A jet ski attaches to either side of the main hull, helping stabilize the boat. While the jet skis are electric-powered, the 49-foot long watercraft is also powered by two diesel engines that use Audi’s turbo-charged injection technology. Audi’s Concept Design team in Munich worked with Behringer on the project.

The motoryacht is designed to reach speeds of close to 30 knots. The boat can be operated using only the 100-horsepower jet skis for a mellow, emission-free cruise around the bay. At faster speeds, the diesel engines recharge the jet skis’ batteries.

Twelve people can fit on the deck, with room for a few more below. The main deck is designed to feel like a lounge, and a glass roof shields passengers from wind and sun exposure.

This is a neat concept, but it might be a while before this boat is spotted in the harbor. Audi has not announced plans to move the motoryacht yacht beyond the concept phase.

Photos by AUDI

The personal semi-sub has an underwater cockpit that’s flanked on three sides by thick, acrylic glass. Up top, above the water, the central hull has two pontoons for both buoyancy and sunbathing. You can also see the view above the ocean on the cabin’s LCD monitor, which is linked to a high resolution camera up top.

The big draw to the EGO, says Raonhaje, is how easy it is to operate. Instead of a typical boat-style throttle lever, the sub has a foot-pedal located under the dashboard, just like a car. There’s also a steering wheel, and a simple forward/backwards toggle switch.

The all-electric vehicle will comfortably run for about eight hours at cruising speed, and four hours at four knots, the boat’s top speed. Plug it in to the mains to charge up the battery, and you’re looking at a six to nine hour charging period.

The EGO will be available to buy from October 2011, but a price hasn’t yet been announced. A four-seat version is under development.

Source: http://www.wired.co.uk

Barcelona Catamaran Tours will offer city views from the sea, light refreshments on-board, and an audio/visual tour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A_gs6ZsoQk

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Desde: barcelonacatamarantours.com

Solar Albatross

The first sea-trials of “Solar Albatross” took place this month in Hong Kong of Solar Sailor’s 24 meter 100 passenger carrying catamaran ferry with its stow-able SolarSails.

After more than 10 years of development and hard work, Dr Robert Dane and his team have produced another solar sailing vessel, but this time it is the first that is a true commercial hybrid vessel propelled by wind power, solar power, stored electricity and fossil fuel.

The boat will enter service with the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Kai Sai Chau Golf Club, ferrying golf club patrons to and from their three island based 18 hole courses off Hong Kong Island.

For the Sydney, Australia based company, this is the 4th hybrid boat to enter service for the Club, but the first with SolarSails embedded with solar cells to collect the sun’s energy and use wind power too. The SolarSails stow flat on the roof of the boat when not in use, although they continue to collect solar energy from the sun and store it in batteries in the two hulls of the catamaran.

The sails are engineered and approved by DNV for 44 knots of apparent wind with a 100% safety factor. The sails can be feathered or lowered into a headwind. In early trials when “sailing” in a 15 knot true wind at 45 degrees off the bow give a 1.8knot increase in boat speed from 14.2 to 16 knots with no increase in engine rpm.

Sea-trials and fine tuning will continue over the next month.

www.solarsailor.com

Hoping to find propulsion that would meet his expectations, Blue Planet founder Gene Carletta said he was “ecstatic” to come upon Torqeedo’s Twin Cruise electric motors.

A lifelong advocate of environmental responsibility, Carletta wanted ecologically sound, sensible and economical technology for Blue Planet. What he didn’t want was a thru-hull system because of its complexity and safety issues. The Torqeedo outboard looked promising, and the more Carletta learned, the more enthusiastic he became.

“Torqeedo has superior engineering,” he said from his office in Beaufort, North Carolina. “They have done extensive R&D to optimize efficiency, prop design, propulsion and lithium battery technology.”

“The motor’s great aesthetic appeal is the icing on the cake. I especially like the Torqeedo crew—they’re a great gang to work with. Torqeedo is head and shoulders above the rest, towering over the competition.”

