Maiden voyage for 'superyacht' delayed

The world’s biggest single-masted yacht – costing more than £30m (€44m) – has delayed sailing on its maiden voyage, it emerged today.

The Mirabella V, at 75 metres long with a 90 metre high mast, was due to set sail today, but will now aim to get underway at 10am tomorrow.

A spokesman said the weather was the cause of the delay, with departure put back to avoid a low weather system forecast to come in today.

The superyacht was earlier this month handed over by shipbuilders Vosper Thornycroft (VT) to its owner US businessman Joe Vittoria.

Mr Vittoria is today taking Mirabella on its maiden voyage heading for Naples the home town of his wife Luciana.

After Mirabella V’s first trip and a few promotional events, Mr Vittoria, the former head of car hire firm Avis, intends to charter the record-breaking yacht out at a cost of £140,000 (€209,000) a week.

Despite the price tag, the yacht, which was unveiled today at Portsmouth Naval Base, has already been booked for a month over the Christmas and New Year period.

Designed by Ron Holland, Mirabella V which was named by Mrs Vittoria – will carry up to 12 passengers in luxury surroundings with facilities on board including a 600-bottle wine cellar, an outdoor cinema, Jacuzzi and dip pool.

Guests will also be able to sail small yachts, enjoy remote controlled replicas of the Mirabella V, ride jet skis and have their own 29 ft motor launch all carried in a garage at the stern of the vessel.

The interior décor of the yacht, which involves a mix of modern design with antiques, was created by Mrs Vittoria.

Her attention to detail, down to which flowers should be included and where they were put, has led to a delay of about a week before the yacht was ready to be unveiled.

Mrs Vittoria has imported silks from specialist museum supplier Antico in Italy for the décor as well as decked out the lavish interior with antique furniture topped with Cristofle cutlery and Bagni Volpi sheets and table linen from Italy.

Mirabella V is the last ship to be built at VT’s Woolston yard in Southampton, Hants, with the company having recently re-located to new shipbuilding facilities in Portsmouth Naval Base after nearly 100 years at Woolston.