Russian billionaire designs luxury vessel set to begin sea trials later this year

But Andrey Melnichenko, the Russian billionaire and businessman, is set to rule the seas after building the world's largest luxury sailing yacht.

Dubbed Sailing Yacht A, the vessel is an astonishing 468 feet (143 metres) long and has three masts taller than the clock tower that houses Big Ben on the Houses of Parliament in London.

The vessel, which cost Mr Melnichenko €400 million (£292 million or $451 million) to build, is one of the most advanced yachts of its kind.

Mr Melnichenko, however, is expected to recover some of the costs by licensing the technology developed for the vessel for commercial applications.

Sailing Yacht A has eight decks and its keel incorporates one of the largest single pieces of curved glass ever made, measuring 193 square feet and weighing 1.8 tons.

The glass is used to create an observation pod on the bottom of the vessel in part of the keel known as the skeg, where it extends backwards towards the rudder.

Each of its three masts tower more than 328ft (100 metres) above the water line and carry sails that when placed side-by-side are larger than a football field.

By comparison, the height of the Elizabeth Tower which houses Big Ben is 314ft (96 metres). 

The yacht, which Mr Melnichenko is thought to have named 'A' to ensure it is listed first in shipping registers, is due to begin its first sea trials later this year.

Initially it will be tested with one mast before the others are fixed in place. 

It will dwarf other famous super-yachts like The Maltese Falcon, which is 298ft (88 metres) and weighs 1,367 tons. 

By comparison, Sailing Yacht A will weigh 14,224 tons.

Mr Melnichenko was also keen to pack the yacht with the latest technology and sailing engineering.

He hired master ship designer Philippe Starck, who also created Motor Yacht A, to oversee the project.

Although it will have room for a crew of around 54, the yacht will have a high-tech digital control system operated using a touch sensitive sheet of black glass in the bridge.

This will allow the crew to raise and lower the sails and even drop the anchor with a brush of their fingers.

A spokesman for Mr Melnichenko told Mail Online: 'This project was a considerable financial risk for him as he had to fund massive R&D to see if he could achieve his vision.

'But he is a man to always push the boundaries and to challenge the industries he works with to think out of the box so he can achieve something new and exciting as well as beautiful.

'Sailing Yacht A is a monument to invention.'

With an 26ft (8 metres) keel and width of around 81 feet (24.88 metres), Sailing Yacht A had to be built in one of the largest shipyards in the world in Nobiskrug in Germany.

(dailymail.co.uk)