Solar Powered Yachts – Yachting https://www.yachtingmagazine.com Yachting Magazine’s experts discuss yacht reviews, yachts for sale, chartering destinations, photos, videos, and everything else you would want to know about yachts. Tue, 05 Aug 2025 17:30:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/favicon-ytg-1.png Solar Powered Yachts – Yachting https://www.yachtingmagazine.com 32 32 VisionF Launches Second E-Cat 80 Solar-Electric Catamaran https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/visionf-launches-second-e-cat-80/ Tue, 05 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=70847 The latest all-electric 80-foot catamaran from Turkey’s VisionF Yachts gets more solar power, more comfort and more ways to enjoy life on the water.

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VisionF E-Cat 80
With a nearly 11-meter beam, the E-Cat 80 offers serious volume, including space for up to 12 guests across five staterooms. Courtesy Saim Kaan Yılmaz

VisionF Yachts has launched the second vessel of its E-Cat 80 line, a 23.97-meter all-electric catamaran built in carbon fiber at the company’s shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul. With its expanded solar panel array—62 panels now generating 24.8 kW per hour—the new model improves on the original with more self-sufficient cruising capabilities and updated creature comforts, including a jacuzzi on the flybridge and a kid-friendly fifth guest cabin.

VisionF E-Cat 80
The new vessel features an expanded solar panel array, with 62 panels now generating 24.8 kW per hour. Courtesy Saim Kaan Yılmaz

With a nearly 11-meter beam, the E-Cat 80 offers serious volume, including space for up to 12 guests across five staterooms and a sprawling flybridge with four distinct seating areas. A hydraulic tender garage aft houses up to two tenders or a pair of Jet Skis, while the yacht’s twin 180 kW electric motors and optional generators ensure a range of over 1,000 nautical miles when backup power is needed. Tailored for private ownership or charter service, this second E-Cat 80 continues VisionF’s push toward energy-efficient multihull cruising.

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Silent Yachts Launches SY80 Flagship https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/silent-yachts-launches-sy80-flagship/ Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=70626 The all-electric, solar-powered 80-foot catamaran will premiere at the 2025 Cannes Yachting Festival.

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Silent Yachts SY80
Silent Yachts’ new SY80 is available in three layouts and emphasizes zero-emissions cruising, large-volume living spaces and Italian craftsmanship. Courtesy Silent Yachts

Silent Yachts has launched the first hull of its SY80, an 80-foot solar-electric catamaran that marks the Italian builder’s most ambitious project to date. The vessel is scheduled to make its world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September 2025.

Built in Fano, Italy, the SY80 extends the company’s sustainability-focused approach to a larger platform. This first unit is a 2-deck version tailored to the owner’s preferences. Measuring 24.38 meters in length, the SY80 offers increased interior volume, expanded solar capacity and a larger battery system than its predecessors.

Available in three layouts—2-Deck, 3-Deck Open, and 3-Deck Closed—the SY80 can accommodate up to 12 guests. Owners can opt for either an on-deck master suite or a fully open-plan main saloon with the master located below. The layout of the first hull includes four guest staterooms, with dedicated master and VIP suites.

Social and relaxation spaces include a panoramic salon, multiple lounge areas, a bar and an upper deck with sunbeds. A dedicated helm station allows for navigation with 360-degree visibility. Practical features include a hidden garage built into the aft port hull and a separate equipment locker in the starboard hull, both suitable for stowing water toys or dive gear.

On the performance side, the SY80 combines silent, solar-powered cruising with substantial battery capacity—522 to 696 kWh, depending on configuration—and a 22.4 kWp solar array. The yacht cruises efficiently at 7 to 8 knots and can reach a top speed of 12 knots with near-zero emissions.

Silent Yachts reports that two additional SY80 hulls in the 3-deck configuration have already been sold.

