73m superyacht Grace E docks in Ireland

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 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

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

Heesen has shared the shipyard’s latest news – the construction of YN 20150, code-named Project Oslo24, has officially begun. The owners and their family attended the keel-laying ceremony on October 4, and welded their ‘good luck coins’ to section three, where the IMO number was engraved. The ceremony was formally witnessed by a Lloyd’s Register surveyor who signed off this first stage in the yacht’s build.The 50m yacht will be built on the platform of the 50-metre Steel Class. Project Oslo24 will be equipped with Heesen’s hybrid system, which offers indisputable advantages over traditional diesel propulsion. The owner, an experienced yachtsman, made this choice with the clear intent of creating a yacht that is cleaner, quieter and more efficient than comparable conventional craft.“We were the first shipyard who dared to take the financial risk of building hybrid yachts on speculation and today, all our yachts are available with hybrid propulsion as an option. ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ is our mantra. Today, that change is real. It is a pleasure to see that clients trust our systems and decide to implement them in their highly customised yachts to reduce their footprint,” says Friso Visser, Heesen CCO.The Heesen hybrid drivetrain draws on diesel engines and electric motors, together or individually and in any combination, for both propulsion and hotel needs. In the automotive world such systems typically emphasise energy-saving and reducing emissions, but hybrid propulsion at sea has a broader set of aims. Silent cruising and minimal vibration enormously enhance comfort levels on board and are especially appealing during night passages.The interior is made by Luca Dini Design and Architecture who creates an interior that incorporates plenty of fine details connected to their life at sea and the areas they will be exploring aboard their yacht. Contrasting dark, high-gloss and light matte wood finishes, with a ribbed canneté texture to evoke the forests, blend with soft leather in warm tones to create a snug environment to offer guests a refuge when the air is brisk and chilly outside.“The owner of Oslo24 and his family are deeply involved in every aspect of this project,” said Stefan Zucker of Zucker and Partner, the owner’s representative. “For us, this makes it an even more exciting project.” The heart of the system is the yacht’s twin MTU 8V4000 M63 (IMO Tier III) main engines, each one coupled to a water-cooled, 135kW Danfoss electric motor on the same propeller shaft. This streamlined configuration offers versatility, flexible power management, and redundancy, with three operational modes: Silent, Economy and Cruising. YN 20150 Project Oslo24 is scheduled for delivery in March 2024.Heesen Yachts is a Dutch ship building company that specializes in custom-built superyachts in aluminium and steel from 30m to 70m in size. Founded in 1978, it has launched more than 170 yachts since its inception.Credits: Heesen Yachts

Wally’s fast cruisers outperform with big wins at Les Voiles de Saint Tropez.Magic Carpet 3_1A moderate swell during the second week of Les Voiles de Saint Tropez kept the bowman on Magic Carpet Cubed well refreshed. Flying downwind with the big asymmetric, the boat sets an awe-inspiring 1,420 square metres of sail on her 46m-tall, high modulus carbon fibre mast. Speeds can be breathtaking, with performance to match. Even though the Wallycento is designed for comfortable cruising, its high-tech design and development is the equal of the most modern thoroughbred on the race course.Magic Carpet 3_2Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones’ spectacular Wallycento Magic Carpet Cubed managed to close out a win despite stiff challenges from George David’s Rambler. After two races the boats were still neck-and-neck for points, so it all came down to the last leg of the last race in Saint Tropez. The start was delayed by low winds, but the biggest Maxis in the IRC 1 class still had a 25-mile course to cover. Luckily conditions freshened to a sporty 18-knot breeze from the east, making for a fantastic show.Magic Carpet 3_3Fresh from victory in the Maxi divisionat the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup last month, Magic CarpetCubedisinstantlyrecognisable for hergleaming blue topsides. Ithasbecomea brandfeature for the ownerwhohashad no fewerthanthreeWallysbuilt with the samename.Lyra_1There was little doubt about the winner of the IRC 3B class at Les Voiles de Saint Tropez, where the Wally 77 Lyra posted two back-to-back bullets in the three-race regatta. The team and the boat have proven to always be up to the different racing conditions. Since her launch in 2000, Lyra has continued tuning culminating in a recent substantial refit in the hull and keel.There were 18 boats in the mini-maxi class, making it one of the most competitive, a fact borne out by the narrow margins involved at the start and the finish.Lyra_2Lyra counts some top pro sailors among her crew, and they were riding high after a clean sheet at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup winning the Mini Maxi 3&4 division. They looked set to repeat the performance here in Saint Tropez as well. Conditions provided a mixed bag, with one day’s racing cancelled due to excessive wind and one due to no wind, with others postponed until the breeze came in. Victory this year depended on the ability of boats and crews to adapt, as Lyra demonstrated.Green eyesShowing just how competitive a Wally can be, the beautiful 2002 Wally 107 Green Eyes (ex-Kauris III) had the highest rating in her IRC 2 group at Les Voiles de Saint Tropez last week. Her stunning wood-panelled interior and phenomenal comfort levels are amply offset by the lightness of the hull and a process of refits which have seen the rig constantly updated to reduce weight aloft. Equipped with a canting keel, she sports a carbon mast by Southern Spars and ECSix standing rigging.RoseLaunched in 2006, Rose (former Tango G) is one of Wally’s successful Wally 80 line, which ran to half a dozen yachts. She features the quintessential Wally DNA of sleek, minimal lines, open, uncluttered decks and a timeless style that appeals as strongly today as it did when she was built. Rose has proved herself a formidable competitor on the Med maxi circuit, but also a very comfortable cruising yacht with luxurious cabins, lots of social space and room for plenty of toys.Ryokan 2Ryokan 2, winner of the Compasso d’Oro design award, is a perennial competitor in Saint Tropez, and pulled off a well-earned win in her class in last year’s event. This year it wasn’t to be, with two second places and a fourth putting him in a very respectable third overall. The Wally 80 has an experienced crew, and the boat has seen some beneficial tweaks to her rig to sharpen performance in light wind. When it all comes together, this boat can challenge the newest yachts on the course.Y3KThe powerful 100-footer Y3K was hoping for great things at this year’s Les Voiles de Saint Tropez. Variable conditions kept his crew on their toes, ultimately managing a solid fourth place overall. But the boat showed her potential, with a well-earned win in the lighter winds of the second race. Built in 2009, this German Frers hull has the speed, grace and lightness of all Wallys. And yet she packs luxurious accommodation for six guests and four crew.Wally Class prize giving VDST2021With so many Wally yachts competing in the maxi classes at Les Voiles de Saint Tropez, there has long been a dedicated class award to celebrate the depth of the talent on the water. Wally 77 Lyra took a resounding first place, followed closely by Ryokan 2 and Magic Carpet Cubed.Magic Carpet 3 winner Maxi Division VDST2021Among the very biggest, most competitive IRC1 boats, the competition for the top spot was fierce. Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones rejoices with his team for the victory. Over the years they developed a boat that is a powerhouse and an icon to modernism. He and his crew spurred the Wallycento to a blistering performance on the final day of racing, which saw them edge out their rivals. World leader in yachting innovation and part of Ferretti Group, Wally combines the latest technology with contemporary design, constantly looking at ways of improving on the water enjoyment with performance, comfort and style.Founded in 1994 in Monaco by Luca Bassani, passionate and visionary yachtsman, Wally changed the entire concept of cruising yachts and created groundbreaking sailing and power boats which are unmatched reference points in yachting and in the design world. Wally is the only yachting brand to be a two-time winner of the ADI Compassod’Oro, the world’s most important award for quality and design.Credits: Wally