where are silent yachts made

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

Review: Silent 55, the extraordinary solar powered yacht

• January 18, 2019

Silent Yachts is tapping into the solar zeitgeist and creating a new meaning for the term ‘powercat’.  Sam Fortescue reports

There is a slow, silent revolution under way in the yachting world. It is a revolution that is introducing tonnes of lithium and a sprinkling of silicon to the spec list of new boats. Holding out the promise of silent mobility, plus limitless domestic power on board, it made a big splash at the last Cannes Festival of Yachting – not least thanks to the new Silent 55 catamaran which debuted there.

From the pontoon side, the Silent 55 looks like a typical modern catamaran, with a big coachroof studded with windows and a flybridge helm. Except there’s no mast. Now, bear with me here. I realise that this is a sailing magazine, but we will shortly get back to more familiar territory. The unique qualities of this catamaran only become apparent from up top, where an expanse of solar panels stretches away fore and aft, embedded into the coachroof. The hard top itself carries yet more panels, and can be folded down flush to give an unshaded solar array of 49m2. During the heat of a summer day in the Med, this is capable of generating 10kW of power and up to around 60kWh in the course of the day.

But to make a solar system work in reality, Köhler had to go back to the drawing board on yacht design. The saloon and hulls have extra thermal insulation to keep air-con losses down, and the use of carbon and aramid in key areas helps reduce the overall weight to a decent 17 tonnes (a Lagoon 52 weighs 22.5 tonnes). He has tried to keep windows out of the direct sun with long overhangs and in contrast to the Lagoon’s 12 deck hatches, the Silent 55 has just two.

Holistic design

On the other hand, it has lots of opening windows, to allow a natural draught to do its job. “It’s a holistic approach – you can’t take the batteries and the drivetrain and drop it into another boat.”

Of course, using the propulsion system quickly takes its toll of the boat’s 140kW battery bank. The model on display at Cannes had two 135kW motors, giving you just half an hour of silent motoring flat-out, albeit at a top speed of over 20 knots. More reasonable 30kW engines and a single-digit speed give you greater range. Nonetheless, the electric drive alone isn’t going to allow you to outrun a storm, or race home after a day at anchor, so the boat is designed to work with a generator hidden in the heavily insulated transom of its starboard hull. At cruising speed of around 5-6 knots, Köhler says there is rarely any need to use the generator, citing an owner who has just emailed him triumphantly about a second year totally generator-free. “In the end, you have to compare it to the performance of a sailing boat,” Köhler says. “It is as fast as a sailing boat in similar conditions – after all, there is no wind without sun.” He went so far as to tell me during the sea trial in Palma, Mallorca, that he believed the majority of sailors would happily dispense with the hassle of sails and a rig if only they could enjoy silent motoring and anchoring. “As soon as people realise the incredible concept of this boat, they won’t understand why they ever did anything else.”

The market does not seem to agree with him – yet. Sales of the boat have been good – they have already sold six, five of which are already in the water. But of those, four customers have taken the sail option, which means planting a 19.7m tall mast complete with boom and rigging slap bang in the middle of the coachroof solar array. “I was a bit amazed,” Köhler admits. “The shade from the rig reduces the energy generated by the solar area, while it costs more and is heavier, so consumes more fuel. Maybe it is for optical reasons.” In fact, the shade of the rig slashes the average yield of the solar panels in half. In the Med, that means around 30kWh per day. But perhaps it figures. The typical profile of buyers is an environmentalist who has a Tesla electric car and is “an early adopter who likes to have things before others”. And at low speeds, with modest use of the air-con, the reduced energy generation should still cover daily consumption.

The performance under sail should be reasonable because of the lightweight build of the boat, its broad 8.47m beam and stub keels added to each hull. Control lines are led back via conduits in the coachroof to the flybridge helm station, to make single-handing under sail a possibility.

More interesting, I think, is a sort of halfway-house option using a kite rig. This optimises the performance of the solar panels and gives plenty of propulsion. On the smaller 55 and the 64, Silent Yachts currently recommends a 19m2 kite that costs around €25,000 – a fraction of the cost of a new mast, boom, shrouds and sails. “The sail automatically makes a figure of eight above the boat, and you can steer it with a joystick or an app on an android phone,” Köhler explains. “It can propel the 55 at up to 6 knots, even in light winds.” Perfect for an Atlantic crossing, then.

For the bigger Silent 79, which will hit the water in the summer, a commercial grade Sky Sail system needs to be used – a smaller version of the ones used on cargo ships. This kite can propel the boat at ten knots, but it costs more than ten times as much as its smaller cousin. Both are capable of pulling the boat upwind. So far, so new. But outside the novel energy and propulsion system, the Silent 55 aims to do what many other cruising catamarans are trying to achieve. “Most of our clients order for circumnavigation and long-term cruising,” Köhler says. So the boat is aimed to be as comfortable and capable as possible with watermakers, TVs and an induction hob that all capitalise on the boat’s abundant energy. A flexible configuration allows owners the choice 
of between three and six cabins – the latter designed for charter. The owner’s cabin lies forward of the saloon, under the windows of the coachroof, which provide magnificent views and abundant natural light. There’s a walk-around bed and steps down into the starboard hull give access to an en-suite shower room and heads.

