Silent 60 to debut at Cannes
Silent Yachts’ new SILENT 60 solar electric catamaran is due to debut its first public appearance at the upcoming Cannes Yachting Festival 2021. The yard is planning to organise sea trials during the show as well if they’re permitted. The SILENT 60 is the first unit of the model, with eight more hulls currently under construction, and 17 ordered in total.
The vessel has been built with a kite wing, a special system that in contrast to conventional sailing yachts, does not require a big mast while generating more power per square meter than a conventional sail.
The SILENT 60 has a light compact kite wing from company, Wingit, it generates up to 10 times more power per square meter than a conventional sail. There is a dedicated box in the bow area of the SILENT 60, which contains the kite (the sail is 13 sq. m) including all its components (winches, mast, ropes, etc).
There are two major advantages of the kite wing for the yacht, according to Silent Yachts. First, extra propulsion. The kite can pull the 30-tonne SILENT 60 at about 4-5 knots, while reducing the consumption of the e-motors, thus extending the range. Second, if the propellers become entangled, a kite can serve as a reserve propulsion that enables the boat to get to a protected location.
The SILENT 60 has a variety of layout options. The first has four guest cabins on the lower deck, including a master suite. There is a main saloon, an aft cockpit, bow seating and a flybridge. The yacht has higher headroom everywhere, up to 230 cm, in the saloon)and more powerful solar panels — 42 pieces for 17 kWp against 30 for 10.8 kWp on the SILENT 55.
The new model has a draft of less than 1m, which allows it to reach shallow bays like those found in the Caribbean and southeastern Asia. A liftable hydraulic platform, which is located between the two swimming platforms, can also be enlarged from the standard 3.7 x 1.7 m to 4 x 2.4 m to carry a larger tender – up to 350 kg and 4m long.
The SILENT 60 is equipped with the company’s aeration system, which provides cool air to all rooms onboard. The airflow in each space is individually adjustable and can be used when the weather conditions require the windows to be closed. In addition, a reverse-cycle heat-pump system heats the interior when necessary, ensuring all-season comfort.
A water-maker powered by the solar-electric system produces enough water to supply a full six-stateroom company. All on board appliances operate on the 220/110-volt system.
The SILENT 60 is designed to go everywhere as a true ocean-going cruising yacht. It can cruise efficiently for up to 100 miles a day for weeks. The yacht’s cruising speed is 6-8 knots but it can reach up to 20 knots at maximum speed.
