The Black Pearl: 350-Foot Eco-Sailing Superyacht Blends Luxury with Sustainable Innovation

The Black Pearl represents one of the most significant achievements in modern yacht design and construction. This 106.7-meter (350.1-foot) sailing superyacht, launched in 2016 and delivered in 2018, combines innovative sailing technology with luxurious amenities and sustainable systems in ways previously thought impossible at this scale.

Designers: Ken Freivokh, Gerard Villate, Nigel Gee, and Nuvolari Lenard

Launched by Dutch shipyard Oceanco, the Black Pearl showcases how advanced technology and luxury can coexist in harmony, setting new standards for sustainable sailing at the superyacht scale. Its forward-thinking approach to energy efficiency and sailing performance establishes new benchmarks for what modern yacht design can achieve.

Design and Construction

The Black Pearl’s journey from concept to completion represents an extraordinary collaborative achievement in naval architecture and engineering. Drawing inspiration from the 88-meter Maltese Falcon, the initial concept (codenamed “Nautilus”) began in 2010 when Ken Freivokh was contracted to handle styling and design. The project aimed to push the boundaries of what was possible with the DynaRig sailing system at an unprecedented scale.

Freivokh brought in Dykstra Naval Architects, who had worked on the Maltese Falcon, to help advance the DynaRig technology with improvements to mast shape and installation. A key innovation was the implementation of hinged masts for reduced air draft, improving the vessel’s versatility in various ports and waterways. The design evolved significantly throughout development, starting as a 96-meter concept, extending to 100 meters by November 2011, and ultimately reaching its final length of 106.7 meters. After a competitive tendering process involving seven shipyards worldwide, Oceanco was selected to build the yacht at its Rotterdam facility.

Construction involved an impressive team of specialists. Ken Freivokh, Gerard Villate, Nigel Gee, and Nuvolari Lenard designed the overall yacht. Dykstra Naval Architects designed the hull and the three 70-meter DynaRig carbon masts. Lateral NA collaborated with Oceanco on the hybrid propulsion system and other onboard technologies. Nuvolari Lenard and French architect Gerard Villate handled the interior design.

Built with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, the yacht combines traditional materials with advanced composites. The three masts are crafted from carbon fiber, maximizing strength while minimizing weight – a critical consideration for a sailing vessel of this size. With a gross tonnage of 2,864 GT, the Black Pearl offers substantial interior volume despite being a sailing vessel. The vessel also features a distinctive wave-piercing bow that enhances efficiency under sail and power.

Interior Design and Layout

The interior of the Black Pearl, styled by Nuvolari Lenard in collaboration with Gerard Villate Design and Ken Freivokh, merges Louis XVI neoclassical aesthetics with subtle Russian influences. The late owner Oleg Burlakov, an avid antique collector, infused the space with historical artifacts, including a piano once owned by Napoleon Bonaparte.

The design philosophy embraces neoclassical grandeur with ornate wood carvings, gold-leaf accents, and silk carpets that evoke 18th-century French royalty. There’s also a distinctive “fairly Russian style” as described by designer Ken Freivokh, featuring bold gilded details and dark mahogany paneling. A dramatic multi-level central atrium with a glass elevator alongside the main mast creates vertical connectivity and visual impact throughout the vessel.

The main saloon serves as the yacht’s “pièce de résistance,” centering around Napoleon’s 19th-century Érard piano, set against mahogany walls and bronze fixtures. A richly appointed dining room features shell doors opening to balconies for sunset views, with a table that includes hydraulic lifts to switch between casual and formal settings.

The Black Pearl accommodates 12 guests (expandable to 14) across 5 cabins, including a full-beam master suite on the lower deck with a king-size bed, lounge, and private balcony. There are also two VIP suites with king beds and en-suite marble bathrooms, plus one double and one twin cabin, with additional convertible sofa beds in lounges.

The materiality and craftsmanship throughout the yacht are exceptional, featuring reclaimed mahogany and white oak beams, handcrafted by Amish artisans, which emphasize sustainability and artisanal quality. Bronze fixtures, gold-leaf trim, and verre églomisé (gilded glass) panels reflect Burlakov’s affinity for antiques. Silk carpets and linen upholstery in neutral tones (soft whites, warm grays) balance opulence with minimalism.

Notable amenities include a beach club/night lounge on the lower deck with a Hammam, massage room, and gym. By night, LED constellations replicate the Rotterdam sky on the yacht’s 2018 launch date. The upper deck features a cinema with a 9×14-meter screen, paired with a Jacuzzi. On the main deck, a jet-stream pool converts into an illuminated dance floor with a high-end sound system.