In my view, the best cabin lies aft of this, accessed in the traditional manner down steps out of the saloon. The king-sized bed lies athwartships and the shower is larger than that of the master cabin. There’s more space down here, better headroom and still plenty of light courtesy of the many hull lights.

When I had the chance to sea trial the Silent 55, albeit in motorboat format, I jumped at it. It was a contrary autumn day on Mallorca with 15 knots breeze – just a shame, then, that this wasn’t one of the sailing configured versions.

To start with, getting on board is made really easy courtesy of deep boarding platforms on the skirts. She feels rather square because of that vast, glazed saloon with its deep overhang, and perhaps because of the utilitarian nature of the hard top, which is really about supporting more solar panels. Nevertheless, the side decks are broad and uncluttered. The space up top is designed to concertina down flat, hence the hydraulic rams, fold-down seat back and lowering console. It makes a great sailing position, though, with all round visibility, and is also perfect for sundowners at anchor. When the rain comes down, this feels quite exposed, but there is a fully sheltered helm at the front of the saloon, and it is also possible to drive the boat from anywhere using a tablet thanks to smart electronics. Under power, the handling is superb. The quietness of the motors is astonishing, and I gather they’ll be inaudible on the next boat, which will do away with the gearbox. Even in the aft cabins, directly above the motors, there is no more than a distant hum. The boat responds instantly to the power and the wind seemed to have no impact at all. As with any propulsion system, the power consumption jumps as you pile on the speed – it was sobering to see. At 6 knots, both motors drew 10kW but at 8 knots it was closer to 30kW. I liked the huge saloon with its raised table for 360º views. And the sliding door and window gives great access aft, connecting the saloon and cockpit in fine conditions. The finish was smart and in muted tones, feeling more Scandinavian than German.

Intriguingly, at least it seems to me, Köhler has tapped into something with the concept behind Silent Yachts – but not entirely for the reasons that he expected. Buyers are opting for the sail or kite versions of the boat because they want a comfortable wind-powered craft with abundant, quiet energy on tap. It brings a whole new meaning to the 
term ‘powercat’

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Headlining the news is the announcement that Austrian-owned Silent-Yachts has been restructured as Silent Group comprising several distinct divisions.

Silent-Yachts:  Offering fully electric, solar-powered catamarans from 60-120 feet for noiseless, zero-emission cruising. In addition, from now on a new sub-division will also build hybrid yachts that make use of both conventional propulsion and renewable solar energy. The first hybrid yacht is an 82-foot model to be built in partnership with VisionF Yachts.

Through the cooperation with VisionF, Silent-Yachts aims to support the Turkey based shipyard towards making their catamarans more sustainable. The extended hardtop flybridge of the so-called Silent VisionF 82 is fitted with a large solar array and a powerfull battery bank in order to provide sufficient energy to power all household and comfort appliances on board. As a result, guests will be able to enjoy the noiseless Silent experience without compromises when anchoring in a bay or docked in a marina. The alliance showcases the willingness of Silent-Yachts to assist other manufacturers to reduce their vessels dependency on fossil fuels by incorporating the proven solar technology of the Austrian pioneer. 

Silent-Tenders:  Offering a new range of electric Silent tenders, starting with a model of 4 metres in length. Further models will be announced during 2022. 

Silent-Management:  Offering the full spectrum of management services for Silent clients, from documentation, flag registration, certification and inspections to crew hiring, charter and yacht management, maintenance and servicing. 

Silent-Charter:  Offering Silent yachts for charter from the fleet base in Port Adriano, Mallorca and around the world.

Silent-Brokerage:  Offering brokerage services for pre-owned vessels for sale by Silent and its clients. 

Silent-Resorts:  Stunning zero-carbon, ultra-sustainable resorts with luxurious beachfront solar-powered residences. 

Silent-Shop:  A web-based outlet for electric water toys, smart electric gadgets as well as Silent merchandising products.

New production sites The Silent Group can draw on three production facilities around the world. Its shipyard on Italy’s Adriatic coast has five construction sheds with 22,000 m² of covered space and about the same area outside for building the Silent 60 series & and the Silent 80 series. 

The Swiss-owned and managed PMG Shipyard in Thailand builds the Silent 60 series. The yard has a 20,800-m² facility in Rayong with dedicated areas for each stage of the production process.

A new partnership with Coşkun Bayraktar in Turkey, founder of the Viaport Group has opened up more production opportunities. Bayraktar, who also owns VisionF Yachts in Istanbul, has invested considerable manpower in recent months to start up production of the Silent 60 series, Silent 80 series, SILENT 100 series as well as the new Silent VisionF 82. Boats of each series are already being built in Turkey. Including the Tuzla Viaport Marina, the copperation with VisionF Yachting provides access to more than 100,000 m² of production area.

Record sales in 2021 – the current order book 2021 was a record-breaking year for the brand with 21 yachts sold. There are 17 yachts currently in build at different stages of production, among them eight Silent 60 series, six Silent 80 series, two Silent VisionF 82 and the first Silent 120 (ex-Silent 100). 

