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Faster than a speeding World Cup champ. Stronger than an all-carbon catamaran. Able to support two ultralight smart masts on a single hull. It's Mari-Cha IV! The $10 million superyacht sails at speeds of up to 40 knots - more than twice as fast as its closest competition - thanks in part to its carbon-fiber construction. Though others have tried this formula, Mari-Cha's engineers figured out how to keep it light and make it sturdy enough to withstand rough seas. (At 50 tons, the boat weighs about half as much as other vessels its size.) Mari-Cha's unique rig configuration adds to its agility; the 148-foot masts (inset) stand a distant 60 feet apart, support five sails, and sport sensors that detect bending. The yacht already holds world records for speed and distance, and could set another in the Jules Verne race that circumnavigates the globe in January. Time to beat: 93 days, 3 hours, 57 minutes.
- Christopher S. Stewart
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