Silent-Yachts will be the first boat builder to date to design and build boats for the use of a kite sail system. The new Silent 60 solar powered catamaran carries 42 solar panels for 17 kWp of solar energy to power two electric motors of up to 2x340kw.
Backed up by a battery capacity of up to 286 kWh, the yacht can cruise efficiently with zero emissions solely on solar power for up to 100 nautical miles a day for weeks.
To further improve its green credentials and range, for longer crossings the first Silent 60 is also fitted with a compact 9 or 13 sq. m kite wing. The kite wing is optionally available on all Silent models.
After inflating the kite, it is released overboard to drift away on the surface of the water. Pulling on the lines it launches into the air and once it reaches the optimal flight height, it begins to trace a figure “8” in the sky and generates power to pull the yacht.
If you want to stop kiting, the automated app controls move the kite to a position right above the boat where it has the least pull on the line. From here it can be winched down electrically and collapsed over the foredeck ready for stowage.
“The main advantages of a kite over a conventional sail system are that it does not throw shade on the solar panels, does not need a tall mast, and generates up to 10 times more power per square metre than a traditional sail. In addition to that it saves about 1,5 tons of weight compared to conventional rigg and costs much less,” says Michael Köhler, Silent-Yachts founder and CEO.
The first Silent 60 has four guest cabins on the lower deck, including a spacious master suite, but other layout solutions are available. There are numerous social areas on board, including an airy main salon, an aft cockpit, a cosy bow area and a flybridge. The yacht also has high headroom throughout (up to 2.32m in the main salon).
Thanks to a draft of under 1m the yacht can access shallow bays, a crucial consideration for cruising grounds in the Caribbean and South East Asia.
Two swimming platforms in the stern can be extended on owner’s request to carry a pair of electric jet skis. The lifting hydraulic platform between the two platforms can carry a 4 m tender.
The Silent 60 is designed to go everywhere as a true bluewater cruising yacht. The solar-electric system is configured to power all the on-board systems without the need of fossil fuels for a generator. Featuring a new, high-performance hull form with a longer waterline and reverse bow, the yacht has a cruising speed of 6-8 knots, but can reach 20 knots if needed.
Silent-Yachts is producing the world’s first fully solar-sustainable oceangoing production catamaran yachts. They are powered exclusively by solar energy and capable of cruising up to 100 miles per day. In 2009, founders Heike and Michael Köhler, who have spent 6,000 days cruising more than 75,000 miles all around the world, launched the Solarwave 46, the first fully self-sufficient blue-water catamaran after years of testing solar-powered propulsion, and they have been building boats ever since.
Credits: Silent-Yachts
Oceanco has announced the delivery of the 117m megayacht Infinity. Her recognizable exterior was made by Espen Oeino International and her contemporary interior was penned by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design and David Kleinberg Design Associates. She is Oceanco’s largest motoryacht to date and the largest yacht ever built in the Netherlands.The seven-deck yacht has elegant interior and exterior spaces, accommodations for up to 16 guests and includes an extensive wellness area with spa, sauna, gym, and yoga studio.The yacht boasts best in class crew areas, mechanical systems and technology and an unprecedented level of onboard comfort with a particular emphasis on low noise and vibration levels. Following an exhaustive development and engineering process, the hull and active stabilization has been intelligently optimized to deliver the next generation in both seakeeping and hydrodynamic efficiency.“She is the result of impressive teamwork from the owner’s team, Espen Oeino, Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design, David Kleinberg Design Associates, Lateral Naval Architects, and all Oceanco’s co-makers and strategic partners. She represents the true power of co-makership that is central to all our projects,” says Marcel Onkenhout, Oceanco CEO. Oceanco was founded in 1987. Right now it is a world-class builder of custom superyachts up to the 140 meters range. Oceanco works with world-known designers such as Terence Disdale, Nuvolari-Lenard, Espen Oeino, Sam Sorgiovanni, Igor Lobanov, Tim Heywood and Andrew Winch to create some of the timeless and award-winning yachts afloat today.Credits: Oceanco
May 25, 2022
