Silent-Yachts is gearing up for the autumn boat shows with no fewer than two debuts scheduled for the Cannes Yachting Festival from September 6-11, 2022.
The first Silent 60 fitted with a kite wing will be on display in Cannes for the very first time. The light, easy-to-use compact kite wing generates up to 10 times more power per square metre than a conventional sail.
Launched from a fold-away mast structure on the foredeck, the kite wing offers three major advantages:
1. Extra propulsion. The kite is capable of pulling the 30-ton Silent 60 with a speed of 4-5 knots. Furthermore, it reduces the consumption of the e-motors, thus extending the range.
2. Redundancy. If a fishing line gets entangled in the propellers, for example, the kite can serve as reserve propulsion that enables the boat to get to a protected place where the rope can be cut and the prop set free.
3. Fun and joy. It is exciting to see the kite high up in the air, pulling the boat with just the power of the wind.
The kite wing backs up the Silent 60’s already impressive green credentials. The solar powered catamaran carries 42 solar panels for 17 kWp of solar energy to drive two electric motors of up to 2x340kw.
With a battery capacity of up to 286 kWh, the yacht can cruise efficiently with zero emissions solely on solar power for up to 100 nautical miles a day for weeks. Featuring a new, high-performance hull form with a longer waterline and reverse bow, the yacht has a cruising speed of 6-8 knots, but can reach up to 20 knots.
Guest accommodation comprises four guest cabins on the lower deck, including a spacious master suite, but other layout solutions are available. There are numerous social areas on board, including an airy main salon, an aft cockpit, a flybridge and a cosy bow area. The yacht also has high headroom throughout (up to 2.32m in the main salon).
First electric Silent Tender ST400
The first Silent Tender will also be on display in Cannes.
The ST400 model, the first in the range, is 4 metres in length and its clean-cut lines are built of carbon fibre. It can be lifted out of the water and stored on the hydraulic stern platform of the Silent 60 and then be recharged with clean solar energy produced by the Silent yacht.
It is available with two different electric drivetrains. Option one is an electric jet drive. Alternatively, the ST400 can also be equipped with a conventional electric outboard engine with up to 30 kW. Both systems enable a top speed of above 20 kn.
A larger Silent Tender is already being planned.
“I’m immensely proud of what Silent-Yachts has achieved over the years and the first Silent Tender 400 is just the latest innovation in our sustainability journey,” says Silent-Yachts founder and CEO Michael Köhler. “After starting with research into solar yacht technology, we have evolved and expanded both our product lines and production space. But we remain true to our roots of harnessing new technology and clean energy to promote sustainability.”