Story
The 47.5m high performance aluminium motor-sailer, MITseaAH, was the first superyacht to combine the ability to perform well under sail with the high performance of a semi-displacement motor yacht under power. Desiring both the feel of a large sailboat and the 25-knot speed of his current motor yacht, MITseaAH’s Owner inspired designers Liebowitz & Pritchard and naval architect David Pedrick to think radically. Liebowitz sought a balance between sailing yacht lines and the volume needed for luxurious motor yacht accommodation and performance machinery, while Pedrick developed the naval architecture. Pedrick proposed a planing hull form for a relatively lightweight sailing cruiser.
Telescopic rudders, a swing bulb keel and planing flaps morph the under body from sailing sloop to power boat in minutes. Then, twin 3,500hp Paxman diesels deliver speeds in excess of 20 knots. In addition, a shallow 6.5ft draft under power and a retracting top-mast section give MITseaAH a choice of cruising grounds. Inside, MITseaAH features five luxurious staterooms in the Owner’s party, along with a well-appointed crew apartment for eight professionals.