The yacht also boasts a 4,000-bottle wine collection, a tasting room with temperature-controlled storage, and a sommelier station. Sustainable design elements are integrated throughout, including waste heat recovery systems that warm the pool and living areas, reducing HVAC loads by 30%.

The foredeck’s tender garage includes fold-down bulwarks for a touch-and-go helicopter landing, adding to the vessel’s versatility for owners and charter guests.

Exterior Design

The Black Pearl’s exterior design is characterized by its sleek, aggressive profile, nearly vertical bow, and gently sloping stern. The yacht’s hull is painted in a distinctive glossy black finish that inspired its name, contrasting dramatically with its white superstructure and natural wood-toned deck areas.

The vessel’s silhouette is dominated by its three towering carbon fiber masts, each standing 70 meters (230 feet) tall. When fully deployed with sails, these masts create a spectacular visual presence on the water that is instantly recognizable. The sail plan was carefully designed to maintain aesthetic harmony with the hull’s proportions while maximizing sailing efficiency.

A key exterior design feature is the extensive use of glass throughout the superstructure, with floor-to-ceiling windows in many areas that flood the interior spaces with natural light while providing panoramic views. The main deck features expansive outdoor living areas with multiple lounging and dining spaces, including a forward-facing observation lounge that offers unobstructed views while underway.

The yacht’s stern incorporates a beach club with a swimming platform that can be extended when at anchor, creating a seamless connection to the water. Fold-down balconies on the main deck expand the outdoor living space and enhance the connection between interior and exterior areas.

The exterior design also incorporates practical considerations for a sailing vessel of this size, including carefully positioned winches and sailing equipment that maintain clean deck spaces without compromising functionality. Hidden storage compartments for water toys and tenders ensure that recreational equipment is readily available without cluttering the yacht’s elegant profile.

Lighting was another crucial aspect of the exterior design, with a sophisticated system that illuminates the yacht dramatically at night. Underwater lights create a glowing effect around the hull, while strategic lighting on the masts and sails allows the vessel to make a striking impression even after dark.

Advanced Sailing Technology

The heart of the Black Pearl’s innovation lies in its DynaRig system – a technology that traces its origins to Wilhelm Prölss’ research in the 1960s but has been dramatically advanced in this application. The yacht features three 70-meter (230-foot) high DynaRig masts supporting a sail area of 2,900 square meters (31,215 sq ft), which is approximately 25% more sail area than the Maltese Falcon.

Unlike traditional sailing rigs, the DynaRig consists of three freestanding rotating masts with rigid yards, functioning as a square rig. Each mast supports six yards with a built-in camber of 12%, optimized for aerodynamic efficiency. The fifteen square sails are arranged so that when deployed, there are no gaps in the sail plan of each mast, enabling them to act as a single airfoil. The Black Pearl features electric rotating spars, a significant advancement over previous DynaRig implementations.

The entire 2,900 square meters of sail can be deployed or furled in just 6-7 minutes at the push of a button, requiring minimal crew intervention. The sails are trimmed simply by rotating the masts, and since there is no traditional rigging, the masts and yards can rotate without restriction for all points of sail, making the Black Pearl remarkably capable when sailing upwind.

This innovative system gives the Black Pearl a theoretical hull speed of up to 30 knots (56 km/h), though its actual recorded maximum speed under sail is 24.5 knots according to 2025 data. When not under sail, the vessel can be propelled by diesel engines to 17.5 knots.

Sustainability Features

The Black Pearl represents a new paradigm in sustainable yacht design, incorporating multiple technologies that dramatically reduce its environmental impact. Under ideal conditions with its regenerative systems fully engaged, the yacht can theoretically cross the Atlantic using only 20 liters (5.3 US gallons) of fuel. However, in real-world conditions during its 2023 Atlantic crossing (5,600 nautical miles), the vessel consumed approximately 32,000 liters of fuel – still a remarkable achievement for a yacht of this size.

The Black Pearl employs a sophisticated hybrid propulsion system consisting of twin MTU diesel engines paired with magnetic electric motors, enabling emissions-free sailing when conditions permit. When the yacht is sailing at sufficient speed, the propeller blades can be adjusted to a regeneration mode, causing the shafts to rotate and generate electricity. This power is then stored in the yacht’s large-scale battery system (1,000 kWh capacity), providing energy for the vessel’s various systems without needing to run generators for up to 10 hours.