Silent Yachts SY80 Specs

  • Length Overall: 80 feet
  • Beam: 36 feet
  • Draft: 3.9 feet
  • Top Speed: 12 knots
  • Cruising Speed: 7–8 knots
  • Solar Array Output: 22.4 kWp
  • Battery Capacity: 522 kWh / 696 kWh
  • Guest Capacity: Up to 12
  • Layouts: 2-Deck, 3-Deck Open, 3-Deck Closed

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Revolution Marine Group Unveils Oceanwalker S60e Power Cat https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/revolution-marine-group-unveils-oceanwalker-s60e/ Tue, 17 Jun 2025 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=70371 This 60-foot solar-electric power catamaran is set up for long-range, eco-friendly cruising.

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Oceanwalker S60e
Powered by twin 200 hp electric motors, the Oceanwalker S60e can reportedly reach speeds of up to 12 knots, with an optimal cruising speed of 7 to 8 knots. Courtesy Revolution Marine Group

Revolution Marine Group has introduced the Oceanwalker S60e, a 60-foot solar-electric power catamaran that the builder says is aimed to address the growing demand for environmentally responsible boating alternatives.

The power catamaran has twin 200 hp (150 kW) electric motors that reportedly deliver speeds up to 12 knots, with an optimal cruising speed of 7 to 8 knots. 

Safe lithium-phosphate batteries serve as the power source for all hotel loads, including air conditioning, electric cooking and washer/dryers. The goal is quiet, emissions-free throughout the yacht.

Oceanwalker S60e
A 10 kW solar array helps reduce dependence ona generator at anchor. Courtesy Revolution Marine Group

A 10 kW solar array enhances the S60e’s sustainability credentials, enabling extended periods at anchor with moderate use of climate control and other systems. This setup reduces dependence on traditional power sources and reinforces the vessel’s eco-conscious design.

For longer voyages, the S60e has two 45 kW diesel generators, providing a reported cruising range of up to 800 nautical miles, according to the builder.

“Currently under construction at the Fujian Sky Walker shipyard in Zhangzhou, China, the Oceanwalker S60e is being crafted with meticulous attention to detail,” stated Edward Sacks, CEO of Revolution Marine Group in a press release. “Our engineering experts are closely overseeing every stage of the build process to ensure the highest standards of quality, performance, and durability. While we are delighted with the introduction of our initial solar electric catamaran, we continue to focus on staying ahead of the market when it comes to new and innovative technologies. Soon we will also introduce a larger model.”

Oceanwalker S60e
The yacht’s salon has an open floorplan, creating an airy vibe. Note the nearly 360-degree views. Courtesy Revolution Marine Group

The first Oceanwalker S60e is scheduled for delivery in April 2026 to Club Ki’ama Bahamas, a private enclave on Elizabeth Island near Great Exuma. This club offers solar-powered oceanfront residences alongside a fleet of carbon-neutral solar yachts.

“Club Ki’ama Bahamas is beyond excited to make the very first Oceanwalker S60e available to our owners,” stated John Long, Managing Partner. “This elegant, fully electric, solar yacht perfectly complements our sustainably constructed, solar-powered Club residences.”

Long added, “Imagine the enjoyment our Club owners will experience combining a stay in their beachfront Club home with an amazing yacht cruise in the Exumas. It’s the ultimate tropical vacation.”

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Meet the Arcadia A80new Raised Pilothouse https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/meet-the-arcadia-a80new-raised-pilothouse/ Tue, 22 Apr 2025 13:22:18 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=69527 The 78-foot yacht combines solar panels and sustainable design with creature comforts including widebody volume.

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Arcadia A80 rendering
The Arcadia A80new’s solar panels reportedly increase onboard energy efficiency by 98 percent compared to earlier models. At 12 knots, the builder says the yacht will consume 12 percent less fuel than the market average, and 27 percent less at 15 knots. Courtesy Arcadia Yachts

Arcadia Yachts has unveiled the A80new, a 78-foot yacht that the shipyard says demonstrates its “intention to foster the most sustainable approach possible.”

The yacht is a widebody design with five staterooms, including a master on the main deck. There also are quarters for four crew forward to enhance everyone’s privacy, and an upper deck with more than 860 square feet of surface area.