Upcoming new launch The next unit to be launched will be a Silent 60 – Front Exit version. The solar electric catamaran will touch the water this month February 2022 and will head straight to the US where the owner is waiting. Another Silent 60 Front Exit will be launched by April and will be followed by more yachts later this year.

“I’m immensely proud of what Silent-Yacht has achieved over the years,” says Silent-Yachts founder and CEO Michael Köhler. “After beginning our research into solar yacht technologies in 2004, the company has evolved and expanded and last year’s sales show that we continue to grow. We are now a truly international Group with diverse interests requiring more extensive resources and production space. This enables us to collaborate with other shipyards such as VisionF to assist them in harnessing solar technology as a step towards a more sustainable future.”

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Michael, following a busy couple of years promoting, selling and building your new line-up of models, can you provide an overview of your current production?

Across our own facilities in Italy and with our partners in Turkey and Thailand, we’re currently building 19 yachts comprising 10 units of the 60/62 series, six 80 series, the flagship 120 and two Silent Vision F 82 hybrid catamarans.

Since late last year, we’ve already delivered the first three units of the Silent 60. This year, we hope to deliver about 10 units of the Silent 60, three of the Silent 80 and two or three of the Silent VisionF 82. We’re convinced we can achieve this.

In total, we’ve already put 15 boats in the water when you count the first three 60s, our Solarwave 46 from 2009 and the Silent 64 and 55, our first production models.

Can you give an overview of the Silent-Yachts facilities in Fano and which models you produce there?

The site has about 22,000sqm (2.2 hectares) of covered facilities in four big sheds and about the same area outside the sheds. It has a double set of moulds for the Silent 60 and a single set for the Silent 80. The number of workers is hard to determine because the Italian system uses a lot of sub-contractors, so it’s difficult to know how many people are working on our furniture, for example. I’d estimate there are maybe 200 people in Italy working on or for our boats.

Silent 60 models have also been built at the PMG Shipyard in Thailand for the last couple of years, but what led to your recent partnership with Turkish yard VisionF?

We met them at the Cannes Yachting Festival last September as they had a booth next to us and showed their VisionF 80 catamaran. It looks very sleek and we were pleasantly surprised about the high quality of construction and the clever layout, especially when you realise the dimensions of the interior. The only drawback is that it’s fully diesel powered, which really hurt us.

As we talked to them, they were enthusiastic about our solar-electric knowledge and ability to help them power all onboard appliances without using a generator. We quickly became friends and decided to pursue a partnership.

• READ MORE: The New Nimbus T11: Cruises into Asia

Several visits followed and in October we signed a contract to start the production of some of our boats, so we brought over moulds and even some finished hulls just to speed up production. They’re producing the Silent 60 and Silent 80, and are incredibly fast. They’ve also started on the production of two Silent VisionF 82s, which is the hybrid version of their VisionF 80.

Can you tell us more about the Silent VisionF 82?

It’s longer than the VisionF 80, the underwater part of the hull is new and the roof has been enlarged to fit more solar panels. It has a slightly different interior, with more European taste, and we’ve made big changes in the energy system. It’s the same system we use on Silent-Yachts models. For propulsion, the client can choose between diesel, diesel-hybrid or pure electric.

Is Silent-Yachts open to sharing its solar-electric technology with other builders?

Definitely. It’s hard to compare us to Elon Musk because he’s a few times bigger than us, to say the least, but he did the same. He opened all his Tesla patents and I think it was a smart move because we should share the knowledge for a better future. I think the market now demands less fuel-consuming boats and every day you read that there’s a gas and petrol problem in Europe.

It was already obvious to me in 2009, when we produced the first fully solar-powered yacht, that it’s an advantage to have a boat that doesn’t require fuel. As a back-up, our first boat had an 88-litre fuel tank and at the end of the boating season, I emptied the entire contents into my car.

We challenged ourselves to not use the generator at all and we didn’t use it for three years, which proved that diesel isn’t required. However, in my opinion, it’s mandatory to have a generator on board because you could need it to get out of bad weather, for example, or if there’s almost no sun for days on end.

The main message that we sent was that solar-electric technology works on yachts if you design the boat in a specific way. You can’t just attach solar panels on any boat. It must be designed so you can fit as many solar panels on the roof as possible. I’m not a fan of having solar panels on the hull sides because they’re in the shade or not in the right position. As such, if we were to work with builders, we’d also need to work on the design of the boat.

• READ MORE: Sunreef’s Super Powercat is a Super Statement

What led to you creating the Silent Group of businesses, which was announced earlier this year and includes tenders, charter, brokerage, management, Silent-Resorts and an online shop?

All the boats we’ve produced and are building are connected to the business divisions we announced. The tender division, for example, is because all our clients want electric tenders that they can charge on their boat, so they go hand in hand. We’re currently in the prototype stage and the tenders will be available for everybody, not only with Silent catamarans.

The brokerage department simply allows us to help our clients sell their boats if they wish to upgrade, for example. We’ve been operating charters for several years and it’s a natural offering for our clients, so we offer the possibility for them to put their boat into charter with proper management. Same for yacht management.

