on 27 May 2021
Austrian-owned brand reveals the first hull of solar-electric catamaran, which will be available for charter, with eight more under construction. The Silent 60 features a kite wing, which generates more power than a conventional sail
Credit: Jorgen Udvang
Silent-Yachts has revealed the first hull of its Silent 60 solar electric catamaran, which was launched recently at the Austrian builder’s facility in Thailand.
This is the first unit of the new model, with eight more hulls are currently under construction. A total of 17 Silent 60 models are under order.
The 18m catamaran is built with a compact kite wing from Wingit, which is a special kite-sail system that generates more power per square metre than conventional sails.
The system only requires a two-foot mast to hoist the kite, and can increase the boat’s speed by up to 5 knots, as well as reducing the consumption of the e-motors to increase range. The entire system, including winches, masts and ropes, can be stored in a dedicated box in the bow when not in use.
The Silent 60 has 42 powerful solar panels, which ensure 17 kWp of power and silent propulsion.
“The kite system sounds like the perfect match for windy days together with the electric propulsion system of Silent-Yachts,” said the German owner of the first Silent 60. “I am an enthusiast of new technologies which help, little by little, to overcome the ecological challenges we are facing today.”
The owner plans to use his Silent 60 for a few weeks per year and will make it available for charter.
“I thought it would be a pity to leave the boat unused for the rest of the time, and I have decided to rent the boat on a daily or weekly basis to anybody who is interested in trying out this wonderful yacht for a day trip or for a longer holiday with flexible routings,” he said.
The boat can be handled by two people, and has space for additional water toys, SUPs, kayaks and e-bikes to be stored in the bridge deck.
The Silent 60 offers a flexible layout. The first has four guest cabins on the lower deck, including a spacious master suite. There are many social areas on board: an airy main saloon, an aft cockpit, bow seating and a flybridge.
The new model has a draft of less than 1 metre, which allows it to reach shallower bays that are common in Southeast Asia. The Silent 60 has two swimming platforms in the aft which can optionally be extended by 90 cm to carry a pair of electric jet skis. A liftable hydraulic platform can also be enlarged to carry a larger tender.
The Silent 60 is designed as an ocean-going cruising yacht. It can cruise efficiently for up to 100 miles a day for weeks. The arrangement of the components enables the system to power all onboard systems without the need for fuel to power a generator.
The yacht’s cruising speed is 6-8 knots, with a maximum speed of 20 knots.
Rendering of ‘Silent Island’ resort
In December 2020, Silent-Yachts announced it was to begin work on ‘Silent Island’, a solar-powered island retreat in The Bahamas. The private tropical hideaway in Eleuthera will include 16 waterfront villas and eight custom solar-powered Silent catamarans, along with a beachside clubhouse, resort-style pool, restaurant, bar, fitness room, game room, and a spa.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: SILENT 60
Length overall: 17.99 m
Beam overall: 8.99 m
Draft: 0.93 m
Light displacement: 29 tonnes
Water: 1.000 L
Wastewater: 2 x 500 L
Fuel: 1.600 L
Motors (electric): up to 2 x 340 kW
Solar Panels: 42 / 17 kWp
Battery capacity: 286 kWh
Cruising Speed: 6-8 knots
Top Speed: 20 knots
CE Certification: A
Kite size: 13 sq. m (standard version 9 sq. m) and 150 m line length
Kite features: autopilot incl. line sensor set high load and kite sensor