Arcadia A80 stateroom
There are five staterooms, including a main-deck master, plus separate crew quarters for four. Courtesy Arcadia Yachts

Solar panels are part of the design, as is natural wood for the interiors. The solar panels, according to Arcadia, create a 98 percent increase in efficiency per square meter on board compared to the brand’s early years. Arcadia says that when it comes to fuel consumption, the A80new is below market average by 12 percent at a speed of 12 knots, and by 27 percent at a speed of 15 knots. Power is Volvo Penta IPS1350s, and standard stabilization is CMC Marine electric fins.

The A80new is also Arcadia’s first raised pilothouse yacht. Aft, there’s a beach area with a liftable platform and side wings that extend. Forward, the bow area can transform for use as a table or a sunbathing area.

Arcadia A80new upper deck
The A80new has 860-square-feet plus of customizable upper-deck space. Courtesy Arcadia Yachts

Inside, artificial lighting includes dimmable LEDs that Arcadia says “create a more natural atmosphere, as well as consuming less energy and making it possible to create different moods according to the situation and the time of day.”

The yacht also has a garage that houses tenders and sports gear.

Arcadia A80new interior
The yacht’s interior is notable for its use of natural woods and energy-efficient LED lighting. Courtesy Arcadia Yachts

Key Specs on the Arcadia A80new

The yacht’s gross tonnage is 131. Beam is 22 feet, 10 inches, while the draft is 5 feet, 9 inches. Fuel capacity is 2,150 gallons, and freshwater capacity is 530 gallons.

When will the Arcadia A80new make its public debut?

The yacht is scheduled to be on the docks this autumn at the Cannes Yachting Festival in France.

Take the next step: visit arcadiayachts.it

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“Energy Observer” Zero-Emission Boat Showcases Sustainability https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/energy-observer-zero-emission-boat/ Thu, 14 Mar 2024 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=62790 The self-sufficient boat has traveled more than 64,000 nautical miles to help educate the public.

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Energy Observer
Following its travels up the East Coast, Energy Observer will voyage to Paris for the Olympic Games. Amélie Conty

Energy Observer, the first vessel of its kind, is sailing from Washington, D.C. to New York in an effort to raise awareness about solutions to fight climate change. 

The self-sufficient, zero-emission boat was a former race boat converted into an eco-friendly vessel by Frederic Dahirel and Victorien Erussard and was launched in 2017. The boat has traveled more than 64,000 nautical miles, spreading a message of sustainability along the way, and headed to the United States during the 2024 election year to motivate voters and lawmakers to prioritize the environment. 

The boat arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Feb. 27 before setting sail for Washington, D.C. Energy Observer will be docked at the Wharf Marina near the Capitol and White House to encourage lawmakers to visit the floating laboratory from March 14 through March 20 and witness climate-change solutions for a low-carbon society, especially in the marine industry. 

Energy Observer
To date, Energy Observer has cruised self-sufficiently for more than 64,000 nautical miles. Amélie Conty

The United States is the second-largest consumer and producer of energy in the world, behind China. As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses in the world, America plays a crucial role in global warming, project leaders said in a news release. 

“Our ship will not be able to go unnoticed by those who influence the energy future of the country,” the project said in a Facebook update.

Project organizers hail Energy Observer “as being a symbol of our awareness raising and our ambitions at the service of ecological transition.” The boat is powered by the sun, wind and water; the technology can be replicated on a larger scale, Energy Observer leaders said. 

After its stay in Washington, Energy Observer will set sail for New York City, where it will dock from April 10 through April 22. While at North Cove Marina at Brookfield Place, project organizers said they will host investors, United Nations officials and students. The New York stay will conclude on Earth Day.

After departing the Big Apple, Energy Observer will visit Boston — which project leaders call “a mecca of knowledge and training” due to its esteemed research initiatives — from May 1 through May 5 before sailing to Canada and then Paris for the Summer Olympic Games.

For those who want to follow Energy Observer’s travels, you can track the boat here.

