This 55-Foot Solar-Powered Yacht Concept Can Transform Into a Fully Rigged Sailboat
The only thing better than one eco-friendly yacht is two. Better yet, two-in-one. This new 55-footer is like a Transformer of the sea and can switch seamlessly between a sleek electric vessel and a fully rigged sailing yacht.
Envisioned by Pedro Ramalho, a founding member of Parq Architects, the eco-friendly concept “P1” has been designed to run exclusively on wind and solar power. That means seafarers can say good riddance to emissions and gas-guzzling engines to instead travel silently and sustainably.
“With all the free and sustainable energy that is available at sea, there is really no need to be dependent on dirty energy. You just need to build more efficient vessels,” Ramalho told Robb Report.
To achieve that touted efficiency, the Porto-based architect combined two different marine designs. He created an electric propulsion solar boat that can automatically shapeshift into a wind-powered sailboat. This allows for true off-grid travel and unlimited range.
PI sports just over 645 square feet of photovoltaic solar panels. This allows the vessel to generate up to 15kW of zero-carbon electrical energy from the sun to power the vessel’s electric engine and charging batteries. Of course, this setup requires the sun to play nice and produce those crucial UV rays.
If that’s not the case, the sailing component kicks into gear. P1 is fitted with a retractable mast, keel and rudder. This sailing rig functions as an articulated triangle with a sliding vertex that allows it to easily pop up when needed. The sails, meanwhile, unwind from a furling inside the masts. This nifty rig relies solely on wind and gives sailors a little more freedom. When not in use, it neatly collapses out of sight.
Of course, the real value comes from the two systems working in tandem. Together, they can boost the vessel’s range, speed and performance.
Despite the vessel’s smallish interior, Ramalho has managed to fit a lounge area aft, a galley, dining area, three cabins and plenty of seating. The vessel also features a dingy that slides out from the hull and may also be used as an extension of the deck.
So, you could, in fact, call it a three-in-one.
Check out more renderings of the concept below:
More from Robb Report
Best of Robb Report
Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
