76Isea&iISPRING-SUMMER 2010Curvelle Having previewed its new solar yacht concept design at the AbuDhabi World Future Energy Summit in January 2010, luxury yachtbuilder Curvelle has taken green yachting a step further. This newdesign is for the production of a 23x9 solar hybrid catamaran,with solar power for silent propulsion and domestic energyneeds. The cruising speed on solar power and batteries alone issix knots, and up to 12 knots with the assistance of diesel electric.For the past 18 months, Curvelle has focussed on technicalaspects and still needs to style the platform into an attractiveyacht envelope. The underwater body of the larger Curvelle 33x9 catamaranis based on a very efficient fast ferry design platform and,compared to some monohull configurations, uses about onethird less fuel per nautical mile at higher speeds. Besidesless pollution, this efficiency enables a much longer, eventransatlantic, range with a very smooth ride and stability.Curvelle is also one of the first superyacht builders to carbon-offset its construction process. With the assistance of YachtCarbon Offset Ltd, the Curvelle team has calculated the amountof energy used by the yard during construction of the vessel. Byoffsetting these carbon emissions, Curvelle offers unrivalledenvironmental performance, both on the water and duringconstruction. The Curvelle 33x9 has a flexible, six double-cabinarrangement that converts into a variety of layouts.

SPRING-SUMMER 2010I sea&iI77thinkgreenAeonWith a rich past and present to be proud of, Feadship placesgreat emphasis on the future. Each year it unveils a conceptyacht that fuses advanced design and technological andengineering insights with the latest thinking on how upcominggenerations of owners can enjoy life at sea. After introducing the X-stream, F-stream and C-streamplatforms in 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively, Feadship cameup with a highly exciting new platform for 2009: Aeon. Feadship took the name Aeon as the starting point for a newvision of luxury yachting, and the results may well havea long-lasting effect on the way we perceive and enjoy life onand in the oceans. Aeon, shaped like a whale shark, is powered by an advancedenergy system using green power sources such as bio-fuel andsolar energy. Her bow is slightly flat, resembling the front ofa whale, and it slopes, which creates space for an observationarea forward. Inside, guests enjoy unique features, such as theocean observatory on the tank deck, where a giant windowprovides views on the oceanic world outside.The propulsion of Aeon is entirely electric, and the yacht runson hydrogen using fuel cells. As hydrogen is difficult to store itis made on board from synthetic bio-fuel that can be producedfrom algae - a green source of energy. The 400 square metresof solar panels that provide additional solar energy can beslightly tinted so the windows in the upper superstructure havethe same colour, a technique that is already in use outside theyachting industry. Feadship's chief designer Ronno Schouten comments:"Besides Aeon, we see only a few serious concepts in theindustry aimed at reducing the environmental impact ofyachting". Although every Feadship is designed to last, thisfuture-concept Feadship is taking things a significant stepfurther. The yard's 2010 innovation is yet to be unveiled.?