“Sailing is a very special activity,” says the Taiwanese businessman Dr Samuel Yin, founder of the Tang Prize Foundation and now proud owner of Sea Eagle, a 43.3m sloop from Royal Huisman. “You can relax on the sea or experience different scenery and witness things you have never seen before. It is the same as in life. It might not always be smooth sailing, but it is very rewarding.”

Yin commissioned Sea Eagle with an eye on participating in superyacht regattas, as well as cruising the world. Fittingly, the yacht is an international affair: naval architecture from Argentinian firm Germán Frers and interiors by the UK-based Rhoades Young Design combine with the construction skills of the Dutch shipyard and expertise from Bart J Kimman, managing director of brokers Northrop & Johnson Asia.

Sea Eagle’s stylish exterior – a dark-blue hull and “chevy white” superstructure – is complemented by high performance, aided by a carbon spar that towers 57 metres above the water and can carry 1,000sq m of standing sail.

The interior oozes refinement – grained French walnut, white oak floors, upholstered wall panels and birch wood accents feature, bathed in natural light from the glass-bordered main deck salon. Three cabins (one of which can be transformed into a gym if preferred) and an owner’s suite make up the accommodation, while for watersports enthusiasts, easy access to the sea is provided by an aft beach deck platform and adjoining full-beam staircase.

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