Yachting world news from Interparus (21.02.23)

Results of the boat show in Miami

The boat show in Miami ended the other day. The Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show is one of the world's largest boat shows. On average, more than 1000 boats are presented at the exhibition - from kayaks to superyachts. There is also no need to talk about the variety of brands of yacht equipment.

Of the interesting things at the exhibition, it is worth noting exactly how superyachts continue to be an important part of the entire yachting and marine industry. Experts noted that superyachts account for a fair share of finance in the industry. In contrast, the same experts say that as important as superyachts are to the market, they are out of reach for most yachtsmen.

Despite the fact that sales of boats under 10 meters in length slowed down the growth rate a little, they still cover the needs of the mid-budget sector. Some of the new models are much more eco-friendly than superyachts, while older models are quite cheap and affordable for the average yachtsman. 

As for the equipment, here the visitors and experts from the exhibition are unanimous - the electrification trend continues. The show featured familiar brands such as Torqeedo, ePropulsion, X Shore, Vision Marine Technologies, Aqua superPower, Ingenity and Taiga Motors. In addition, there were many newcomers to the boat show. Electrification is gaining momentum and is not going to stop.

However, not everything is so rosy - yes, electric motors are probably the future, but in the short term it is not possible to abandon hydrogen, biofuels and even diesel. At the moment, all of the above types of fuel are used as an alternative to electricity that is completely safe for the environment. Switching to only hydrogen and biofuels and abandoning diesel is not a quick process.

The key point of the exhibition was the issue of autonomous control of boats. Engine and electronics manufacturers have been openly discussing the creation of new types of autonomous control that will lead to the creation of fully self-driving boats. At the moment, some companies are investing heavily in the development of technology for such management. The goal is quite pragmatic - this way it will be possible to sell more boats even to people who have never set foot on board a real yacht in their lives.

Sailing yacht Eleonora E will be scrapped

Last summer (June, to be exact) there was an accident - the sailing yacht Eleonora E was rammed by a supply vessel. Until February 2023, it was not known for certain what fate awaits the yacht. The unenviable fate of the sailing beauty was told by the publishing house BOAT International.

Eleonora E was in the Spanish port of Tarraco until a Coast Guard search and rescue vessel rammed the side of a sailing yacht in June 2022. After that, the yacht was half flooded and remained under water until September. 

Why the authorities didn't catch on sooner is an open question. The rescue operation lasted three weeks and by the beginning of October, Eleonora E was nevertheless raised from the bottom and sent to the PTW-Shipyard in Tarragona.

Part of the hull repair of the Eleanora E took place under water, and after additional repairs were completed, the process of pumping water from the flooded compartments began. They lifted the yacht out of the water with the help of two huge 250-ton cranes.

Until the last, there were hopes for the restoration of the yacht. However, all dreams and aspirations were shattered in January of this year, when it was announced that the yacht would be sent for scrap. 

Recall that the sailing yacht Eleanora E was launched in 2000. The yacht was created at the Van der Graaf shipyard as a copy of the classic 1910 Westward schooner. Eleanora E had a steel hull and teak trim. At the time of the incident in June last year, there were 9 crew members on board. Fortunately, there were no casualties. 

Catamaran Chase Zero - a new stage in the development of multihulls?

In 2021, Emirates Team New Zealand took their fourth victory in the America's Cup regatta. Last year, the team launched its first hydrofoil powered catamaran called the Chase Zero. What is special about a catamaran? In that he is likely to greatly influence the yacht industry.

After the big wins at the America's Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand noticed that while the full size foilers are generally clean technology, the smaller boats still lag behind their bigger brethren. To somehow solve this problem, the team decided to use the latest inventions.

When the hydrofoil catamaran Chase Zero was just being designed, it was decided to use hydrogen fuel cells and abandon the classic fuel. The ETNZ team faced a non-trivial task - before that, such elements as the main and only power source were not used for such boats and catamarans. As Nick Berridge, Operations and Reliability Manager at ETNZ, says: “We knew it was possible, but we didn't have the experience.”

Such technology will only be tested for compliance with safety standards for mass and sports use. But ETNZ is already making enviable progress. The team's consultants said that the project would take at least 4 years to complete, but ETNZ managed it in 9 months and already have a working prototype in hand. 

ETNZ plans to use its catamaran as a support and supply vessel for larger hydrofoil sailing yachts. Another company, Bluegame Yachts, is already planning to use this technology to create a foil for another America's Cup team.  

The length of Chase Zero has 10 meters, six seats for passengers. The maximum speed of the catamaran is 50 knots. However, the Chase Zero has a four-hour power reserve when cruising at 30 knots. On board, the multihull can carry up to 250 kg of equipment.

Don't forget to rate the content! You can find other interesting articles on the links below or in the "News" section!

21.02.2023