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Sirena 48: Hybrid Version https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/sirena-debuts-48-hybrid/ Tue, 20 Feb 2024 20:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=62297 The Turkish builder’s entry-level yacht is now available with a hybrid powertrain.

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Sirena 48 hybrid
The Sirena 48 hybrid model has twin 213-killowatt electric motors. Top speed: 14 knots. Courtesy Sirena Yachts

Sirena Yachts in Turkey has unveiled a hybrid version of its entry-level motoryacht, the Sirena 48.

The Sirena 48 made its debut at the 2023 Cannes Yachting Festival. Now, the builder is adding an option for buyers to outfit the engine room for silent power on demand without exhaust emissions.

Most of the same styling and features remain from the original Sirena 48, including three staterooms for guests. Sirena Yachts added a coupe-style coachroof where the original version of the boat had an open-air flybridge, for a couple of reasons. First, to create a sportier exterior, and second, to reduce the yacht’s weight and windage so performance and range can be enhanced for the electric propulsion.

The coachroof has solar panels set into it, adding more power for the yacht to use under electric operation.

“The hardtop design is particularly well suited to the hybrid drive system, and offers a remarkable solution in terms of aesthetics while maximizing the number of solar panels,” Sirena Yachts CEO Cagin Genc stated in a press release. “At Sirena Marine, we have been working hard to integrate a robust, meaningful hybrid option for some time. And though we are starting with our latest 48-foot yacht model, we are able to implement the solution on any of the yachts in our range, which runs up to 88 feet.”

Sirena 48 hybrid
Solar panels in the Sirena 48’s coachroof harness the sun to power the batteries. Courtesy Sirena Yachts

The Sirena 48 hybrid has twin 213-kilowatt electric motors for a reported top speed of 14 knots. In silent electric mode, it can draw power directly from the battery bank to cover up to 30 nautical miles before switching on the variable-speed generators.

Sirena Yachts says one typical use case for that setup is a boat owner who wants to make a low-profile departure from the harbor or anchorage without the noise and emissions of a diesel system.

For longer range and more speed, the two generators produce electricity to drive the boat and recharge the batteries. Unlike a diesel engine, these generators can be positioned independently of the yacht’s propellers, reducing noise and vibration on board. When the boat reaches its destination, the batteries should be full again, allowing owners to overnight in total silence. There should be no need to start the generators for more than eight hours, even with the air conditioning on and the galley or audiovisual systems in use, according to the shipyard.

“By integrating hybrid solutions from e-Motion, Sirena Marine is bringing many new benefits to its yachts,” Genc added. “Not only can they offer quieter and more comfortable cruising at anchor and underway, we estimate that a hybrid system can reduce fuel consumption by up to 35 percent and cut maintenance costs by 10 to 15 percent.”

Can owners still choose layouts and styling with the Sirena 48 hybrid version? Yes. And the hybrid propulsion option is now available across all of the shipyard’s models.

Take the next step: click over to sirenayachts.com

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Sunreef Power Eco Is A Think-Different Catamaran https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/currents-sunreef-power-eco/ Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=62214 The cruising yachtsmen who are buying Sunreef Power Eco catamarans have green ideas that extend well beyond solar power.

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Sunreef 80 Power Eco
Hull No. 1 of the 80 Sunreef Power Eco is christened Sól. It premiered at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Courtesy Sunreef

Any yacht that’s built with a “solar skin” is bound to attract owners who have at least a few thoughts about the environment. Such is the case with Sunreef’s Power Eco series of catamarans. Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso recently took delivery of a 60 Power Eco, saying that sustainability considerations were fundamental to his vessel choice. The owner of the first 80 Power Eco, christened Sól, built the yacht entirely cruelty-free, including far more than avoiding animal-derived fabrics such as leather.

As just one example, there’s a composting machine on board Sól. It lets the chefs reduce trash by turning scraps into fertilizer for island farmers, who, in exchange, provide the yacht with locally grown microgreens. “This is definitely different,” says chef Sara Nelson. “I don’t know any other boat doing these things to the level that we’re doing them.”

