Sailing superyacht concept with zero carbon emissions ‘appeals to young’
A new 60-metre sailing superyacht concept – promising zero-carbon emissions and designed to appeal to wealthy Millennials – has been unveiled by London-design house Philippe Briand.
The SY200 design incorporates sails that can harness the power equivalent of 2,000kW in optimum wind conditions and underwater turbines to generate electricity under sail, while discharging zero emissions on voyages.
Commenting on the motivation behind the green yacht design Philippe Briand said the company previously designed sailing yachts for “the express purpose – or the hidden purpose” of winning regattas, which lead to the evolution of increasingly high-tech sailing yachts.
“But this competitiveness is no longer an appealing motivation for today’s younger generation of yacht owners. As a result, the market for such advanced sailing yachts is dramatically down.”
Briand said the design house needed to embrace lateral thinking when working alongside owners to create “the perfect renewable energy machine”. This meant using only wind, water and solar energy to run the yacht and provide “an exceptional experience of peace” on board.
‘Competition between owners’
“Instead of using competition between owners as a motivator, environmental sustainability will become the reason to push the boundaries of technology and efficiency in superyachting. This is something we are very passionate about,” said Briand.
The 490-gross-tonne sloop will wear a traditional sailing rig, which is claimed to outperform similar vessels of its size. The upwind sail area is 2,000 metres sq, while its downwind sail area is more than 3,000 metres sq.
Fully-wind propelled, the SY200 would be “a true leader in the new wave of ‘green’ superyachts”. Underwater turbines, incorporated into the hull, would generate power to charge on board batteries. Cruising at about 15 knots would enable the turbines to generate power equivalent to that of a 500kW generator. This would be sufficient to meet the onboard power demands of the hotel and manoeuvring systems while under sail.
20-tonne onboard battery
Energy stored in the 20-tonne onboard battery bank would allow the yacht to be powered silently while at anchor.
The design of carbon fibre masts, including the 83.5-metre foremast, and rigging wa influenced by the experience Philippe Briand acquired during the development and construction of the landmark 67-metre S/Y Vertigo and 73-metre S/Y Sybaris.
The superyacht will accommodate up to 14 guests and has a glass coachroof on a completely flush deck. The cockpit is fitted with a 16-seat dining table, protected from the sun by the long hardtop. The aft scope transom offers a large terrace over the sea and a private exterior space in direct communication with the owner’s suite.
The engine room is located a third of the way back from the bow in contrast to the traditional setting amidships below the main guest accommodations. This frees space amidships for four large guest cabins.
Final interior layouts can be tailored to an owner’s requirements. The initial drawings allow for a large full-beam owner’s suite with his-and-hers bathrooms, an office and a private terrace on the main deck. A further four guest suites are located on the lower deck, as well as accommodation for up to 12 crew.
SY200 – at a glance
- Hull length 62.84 metres
- Hull beam 10.50 metres
- Waterline length 59.73 metres
- Draft 4.50/8.10 metres
- Air draft 83.90 metres
- Displacement 490 tonnes
- Upwind sail area 2000 metres sq
- Downwind sail area 3700 metres sq