So, while it seems like a big announcement, it’s just a logical development based on our orders and our relationships with our clients. We’ve been offering these services for a while, so it’s more a formalisation of our existing offerings. Furthermore, Silent-Yachts models are different to most other boats on the market, so other companies wouldn’t be able to handle a lot of these aspects.

We had already announced Silent-Resorts, which uses our solar-electric technology for low-footprint luxury resorts on pristine islands with moorings for solar-electric yachts, sharing an electricity grid. The first one is in the Bahamas.

If you see how resorts have been developed in the Maldives, for example, the centre of each island has huge generators and hundreds of jerry cans and barrels. Our developments will have a generator for emergency situations only, such as in the case of three straight days of really bad weather. But over a year, maybe 95, 99, even 100 per cent of the power needed for all the villas and facilities will come from solar power.

Right now, my electric car is being charged by the solar panels on the roof of our office building. Over a year, the building’s solar-electric system powers all the offices and systems in the building. Sometimes we produce enough to give to the grid, and sometimes we must take from the grid when there are days of gloomy weather.

Do you think the world’s leading production yacht builders should be doing more in terms of using solar energy and other sustainable technologies?

Firstly, I don’t like greenwashing. I don’t like brands who pretend to be as green as we are or say their boats are green or self-sufficient when they’re not. However, I do agree more builders should be focusing on at least reducing the fuel consumption, such as if they’re solar-assisted.

Even the likes of a Mangusta motor yacht could have some solar panels on the roof that could charge the batteries to operate the aircon and kitchen appliances, for example. Almost every brand could rethink their designs, although I don’t think all of them will.

It’s happening in the car industry. A few years ago, a Mazda dealer told me the company would never build an electric car, but they’d obviously already been developing it because their first one then came out in 2019.

I think all the big yacht brands are discussing or developing it or at least planning to do so. It’s only a matter of time and to what extent they commit to this transition, such as at least covering power for the appliances. It just needs the design to adapt a little bit, so it depends on how flexible their designers and engineers are. However, I expected more to have happened by now.

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What Is Everyone Saying About Silent Yachts Being 100 Percent Solar Powered?

By Rob Bowman | Posted On Jun 27, 2019 Updated On Jun 03, 2020

Silent Yachts are the first solar-powered and sustainable ocean-going production boat to be succesfully built. This statement inherently comes with a level of skepticism from boaters. How can a yacht function just on solar power and be a reliable cruising vessel? What about if it rains for several days? There must be an engine somewhere on the boat, right?nbsp;

Designed as a luxury power catamaran for increased stability and livable space, Silent Yachts powers their models through cutting-edge processes that harness the energy produced from the solar panels into a series of light-weight, lithium batteries that are among the most sophisticated in the world. With no diesel engines and even the generators running on solar power, Silent Yachts offers yacht owners the chance to enjoy noiseless, fume-less, self-sufficient "green" cruising. (Side note: Owners do have the option to have a hybrid set-up where there is a back-up engine and fuel-powered generator if desired.) In fact, Silent Yachts has proven themselves so thoroughly, the first 4 hulls of the new Silent 80 have already been sold and the first one will be delivered in 2020.

There are two models currently in production, the Silent Yachts 55 and Silent Yachts 80 , however only the 55 to date has been launched. Now that the Silent 55 has made it's way to boat shows and been toured by editors, what is everyone saying?

Silent Yachts Is Racking Up Awards!

Thanks to its unique concept, dedication to the environment, and high-level of quality in construction and materials, Silent Yachts has won numerous awards in the past several months. "The word is out on Silent Yachts truly being fully solar-powered," said Dave Sell , United Yacht broker and Silent Yachts Brand Manager. "Cruising enthusiasts love the benefits of the power catamaran as far as space, storage, and living options. Combine those factors with the benefits of being solar-powered and offering an unlimited range, and you have a very compelling option. The power catamaran market has been growing rapidly for the last several years with owners using the boats part-time and then chartering the yacht part-time in the Caribbean or 'Med'. Now the magazines have caught on and editors are awarding Silent Yachts left and right!"

Silent Yachts recently won the Certificate of High Commendation in the Innovation Category at the Ocean Awards in London! In its fourth year, the Ocean Awards recognize and reward those in the marine industry for a commitment to fixing the largest solvable problem on the planet - the crisis in our oceans.

Back in May, the Silent 55 also received a "Highly Commended" recognition at the Motor Boat Awards. Out of hundreds of boat designers and builders, Silent Yachts was chosen to receive this for innovation and commitment to creating a new "green" yachting experience. The Motor Boat Awards are "the only marine awards with the motor boat buyers' best interests at heart", according to the ceremony description.

Back in March, Silent Yachts also won the Environmental Recognition at the UIM Environmental Awards in Monaco! This award recognizes outstanding achievement by companies who are leading in innovation, vision, and commitment to raising standards of environmentally conscious products. Below is an interview with Marcello Maggi who offers insight into the benefits of Silent Yachts.

Yachting Industry Magazines Can't Stop Talking About Silent Yachts

The tried and true test of any new yacht is how well they are accepted by the industry media. Publications like Yachting Magazine or Power & Motor Yacht will often cover any new boat that comes on the market, but only the select few that demonstrate to be of the highest quality and innovation are regularly featured. Silent Yachts is proud to have earned the respect and recognition from some of the most tenured marine industry editors in the world.