Carletta will power both his electric and hybrid models with Twin Cruise 2.0 or 4.0 electric motors. The 2.0 offers 8 hp and operates on 24V, while the 4.0 supplies 16 hp on 48V. With the thrust force of a 6 hp combustion engine and a range of 80 miles, the Blue Planet can cruise at speeds of up to 8 mph.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRQ0cZ28M1Q

“My customers are amazed and can hardly believe that a boat sleeping six can travel at these speeds with such tiny motors,” says Carletta. “There’s nothing like them for economical propulsion.”

Each waterproof Twin Cruise comes with a twin throttle display, so owners can monitor the battery charge status, remaining range, speed over ground and input power for each motor individually. The motor is designed for connection with a standard remote steering system and comes with a tie bar to connect both motors.

The Blue Planet is a marvel of clever, economical design. Below deck are one double berth and four singles, a galley, two heads, showers and sinks. The roomy deck has plenty of seating and storage, a cooler, refrigerator and a retractable ramp for anchoring anywhere.

“We are excited to partner with Blue Planet which has built a family cruising catamaran that is first to market for larger boats running Torqeedo electric outboards,” says Steve Trkla, president, Torqeedo North American division.

Founded in 2005, Torqeedo offers the most technologically advanced electric outboards on the market. Combining lithium batteries with leading-edge motor technology and propeller design, its award-winning outboards offer unrivalled strength and efficiency for superior range.

www.blueplanetcatamarans.com | nauticweb

The world’s largest solar-powered boat – TÛRANOR PlanetSolar – departed from Monaco on September 27 in an attempt to become the first boat to circumnavigate the globe using only solar energy. Aside from getting another world record under the boat’s belt, the aim of the expedition is to demonstrate that, through the use of existing materials and technology, high-performance solar mobility can be realized today.

The multihull vessel is covered in 537 square meters (5,780 sq ft) of solar panels, which power the four electric motors (two in each hull) that have a maximum output of 120 kW and can propel the boat to a speed of 14 knots. Although the vessel is capable of hosting 40 passengers and is destined to be used as a luxury yacht after the circumnavigation attempt, the vessel is crewed by just six people and that is the number that will be making the round the world journey.

The 31 m (102 ft) long, 15 m (49 ft) wide vessel was built by Kiel-based boatbuilding firm, Knierim Yachtbau, using light yet durable carbon-sandwich construction. In total, 20.6 tons of carbon fiber, 11.5 tons of foam core and 23 tons of resin and hardener were used to create the craft, whose 537 square meters of solar panels consists of a total of 825 modules, equipped with 38,000 individual photovoltaic cells made by SunPower Corp. The energy they capture is stored in six blocks, each containing 12 lithium-ion batteries.

The vessel is driven by two contra-rotating carbon propellers that each have a diameter of almost two meters (6.6 ft), which is twice the usual size for a craft of the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar’s size. As only half the propeller is underwater, a “wheel effect” is created which makes it possible to steer the ship without a rudder.

At the time of publication, the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar had crossed the Atlantic Ocean and was just north of Cuba, making its way towards its next planned stopover in Miami. Other planned stops for the PlanetSolar team include Cancun, San Francisco, Sydney, Singapore, Abu Dhabi before finishing in Monaco sometime in 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiGaVj4vyew

PlanetSolar.

Website: http://www.planetsolar.org/ (follow the boat on Google Earth)
Facebook-Group: http://www.facebook.com/pages/PlanetSolar/136946756356288
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PlanetSolarTeam

31.03.2010 Launch for testing in Barcelona

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgoBsde_nUk

Marco Polo 45m Transocean Explorer yacht lr

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiEDbg4FbNI

It is true that MCC proudly wears her 38m green label. First, her propulsion is a single diesel engine (1300 HP C32 Caterpillar). An obviously sufficient power because it allows an autonomy of 5300 nautical miles at 11 knots. Thus adorned, the vessel only burns 80 liters per hour which is better than her predecessor, the MCC 45m Marco Polo.

