Silent Yachts hails the age of the super-cat with 12 boats over 80ft in build
Silent Yachts hails the age of the super-cat with 12 boats over 80ft in build
Silent-Yachts is delighted to reveal that it has no fewer than 12 super-sized catamarans under construction, after a year that has brought enormous commercial success. Ranging from 80ft LOA up to a staggering 120ft, boat production at the brand’s two yards in Italy and in Turkey is booming.
“It has been a whirlwind 12 months,” says founder and CEO Michael Köhler. “Three great trends have converged to make our boats enormously successful. The rebound in yacht sales since Covid is already well documented. But add to that the growth of environmental sensibilities and the recognition that two hulls provide a far more luxurious platform for life at sea, and you have a recipe for unprecedented demand. This is the age of the super catamaran.”
Silent 120
This impressive flagship has grown out of a project to design a 100ft solar catamaran. It is an imposing motor yacht with a huge interior volume of 499GT. The exterior and interior space altogether measure a stunning 900 m². Rapid progress is being made and delivery is scheduled for 2024.
Custom design is the name of the game at this scale, and the first hull will feature a swimming pool on the aft deck and grassy areas for dog walking on the side decks. The solar hard top is designed to slide out in two sections to reveal an upper sun deck which also doubles as a touch-and-go helipad.
Although the yacht’s solar panels are capable of generating up to 40kWp, it is additionally equipped with back-up generators for fast running. The yacht cruises at 8 knots or runs flat-out at 16 knots.
Silent 80
Seven of these impressive 80ft yachts are in build at the moment, split between the retractable flybridge version and the 3-deck model. The first Silent 80 hull features the smaller flybridge, whose hard top lowers flush to the coachroof to complete elegant, fluid lines. This boat is being finished at the yard in Italy and is due for launch in March next year.
Other customers have opted for a dedicated 90-square-metre sun deck, whose raised hard top is fixed in place. Designed by Marco Casali, this huge space runs to a teak and stainless-steel dining table, two deep lounging areas, a huge expanse of sunbeds and even a bar with endless sea views. The first example is also set for launch in March.
On both versions, there is a beautifully finished galley, lounging and dining area on the main deck, with the indoor helm station set to starboard with excellent visibility. A glittering expanse of steel and glass slides to one side in order to connect the galley to the luxurious aft deck. Configurations below are flexible but can accommodate four or five couples in matchless comfort, with space for two to four crew members.
Solar panel peak production of up to 26kW is a reality, with the battery bank and e-motors sized according to the customer’s wishes. The boat is optimised for up to 2 x 340kW motors and 429kWh of battery capacity. Generators are also a question of choice, ranging from 100kW up to 2x 145kW. Speeds up to 19 knots are possible, with a cruising speed of 6-8 knots making for big daily distances.
Silent VisionF 82
Part of a unique collaboration with Turkey’s VisionF Yachts, these hardy 82-footers are built in aluminium rather than composite. Four are currently in build, with launches staggered between December this year and June 2023.
The first two vessels in-build will feature a conventional propulsion system combined with a highly efficient Silent Yachts solar panel array fitted on the considerably extended aluminum hard top. All following yachts will be equipped with the new SilentVisionF solar-hybrid drivetrain, where the system can decide whether the boat will manoeuvre under electric power, diesel engine or both. It is a good compromise for those unwilling to give up the internal combustion engine. The 13.6kWp solar hard-top and 160kWh battery bank will be capable of running all the hotel loads aboard and keeping the yacht silent overnight.
New production sites
Silent -Yachts can draw on two production facilities in Europe. Its own shipyard in Fano 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.
A partnership with Coşkun Bayraktar in Turkey, founder of the Viaport Group has opened up more production opportunities. Several boats are already being built in Turkey. Including the Tuzla Viaport Marina, the cooperation with VisionF Yachts provides access to more than 100,000 m² of production area.