Fernando Alonso
Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso recently took delivery of a 60 Sunreef Power Eco. Courtesy Sunreef

The captain of Sól thinks about sustainability right down to the crew’s polishing tools for the hull. “You need woolies, but I had to go to the manufacturer to see if it was real wool or not,” Capt. Jack Gorman says. “These are synthetic wool. That’s what we’re going for. Everything down to the bottom paint is cruelty-free. Ablative bottom paints, if you put 20 gallons of that on your yacht, it sloughs off into the environment, and it’s bad for the reefs. We’re using a silicon base without biocides.”

The 80’s two rotating chefs trained in plant-based cooking with celebrity chef Matthew Kenney. Aboard Sól, they will prepare any type of food that guests prefer, but they are ready for charter clients who want all-vegan menus.

Sunreef 80 Power Eco
Sól is accepting Caribbean charter inquiries this winter through Regency Yacht Charters. Courtesy Sunreef

“Most people are reducers,” the 80’s owner says. “A small percentage of the world is vegan, but the majority of people have been looking for plant-based options—not necessarily three meals a day, but they will choose a plant-based dinner some percentage of their evenings.” Aboard Sól, he adds, “it’s delicious, exquisite, high-quality plant-based options.”

As their name implies, the Sunreef Power Eco yachts also have electric power. Sunreef has been adding energy-saving air-conditioning systems, along with custom battery banks that are lighter—and, therefore, can be bigger—than the types of batteries some other builders are testing.

Sunreef 80 Power Eco
Sunreef builds these catamaran hulls with what the shipyard calls a “solar skin.” It includes composite-integrated solar panels that are also part of each yacht’s Bimini roof and superstructure Courtesy Sunreef

The result is the kind of cruising and charter experience that appeals to people who are eager to make an eco-friendly turn. As Alonso puts it, “long, fume-free and quiet cruises let you enjoy the seas on a whole new level. This yacht has some amazing technology that cannot be found anywhere else.”

Take the next step: sunreef-yachts.com

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Two Oceans 555 Reviewed https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/two-oceans-555-reviewed/ Fri, 12 Jan 2024 20:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=61740 With 27-knot speed, house-like volume, an on-deck master and top-tier tech, the Two Oceans 555 is a formidable power catamaran.

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Two Oceans 555
Solar panels and lithium-phosphate batteries help generate power for hotel loads. Outdoor Media

Dave Jirikovic of HMY Yachts was on a quest. The sales broker was looking for the meanest, nastiest patch of Gulf Stream he could find to show a potential client what the Two Oceans 555 power cat could handle.

“There,” he said, pointing ahead. “A series of solid 4-footers.” The Gulf Stream was roiled from several days of 20-plus-knot northern winds running against the northbound current.

And just as he had intended to show us, the broad-shouldered power cat didn’t even notice. He even dropped the single-lever throttles back to idle and left the 25-foot-wide Two Oceans 555 beam-on to another set of square-edged seas. The 55-footer brushed that off too. Jirikovic tried quartering into the seas—never a happy angle for catamarans—and the yacht drowsed through them.

Two Oceans 555
Windows surrounding the main deck keep guests continually connected with the sea. Outdoor Media

Stability was among many characteristics that left me impressed with the Two Oceans 555, the company’s first offering in the United States. The builder was founded in 1989 and constructs its boats in Cape Town, South Africa, with power and sail models from 23 to 160 feet length overall. Two Oceans also builds offshore rescue craft, which explains some of the other characteristics I saw after taking a turn at the helm of the Two Oceans 555.

For instance, I was startled to learn that this power cat gets about 1 nautical mile per gallon at 10 knots. With 750 gallons of fuel, that’s a lot farther than most yachtsmen will ever want to run in a single hop.

This cat also has speed—topping out at more than 27 knots—with twin 550 hp Cummins QSB6.7L diesels. The vessel’s performance and seaworthiness are a tribute to the twin slippery hulls designed by Du Toit Yacht Design of South Africa. Using tunnels tightly fitted to the props for maximum power, and with low-drag sacrificial keels, the 555 has just a 3-foot-6-inch draft.