The ship is indeed equipped with Schottel hydraulic pumps that act as stern and bow thrusters for propulsion and maneuverability. Then, like any good expedition yacht, the MCC 38m is equipped with stabilizers (Naiad) that allow both a reduction in noise and air pollution, and a fuel economy. Like the MCC 45m, the MCC 38m will be built in steel (hull) and FRP composites (superstructure). This solution is ideal for reducing the weight of the yacht, while making her more robust. We can be confident in the 140 years of experience of the Cheoy Lee Shipyard, on top of seaworthiness, the aluminum superstructure allows a larger living space.

Kebony, bamboo and other chinese things

The Ecology was even invited on board the 38m MCC. The teak deck, which usually covers the luxury ships is replaced with an artificial essence, called the Kebony. It comes from a Norwegian company that claims better performance than the exotic wood: lighter weight, lower prices, better maintenance and better resistance to weathering. To see. Meanwhile, the ersatz really looks like teak… let’s not forget the handrails made of composite materials: a better resistance to corrosion, but also more environmentally friendly. The green attitude also infiltrated the interior of the yacht, signed by the new in-house designer Kasia Milewska, a fervent supporter of environmental causes. The Polish architect selected materials like bamboo, mango wood and recycled glass. If everything goes well, the result will be elegant, modern, although somewhat oriental, lulled by the natural light entering through large windows.

In the portrait of Marco Polo

Beyond environmental solutions, the MCC 38m is an intelligent and extremely livable yacht… Shall we say perfect for long charter. On the idea of Kasia Milewska, all floors are connected with an elevator: rare accessory on a boat of this size. Another feature, there is no owner’s cabin, but two VIP suites on the main deck with an equal level of luxury. To this are added two guest cabins (one double, one single) on the lower deck and three crew cabins on the same floor. It also includes a nice galley. The yacht is fully customizable: the owner can use the upper deck for his own or use one of the VIP cabins and share the other one with the Captain. Furthermore, locating the galley on the lower deck provides an incredible win of space on the main deck. The MCC 38m will carry 9 guests plus the captain and seven crew members all comfortable during long trips. One must say that passengers will not be bored. For their pleasure: an hydraulic bath platform integrated to the stern, tenders and sea-toys launched from the bow using a crane, a beautiful upper deck lounge with BBQ, Jacuzzi, bar and sunbathing … The MCC Marco Polo 38m unrolls the Road of Silk to her guests.

Source: www.portbooker.com

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Cheoy Lee Shipyards, Hongkong has built over 5,000 vessels and currently builds from 40’ to over 200’. Today, Cheoy Lee builds Bravo, Global and Serenity Series motor yachts and commercial vessels including tugs, ferries, patrol, pilot, supply and standby vessels; each designed to the customer’s individual needs and requirements.
http://www.cheoyleena.com

Nine months of testing

A fully functional prototype was built by Seaway and tested during nine months in a range of displacement, trim, propulsion variants and weather conditions. During the initial months of 2009, Seaway performed the production engineering for the Greenline 33 and installed the associated tooling. A preliminary run of 6 pre-production yachts was built in August and September of the same year. The Greenline 33 was exhibited at major European autumn boat shows and won both design prizes and Boat of the Year awards. The craft has been tested in a variety of conditions in several European countries, in the Mediterranean, on the North Sea, on large lakes and on the rivers and canals of Northern and Southern Europe. This extensive automotive-style development and testing programme, a first in the boating industry, has resulted in a reliable and user-friendly product in spite of the use of new technology. Full volume production started in January 2010.

Vision and ideas on the future of motor boating

J&J Design, Seaway and VW Marine shared a vision and ideas on the future of motor boating that have led to the creation of the Greenline 33. All of these companies are convinced that this compact yacht will not only bring boating closer to the public in environmentally and economically challenging times, it will also improve the general public’s perception of boating as a sport and pastime.

www.greenlinehybrid.com