Mirabella V is the jewel in the crown of a fleet of superyachts that began with Mirabella I, which began construction in 1990 in Thailand. Mirabella I, III and V were owned by Joseph Vittoria, who was the former CEO and Chairman of Avis Car rental.

Joseph Vittoria required his yachts to be fast when sailing together with the luxury of superyacht amenities. Mirabella V surpassed all expectations of the yachting world and at 75 metres LOA and with an 89.5 metre high mast is the largest single mast sailboat in the world. (Mirabella V has recorded impressive speeds over 19 knots under sail). Joseph Vittoria also specified that this superyacht would be able to use Palm Beach, Florida harbour. In order to achieve this, a lifting keel was designed to reduce the draft to 3.81 metres when lifted from 10.21 metres when fully deployed.

Mirabella V was designed by Ron Holland, the famous New Zealand superyacht designer who first became known for his successful racing yacht designs in the 1970s. Joseph Vittoria’s wife, Luciana assisted in the interior décor specification and design. Whilst in the early design stages, load and structural finite stress analysis scenarios were simulated using high-tech specialist computer software of the proposed hull and rig. This very important work was completed by High Modulus Europe Ltd in Hamble near Southampton, United Kingdom. (High Modulus are now a part of Gurit).

Usually, superyachts of this size are built from steel or aluminium. Mirabella V, however, is constructed from an aramid foam core and vinylester. This material was chosen in order to reduce build time and maintenance and has improved acoustic thermal insulation properties when compared to steel and aluminium hulls and superstructures.

Mirabella V was built at the BVT Surface Fleet Yard, which was previously known as Vosper Thornycroft Shipbuilding Yard in Woolston, Southampton. She was launched on 27th November 2003 and later re-named M5 and re-launched in September 2013 following a refit and extended stern and transom modifications by the new owner.

Scott Taylor and his Superyacht Painters team repaired the keel blade of Mirabella V following a collision in 2005. This was a specialist ceramic fairing job carried out at the BVT Surface Fleet Yard. They also repainted the hull and deckhouse using Awlgrip paint and renewed the anti-fouling using Hempel underwater system. Also in 2005 Scott Taylor and his skilled painters completed interior paintwork and varnishing in Genoa, Italy.

Read Project Manager Paul Johnson’s Mirabella V testimonial here.

Read the VT Shipbuilding Project Manager Peter Holloway’s (Sub-contractors) testimonial here.