Record-breaking superyacht in NZ for repairs

The world's largest single-masted superyacht, named M5 is moored in Auckland, its towering mast reducing all others to look like matchsticks.

M5 has a soaring 90m high mast too large to fit under the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

It is at the Silo Marina, which describes itself as "the premier home for superyachts in the South Pacific."

The yacht's mast is just under a third of the height of the SkyTower.

Owned by Texas oil billionaire Rodney Lewis is alongside Orams Marine Village at 150-160 Beaumont St in the Wynyard Quarter. Hall Spars and Rigging at Silverdale has the boom, now being repaired at its factory.

"We've been working on it for about three months, giving it some structural upgrades," a worker there said.

M5 - sailing in the Greek Islands under its previous name Mirabella V in 2009. Photo / ArnoWinter / Creative Commons

The vessel offers guests water toys, including jetskis, water-ski boats, laser yachts, dive gear kayaks and remote-control sailing models of M5.

A large tender takes guests ashore and extra boats are stored in the yacht's swimming pools.

One industry expert said the enormous mast means M5 could not sail under many bridges around the world and having such an outstanding yacht here for servicing showed the level of skill and expertise in the New Zealand sector.

M5 was designed by renowned Kiwi naval architect Ron Holland and is a 75m vessel formerly known as the Mirabella V.

The M5's 28m boom being delivered to Hall Spars & Rigging NZ.

Workers at the marina said this week they were checking for leaks in light-weight fibreglass diesel tanks and applying epoxy resin to tank surfaces.

"She's the world's biggest sloop," said one worker at the gated marina.

M5 was built at Woolston, Hampshire in England and the Herald reported late last year that it was being brought here from Fiji's Port Denarau. Launched in 2004, M5 has been estimated by a yachting news website to be worth more than US$50 million ($NZ68m).

It underwent a major two-year refit at the Pendennis shipyard, Cornwall when 3m was added to its length to accommodate the owner's sea plane.