Bering Yachts has launched the first flagship yacht B145 Heeus. The first hull of the 44-meter expedition yacht was launched at the Bering Yachts shipyard in Antalya, Turkey.Bering 145 is made in a steel hull and with an aluminum superstructure. The expedition yacht was designed and built by Bering Yachts' team of in-house engineers and naval architects. With a length of 44.20 meters and a gross tonnage of 499 GT, this superyacht is ideal for long-distance autonomous cruising.“We are very proud that the first hull in the Bering 145 range has been successfully launched. This marked the beginning of a new chapter for Bering Yachts,” says Alexei Mikhailov, founder and director of Bering Yachts.Heeus is capable of accommodating up to 12 guests and embarking on unforgettable journeys around the world with the help of 10 crew members. She has a well-thought-out 6-cabin layout and a multifunctional flybridge with a hot tub and an equipped bar area. The master cabin is located on the main deck at the bow of the yacht. The cabin is framed by over 9.5 sq. m of glass windows. On the main deck there is a spacious salon with a dining area for 12 people and a seating area with upholstered furniture. Another dining table is located on the upper deck, in the sky lounge. On board Heeus there is also a spacious beach club and a garage area of over 25 sq. m.The yacht is equipped with two Caterpillar C32 ACERT engines with a capacity of 1200 hp. at 1800-2100 rpm (engines with adjustable operating speed range), the maximum speed of the yacht is 15 knots, and the cruising speed is 12 knots. The superyacht is equipped with a hybrid propulsion system. The B145 has an impressive fuel capacity of 95,600 liters. An autonomous cruising range of over 5,000 nautical miles allows its owners to reach any destination without discomfort.Bering Yachts is located in Antalya, Turkey. Its shipyard designs and builds semi-custom steel expedition yachts and luxury steel trawler yachts ranging in size from 50 to 145 feet. Credits: Bering Yachts
May 25, 2022
Feadship won four prestigious prizes at the 2022 BOAT International World Superyacht Awards (WSA) on Saturday 21 May. This year the ceremony took place in London. The gala ceremony to announce the winners of the 2022 Neptune trophies was held in front of a live audience at the historical Guildhall and completely sold out. As always, the winners were decided upon solely by a panel of superyacht owners, making the prizes even more appreciated by their industry peers. Viva Viva took home the Motoryacht of the Year award. “Such all round excellence”, the judges felt, “was largely due to the detailed consideration given to every aspect of the vessel. The owner’s knowledge and complete involvement with specifications also paid dividends. As a result, this yacht has it all, from an attractive exterior design with superb deck spaces to an enviable beach club and a modern interior by Peter Marino that connects with the outside through huge windows, plus a general arrangement plan entirely suited to the needs of the owner, guests and crew. Viva also lacks nothing on the technical and operational side”. The judges were equally impressed by “her sustainably minded power and propulsion system, optimal technical areas, a practical tender garage, excellent living and working facilities for her crew, and a superlative quality”. Viva is also the winner of the Displacement Motoryachts between 2,000GT and above category. SomniumThe next prize for Feadship was in the Displacement Motoryachts between 500GT and 999GT category in which the 55.20-meter Somnium was revealed as the winner. The judges noted that “Somnium is a full custom yacht built for an exacting owner who made bi-weekly visits to the shipyard throughout the design and build process”. VanishAnother coveted award came in the Displacement Motoryachts between 1,500GT and 1,999GT category. Vanish scored “particularly highly for her appearance and interior layout” which are from the drawing boards of Harrison Eidsgaard Design. The judges also were impressed by “the extremely high quality of build seen throughout the yacht”. Overall, the jury felt, Vanish “is not a revolutionary yacht, but one that completely fulfills her owner’s requirements, offers delightful interior and exterior spaces, and is guaranteed to turn heads wherever she goes”.Jan-Bart Verkuyl, Feadship Director / CEO Royal Van Lent Shipyard, who attended the ceremony, said that “receiving four awards including Motoryacht of the Year is another great recognition for the passion of our Feadship craftsmen and the teamwork of all parties involved. We would like to thank the owners of Viva, Somnium and Vanish, who made this possible.” Feadship was formed as a group in 1949 as a marketing partnership between six Dutch shipyards, de Vries Lentch, Van de Stadt, Witsen & Vis, Akerboom, De Vries Scheepsbouw and Van Lent Shipyard, and De Voogt Naval Architects. Feadship is well-known as one of the Netherlands’ most elite yacht builders and delivers superyachts from 50–100+ meters in length.Credits: Feadship
