[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]L’ultima tendenza nello yacht design di boats over 100 feet is that of displacement shuttles with an adventurous, if not quite military, look. It all started some twenty years ago when some shipowners began buying old tugboats or ships decommissioned by the military navies to be refitted for recreational use. The main advantages of this choice are navigational comfort, a feeling of solidity and a calmer pacetypical of displacement vessels, which have an average speed of 10-12 knots and a large cruising range.
Moreover, this type of ship offers a plus in terms of image, diametrically opposed to the prevailing trend of white or even iridescent floating palaces, with sinuous, designer, distinctly metropolitan shapes. These boats, on the other hand, convey all the suggestions of expedition, adventure, sailing in prohibitive seas. A decidedly less frivolous and hedonistic way of sailing and showing off. Thus the Explorer typology was born, which was soon to be adopted by the big shipyards for their new models.
High prow, often without sloping, high and straight sides even amidships, prominent square-shaped deckhouseThese are the main characteristics of explorers from a yacht design point of view. The interiors, on the other hand, are often much less austere: here the interior designers have been given carte blanche to create very luxurious environments in which no comfort should be lacking, including a swimming pool in the cockpit. From a technical point of view the explorers, on the other hand, are distinguished by their now almost all environmentally friendly engines, with electric or eco-diesel motors, for a large sailing range and low environmental impact.
Let's look at the main proposals on the current market.
CRN 134 Atlas
The proposal from the Italian shipyard CRN is a 40-metre footer made of aluminium and steel with a military but refined look. The lines of the hull and deckhouse are designed by the Nuvolari Lenard studio of Venice; the interiors are by Gilles & Boissier of Paris and stand out for their soft tones, enhanced by diffuse natural light filtering into the interior thanks to the many windows.
Damen SeaXplorer
The SeaXplorer range from Damen, the parent company of the prestigious Dutch shipyard Amels, consists of three Explorers ranging from 65 to 100 metres in length, all designed and built to comply with the Polar Class 6 standard, i.e. with the ability to break through the polar ice pack and navigate through the ice. The hallmark of the range are the massive bow volumes, with the starboard side designed according to the patented Sea Axe geometry to facilitate icebreaking. The stern houses the landing deck for helicopters. So that the shuttle travels alone (only with crew, no owner) to the most remote places on the planet, and can be reached anywhere by its owner.
Damen SeaXplorer
Italian style, universally recognised even in the yachting world, can be recognised at first sight in this model, which represents the debut of the prestigious Sanlorenzo shipyard from Viareggio in the Explorer sector. The external lines take up a more classic interpretation of the explorer shuttle, with the bow with a decidedly soaring design and the stern platform crane becoming a decorative element. From a technical point of view, the 46-metre Sanlorenzo is distinguished by its low draught, the Green Plus classification from the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, which certifies the vessel's low environmental impact, capable of remaining at anchor for several days using only the electric power provided by special zero-emission batteries. The shuttle has a maximum speed of 16 knots and a range of 4,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 11 knots.
Piriou 250 Yersin
When entrepreneur Francois Fiat decided that his next superyacht would be an explorer, he also decided that the most qualified yard to design and build it would be a yard specialising in building ocean-going commercial vessels, not one of the many brands operating in the yachting sector. The choice therefore fell on Piriou, which would infuse all its know-how into the construction of a 75-metre vessel that would have very precise characteristics: a record-breaking range; the ability to sail in any sea on the planet; and have the lowest possible environmental impact. The engineers and shipyard then added a few features born of their experience: a highly insulated steel hull, a robustness comparable to that of an icebreaker, an anti-roll stabilisation system, and electric propulsion, powered by 6 grid-connected generators. The result was a ship (christened Yersin) with a classic and functional look, with few concessions to design, that keeps all its promises: it can sail 15,000 miles and be completely autonomous for 50 days, even with a full crew of 44.
Sources: Robbreport.com – Yachtingmagazine.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_button dimension=”outline” corner_style=”full_rounded” size=”medium” icon=”mk-icon-home” url=”/” align=”center” margin_top=”30″ margin_bottom=”0″ margin_right=”0″]Torna alla Home[/mk_button][/vc_column][/vc_row]
