Finland’s Baltic Yachts are to build a 197ft (60m) super-ketch, their biggest order yet and one that will again re-define the top end of the super-sailing world. The extraordinary all-carbon, plumb stemmed, counter-sterned yacht mixes modern technology with styling from American pilot cutters of the 19th century. And the message from her anonymous owner is that she should push the envelope of yacht design and construction.

Her ketch rig is of the so-called Panamax dimension, allowing her to pass beneath the Bridge of America’s in the Panama Canal, but the yacht is also intended for round the buoys racing. In addition she should be able to withstand light icing!

The ketch, with an overall length including sprit of 66.90m (220ft), will be designed by a combination of Gerard Dijkstra and Partners in Amsterdam and Reichel Pugh in San Diego and will be project-managed by Jens Cornelsen who was responsible for EOS and previously a string of top superyachts.

Cornelsen said: “The stunning plumb-bowed ketch has its origins in 2003 in a design competition among half a dozen naval architects given a detailed design brief by the client. He had been inspired by Dijkstra’s 105ft sloop Christoffel’s Lighthouse launched in 2003.

“Among the Panamax ketch’s prime features are a light ship displacement of 210 tonnes, a revolutionary drive train and power generating system, a lifting keel extending draught from 3.50m to 9.50 (that’s 31ft!) and 40 tons of water ballast.

“The plumb bow concept results in a hull form with seven metres more waterline and two knots more speed potential than a spoon or clipper bow design of comparable length on deck,” said Cornelsen.

The carbon composite yacht, which will be engineered by SP/Gurit has a planned launch date of July 2010. Sounds like one heck of a yacht – watch this space for a sail plan and other details?.