Boatline.com Blog

Soon to launch what is being billed as “one of the most sophisticated sailing boats in the world” and the fastest, an international group of European institutions hopes the Esimit Europa will serve as both a good will symbol of a united Europe and an ambassador for the pan-Europe environmental movement. Lofty but perhaps attainable goals for the state-of-the-art 30-meter (98.4 feet) sailboat that will fly the colors of the European Union as a competitor in the world’s most prestigious sailing competitions. A  star-studded launch is scheduled for June 10, 2010 in Cannes, France.

Billed as the fastest sailboat on the planet and manned by an all-star crew of former Olympians and world champion racing yacht sailors, Esimit Europa supporters naturally expect the sailboat to compete well at international sailing competitions but say racing is only a small component of the sailing craft’s mission. Promoters want Esimit Europa to act as an ambassador of friendship and serve as the physical embodiment of a new, forward-thinking, unified Europe, perhaps a tall order considering recent strife over the Greek financial bailout.

Nearly a decade in the planning stages, the Esimit Europa project was conceived by Igor Simcic of Slovenia in the mid-1990s and embraced by the European Parliament in 2002. This summer the dreams of many Europeans will come to fruition with the June launch of the Esimit Europa and her mission will begin.

No one spying the Vulkana cruising along Arctic Circle waterways would ever guess of the luxury within. On the outside the vessel looks like an ordinary 1950s wooden Nordic fishing trawler; but if ever there was a case of things not being what they seem, this is it. Inside the Vulkana has been stripped of fishing nets, winches, tanks and other vestiges of its former life and completely remodeled as a first-class floating luxury spa.

A Turkish bath, sauna and hot tub now fill below deck storage holds that once teemed with sardines and turbot.  Yoga is now practiced on the polished wooden decks that once ran with wriggling fish and sea water. Where fisherman once earned a hard living, distinguished guests now relax in silk robes to admire the majestic Norwegian coastline and marvel at the northern lights dancing across the night sky. This being a Norwegian enterprise, the Vulkana even sports a diving board for guests who wish to enjoy the chilly waters of the North Sea.

To see photos of the Vulkana’s amazing renovation posted to the international edition of CNN’s MainSail, click the link. To find a boat and begin your own spa conversion, check the classified boat ad listings on Boatline.