With an eco-conscious world looking from governments to brands everywhere to take ownership for the role they can take in working towards a more environmentally friendly planet, everything from food to clothing to holidays have come under the spotlight.
When seeking out luxury holidays, consumers will be looking for companies that are doing their bit to make positive changes for the environment, and owners, charter companies and shipyards have all started pulling together to reduce yachting’s carbon footprint, with some of the results proving to be pretty spectacular.
Here are four of the very best luxury yachts available to charter on Helm that are making a positive impact on the world around us.
Sunreef 50 Eco
The first 50ft charter catamaran to run solely on electrical power, the Sunreef 50 Eco sets a new standard for seamless yachting. 130m² of sail area, and two powerful 35kW electric motors help it run silent and smooth over the Adriatic Sea. You could run the air conditioning all night just on the batteries! A brilliant, innovative option for a fantastic charter that leaves very little trace.
Silent 55
The Silent 55 is a true leap forward in solar-powered motor yacht design. 100 per cent solar powered, these ingenious yachts are reliable, comfortable, and tread lightly on the planet. The entry-level model features two 50kW electric motors, with a top speed of 14 knots and cruising speed of eight knots, while the top-end model offers a pair of 250kW motors for a top speed of 20 knots.
For extra green propulsion, all versions are available with a towing kite, which generates up to 10 times more power per square metre than a conventional sail. Because they are powered by the sun’s rays, they have a theoretically limitless cruising range, with an eight-year warranty on the battery banks, and solar panels that last 25 years. This is the ultimate way to cruise noiselessly through the sparkling Mediterranean.
Sunreef 60 Eco, E (2019)
Powered solely by clean energy, this sleek and clever adaptation of Sunreef’s best selling 60ft catamaran is driven by a high-powered electric propulsion system. E has recyclable performance sails, a smart energy management system, and is even built from reclaimed and recycled materials. Her flybridge roof is a huge solar panel.
E uses self-generated power from solar panels and hydrogeneration from the propeller rotations when sailing. A pair of 55kW electric engines generate energy from the wind while the yacht is sailing, charging the 140 kWh propulsion battery bank, which provides for up to six hours of cruising on engine.
A 16 kWh battery bank provides all the clean energy power she could ever need to keep her systems running. As Sunreef say, their electric propulsion systems ‘combine fuel savings, low-maintenance and ultra-silent operation’. This is available for crewed charters in the Mediterranean in summer and Caribbean in the winter.
Black Pearl
Black Pearl is a stunning example of what a yacht can be capable of. This 106m ‘zero impact’ sailing yacht was built in 2016 and designed way ahead of its time. One of the world’s largest sailing yachts, she leads a step change in ecological yachting.
Designed to conserve every last ounce of energy, Black Pearl features propellers that act as water turbines, along with black DynaRig sails that include solar panels. These sources are enough to power all of the interior needs, from lighting to AC and beyond. Reusable water bottles dramatically cut the amount of plastic waste on board.
