trimaran

Calling All Water Babies: the Arkki Solar Yacht

Surviving apocalyptic scenarios always seems to mean fetid basements, a smoke-filled skies, canned food and cannibalism. But say the end of the world comes, Noah-like, with a land-engulfing flood. In that case, a kinder, gentler Apocalypse requires a kinder, gentler solution, the possibilities for which have been envisioned for you by Janne Leppänen's ARKKI solar boat.

The ARKKI is a trimaran featuring a concrete-and-natural-fiber hull enclosing 1,647 square feet of interior space, topped with a solar-panel-and-wood deck of 1,076 square feet. Solar panels adorning the deck are absorbent enough to power the entire yacht even in winter and allow a cruising speed of up to eight knots. It won't fit two of every animal, but come to think of it, that might make it better should you need to spend a few years on the water.

[via Gizmodo]

Source

Tags: apocalypse, boat, concept, concept yacht, industrial design, trimaran, yacht

New America's Cup Yacht May Be The World's Fastest

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing

The speedy Hydroptere may have some new competition in the fastest boat race. The100-foot trimaran that BMW-Oracle has built for a potential America's Cup race in 2009 recently had its first sea trials off Washington state this month. So far the boat has been zipping along at speeds close to 30 knots (35 m.p.h.) but as the Detroit Free Press reports that may be just the beginning of what this yacht can do. The yacht has a 90 foot beam and is designed to be light and fast with a 5,000-square-foot mainsail, a 3,500-square-foot jib for upwind sailing and a 7,000-square-foot gennaker, Instead of a fixed keel it has a large daggerboard and hydrofoils that are cranked down from the outboard hulls. When the boat is zipping along the hulls basically lift out of the water on the daggerboard and foils, creating a hovering effect. Makes the once revolutionary Stars and Stripes yachts seem very conventional by comparison.

Source

Tags: americas cup, AmericasCup, bmw, trimaran, yacht

Earthrace Boat Sets New Record

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Green

I've been a fan of the Earthrace boat since before I finally got to climb aboard back in 2006 so I'm particularly pleased that the biodiesel-powered trimaran and her crew set a record fastest circumnavigation of the globe by speedboat recently. The boat raced around the globe in just 60 days, 23 hours and 49 minutes which means they beat the old record by 13 days, 21 hours and 9 minutes. This was the second attempt by New Zealand skipper Pete Bethune who had to give up his first last year after a bunch of problems that included a pirate attack and a collision with a fishing boat. Congratulations to Bethune and his crew.

Source

Tags: biodiesel, earthrace, earthrace-biodiesel, trimaran

Craig Loomes Luxury Trimaran

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing

After checking out the Earthrace yacht earlier this year, I have a greater appreciation of the designs of Craig Loomes. The latest wave-piercing luxury trimaran from this New Zealand design firm is a 148-meter (485-foot) yacht with split-level luxury staterooms providing room for up to 28 guests. According to this article in Yachting Magazine, the massive master suite is three decks and has a private elevator. Other features of this striking yacht include a grand piano and bar, helicopter pad, a swimming pool and a pair twin skylounges located in the arching wings linking the twin sponsons. The Earthrace yacht was pretty spartan due to the requirements of the crew but this yacht, built for a wealthy mystery client, promises to be perched at the other end of the spectrum.

[Thanks, Rob]

Source

Tags: craig loomes, CraigLoomes, new zealand, trimaran, yacht