The new Silent Yachts 55 was also recently featured on the cover of Asian Pacific Boating. Owners in the U.S. should take note of this as chartering is certainly an option after purchase. Being a power catamaran has its advantages when it comes to chartering and is an obvious choice when vacationing in the Caribbean or Mediterranean. Owners could potentiall use the boat personally part-time and then charter it part-time to offset the costs of ownership.

Silent Yachts chose United Yacht Sales as their representative in the industry because of our expertise on power catamarans , our commitment to our customers to provide outstanding service, and our vast network of brokers which is known as the largest in the industry. Untied will be representing Silent Yachts in the U.S. and at all upcoming major boat shows. If you have any interest in learning more about Silent Yachts or their availibility, please contact Dave Sell at (610) 751-4719 or Darren Sell at (561) 351-7333.

Previosuly written article about Silent Yachts: " Solar Power Meets Luxury Cruising With Silent Yachts "

Seen below: Impressions of the new Silent 80 Power Catamaran :

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Discover the inner workings of the world’s premier ocean-going, solar-powered production yachts.

Solar-pioneers Heike und Michael Köhler have travelled the oceans on conventional motorboats and sailboats for 40 years.

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As Silent we introduced a new e-ra of yachting with the help of our solar powered electric luxury catamarans. Visit our careers section to join our team.

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SILENT 80 3-Deck: On board SILENT-YACHTS’ most spacious catamaran to date

The future of yachting is here, and it's silent, spacious and energy-saving. SILENT-YACHTS, leader in luxury solar-powered vessels, is set to launch its revolutionary solar-electric flagship – the SILENT 80 3-Deck. With an LOA of 24.3-meters, and the yard’s most voluminous catamaran to date, this cutting-edge yacht is slated to make its debut this year, bringing a new era of responsible yachting to the world's waters.

“What sets the 80 Series apart is that it combines incredibly high levels of luxury and sustainability like no yacht ever before,” says Michael Kohler, founder and CEO of SILENT-YACHTS. “With bespoke design by Marco Casali and 26 kWp produced by the state-of-the-art solar array, there is ample energy to enjoy all the luxurious amenities on board with zero emission.”

Open or closed: Taking customisation to the next level

With the SILENT 80 3-Deck, prospective owners can choose between the 80+-square-metre open or closed fly deck versions. Described as “the defining feature of the yacht” by Kohler, this allows the owner to tailor their onboard experience to their personal preferences.

The open version offers a sprawling 84-square-metre ocean sky lounge on the fly deck, for those who prefer being outdoors with a closer connection to the sea. For those who value privacy and panoramic views, the closed version provides two options. The first option boasts an owner's suite with a staggering 360-degree view and an expansive 41-square-metre private terrace aft. On the other hand, the lounge version is ideal for those who cherish shared experiences on board. It replaces the owner's suite with a generous 39-square-metre dining area, complete with a bar and galley, while maintaining the same aft terrace.

Maximised onboard space

When compared to other catamarans in this size bracket, the SILENT 80 3-Deck has a strategic approach to maximise onboard space without compromising comfort or aesthetics. The boat offers ample storage for water toys beneath the cockpit, enhancing the overall functionality and recreational opportunities of the vessel and making it a dream for watersports enthusiasts.

“In the aft portside hull, the staircase can be raised to reveal a fully enclosed tender garage with a lift and launching system,” Kohler adds. “It fits tenders with a maximum length of 5.2 metres and has a direct charging point to recharge electric SILENT tenders.”

Strategic design: Beauty meets efficiency

The SILENT 80 3-Deck's design is a seamless blend of aesthetics and functionality. The signature window strip running across each hull adds a touch of streamlined elegance to the yacht, a departure from the traditional bulky appearance of many catamarans. Esteemed interior and exterior designer Marco Casali deserves praise for his exceptional work in maximising solar panel coverage while maintaining an elegant and captivating shape. The result is a yacht that not only turns heads but also harnesses the power of the sun to propel you through the water with ease.

“The biggest challenge was to create a design that is visually appealing but also captures as much solar energy as possible,” Kohler explains. “As the solar array of course needs space, it still needs to integrate into the overall visual design language of a yacht in a beautiful manner.”

A solar-powered era of yachting

SILENT-YACHTS is at the forefront of ecological yachting, and the SILENT 80 3-Deck is a testament to its commitment to more sustainable solutions. With cruising speeds of 6-8 knots, the yacht's solar-powered energy system harnesses the sun's rays to generate silent, emission-free propulsion, offering unparalleled efficiency and a virtually maintenance-free experience.

Kohler highlights the importance of producing a yacht that is not only a pleasure to look at, but also very efficient. “All our yachts are required to be highly efficient in order to consume as little energy as possible while providing all the luxuries on board,” he says. “In order to achieve this favourable energy surplus, all onboard appliances need to be highly efficient, and the overall weight of the yacht must remain as low as possible to minimise the energy required for propulsion.”

The 25-year warranty on the solar panels underlines the shipyard's confidence in its green innovation and guarantees uninterrupted, eco-conscious cruising for years to come.

