Baltic Yachts, based in Jakobstad on the northwest coast of Finland, has been building some of the world’s most finest and most advanced yachts since 1973 when the company was founded by five skilled boat builders. They had a mandate, and that was to build boats that were lighter, stiffer, and stronger than anything any other boat builders were doing at the time, and those qualities are still at the forefront of all the boats they build, including the recently launched Baltic 112 Liara. The owner, a skilled and seasoned yachtsman, originally intended to build an out-and-out performance family cruiser, but his ideas started to change when he realized that he also wanted to be competitive on the race course. This led to a drive toward saving weight wherever possible, and the lighter and stiffer mandate led him to Baltic Yachts, where weight saving is almost a religion. He commissioned Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design to bring his vision to reality, and the stunningly gorgeous lines of Liara are the result. It also appears that McKeon followed that long-held belief that pretty yachts sail fast. By any measure, Liara is beyond pretty; she’s an exceptional craft in every sense and as a result, is also very fast on the race course.
Liara has an easily driven hull with powerful stern sections, which is perfect when the yacht is rail down on a broad reach. From her plumb bow with a generous bowsprit, the lines curve gracefully aft to a maximum beam of 7.9 meters carried almost three-quarters of the way to the stern. The deck is flat and uncluttered and speaks of a purposeful intent to allow the crew the most amount of flexibility and efficiency when racing. There are no cozy nooks where guests can cuddle up with a book; no, the deck layout speaks volumes of the owners’ competitive streak and his will to win races. He doesn’t want his crew tripping over cocktail swilling guests while they hoist the spinnaker at the windward mark.
Two of the most complex pieces of engineering on the yacht are the telescoping keel and the retractable propulsion system. The telescoping keel retracts into itself but not into the boat, leaving the interior space unaffected. “One of the great advantages of a telescopic keel is that, unlike a conventional lifting keel, it doesn’t encroach into the interior accommodation, so when we were working with the interior designers, it was one less thing to worry about,” explained Malcolm McKeon.
