The SY ROSSIYA started her life as a traditional fishing trawler and has been converted by our ancestors into a square-rigged trainings vessel.
After having this commercial tall ship back in our slipway department for some regular maintenance works for already a few times, we were pleasantly surprised by her current Owner since they contacted us in regards to their plans for this vessel.
They started by explaining they were the recently new Owners and they had the ultimate wish to have a complete make-over performed for this already astonishing sailing boat. They were inspired by our new build sailing schooner MIKHAIL S. VORONTSOV and the MERCEDES needed to be rebuild into a luxurious superyacht sailing vessel.
For this conversion the original designer Mr Olivier van Meer was involved and together with the Owners team and the naval architect we created a rebuild plan that needed at least two years.
For the sailing area it was needed to lower the whole sails plan by a couple of meters due to some local air draft limitations. Therefore the masts were shorted and the ras have been relocated together with all the staying and running rigging which were adjusted accordingly. Also two sets of new sails have been delivered to complete the masts and sails.
Masts, booms, ras and spars have been sandblasted and finished with a two-components superyacht paint system.
When the hull was brought inside our construction shed we started by stripping the complete interior and exterior of the ship. Tons of steel construction were removed from the exterior plan and a very clean and smooth deck and deck house were created with proper walkways. Stylish staircases were built to enter the central deck house.
To give the exterior a classic and superyacht feel and look the decks were finished with extra wide and massive teak deck planking. The deck houses were cladded with teak wood panels in a traditional and classic way to complete the great maritime feel of the exterior.
Massive stainless steel stanchions and hand grips were made, again in a traditional way, and were installed where needed all over the exterior and decks and in such a way they contributed to the maritime and classic look of the yacht.
In the bow section of the yacht a very powerful bow thruster has been installed. The commercial anchor winch together with the base has been replaced by a very yacht-looking high polished stainless steel anchor winch foundation which is completed by two Muir anchor winches complete with a break and devil claw, all shiny and high polished stainless steel.
The helms position is completely re-organised and upgraded to the superyacht standard.
The in the beginning sandblasted exterior has been finished according to a superyacht paint specification and a two components all-grip paint system has been applied under perfectly controlled circumstances.
Herewith Phase 1 of this astonishing project has been completed and a after successful sea trials the yacht was finished just in time and she was ready to set sails for Scarlett Sails of St. Petersburg in Russia for which she had to fulfil the leading role.
Under her new name SY ROSSIYA she left our premises. We wish her a lot of fair winds and following seas for the future.