Y Yachts

Y Yachts history

When Michael Schmidt was looking for a large yacht for himself a few years ago, he couldn’t find a good one on the market – neither new nor second hand – that came even close to meeting his rather high standards. It had to be 80 feet, easy to handle, without fragile components and of course look as good as possible.

Most people in this position would explain their ideas to a designer and commission a shipyard to build this individual solution. But Schmidt – former Admiral’s Cup winner and one of the most creative minds the sailing scene has ever seen – would not be Schmidt if he didn’t generate a business idea from it.

And so he built – initially with a still quite manageable team – the 80 foot long “Cool Breeze”. With a design by Lorenzo Argento (outside) and David Chipperfield (inside) it was not entirely surprising that she was well received by potential customers. Schmidt realized he had recognized a gap in the market and started building a new shipyard immediately after delivery of “Cool Breeze”. In the meantime, after four years at high speed, over a dozen yachts have already been sold. YYachts is causing an international sensation in a segment that is actually under pressure.

Quintessence of yachting

The basic problem Schmidt saw with all the large yachts he examined was that they were unnecessarily complicated. “The real challenge is to reduce a yacht to her essentials without sacrificing comfort,” he says. “Our credo with YYachts is: The simpler the boat, the purer the sailing experience and the greater the pleasure. Our goal is clear and simple: to use the best available technology to make sailing easier and bring back the pleasure of sailing. That is why our yachts are designed to emphasise the essence of sailing”.

For example, a Y7 made of carbon weighs several hundred kilograms less than yachts produced in conventional construction. For a 70-foot yacht this is a considerable value; for example, the Y7 can set sails in much less wind than yachts made of GRP or aluminum.

A displacement of only 29 tons and almost 300 square metres of sail area on the wind make propulsion possible even in light winds. So yacht owners do not have to worry about the perfect weather all the time. Sailing also works in almost calm conditions.

Y Yachts philosophy highlights

The highlights of all models built by YYachts at a glance:

– All winches and ropes are located near the helmsman’s
– All yachts have a self-tacking jib
– There is a box for gennaker and code 0 in the bow area
– Sea valves were reduced and packed into manifolds
– All the technical equipment is stored in a box in the salon for easy access
– The aft transverse garage allows larger dinghys to be taken on board, while at the same time providing more interior space
– Individualisation of the interior design
– Individualisation of the layout
– Ecological yacht construction by using synthetic teak or alternative wood, energy-efficient production, lightweight construction, reduction of window areas, use of recycled plastic
– Except for the Y9, all yacht models can be sailed without a larger crew

German technology

In the sheds of Michael Schmidt Yachtbau, located on the Baltic Sea at the edge of Greifswald, yachts up to 33 metres in length can be produced. All hulls and rigs are delivered in carbon fibre, and the automated painting hall also serves as a huge autoclave that can process prepreg yachts at temperatures of up to 90 degrees Celsius.

Y Yachts Production

Three semi-custom models account for the bulk of the yard’s current production: the Y7 at 22 metres, the Y8 at 24 metres and the latest addition to the range, the Y9, at just under 28 metres. The YX, a 22.60 metre Explorer yacht, is also available in two different configurations, and the yard also produces fully customised yachts to order. “We serve the Neo Luxury trend,” says Schmidt, “and with growing success. We were even able to convince three owners who previously owned motor yachts to switch to a yacht model”