Eos (yacht)
Encyclopedia
The Eos is a three-masted Bermuda rig
Bermuda rig
The term Bermuda rig refers to a configuration of mast and rigging for a type of sailboat and is also known as a Marconi rig; this is the typical configuration for most modern sailboats...
ged schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
. The ship is one of the largest private sailing yachts in the world, and as of 2009 was owned by movie and media billionaire Barry Diller
Barry Diller
Barry Charles Diller is the Chairman and Senior Executive of IAC/InterActiveCorp and the media executive responsible for the creation of Fox Broadcasting Company and USA Broadcasting.-Early life:...
, husband of fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg
Diane von Fürstenberg, formerly Princess Diane of Fürstenberg , is a Belgian-American fashion designer best known for her iconic wrap dress. She initially rose to prominence when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg, as the wife of Prince Egon of Fürstenberg...
. According to a 2007 article in Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
, Eos features a figurehead of von Fürstenberg sculpted by Anh Duong. Its overall length measures approximately 305 feet (92.92m).
Construction
Eos was launched in Bremen, Germany from the LürssenLürssen
Lürssen is a German shipbuilding company based in Bremen-Vegesack.Lürssen designs and constructs yachts, naval ships and special vessels...
yard in 2006. The ship took three years to build. When launched, she "knocked Athena
Athena (yacht)
Athena is a clipper-bowed 3-masted gaff rigged schooner built by Royal Huisman in 2004 for internet entrepreneur James H. Clark. Clark purchased a 47.4 meter sloop, Hyperion, from Royal Huisman in 1998...
off the number one spot [for largest sailing yacht]." Bill Langan was the designer, Rondal/Huisman supplied the rig, and the remaining naval architecture was completed by Lürssen. The interior was designed by François Catroux. The 200 feet (61 m) tall masts
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
are "the maximum height allowed to enable the craft to pass underneath bridges cross the globe."
Largest sailing yacht in the world?
According to the San Francisco Bay Area sailing magazine Latitude 38, the EOS is longer overall than her nearest rival, the Maltese FalconThe Maltese Falcon (yacht)
The Maltese Falcon built by Perini Navi is a clipper sailing luxury yacht, commissioned and formerly owned by American venture capitalist Tom Perkins. It is one of the largest privately-owned sailing yachts in the world at , similar to Royal Huisman's Athena and Lürssen's Eos...
. However, much of the length of Eos is in the bowsprit
Bowsprit
The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a pole extending forward from the vessel's prow. It provides an anchor point for the forestay, allowing the fore-mast to be stepped farther forward on the hull.-Origin:...
, and although she is slightly beamier
Beam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
than the Falcon, the Maltese Falcon is fourteen feet longer on deck and over 20 feet (6.1 m) longer at the waterline, as seen in the table below:
Name LOA LOD LWL Beam Eos 305 feet (93 m) 271 feet (82.6 m) 233 feet (71 m) 44.2 feet (13.5 m) The Maltese Falcon The Maltese Falcon (yacht)The Maltese Falcon built by Perini Navi is a clipper sailing luxury yacht, commissioned and formerly owned by American venture capitalist Tom Perkins. It is one of the largest privately-owned sailing yachts in the world at , similar to Royal Huisman's Athena and Lürssen's Eos...289 feet (88.1 m) 285 feet (86.9 m) 256 feet (78 m) 42 feet (12.8 m)
"Which one is bigger? Well, it depends on how you measure it. If the bowsprit counts (and it usually does), then the Eos wins," opines the YachtPals website.
However, Latitude 38 begs to differ. They "consulted with sailing experts from around the world at the Le Select Bar here in St. Barth
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy , officially the Territorial collectivity of Saint Barthélemy , is an overseas collectivity of France. Often abbreviated to Saint-Barth in French, or St. Barts in English, the indigenous people called the island Ouanalao...
," who explained that the length at the waterline
Waterline length
The Waterline length is a measurement of ships and boats. The term denotes the length of the vessel at the point where it sits in the water. It excludes the total length of the boat, such as features that are out of the water...
and length on deck are "the real measure of size," making Maltese Falcon the largest sailing yacht.
In 2007, a BBC headline declared Eos the largest, saying "The world's largest private yacht, owned by an American millionaire, is in a south Devon harbour." Other news outlets have also come out for Eos as the world's largest private yacht.
Press coverage
Press coverage of Eos written for non-sailors describes the ship with phrases like "world's largest," (despite the opinion of the Latitude 38 "sailing experts"). A 2009 news story about Eos arrival in FremantleFremantle
Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton in England.Fremantle or Freemantle may also refer to:- Places :* Fremantle, the port city to the capital Perth, Western Australia...
, Australia appears designed to reinforce the glamor and mystique of luxury yachting
Luxury yacht
The term luxury yacht, “Superyacht” and "Large Yacht" refers to very expensive, privately owned yachts which are professionally crewed. Also known as a Super Yacht, a luxury yacht may be either a sailing or motor yacht.-History:...
, (if not envy and/or daydreaming
Daydream
A daydream is a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions, imagined as coming to pass, and experienced while awake. There are many types of daydreams, and there is no consistent definition amongst psychologists. The general public also uses the term for a...
). It claims that not only is the ship "the world's largest yacht," but that "Little is known about the yacht's interior, kept a secret by Mr. Diller, but it is believed to boast a glass staircase and panoramic views astern." The outgoing captain was quoted as saying, "I thoroughly enjoy it ... I have long, unstructured hours and an ever-changing itinerary. We have no set route but travel mainly between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean." Pop star Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
lunched aboard Eos while attending the 2008 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
"for a gala screening of her documentary about children in Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
", as the ship "moored for several days in the bay close to the Hotel du Cap, Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
.
The ship is "valued in excess of US$150 million."
Latitude 38 describes Eos owner, Barry Diller, creator of Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, as "currently the Chairman of Expedia and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of IAC/InterActiveCorp ... parent of companies including Home Shopping Network, Ticketmaster, Match.com" and others," noting that "In 2005, Diller received $295 million in compensation, the highest of any executive in the United States."
When the designer of Eos, Bill Langan, died in Feb. 2011, the yacht was mentioned in his company's article commemorating his work.