Beyond this regenerative propulsion system, the Black Pearl incorporates flexible solar panels integrated directly into the fabric of its sails. This innovative approach transforms the vessel’s massive sail area into a solar collection system, providing an additional source of renewable energy. The yacht also features heat capture technologies to further enhance its energy efficiency, recovering waste heat from various systems aboard – so efficient that excess heat can theoretically be used to heat local cities when docked.

The Black Pearl offers three distinct operational modes: Silent, Quiet, and Economical cruising via its hybrid systems. For charter clients, an “Eco Mode” option is available, in which guests can waive fuel costs by prioritizing sail and electric propulsion during their voyage.

Water management aboard is equally innovative, with water being reused and treated sewage utilized to wash the floors. The yacht features a zero-discharge sewage treatment system beyond 12 nautical miles from shore. Additional environmental initiatives include separated garbage collection, reusable packages, biodegradable products, bagless vacuums, and laundry detergent “eggs” that reduce plastic waste – all part of what is described as a “very strict” environmental policy on board.

The Black Pearl’s Historical Treasure: Napoleon Bonaparte’s Piano

One of the Black Pearl’s most intriguing features is its connection to history through a priceless artifact: a piano once owned by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. This instrument, a relic of early 19th-century craftsmanship, adds a layer of cultural and historical significance to the yacht’s already extraordinary profile.

The piano aboard Black Pearl is a square-model instrument crafted in 1808 by Érard Frères, a renowned Parisian piano manufacturer. Commissioned by Napoleon as a gift for his second wife, Marie Louise, upon their marriage in 1810, the piano exemplifies the opulence of the Napoleonic era. The instrument’s design includes mahogany construction, bronze decorations, and intricate verre églomisé (gilded glass) panels on the nameboard, created by artist Antoine Rascalon. With a range of five and a half octaves (FF to c4) and triple-stringing—a technical innovation at the time—the piano reflects artistic and mechanical sophistication.

It’s important to note that this is not the original 1808 Érard piano gifted to Marie Louise, which now resides in the Cobbe Collection in East Clandon, England, on loan from the Museum of Music History. Rather, Black Pearl houses a separate piano from Napoleon’s collection, acquired as a curated antique rather than merely a decorative piece.

The piano is prominent in Black Pearl’s main saloon, which is described as the “pièce de résistance” of the yacht’s interior. Its placement underscores its role as a musical instrument and a statement piece, harmonizing with the yacht’s lavish decor.

The piano’s design influenced its acoustic character. With a narrower range and a “particular sound” (as described by composer Martin Phipps in the context of Ridley Scott’s film Napoleon), such instruments offer a timbre distinct from modern pianos. While the yacht’s piano has not been publicly played, its inclusion evokes the same historical authenticity sought in cinematic portrayals of the Napoleonic era.

Current Status and Future Implications

The Black Pearl has been available for charter since 2024 through Superyacht Connections, offering clients access to this exceptional vessel for approximately $1.2 million per week. The yacht is also available for the St. Barths Bucket Regatta (March 2025) at discounted rates. This chapter in the yacht’s story began after its first transatlantic crossing in 2023, when it arrived in St. Barths for New Year’s celebrations. The journey took 20.5 days at an average speed of 11 knots, with the yacht making a dramatic entrance under full sail at 14 knots through the busy anchorage, validating the design vision five years after delivery.

For charter clients, the yacht offers a unique “ECO Mode” where guests opting for sail/electric propulsion (max 10 knots) pay a flat €1.2M/week rate with fuel included. The vessel is also configurable for corporate events and special occasions such as regattas, galas, or product launches, supported by its 27 crew members.

The yacht’s ownership remains complex following Oleg Burlakov’s death from COVID-19 in June 2021. Legal disputes continue between Burlakov’s family and his sister over his substantial estate, including the Black Pearl.

As the second-largest sailing yacht in the world, the Black Pearl represents a significant achievement in superyacht design and construction. The vessel merges sustainable technologies with luxurious accommodations at an unprecedented scale. Its DynaRig system, regenerative capabilities, and comprehensive environmental features establish a new direction for luxury yachting, suggesting possibilities for reducing environmental impact without sacrificing comfort or performance.

The Black Pearl functions as a luxury vessel and a practical demonstration of technologies that could transform maritime transportation more broadly. Its ability to cross the Atlantic using minimal fuel while maintaining full operational capabilities proves the viability of alternative energy systems at scale.

Through its technical innovations, historical treasures, and commitment to sustainability, the Black Pearl has secured a distinctive place in maritime history – a vessel that acknowledges the past while sailing confidently toward a more sustainable future.

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