For more information on the SILENT 80 3-Deck, contact the team at SILENT-YACHTS today .

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Electric boats

Silent yachts, silent yachts launches solar catamaran with kite wing sail and 100 mile daily range from the sun.

Solar boat engineer and designer Silent Yachts has shared new details of the SILENT-60, a 60′ catamaran with 42 solar panels and two electric propelled motors backed by 286 kWh of battery capacity. While Silent Yachts’ solar-powered vessels are all unique, the SILENT-60 will also be fitted with a 9-13 square meter kite wing, generating additional clean power to pull the yacht.

Silent Yachts was founded by Heike and Michael Köhle, who together have sailed over 75,000 nautical miles around the world, and decided there had to be a better way to propel yachts with clean energy.

After beginning research into solar yacht technologies in 2004, Silent Yachts gathered five years of sailing data and constructed its first fully self-sufficient solar-powered catamaran , the Solarwave 46.

After a five-year trial at sea that began in 2010, Silent Yachts had a proven solar yacht concept, and began serial production of luxury sustainable vessels in 2016 with the SILENT-64. By 2018, The SILENT-64 had become the first serial-production solar-powered bluewater catamaran to cross the Atlantic, from Cartagena, Spain to Barbados in 16 days.

In 2020, the company announced a partnership with Volkswagen Group , which will supply all the components and batteries for a new 50-foot yacht. The yacht will be designed with the help of Cupra, and will utilize VW’s MEB Platform.

Earlier this year, Silent Yachts launched the SILENT-60 as a more powerful, revamped generation of the SILENT-64. With the company’s latest announcement, the SILENT-60 catamaran looks to separate itself from other solar yachts by utilizing even more sustainable propulsion techniques.

The SILENT-60 solar yacht specs

In addition to being a yacht completely powered using solar energy, Silent Yachts has now shared an additional kite wing option that can deliver even more clean range to the Silent-60.

According to the press release, the SILENT-60 will be the first vessel to be fitted with a nine or 13 square meter kite wing, although the option will now be available on all Silent Yacht models.

After deploying the compact kite, it drifts away on the surface of the water before pulling taught and launching into the air. When it reaches its optimal flight height, the kite begins to trace a “figure 8” in the sky, generating additional power to pull the solar yacht. Silent Yacht founder Michael Köhler elaborates:

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 meter than a traditional sail. In addition to that it saves about 1.5 tons of weight compared to conventional rig and costs much less. It makes even more sense for the SILENT boats that run on renewable solar energy because the power generated by a kite easily exceeds the energy consumption of the system, so you can charge the batteries while cruising under kite power. And besides that, it’s great fun!

When yacht owners want to stop kiting, an automated app controls the kite, moving it to a position right above the boat where it has the least pull on the line. This allows for more easy electric winching down over the foredeck for stowage.

In addition to the wind kite option, the SILENT-60 yacht comes with 42 solar panels, garnering 17 kWp of energy from the sun to power two, 340 kW electric motors. The system is backed by a battery capacity up to 286 kWh.

As a required safety measure, the SILENT-60 is equipped with a generator and 1,000 liters of fuel. However, according to the Silent-Yachts’ owners, they almost never use it because they have enough solar power and electric energy.

According to Silent Yachts, the SILENT-60 can cruise efficiently with zero emissions using solar power only for up to 100 nautical miles a day and can maintain that pace for weeks. The vessel’s cruise speed is six to eight knots, but it can get up to a top speed of 20 knots using the all-electric motors.

The SILENT-60 comes with four guest cabins but can be designed with a custom layout for those willing to pay a bit more. Speaking of which, the SILENT-60 starts at 2.39 million euros ($2.69 million).

The first of these SILENT-60 solar yachts was built in Thailand, but the company plans to build future units in Italy. Furthermore, Silent Yachts has already shared design plans for a SILENT-80 and SILENT-100 Explorer vessel.

More electrified boats are sure to make their maiden voyage soon. In the meantime, check out this launch video detailing the style and luxury of the SILENT-60:

Electrek’s take

The more I see electric propulsion on larger and larger boats, the more excited I get. While this is still such a niche segment in not just maritime transportation, but electrified mobility overall, it really excites me personally.

Many of you (hopefully) saw my previous article where I got to captain a solar-powered yacht called the Ramblin’ Rose, thanks to Sunwater Marine . That experience helped me learn and experience a lot of similar technology that Silent Yachts has implemented on an even larger and more powerful scale with its catamarans.

While it’s safe to say that my current income level might get me on board a SILENT-60 solar yacht as a mere stowaway, those who can afford their own are going to be blessed with luxury and performance with zero emissions. The quicker we stop burning diesel in our Earth’s waters (and anywhere else while we’re at it), the better.

A top speed 20 knots is nearly 23 mph, not bad for two electric motors getting all their energy from the sun. Obviously, that speed is not sustainable for the batteries, but being able to get 100 NMs from the sun each day truly means you can take this yacht out for weeks at a time if you want. Not to mention the unique wing kite that actually pulls the 60-foot yacht, unlike a sailboat that is pushed by the wind. No range anxiety here.

