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After unveiling a new flagship model, the Silent 100 Explorer, at the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival, Austrian shipyard Silent-Yachts has sold the first unit with a scheduled delivery in 2023. “This new sale is coming after the sale of three of our 80-foot models in rapid succession and confirms the market’s interest in the superior comfort of catamarans and solar energy for propulsion needs, as well as all the household appliances on board,” says Silent-Yachts founder and CEO, Michael Köhler.Michael KöhlerThe yacht measures 31 metres overall (101.7ft) with a beam of 13,62 metres (44.7ft) and a spectacular height of 10,46 metres (34,3ft). Renewable electric energy comes from an array of solar panels in the hardtop that slides apart to reveal a sundeck that can also serve as a touch-and-go helipad. Compared to the previous flagship, the Silent 80, the new Silent 100 Explorer has an extra deck and much more space both outdoors and indoors. “The Silent 100 Explorer is a great challenge proving that the solar revolution of Silent-Yachts to the superyacht level,” said designer Marco Casali. “The kind of available spaces, fully customizable from the clients, will allow unique internal and external spaces not even achievable on much bigger superyachts like owner's quarters or large saloons. The Silent 100 Explorer will bring the experience of cruising to a next level becoming a world reference for a responsible yachting always connected to the respect of the environment.”Marco CasaliThe solar cells provide up to 40kWp (kWp stands for kilowatt 'peak' power output of a system) and clean solar electrical energy is stored in a battery bank with a capacity of up to 800 kWh. Coupled to twin 340kW (@700 rpm) electric motors, the Silent 100 Explorer has an economic speed of 6-8 knots, a cruising speed of 10 knots and a top speed of 14-16 knots. Two or three diesel generators, depending on the specification requested, provide back-up auxiliary power. Because the solar energy is completely renewable, in theory the Silent 100 Explorer has unlimited range, similar to all other Silent models.“The sheer amount of family-friendly space aboard the Silent 100 Explorer has to be experienced to be believed,” says Michael Köhler. “It also means that clients are free to customise the arrangement according to personal preference. Do you want a gym or media room, a larger VIP suite or a country kitchen on main deck? No problem. The flexibility of the catamaran configuration means we can meet most requests.”Credits: Silent-Yachts

The 60m Amels 200 Stella M has been cruising around Greece. The shipyard has shared the pictures of the yacht on its social media pages. Stella M is the first yacht to be delivered from the Amels 200 Limited Editions design. She features custom interiors by Reymond Langton. Her exterior is an evolution of the Amels 188 designed by Tim Heywood. He explains how the originality and ingenuity of her exterior allow her to stand out from other yachts of this size. Like her predecessor, the high volume (1,015 GT) Amels 200 features hybrid electrical power technology, a four-deck elevator and air-conditioned gym on the sun deck. Her additional length has allowed for a number of enhancements such as larger aft decks and swim platform and full-height windows in the owners suite.Damen Yachting, a division within the Damen Shipyards Group, was created in 2019. The division combines the pedigree and heritage of Amels yachts with a growing portfolio of SeaXplorer yachts and Yacht Support vessels. Credits: Amels Facebook / @breedmediacreative

The Netherlands shipbuilder Van der Valk has launched the 34m explorer motor yacht Lady Lene. The three-deck Lady Lene has been commissioned by the repeated clients who have previously experienced the building of a bespoke boat at Van der Valk. This innovative 34m explorer combines a spirit of adventure with superyacht standards of comfort to embrace life on and close to the water. Her Fast Displacement hull, wave-piercing bow and Hull Vane transom wing offer a superb performance and major fuel savings. The superior stabilisation of a gyro system at zero speed is combined with a fin system for rough passages. Lady Lene’s exterior was made by Guido de Groot Design, the expedition-style yacht will be fully wheelchair-accessible thanks to an elevator which connects all decks. Her sophisticated interior was designed by Carla Guilheim and Guido de Groot Design and includes an owner suite with office, which is located on the lower deck as there are two doubles and one single cabin. The VIP suite is situated on the bridge deck.Large windows offer panoramic vistas of the world going by from the spacious lounge & dining room on the main deck, and the VIP suite on the bridge, which also has its own balcony and terrace. Distinctively high ceilings add to the overall sense of class and freedom. Despite the care and attention paid to the interior, the focal point of the design of this explorer yacht – and the social life of those onboard – is likely to be the aft entertainment area. This large open space has a genuine wow factor with its clean deck, dedicated zones for relaxation and dining, bar and swim platform. The explorer has a top speed of 18 knots and cruises comfortably at 14 knots. After sea trials in the coming weeks, she will be delivered to her owners. Van der Valk is a family-run company building comfortable, innovative and efficient (semi) custom motoryachts from 18m to 45m. From its humble roots in the 1960s, Van der Valk today has a global fleet of over 1000 motoryachts. Credits: Van der Valk

The Feadship welcomed back the 48m Gitana and the 74m Mogambo, which arrived at the Dutch yard facility in Makkum for a refit. In a huge milestone for the Refit & Services programme that Feadship officially began offering in 2018, ten yachts are arriving in the Netherlands for a winter season of refurbishments, upgrades and renovations at the four Feadship yards. Access to De Voogt’s engineering staff is also a great plus for owners wanting to implement new technology in order to modernise their yachts.The 58m Najiba and 44.6m Harle also returned to the shipyard for a Feadship refit. They were sailing in single file, until the split where Harle continued en route to the yard at Kaag and Najiba took the turn to the yard in Aalsmeer. “We are absolutely delighted to welcome back these two lovely Feadships and their amazing captains and crew. In these unprecedented times of travel restrictions and market capacity limitations, where better to spend the winter than back with the Feadship family?" says Pier Posthuma de Boer, Refit and Services Director at Feadship Facebook page.Feadship was formed as a group in 1949 as a marketing partnership between six Dutch shipyards, de Vries Lentch, Van de Stadt, Witsen & Vis, Akerboom, De Vries Scheepsbouw and Van Lent Shipyard, and De Voogt Naval Architects. Feadship is well-known as one of Netherlands’ most elite yacht builders and delivers superyachts from 50–100+ meters in length.Credits: Feadship Facebook

Abeking & Rasmussen has announced that the contract for building a 120m plus superyacht was signed this summer. The shipyard's current order book includes the 118m length megayacht in its stage of outfitting. She is the largest ship A&R has ever built and will be delivered to her owner next year. Except this year’s additions the Abeking & Rasmussen order book include three Multi Purpose Vessels with more than 90m length each. These are some of the most innovative and challenging projects the shipyard has ever worked on. Abeking & Rasmussen has managed to contract two mine hunting vessels for the Indonesian Navy. The next generation of mine hunting vessels is 62 m long and made of high-strength and non-magnetic steel produced using an innovative laser welding process.Nine refits have arrived at the shipyard, some new clients included and there are more refit projects to follow soon. Yacht new builds, refits, multi purpose vessels, mine hunters, LNG propulsion systems, laser welding – it seems like a lot of different challenges the shipyard has to work on. How does Abeking & Rasmussen deal with this versatile and challenging order book? “Working on a range of projects and technologies for different clients and purposes has always been a strength of Abeking & Rasmussen. Besides certain synergies we always found it very helpful to gain expertise with technologies in one market before these things where even asked for in other markets,” says Matthias Hellmann, CFO. Abeking & Rasmussen was founded in October 1907. The German based shipyard is looking back to 114 years of ship and yacht building. A&R is now able to launch yachts of up to 125 meters length. Credits: Abeking and Rasmussen