With the world of yacht design becoming more advanced and revolutionary day by day, and an influx in owners who want to push boundaries for the newest, most imaginative yachts on the market, designers and developers are having to go far beyond the traditional tweaks to window shapes and sizes and the arrangement of space on board, and instead are forced to consider bold, forward-thinking designs that will get everyone talking. These yachts are designed to inspire the next generation of yacht owners, and a room theme running through these yachts is the focus on sustainable, responsible yachting, increasing efficiency while reducing traditional fuel consumption.
This article looks at some creative examples of new Superyacht design.
Alice
German shipyard Lürssen have presented the Alice in Wonderland inspired, 98 metre ‘Alice’. This yacht is made up of 5 climate- neutral decks and features a floating pod superstructure, that houses the owner’s deck and bridge, and an open air main deck. Lead exterior designer Jim Sluijter explained: “With lots of yachts what you see is the and superstructure connected to each other. I separated the two so you have the hull, the superstructure and an interesting exterior deck in between.” The open-air deck is home to a dance floor and Japanese themed garden on the bow, with ponds, greener and a bridge. Alice also offers a spectacular glass-bottomed swimming pool, a full-sized Padel court to aft a circular lounge area and helipad on the sundeck.
Powered by emission-free fuel cells that generate electrical energy based on hydrogen, this yacht aims to be eco-friendly with a methane engine for higher speed and energy demands. Alice is also equipped with a waste heat recovery system, uses organically farmed wood instead of teak, and the owner’s deck is completely surrounded by mirrored glass windows, thus reflecting heat and reducing energy load on the air conditioning systems. Tenders and toys on board are also electric.
Merveille 253W
In partnership with Feadship, Merveille has created the 253 foot eco-explorer concept, featuring a new wind-assisted propulsion system that doesn’t require rigging. The fully automated Oceanwings can rotate 360 degrees and when under sail, underwater turbines regenerate the kinetic energy to recharge the battery packs. These wings act as her main engine as they use wind to generate power – the whole system is automated, rotating, furling and unfurling automatically. She is fitted with wind turbines and solar panels as she looks to increase efficiency sustainable while reducing fuel consumption.
Avanguardia
Lazzarini Design has penned the magnificent 137 meter swan shaped concept.The swan shape is made obvious with the extendable control tower that somewhat resembles the head of a swan. This space is used to operate the yacht and can be moved by an extendable crane, and it is even possible to detach the head completely so it can be used as a 16 meter boat.
The aft deck also features two jet capsules which can be attached to the structure of the vessel to become another source of propulsion.