I’d love to get below deck on one of the Silent Yachts and explore the inner workings… while getting a tan in the Mediterranean, perhaps? A kid could dream, right? For now, I’ll simply have to report electric boat news from my squeaky chair, pretending the cars whizzing by outside are calm ocean waves lapping against the yacht’s hull. Is it too early for a mojito?

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Scooter Doll is a writer, designer and tech enthusiast born in Chicago and based on the West Coast. When he’s not offering the latest tech how tos or insights, he’s probably watching Chicago sports. Please send any tips or suggestions, or dog photos to him at [email protected]

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The All-Electric Yacht Evolution

• By David Schmidt
• January 13, 2022

The powerboat drivers idle near their starting lines off Monaco, waiting for the signal to punch the throttles. But they’re different from those who have raced here since 1904: These nine boats are competing in the Solar Class at the 2021 Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.

Every July, the Monaco Yacht Club organizes this race, which features next-generation technologies. This year, after five days of competition—including a 16-nautical-mile-lap race, slalom racing and a championship race—the Dutch-flagged Sunflare solar team claimed top honors in the sun-powered class.

Is their boat’s top speed of about 29 knots going to break any world speed records? No. But the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is a harbinger of recreational boating’s not-so-distant future.

That future, of being carbon-free, has been a long time coming. German inventor Moritz von Jacobi created an early electric boat in 1839, a 24-footer that could carry 14 passengers at roughly 2.6 knots. In 1882, Anthony Reckenzaun, an Austria-born electrical engineer, built Electricity , a steel-hulled launch with onboard batteries that was considered one of the first “practical” electric vessels. Other innovations continued until circa 1910, when Ole Evinrude’s gasoline-fired outboards began their own revolution.

Now, a century later, electric yachts harness technologies such as solar panels, electric drivetrains, lightweight construction in carbon fiber, lithium-based batteries and, in some cases, hydrofoils. These boats’ performance, comfort and range can rival some traditionally powered yachts—and they are clean and quiet. Much like Teslas, they sometimes also come with memorable acceleration curves.

Contemporary electric boats range in size and complexity. There are displacement monohulls such as Zin Boat’s 20-foot Z2T and Z2R and X Shore’s 26-foot Eelex 8000. There are hydrofoilers such as the upcoming Navier 27 (see sidebar). There are also boats like those contesting the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, as well as bluewater cruisers with multiple hulls.

“The first advantage is space,” says Michael Köhler, CEO of Silent-Yachts . “Catamarans have more surface area, which benefits the number of solar panels that can be installed.”

Other advantages of multiple hulls in electric-boat design include increased form stability (no ballasted keels) and reduced drag. “This low resistance means they’re better suited for electric motoring, as they need a lot less energy to move than monohulls,” says Nicolas Lapp, Sunreef Yachts’ strategy consultant for research and development.

One key to reducing a yacht’s energy requirements involves reducing its displacement. “The lighter the yacht, the less energy is needed to move it,” Köhler says. “For this reason, our yachts are made of lightweight carbon fiber.”

While all of the yachts discussed in this article can be charged via shore-supplied AC power, cruisers typically want greater autonomy. To that end, Silent-Yachts and Sunreef Yachts use solar panels. The team at Silent-Yachts specs its panels from California-based SunPower, while Sunreef Yachts created the marine industry’s first flexible solar panels, which are flush-mounted on hulls, masts and superstructures.

Aesthetics matter in yachting, and not everyone wants to cruise aboard a solar farm. Here, Lapp sees an opportunity. “If you want sustainability to be cool and attract the attention of new generations, the appeal of the product is something you cannot neglect,” he says. “Seamless integration of the solar panels was a way for us to prove that sustainability [can] generate green power [and] cool looks.” (After all, no one buys a Tesla because it looks like a Chevy.)

While the Caribbean and Mediterranean are blessed with abundant lumens, other world-class cruising grounds—say, the Pacific Northwest—aren’t equally illuminated. Because of this, electric cruising yachts typically also include redundant systems to ensure that the navigation lights stay on without heading to a marina.

“Every Silent yacht is equipped with a backup generator,” Köhler says. “This makes sure you never run out of energy, even when facing longer periods of unfavorable weather conditions.”

Rainy-day alternatives can include other green-power solutions. Sunreef Yachts typically specs dual wind generators atop its yachts’ rooftops. However, Lapp is realistic about their capabilities.

“Wind turbines can only supply a small fraction of the energy that our solar panels can,” he says, explaining that, in the right conditions, Sunreef’s panels typically generate 40 times more juice than the turbines. “What’s nice about working with wind is that your generators work all the time.” That includes under navigation, at the dock and throughout the night.

Energy sources aside, these experts say that high-quality batteries offering high performance are critical. Larger-capacity battery banks ensure more power reserves, but adding them can affect a yacht’s performance.

“The weight of the battery banks is also an important factor, as it can reduce or increase the overall efficiency,” Köhler says.

Battery performance is also critical for electric-powered coastal craft. One example is X Shore’s Eelex 8000, which has a high-performance 225 kW electric motor and dual 63 kWh lithium-ion batteries that can be charged anywhere there’s a power socket, or supercharged using the same technology as electric cars.

