The 53.9-metre sailing yacht Ravenger, formerly known as Pink Gin VI, has successfully concluded her 10-month refit at Baltic Yachts' facilities in Jakobstad, Finland. Originally delivered in 2017 as the world's largest carbon fibre sloop-rigged sailing yacht, the Baltic 175 arrived at Baltic Yachts in November 2023 after being sold to a new owner by Edmiston and Fraser earlier that year.
The yacht's exterior design was conceptualized by the owner's team, featuring contributions from Finnish designer Jarkko Jämsén. Regular maintenance and refit schedules have kept her in top class condition, with the recent refit focusing primarily on aesthetic and performance enhancements. Key upgrades included significant improvements to her rig, sailplan, and sailing systems. Design Unlimited was tasked with reimagining the interiors, including a restyled owner's cabin.
Designed by Judel/Vrolijk & Co and Design Unlimited, the 325GT yacht is a frequent participant in regattas due to her lightweight carbon construction and is often spotted on the water with a pink spinnaker. Her mast has been rebuilt to accommodate a more powerful sailplan, featuring a square-top mainsail and a triple headsail configuration, along with larger code and offwind sails. Additional modifications include an extended bowsprit by 1.5 metres, a replaced headstay, and running backstays now equipped with deflectors.
The exterior restyle introduces a hardtop Bimini that shelters the midships passenger cockpit, styled by Jarkko Jämsén. Changes are also being made to the helm stations, modernizing the control console's ergonomics and style, and adding an additional helmsman’s Bimini set on a carbon fibre tubular framework. The new interiors feature softer, neutral tones and light oak veneers on surfaces, including headboards and tabletops.
Accommodation remains largely unchanged, except for the owner's cabin, which now boasts hand-carved timber furniture. Notable features such as the large fold-out balcony platforms in the saloon and owner’s cabin have been preserved. A new breakfast bar has been installed in the main saloon, replacing the original baby grand piano area.
Performance enhancements include an extended bowsprit by 1.5 metres and the replacement of the single, fixed backstay with running backstays, enabling a modern, triple-headed sail plan for power reaching. This upgrade is complemented by new deck winches supplied by Harken, reducing the total winch weight from 600kg to around 150kg.
Senior project managers at Baltic Yachts, Mikael Nyberg and Tommy Johansson, led the refit works. Johansson emphasized the focus on enhancing noise reduction solutions, ensuring they remain state-of-the-art by implementing recent project knowledge. Nyberg added that the refit ensures the yacht is prepared for new challenges, whether on the race course or exploring new destinations.
Baltic 175 was one of the shipyard's most technically advanced yachts at the time of her delivery, featuring fold-down balconies and a collection of Cuban artwork. This refit follows the announcement of Baltic Yachts' construction of a new high-performance cruising sloop, with exterior and interior design by Malcolm McKeon and Adam Lay Studio, respectively.
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