Haarlem, The Netherlands
Feadship has teamed up with Merveille Yachting to imagine an extraordinary Eco-Explorer with an automated wing propulsion system.
Optimizing energy efficiency in multiple ways, including self-generation via wind/underwater turbines and solar panels, the design offers a tremendous amount of interior living space and an unrivalled degree of autonomy.
The Eco-Explorer is a unique environmentally friendly superyacht featuring a mast system with wings, which is twice as powerful as a regular sailing rig. A totally new category of yacht, the Ayro Oceanwings® is automatically operated by computers that take all conditions into account when sailing.
With wind being the major propulsion component alongside the engines, this boat is for the ultimate future thinking owner who loves to sail, but doesn’t like the heeling of a sailing boat and their modest speeds.
The Eco-Explorer can reach 18 knots on wind power alone, with heeling totally controlled by computer, and a top speed of well over 20 knots.
Another key factor is greening in weight reduction thanks to wings.
The Eco-Explorer has a trinity of solutions to reproduce its own renewable energy by regenerating the kinetic energy of the boat using underwater turbines, placing wind turbines with vertical axis on top of the masts and installing swathes of solar panels.
Air conditioning is also vital in terms of reducing energy consumption and the Eco-Explorer has lots of fresh air coming in from the bow and stern. The volumes of the yacht have been adapted to allow smooth and natural circulation of that air via innovative tubular structures.
Overall, this ventilation moves lower the need for air conditioning by three to four degrees, saving around one-third of the total energy.
Speaking about the project, Bas Nederpelt, Commercial Director for Feadshp said: “We always try to be at the forefront of innovation and innovating in terms of efficiency but also sustainability in a broader sense and we feel as one of the leader in the industry that we need to take responsibility.
“This very project is probably the most perfect examples of one of the best ways to go in the future.”
Designers: De Voogt Naval Architects
Manufacturer: Feadship and Merveille Yachting
