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At the Monaco Yacht Show in September, René van der Velden Yacht Design introduced a dynamic new concept in luxury powered catamarans. The catamaran, with high comfort and low drag, is an ideal platform for an ecological design. Historically, however, cats have been designed from a profile view, and lack grace from other angles; for that reason they are not popular among yachtsmen.

René van der Velden Yacht Design feels it is time to apply their elegant lines to the catamaran ideal, to broaden its visual as well as economic appeal, as can be seen in the accompanying renderings. The 38-meter design, of striking originality and balance, takes advantage of slim, ideally shaped displacement hulls to assure fine seakeeping and low resistance across the speed range. With “standard” propulsion the catamaran easily attains 25 knots with excellent fuel economy at all speeds.

Equally important, high propulsive efficiency is assured between 14 and 20 knots, the cruising range preferred by most owners and crews. This is the range where other designs experience a resistance “hump,” wasting considerable fuel energy in producing massive waves. The naval architecture of these displacement hulls produces virtually no “hump.” For owners wishing still higher speeds, the hulls can be re-configured to plane.

By reducing emissions and using construction materials with a small ecological footprint, this 38-meter will provide a more sustainable yachting lifestyle with low operating costs. Optional serial hybrid propulsion is available to further maximize the “green” qualities of the design.

Specifications:

Displacement:185 t
Length over all: 38.0 m
Breadth over all: 1.4 m
Hull spacing: 8.8 m
Hull breadth: 2.6 m
Draught: 2.0 m
Hull type: displacement