Two Oceans 555
This yacht’s salon had a dinette to port opposite a galley large enough to accommodate several chefs. Outdoor Media

Construction is solid with a vinylester barrier coat underwater and PVC foam core, all vacuum-bagged for strength and reinforced with carbon fiber in high-load areas.

Effort has clearly been spent on soundproofing; my decibel meter barely nudged 82 dB(A) at 26.5 knots in the salon. Thanks to the boat’s underwater side-mounted exhausts, the bridge sound was even quieter: 79 decibels at 23 knots.

The thing I liked most about the Two Oceans 555 is that it is essentially a blank canvas. This particular boat had a layout I liked: an on-deck master stateroom separated from the salon by sliding doors. The master has 180 degrees of 27-inch-high windows for a panoramic view from the walk-around island berth. The en suite head is in the port hull with twin sinks, a 3-by-4-foot shower stall and a tilt-up vanity.

Two Oceans 555
Talk about meal-prep space: The long section of the L-shaped countertop is almost 11 feet long. Outdoor Media

Guest staterooms included an athwartships space forward in the starboard hull with a larger-than-queen berth, and another stateroom aft with a queen berth. The opposite hull had a third guest stateroom with twin berths.

This yacht’s salon had a dinette to port opposite a galley large enough to accommodate several chefs. All the usual amenities—from US manufacturers for easy service—included a stand-up two-door fridge with a drawer, a microwave, a five-burner cooktop, an ice maker, a trash compactor and a dishwasher. What was more interesting was the size of the L-shaped Corian countertop: The L was a few inches shy of 8 feet, while the fore-and-aft counter was more than 11 feet long.

The salon opens up to the cockpit, which, on this 555, had a settee with a dining table. The back is double-sided so people could sit facing aft, either to watch the launching or retrieval of a tender with the hydraulic platform or just to enjoy a sunset. There’s also a U-shaped recessed dinette with wraparound seating on the foredeck.

Two Oceans 555
The view from the on-deck master stateroom. Outdoor Media

That leaves the flybridge, whose open aft deck was 9 feet by 28 feet for sun lounges, chaises or personal watercraft to be launched via the optional crane. A wraparound dinette to port faced a grill, a fridge, an ice maker and a sink.

The helm is forward, abaft a full-height windscreen. There’s a double-wide Stidd seat, and either two or three Garmin multifunction displays. Future boats are likely to have the engine monitors and switches in an overhead, aircraft-style panel on the hardtop, but there was room for the skipper to make good use of the standard Side-Power bow thruster (a stern thruster is optional).

This power cat had the optional Off-Grid package, using twin 9 kW Integrel Solutions generators coupled to the prop shafts with flex power takeoffs. Combined with the solar panels forward of the flybridge helm, this arrangement feeds a bank of Victron Energy lithium-phosphate batteries totaling 26,000 watts, providing more than 19 hours of silent running time for all air-conditioning, ship and galley needs.

Two Oceans 555 helm
The flybridge can be open or enclosed. Outdoor Media

The Two Oceans 555 power catamaran has the interior and exterior real estate of a monohull nearly double its size. It offers a smooth ride in rough water, has accommodations for the largest of cruising families, and uses solar power to cruise anywhere a yachtsman desires. All of this, combined with the ability to heavily personalize the yacht, makes the Two Oceans 555 a strong offering in the power-cat marketplace.  

Wealth of Experience

Du Toit Yacht Design may not yet be a household name in the United States, but it is the leading catamaran design firm in South Africa, with several sizes of Two Oceans power cats and Balance sailing catamarans, and more than 120 production and custom yacht designs.

Power Play

Victron Energy is a Dutch producer of electrical equipment for marine and industrial needs, energy storage and solar energy access. Each Victron lithium-phosphate battery has its own battery-management system.

The Battery Basics

The builder says that when it comes to recharging, the yacht’s lithium-phosphate batteries can ramp back up to 85 percent power in just 60 minutes when the main engines are running. 

