of sail performance, Helios has a single mast that stretches 171 feet tall. A total of sail area of 12,819.8 square feet of sail is attached to this mast. This includes the main sail and the two roller furlers on the fore. Her engine performance gives a maximum speed of around 13 knots. This is possible by using 1 x CAT C32 1276 Cv engine.
The naval architecture of the Helios was executed in collaboration Perini Navi and Ron Holland. On the other hand, the interior was solely done by Ron Holland and his design studio. The builder of the Helios is none other than Perini Navi at their Viareggio yard in Italy. She was built to comply with a series of classifications and these include: ABS: Malta cross A1 Yachting Service - AMS + MCA.
Here are some detailed statistics on the steel hulled and aluminum superstructure Helios:
LOA 148 ft / 45 M
LWL 121 ft / 36.99 M
Beam 32 ft / 9.73 M
Draught 12.8 ft / 3.90 M (Keel up)
Draught 28.7 ft / 8.75 M (Keel down)
Hull Steel
Superstructure Aluminium
Maximum displacement 358 t
Gross registered tonnage 340 t
Engines 1 x CAT C32 1276 Cv
Speed 13 knots (Max)
Guests 12
Naval Architecture Perini Navi & Ron Holland
Interior Ron Holland
Yard Viareggio, ITA
For more information, travel to the Perini Navi website at:
http://www.perininavi.it/galleria.cfm?IdBarca=41# http://www.perininavi.it 
Linear Mode
