CRUISING IN THE FAST LANE

NOT ONLY THE FIRST FOIL-ASSISTED SUPERYACHT, BUT THE FIRST CRUISING YACHT WITH A FOIL, THE 142FT CANOVA IS A GROUNDBREAKING PROJECT IN SO MANY WAYS, SAYS TOBY HODGES

- TOBY HODGES

Were you to somehow be teleported into Canova’s palatial master cabin while under way – and let’s face it, many of us would like a sudden change of scene these days – you could be forgiven for thinking that her owner doesn’t much like sailing. For starters, it would seem remarkably quiet, thanks to the impressive insulation and a quiet ship system that ensures no unnecessary mechanical noise.

Then consider how surprisingly flat it feels for a monohull under sail, and not just because the generous berth you’re sitting on can gimbal. However, once you look out of the considerable porthole, see the blue sea streaking past at over 20 knots and notice the orange plank of carbon fibre sticking out to leeward – which is serving to keep the boat a lot more upright than it should otherwise be – you’ll understand you’re actually aboard a truly state-of-the-art superyacht.

In fact, anyone studying these pictures of Canova ripping along will quickly realise just how forward-thinking its owner is and how much he actually must enjoy sailing. Indeed, it can be argued that this yacht represents the present and future of cruising at speed and in utmost comfort.

SUPERYACHT OF THE YEAR

The 142ft/43m Farr design, launched from Baltic Yachts in October 2019, was conceived to be a powerful yet easily handled bluewater cruiser, capable of operating for long periods without specialist assistance. It was commissioned by a serial yacht owner, who was also keen to minimise emissions by using hydro-generating electric propulsion. Canova was crowned sailing superyacht of the year winner 2020 at the World Superyacht Awards, with the jury commenting that it will “influence the future of sailing superyachts”.