May 25, 2022
Lürssen Group will open its Rijeka engineering center in Croatia. The center will develop ideas and design some of the most modern and expensive vessels in the world.Lürssen Group first entered the Croatian market in the Kvarner regions as the majority owner of the largest hotel chain in Opatija – Liburnia Riviera Hotels. This was followed by a joint venture with the state-owned company Aci, to build the Porto Baross marina in Rijeka, worth more than 360 million kuna in total. After that the Rijeka was chosen as a development and design center.55m Moon Sand at Lürssen facility "This is a city in which we've found highly motivated and quality employees. This is where we see great potential in terms of engineering, as well as the development of tourism," says Peter Lürssen.City of Rijeka and Mountain Učka"Over the next five years, the face of the City of Rijeka will change, especially when viewed from the sea. Let's look at this investment as an investment in highly educated people, so it's definitely something good that is happening in Rijeka," said Marko Filipovic, Mayor of Rijeka.Lürssen is a German shipyard with headquarters in Bremen-Vegesack and shipbuilding facilities in Lemwerder, Berne and Bremen-Aumund. Founded in 1875, Lürssen is one of the world's leading builders of custom luxury superyachts and has launched many of the largest yachts in the global fleet.Credits: Lürssen; Wikimedia
May 24, 2022
Al Waab received the Judges’ Commendation Award for “Displacement Motor Yachts 499GT and below, 45m and above” category at the World Superyacht Awards 2022 in London. Al Waab offers a whopping 42% more exterior space (including storage for two tenders) and 8% more interior space than comparable yachts on the market. “Yachts are getting longer and wider, but owners still want to stay below the 500GT mark,” says Gökhan Çelik, Alia President. “We’ve seen increasing interest in this kind of yacht and to be one of the first with such an impressive project is an important milestone for Alia.”The amount of space and the flow of the layout were crucial to the owner's enjoyment of his yacht. With design and naval architecture by Vripack and GCC-based SF Yachts serving as the owner’s representative during the build, maximizing the available volume and guaranteeing comfort were key considerations. The clean and modern exterior is matched by the contemporary yet evergreen interior design. The owner wanted to avoid bright direct light, hence the diffused lighting throughout the vessel with soft, muted beams. Matt-finished bamboo slats on the ceiling help to absorb the natural sunlight flooding through the large floor-to-ceiling windows by day. A key feature is the gold, illuminated wall installation with integrated crystals in the stairwell that covers all three decks. Glass is also a central element in the design. The result is uninterrupted sight lines and a seamless flow between interior and exterior spaces. Glass bulwarks on all decks provide uninterrupted outboard views and large outdoor areas for guests to enjoy the vistas in a private and comfortable setting. Other features include a drop-down bulwark in the dining area, which replaces the traditional formal dining room with an al fresco breakfast area just two meters above the water on the starboard main deck. Much of the onboard seating is designed to face outboard for a true connection with the sea.The yacht can sleep up to 12 guests in six staterooms, including a lavish split-level master suite on the upper deck with a private 4-meter pool on the foredeck. A sprawling beach club in the stern is another key feature. Moreover, by placing the tender bay in a sunken deck in the bow the tenders are easily accessible yet hidden from view. Despite her generous volume and a top speed of 13.5-14 knots, Al Waab’s twin Caterpillar C18 (725hp/533 kW) diesel engines burn 35% less fuel than similar-sized yachts.Even before her delivery Al Waab was making waves and a 60-meter project currently in build at the Alia shipyard reunites the Vripack and SF Yachts teams.Alia Yachts was founded in 2008 by Gokhan Çelik and Omer Koray. Located in the port of Antalya on the beautiful Turkish Riviera, Alia Yachts shipyard currently occupies approximately 8,000 sq. m, including three construction halls with their suites of specialist workshops and a dedicated interiors facility. With an additional 16,000 sq. m under development for 2019, Alia Yachts will rank among the top facilities in the region.Credits: Pozitif Studio/Alia Yachts
May 24, 2022