“The batteries can be charged in five to eight hours with three-phase power plugs and one to two hours with superchargers,” says Elias Wästberg, X Shore’s project manager.

While superchargers don’t exist in the middle of oceans, builders of electric-powered bluewater boats have already done this math. Silent-Yachts says its power catamarans are built to offer transatlantic autonomy, but a lot depends on how the owner uses the boat to minimize energy consumption.

“During sunny conditions, a general rule of thumb is that cruising at 6 knots maintains a balance between consumption and production,” Köhler says. “This basically means unlimited range. …The main thing that owners can do to increase range is reduce speed and turn off any appliances.”

This begs the question: Do owners need to downshift their expectations for onboard comfort when going electric?

“There’s no need to make any sacrifices or closely monitor energy levels,” Lapp says. “A lot of energy saving is done automatically. For example, at night, the air-conditioning system focuses solely on selected areas and cabins. … It consumes 70 percent less energy than most systems.”

And should the battery banks get thirsty, there’s always the generator.

Cruising with zero emissions might be a selling point for some customers, but one need not squeeze trees to embrace yachting’s future. “Running costs and maintenance levels are much lower compared to regular-motor catamarans,” Köhler says.

Then, there are unquantifiable returns. “You get to enjoy the absolute luxury of cruising in total silence and without disturbing the marine life around you,” Lapp says, adding that this experience helps owners create “better connections with the environment.”

Finally, there can also be the grin factor. “The Eelex 8000 can accelerate from 0 to 20 knots in 4.2 seconds,” Wästberg says. “The software captures 150 data points every second, allowing for real-time analytics of battery and engine performance, including temperature, humidity, pressure, location and the craft’s system status.”

While electric yachts boast some impressive capabilities, free lunches are unicorns. Electric yachts don’t emit carbon dioxide, but their carbon footprint likely deepens with stem-to-stern life-cycle assessments of their photovoltaic panels, carbon-fiber hulls and lithium-based batteries. Then there’s the inconvenient financial truth that all batteries have a finite number of charge cycles and eventually need refitting. Also, for now, diesel mechanics greatly outnumber certified electric-boat technicians, especially in remote locales.

Still, few people gifted with foresight would have bet against Evinrude’s outboards in the early 20th century. The same holds true for today’s electric boats. One only has to look at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge to realize that some of the brightest minds in the marine and technology fields are committed to a carbon-free future.

Couple this trend with the fact that electric yachts are already providing better performance and compromise-free cruising, and yachting’s future is looking bright (green).  

Navier Boats teamed up with Paul Bieker, an America’s Cup-winning naval architect and hydrofoil expert, to create the Navier 27. It delivers 30-plus-knot top speeds or a 75-nautical-mile range at slower speeds. While impressive, hydrofoils require active control, which is a crux that Navier solved by creating an autonomous foil-control system.

Sunreef 100 Eco

It’s one thing to build a solar-powered vessel for the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge; it’s a different challenge to build an electric 100-footer that can accommodate 12 guests and five crewmembers. The Sunreef 100 Eco’s flexible solar panels mean this cat can accommodate 2,610 square feet of solar-farm space and generate up to 46 kilowatts per hour of DC power, which should keep its high-performance lithium-ion batteries topped off. 

Hands on the Helm

While the Navier 27 will initially require human hands on its helm, down-the-road software releases are expected to enable autonomous driving.

Panel Planners

While photovoltaic panels can be fitted to any yacht, catamarans present themselves as an ideal platform, given their beam and broader coach-roof space.

• More: Electric , Electric Boats , Electric Motors , Electric Yachts , Silent-Yachts , Sunreef Yachts , Yachts , Zin Boats
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Victorian ferry rescues children from boat after fears of fire off Queenscliff

Victorian school students have been rescued from a boat in Port Phillip this morning after its engine started smoking.

Police said 22 passengers, including school students, were in the boat off Queenscliff when a suspected engine bay fire broke out about 8:30am.

A ferry and a Parks Victoria vessel quickly responded a short time later and all passengers were safely evacuated onto the ferry.

Nobody was injured, a police spokesperson said.

A spokesperson from the school, Hamilton and Alexandra College, said a group of year eight and nine students were attending a two-day outdoor education camp in Queenscliff when the incident occurred.

"This morning, 20 students and two staff members were on board a snorkelling boat when the engine stopped working and a small amount of smoke was detected," the spokesperson said.

"As a precautionary measure, action was taken immediately to have all passengers calmly evacuated onto the Queenscliff-Sorrento Ferry."

The owner of the boat escorting the students, James Murphy, said the evacuation of was a standard procedure following a "very minor incident".

"Shortly after departure the skipper noticed a little bit of smoke coming from the engine room, he's then reverted back to our safety management system procedures," Mr Murphy told ABC.

"Part of those procedures is to ensure everybody on board are safe, so [the skipper] has called the local vessel … and they've collected the passengers while he ascertained what the challenge was.

"He was able to get the boat started again, no challenge, and driven it back to the harbour so we're treating it as a very minor incident."

Police said the exact circumstances surrounding the fire were still being investigated, but it was not being treated as suspicious.

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