Andre Hoek’s 8 most beautiful sailing yachts

Dutch yacht designer Andre Hoek has such an impressive portfolio of superb sailing yachts that it’s hard to narrow it down to his best.

But on any list of the most beautiful sailing yachts designed by Andre Hoek should certainly be the cutting edge Athos. The 62 metre yacht was the largest sailing yacht ever built in aluminium alloy when she was launched by Holland Jachtbouw in 2010. While she might look like a beautiful classic sailing yacht on the outside, Athos is highly technical. This combination of beauty and brains makes her doubly impressive.

The exterior of Athos was inspired by none other than the 54.6 metre stunner Adele. Launched by Vitters in 2005, the aluminium sailing yacht boasts classically styled deckhouses and a prevalence of teak that helps her stand out in any harbour. She’s no slouch on the racecourse either, having participated in the America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta in San Francisco, barely losing out to the similarly named Adela.

Where Adele shone with a bright white hull, Marie charges in like a gorgeous pirate ship with black paint, red details and a real cannons on deck. But the 54.6 metre Vitters yacht isn’t all gruff, inside her luxe saloon she houses a real sailing yacht rarity of a baby grand piano. One of Andre Hoek’s most beautiful sailing yachts, _Marie, _currently for sale, was built for yacht owner Ed Bosarge, who also established the eco-friendly Over Yonder Cay in The Bahamas.

Wisp is a winning combination of superyachting and sailing, and she has proved herself as one of Andre Hoek’s most beautiful yachts by winning a bevy of awards. In addition to Hoek Design Naval Architecture taking the Exterior and Styling award at the ShowBoats Design Awards 2015 for Wisp, launched by Royal Huisman in 2014, the 47.65 metre classically styled stunner also went on to nab a World Superyacht Award in 2015.

Who doesn’t love a J Class yacht? With graceful a sheerline, low-slung deckhouses and a private owner’s cockpit, the J Class replica Lionheart, built by Claasen, is all about throwback glamour and certainly one of the most beautiful Andre Hoek designed yachts on the water. Like all modern Js, her hull is based on the original 1930s design, but Hoek gave Lionheart an updated layout that makes her much more comfortable than most hardcore racers.

Of course, a designer who has penned a modern J Class yacht is in good standing to design a new class of yachts inspired by Js. Cue Firefly, the first in a new F-Class series that was designed to be the ideal size to compete against J Class sailing yachts and have the high performance of a maxi yacht. One of the most beautiful Andre Hoek sailing yachts, Firefly also stands out with her topless lady spinnaker, one of the best around.

Velacarina is another beautiful Andre Hoek designed sailing yacht built by Claasen. The 25.88 metre Claasen Truly Classic 85 was launched in 2005 and features exterior and interior styling as well as naval architecture by Hoek. Currently for sale, sailing yacht Velacarina features a clean exterior with a single deckhouse, an unusual green hull paint job and a traditional interior with plentiful teak.

This petite classically styled sailing yacht by Andre Hoek is a real beauty. Constructed with a cedar hull, the 17 metre Bartelli II was launched by Combi Jachtbouw in 1997. Currently for sale, Bartelli II would make a sweet daysailer, welcoming guests in a highly varnished, cosy cockpit, or an equally apt overnighter with guest accommodations for six.