Efficient Engines

The Cummins QSB6.7L is an in-line six-cylinder, 408-cubic-inch, turbocharged, after-cooled diesel noted for its 80 percent noise reduction compared with similar engines, because of its common-rail fuel system. The single-loop, low-temperature after-cooling eliminates the need for keel coolers, and it reduces emissions.

Take the next step: hmy.com

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Greener and Better: the Silent 60 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/silent-yachts-60-reviewed/ Fri, 16 Dec 2022 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=59412 Solar panels, ocean-crossing range and self-sufficiency define the electric Silent-Yachts 60 power catamaran.

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Silent-Yachts 60
The Silent-Yachts 60 has the potential to cross oceans without burning fossil fuels. Alberto Cocchi

If there was any question that the “Tesla moment” has arrived in yachting, the Silent 60 clearly provides a positive response.

Consider, for a moment, crossing oceans in silence at 5 to 6 knots without consuming a drop of fuel and never needing to plan your course between fuel stops. Imagine sitting at anchor and running the air conditioning all night, not to mention all the galley appliances plus the washer-dryer, without the hum or fumes from a genset.

During my time aboard the Silent-Yachts 60, the electric yacht cruised easily at 8 knots. When I whipped out my sound meter, it barely registered 52 decibels, which is about the sound of a dishwasher. The Silent monitors at the helm showed we were charging our 286 kWh lithium batteries at more wattage than we were using to spin the 340 kW motors, so we were ahead of the power-usage game—and this was in South Florida rain under a solid cloud layer. Had we upped the ante to the yacht’s top speed of 20 knots, it would have been drawing from rather than adding to the batteries, but the speed capability gives skippers the option to outrun weather (or just get to the best moorings first).

The Silent 60 is a catamaran design for several reasons. First, the twin hulls are easily driven to minimize the power needed. Second, with nearly 30 feet of beam, there is enough deck area for the solar panels needed to create power.

Buyers can choose as many as six staterooms, each en suite with stall showers and nearly king-size berths. The salon also uses that beam well, providing bowling-alley space under 7-foot-6-inch headroom. With the Silent 60, the interior is basically a blank sheet, allowing buyers to tailor the layout to their cruising needs.

Silent-Yachts 60
Wide teak side decks and high rails illustrate the safety-first approach aboard the Silent 60. Alberto Cocchi

As for the engine rooms, NASA could take a page from Silent-Yachts: Everything is precisely labeled, placed for easy access and surgery-suite spotless. Externally, the Silent 60 is striking, with reversed bows and black graphic slashes on the topside that conceal dark-tinted windows (which provide bright, airy interiors to the staterooms). What catches the eye most, however, are the 42 solar panels that cover every inch of the cabin top as well as the hardtop over the flybridge. Produced by SunPower in California, these panels feed power to a lithium battery pack reportedly good for 3,000 charge cycles—or an estimated 35 years of normal boating use.

The Silent 60 I got aboard, which was Hull No. 3, had a four-stateroom layout. A larger stateroom forward in the starboard hull served as the master, with an athwartships berth, settee and built-in vanity. This yacht also had a walk-through Dutch door forward in the salon next to the helm, leading to settees on the foredeck as well as providing salon ventilation. Another benefit of the door for short-handed cruisers is quick access to the anchor gear under the foredeck.

Owners can sacrifice the forward door in favor of a forward master stateroom with a king berth just a couple of steps below the salon and an en suite head in the starboard hull. An intriguing design feature is the two outward-facing “window seats” indented into the stateroom on each side deck, which would make a wonderful spot at anchor with a good book.

The salon has a fixed dining table that easily seats eight people on the wraparound settee. There also are loose chairs and a pad just forward for lounging. The helm is raised one step and has twin Simrad multifunction displays plus the Silent systems monitor, all easily understood.

Silent-Yachts 60
Owners can swap out the master stateroom forward off the salon to add a Dutch door and foredeck access. Alberto Cocchi

Aft and to port, the U-shaped galley has a dishwasher as well as a full-height fridge to starboard. The fridge setup may change to a pair of undercounter drawer fridges on future boats for easier access and to eliminate a blind spot for the skipper.

