M5: A MASSIVE SAILING YACHT REFIT FOR A PILOT WITH A NEED FOR SPEED - MARILYN MOWER DISCOVERS A PROJECT THAT COMBINES PRAGMATISM AND AMBITION IN PERFECT MEASURE

摘要

At 246ft, Rod Lewis initially dismissed Mirabella V as too much boat. A dozen years ago, the Texan owner was looking to build a composite sailing yacht of around 200ft and had been developing ideas with naval architect Ron Holland. As Lewis had already chartered 210ft Felicita West, Holland suggested he refine his wish list by looking at two more of his designs - the 2004 Mirabella V and the recently launched 183ft Salute - and maybe even purchase one as an interim yacht. Mirabella V was a bigger boat than he was looking for, but when he learned just how few builders would even discuss a 2ooft-plus composite sailing yacht, he took another look. While it needed modifications, he knew the boat's owner, Joe Vittoria, and in 2011 negotiated a deal, renaming the yacht M5. Although he's a serial sportfisher owner, this was a big step for someone whose previous sailing boat ownership consisted of a Sunfish and a Prindle Cat. Lewis is better known as a collector of vintage warbirds, which at last count numbered 35.