The ethos of travel is now far more about the journey than the destination. We are keen to integrate lifestyle with travel and to consider the world through which we move more deeply.
Yachts are being developed and adapted to meet these key aims, and the concept of long-haul yachting trips – merging work hours on-board with time off to wander and wonder – looks set to continue.
Enjoying the richness of life moving at a glacial pace, must be one of the greatest discoveries of 2021.
Boating dovetails with slow travel, encouraging longer, more mindful trips to fewer destinations – where you have time to fully immerse yourself in the culture and natural beauty in your environment.
Gone are the days of dizzying whistle-stop tours, all so rapidly forgotten – taking in the scenery and savoring it is the only way on a boat.
Choosing yachts used as a staycation is a prime objective for yacht owners and charter guests who, due to the pandemic, are looking for a more permanent ‘hub/retreat’ away from their primary residence.
Lots of yachts offer spacious boardrooms and dedicated workspaces for when you need to connect back to your working life.
Sustainable Automation
During the Superyachts.com Top 100 event held in London in 2019, discussions focussed on sustainability, and the steps shipbuilders are taking to protect the precious marine environment.
Unanimously taken on board was the need for yachts to reduce carbon emissions using sustainable energy sources for both propulsion and onboard systems. These might include electric turbines, solar plates, battery banks, electric propellers, and waterjet propulsion, alongside recyclable shipbuilding materials, and filters to reduce the output of noxious substances.
Greenline Yachts and Silent Yachts now offer fully electric, solar-powered, silent yachts. Pure electric or hybrid systems can potentially reduce a vessel’s fuel consumption by up to 100 percent, with running costs up to 10 times lower than when burning diesel fuel.
As a major bonus, electric boating means an associated reduction in noise and smell pollution, passengers can benefit from an enhanced tranquil silent cruising experience. While at anchor in a bay, it is possible to run the AC and household appliances all day.
In addition to this, you are able to cruise typical “holiday distances” of 20-30 miles per day, without burning any fuel. Moreover, electric engines are almost entirely maintenance-free.
Green Destinations and Eco-Friendly Holidays
Not only have we discovered that yachting can be one of the safest holidays available due to the controlled environment and limited necessity for contact with the outside world, but tantalizing new blue-sky destinations are revolutionizing the way travelers see their impact on the world around them.
Discerning globetrotters can enjoy responsible eco-luxe travel in style on home soil as well as abroad.
Silent Island, Bahamas
Silent Resorts is a sustainable luxury vacation.
The resort will consist of 16 waterfront villas and eight custom solar-powered Silent catamarans in the Bahamas.
Each Silent Yacht boasts large sun decks, saloons, kitchens, and suites with private bathrooms, alongside amenities at the water’s edge such as restaurants, pools, clubhouses, and gyms, all powered by solar panels and battery storage.
And of course, guests are free to ‘unmoor’ their villa at any time to explore the tranquil world out to sea!
The resort creates a sense of blending sea with land- the result is a tranquil experience unlike any other resort before.
Canal Boats, Telemark
The beautiful Telemark Canal between the coast and highlands of always-stunning Norway has now been made available to eco-conscious, freedom-seeking holidaymakers, thanks to an all-electric charter fleet from Greenline Yachts, offered by the Canal Boats Telemark.
The boats have a range of 50 nautical miles on a full battery charge, and a network of ten fast-charging stations on shore, for recharges taking a maximum of three hours.
Pause at will at secluded beaches, visit caves accessible by boat, hike in the forests or rent canoes, paddleboards, or electric bikes along the way.
Como Classic Boat, Lake Como
Electric boats inspired by classic boats are a welcome addition to the classic boat market, proving that substance and style can work in harmony. Some motorboats burn through diesel at a turbulent rate, and discerning travelers and adventurers seek an eco-friendly alternative without compromising style.
Como Classic Boats offers e-tours around Lake Como on a classic electric boat. During the tour, you will see some of Lake Como’s most beautiful villas, including Villa Erba, Villa D’Este, Villa Fontanelle (the former Villa Versace), Villa Pliniana, and Villa Oleandra (George and Amal Clooney’s Villa).
Enjoy stunning views of Comacina Island, the Roman bridge of Nesso, and the cascading waterfalls. You can marvel at the home to Renaissance architecture and verdant mountains.
Como Classic Boats offer stress-free eco-tours, with a dedicated Captain to navigate and introduce guests to the secret delights of this most Italian of lakes.
Hydrofoiling Yachts and Toys
The latest editions of sports yachts harness the power of technology beyond the realms of gravity.
A technological leap integrating hydrofoiling and sailing boats means that they can fly above the water, allowing them to gain lightning-fast speeds of up to sixty knots.
Raised hulls from the water mean that the flow of fluid air is redirected, creating high- and low-pressure areas on opposite sides of the yacht’s extended areas while developing lift to the foil’s surface.
Revolutionary sea toys have taken inconceivable concepts such as flying on water and made them achievable.
The toy of choice for 2021 is the Quadrofoil watercraft. This revolutionary watercraft is fully electric-powered and entirely environmentally friendly using a technique called hydrofoiling, allowing you to fly on the water’s surface.
At full speed, the Quadrofoil can accelerate up to 21 knots.
Uncovering Unknown Worlds
For the most intrepid of travelers, when the thirst for knowledge of unknown worlds is unquenchable, the use of submarines is redefining how yacht owners and charter guests interact with the ocean.
The rapid evolution of submersible technology has enhanced the user experience beyond our wildest dreams, allowing visits to the homes of unique marine species or the locations of sunken sea treasures.
The Triton 3300/6 submersible can allow a family of six onboard to experience the extraordinary together, alongside the everyday luxuries of a music sound system, mini bar, and touch-screen iPads to view the camera images in close-up.
Just imagine stepping away from your business and work-life to immerse yourself in that.
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