Abaft the galley, a window slides open for easy pass-through to the cockpit to serve whatever the cooks have prepared using the Hafele four-burner, two-zone cooktop.

The Silent 60 is a work in progress, and additional changes might be on the way, such as the addition of twin berths that slide together, and a different location for what is now the midsalon washer-dryer (in a console abaft the helm). This hull was built in Thailand, but production is moving to Italy.

Still, the yacht has exceedingly clever design ideas, such as the hinged hardtop on the bridge. The top lowers electrically to seal off the bridge from the weather as well as keep the solar cells from being shadowed. The bridge itself is conventional, with a double-wide helm seat to port that reverses to create wraparound seating for the dining table, and double lounge pads for relaxing, not sunning, since the solar panels take up every bit of sun space.

Silent-Yachts 60
Forty-two solar panels atop the yacht’s coach roof make energy and, in turn, propulsion. Alberto Cocchi

The cockpit has a settee and an L-shaped table. A hydraulic swim platform is available in varying widths to handle up to a 13-foot tender without impinging on the platforms on either hull. Silent-Yachts also gets points for good walk-around decks protected by toe kicks as well as welded stainless-steel rails.

The Silent 60 is on the leading edge of a greener yachting experience. For cruisers who are looking to lessen their carbon footprint while enjoying some quietude at sea, this yacht is worth serious consideration. 

Built for Safety

Future Silent 60s from Italy will have fully resin-infused fiberglass sandwich construction with carbon reinforcements in high-stress areas. Each of the hulls has watertight bulkheads, sealed floors and three collision compartments for enhanced safety. The foam sandwich core provides thermal and sound insulation.

Kite Sailing

One option available on the Silent 60 is a kite-wing propulsion system using a collapsing mast and hidden winch to fly a 140-square-foot sail. (By comparison, a Laser sail is 76 square feet.) With open ocean breezes of 17 to 21 knots, the builder says the kite can power the Silent 60 at 6 to 7 knots alone, or it can bump the speed with motors to go faster than the usual 8-knot cruise speed. 

Big Sisters

In addition to the Silent-Yachts 60, the boatbuilder has 62-, 80- and 120-foot electric power cats available for owners looking for something bigger. Additionally, it recently started work on the hybrid-powered Silent VisionF 82. 

Take the next step: silent-yachts.com

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Yes, This Is a Solar-Electric Yacht https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/soel-yachts-62-debut/ Thu, 19 May 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=58474 The Soel Yachts 62 has a reported top-end speed of 14 knots.

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Soel Yachts 62
Soel Yachts’ Soel 62 has 44 solar panels that generate 17.6 kWp of solar energy. Courtesy Soel Yachts

Soel Yachts in the Netherlands has released plans for the Soel 62, a solar-electric yacht that, the builder says, can achieve a top-end speed of 14 knots.

The yacht has an integrated solar roof made of 44 panels that generate 17.6 kWp of solar energy, which is equivalent to 50 kWh. According to the company, its “active cooling system for solar panels” is able to harvest 15 percent to 20 percent more energy than other designs.

That amount of energy feeds into one of two propulsion systems that owners can select, called “Cruise” and “Power.”

The Cruise setup has a pair of 100 kW electric motors, 282 kWh of lithium battery capacity and a 100 kW DC generator, reportedly allowing for a cruising speed of 8 knots and a top speed of 10 knots.

The Power setup has a pair of 200 kW electric motors, 424 kWh of lithium battery capacity and a 150 kW DC generator, reportedly providing a cruising speed of 10 knots and a top-end speed of 14 knots.

Both setups have DC fast-charging capabilities, as well as normal AC single and three-phase shore power charging.

What are the guest spaces like? The interior has four staterooms for as many as nine guests, as well as quarters for three crew. There’s an open galley with a bar, along with a cockpit that has a day head and barbecue.

Take the next step: go to soelyachts.com

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