The Silent 80 plans to set sail in 2020, and it’s all yours for a cool $6.53 million
It’s not every day you’ll hear the terms ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘yacht’ uttered in the same sentence. Not until we saw the Silent 55, a beautiful solar-powered catamaran that made its debut at the Singapore Yacht Show 2019. It’s also sister to the upcoming Silent 80 (starting from $6.53 million), which is currently under construction in Ancona, Italy. In fact, Silent 80 will be the Austrian company flagship when it launches in 2020.
Like Silent 55, Silent 80 is fully solar-powered. Designed by Marco Casali of Too-Design, the entire flybridge is dedicated to the solar panels; the 70 panels generate 26kWp of power, 13kWp more than Silent 55. The power is stored in lithium batteries, which allow for all-night cruising. The flybridge’s canopy can be retracted to form a fully flat solar-panelled surface on days you’re at anchor.
Three propulsion options are available: cruiser, hybrid-power and e-power. In the e-power version, you’ll have two 250kW electric motors propelling the yacht up to 15 knots and 100 nautical miles per day. Of course, it isn’t the fastest, so if you’re looking for a yacht for speed, look away. The yacht does however come with two 100kW back-up generators, acting as an emergency power source when batteries are depleted on cloudy days or giving the yacht additional power when a burst of speed is required.
That aside, Silent 80 is more than two metres wider than Silent 55, which means you’ll probably be less prone to claustrophobia. The main deck comprises a glass-encased salon – which includes a spacious galley, lounge and dining area – an outdoor dining area at the stern, and a bow that’s great for whiling your afternoon away under the sun. Classic trampolines can replace the lounge at the bow.
Silent 80 has enough room for up to six cabins, though opting for four would be an optimal use of space. Unlike Silent 55, there’s no master cabin at the bow. Instead, all cabins are relegated to either side of the hull. And given that there isn’t an engine room, all cabins enjoy the additional luxury of space and are equipped with en suite bathrooms.
Deliveries of Silent 80 will take place in 2020. Four units have already been sold, with the first going to a South African owner.
