Design Philosophy

Our aim was to create a modern production sailing vessel that offered ultimate luxury and capable of providing its guests with a host of fun water toys. The catamaran platform was chosen because it is far more stable than a traditional mono-hull and it has greater interior volume.

The level of luxury offered equates to the best of hotels. All state rooms have private en suite bath rooms with separate shower cubicles. For comfort the beds are full size Queens at knee level. For versatility the bed in the starboard mid cabin is able to convert into two singles. The complete cockpit is shaded and able to be enclosed with awnings during inclement weather.

As an added attraction the yacht has been fitted with a large fly bridge that presents panoramic views of its surroundings. All sailing operations are conducted from this area reducing the risk of injuring guests and providing the crew with an optimum vantage point. The area has a mini bar and fixed padded seating for guest comfort. The aft end of the bridge deck has hoisting tackle to raise the dingy out of the water which eliminates the need for davits.

The transoms are wide and its stylish fanned stairs provide free unrestricted movement between the water and cockpit. The inboard sides of the transoms are sculptured to form a dock that makes boarding the tender easy. The lower landing level on the transom is large and provides standing room for a number of people in comfort, and the floor is contoured to conceal the swim ladder when it is not in use.

Aft of the cockpit is a shaded swim platform with storage lockers. The area will also be convenient for SCUBA divers to assemble their equipment and enter the water, with minimal the risk of their equipment damaging the yacht. It also provides a quality relaxing and entertainment space.

Crews of yachts in this category form a crucial part to the yachts overall success. Many design over look this fact which can lead to a high staff turnover and expense. To counter this some owners have had to sacrifice a guest cabin for the captain. We have addressed this problem by providing the captain with commensurate accommodation complete with private office space. The facilities at the crew’s disposal too are of importance because without adequate refrigeration, water makers, communication, work areas, dish washers, storage lockers, etc. they can not maintain the yacht in the good order, or produce the top class cuisine and level of service that is expected of them.

While we have been motivated by the charter possibilities our yacht can equally become an enviable prestige private luxury yacht by rearranging its interior. A master suite comparable with that only found on mega power boats would be created if the two forward bridge deck cabins are combined into one.
The modern trend is towards larger sailing vessels and the popularity of catamarans is ever increasing. For the foreseeable future catamarans in the 70 to 80 ft range will be in demand which will enhance the vessels such as the Silhouette 760 resale value.
Attention has been given to simplifying of the sail plan and deck layout and to minimize the number of crew needed to sail the yacht. With the adopted layout two crew members will be able to safely handle the yacht.

The fore sail is a high aspect ratio self tacking furling sail which enable the yacht to be tacked effortlessly and without sail adjustments. Such an arrangement also has the advantage of being easier to handle in a breeze.

For down wind sailing and light weather reaching the yacht has been fitted with a bow sprit and furling screecher. The yacht will also be able to fly a spinnaker if so wished.

The main sail is a large powerful fully battened sail with in-boom hydraulic roller reefing. It is fully automated and makes sailing the yacht extremely easy.

Because the undersides of the hulls are relatively flat and shallow this encourages the yacht to plane more readily and therefore achieves high boat speeds. In light wind conditions she sails at near wind speed. We have effortlessly sailed the yacht at 20 kts, particularly when some wave action is present. Daily runs on ocean crossings in excess of 300 miles should be the norm.

With the recommended engines (240 HP) at 90% power the boat does 13 knots fully loaded. Such sized motors will allow the yacht to make good progress into an adverse sea conditions. With the assistance of slight wave action she will attain 20kts under power alone.

The unique styling of the super structure allows the design to fully utilize the space below decks and adopt the ideal cabin layout. The outlook from the bridge deck cabins will raise to new heights the standard of accommodation offered by charter yachts in this bracket. For private vessels the area will be ideal for the owner’s suite. Throughout the yacht the head room will cater for the tallest of individuals.

The flush coach roof is free of steps enabling it to carry a host of water toys in their optimum storage position (second tenders, jet skis, sailing dinghies etc) and still have space for entertaining and sun tanning areas. Its levelness is also a safety feature to those without their sea legs.

To give swimmers direct access from the water to the trampoline a flight of stairs will be incorporated between the compression posts in the trampoline that can be lowered into the water.

Because catamarans are spacious they are often over loaded which significantly impair their performance. We have attempted to counter this tendency by realistically assessing the payloads at design stage. This resulted in us adopting wide bodied hulls that provide the added benefits of having large internal volume and high resistance against pitching moments.
The bridge deck has been placed at such a height that it will effectively eliminate water slamming it’s under side. The clearance is well in excess of that used by most other comparable catamarans and was able to be attained while still maintaining the good aesthetics of the yacht.
From the steering position the helmsman has clear all round visibility. Each rudder blade is connected to the steering wheel by means of sheathed stainless steel cables, thereby creating a duplicate steering system which enhances safety.

For safety the rudders are attached to fixed skegs that will shield them from impact.

The standard motors will be 240 HP turbo charged fresh water cooled Yanmar 4LHA-STP engines with inter coolers and marine gearboxes. The stainless steel propeller shafts are supported by phosphor bronze P-brackets. To minimize drag and maximize sailing speed the propellers used are four bladed folding props. Under power they operate smoothly throughout their operating range.

To simplify the routine maintenance of the engines the diesel fuel tanks have been positioned at bridge deck level so that all fuel lines will be naturally pressurized. Generally the fuel lines will be copper and those that connect directly to the engines will be flexible.

To reduce noise and corrosion the exhaust system will be made up from fiber glass components. Each engine will be fitted with a dedicated water intake, electric oil change pump, sea water strainer and sea cock, return fuel lines and dedicated Racor fuel filter.

Additional diesel fuel storage tanks are able to be fitted below the cabin soles if deemed necessary.

The toilets will resemble and operate much like those commonly found ashore but will flush silently by merely touching a button. Their bowls will be ceramic and can be flushed by either fresh or salt water.

All sewerage will discharge into sealed holding tanks located below the hull soles. The holding tanks will be emptied manually via electric macerator pumps (when the yacht is in open water hopefully) or by pump-out stations. The vent pipes to the holding tank vents will be led up the mast and exist well above deck level thereby preventing the odor of the holding tanks reaching the occupants.

Provision is made to hold gray water, but normally it will be discharged immediately. The gray water tanks are located below the cabin soles. The galley will be fitted with a powerful garbage disposer.

The yacht will be fitted with both 110 and 220 Volt AC (60 Hz). Generally the heavier electrical loads such as air-conditioners, refrigeration compressors, hot water heater, battery charger, microwave, water maker etc. will operate off the 220 volt supply, and the house plugs and galley appliances off the 110 volts supply. All appliances and motors are able to run off both 60 and 50 Hz power.

Electricity will be generated by a 20 kVA genset. An electronic inverter will be available to generate 110 volts 60 Hz for light loads when the genset is stationary.

Most DC equipment will operate from 24 volts.

The yacht will be fitted with a custom chilled water air-conditioning system. The installation will utilize standard off the shelf components which enables it to be readily repaired.

As standard the yacht will be fitted with three independent 24,000 BTU units. The chilled water produced will be circulated around the boat in a closed loop and fed through radiators. The fan motors to these radiators will be variable speed and individually controlled by thermostats.

Such systems are quiet because they do not require their compressors to be located nearby to the conditioned space, as do conventional individual units plus they require less maintenance than what individual units.