Marine

Arcadia A85S cruises on diesel, floats on solar power

Arcadia A85S cruises on diesel, floats on solar power
The Arcadia A85S
The Arcadia A85S 
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The main cabin in the Arcadia A85S
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The main cabin in the Arcadia A85S 
The A85S is spacious, both above and below deck
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The A85S is spacious, both above and below deck
The en suite in the A85S wouldn't look out of place in a luxury New York apartment
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The en suite in the A85S wouldn't look out of place in a luxury New York apartment 
Even the smaller cabins in the Arcadia A85S are luxurious
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Even the smaller cabins in the Arcadia A85S are luxurious 
The windows in the A85S are reflective, and double glazed
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The windows in the A85S are reflective, and double glazed 
The outside deck on the A85S has a small table for al fresco dining
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The outside deck on the A85S has a small table for al fresco dining 
We'd be careful of using the overhanging balcony in rough weather
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We'd be careful of using the overhanging balcony in rough weather 
The Arcadia A85S has a flexible upstairs deck
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The Arcadia A85S has a flexible upstairs deck 
One of the undercover outdoor areas on the Arcadia A85S
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One of the undercover outdoor areas on the Arcadia A85S
The windows on the upstairs deck of the A85S can be raised or lowered depending on the weather
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The windows on the upstairs deck of the A85S can be raised or lowered depending on the weather 
The Arcadia A85S looks like a nice place to spend an evening
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The Arcadia A85S looks like a nice place to spend an evening
The Arcadia A85S
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The Arcadia A85S 
The Arcadia A85S has been designed to maximize interior space
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The Arcadia A85S has been designed to maximize interior space 
The solar panels on the roof of the Arcadia A85S can be used to power auxiliary functions
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The solar panels on the roof of the Arcadia A85S can be used to power auxiliary functions
The devil is in the detail on superyachts like the A85S
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The devil is in the detail on superyachts like the A85S
The interior of the Arcadia A85S is outfitted luxuriously
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The interior of the Arcadia A85S is outfitted luxuriously 
The solar array on the Arcadia A85S
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The solar array on the Arcadia A85S
Yet another space to relax on the A85S
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Yet another space to relax on the A85S
The kitchen in the A85S
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The kitchen in the A85S
The windows on one of the decks can be raised or lowered on demand in the A85S
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The windows on one of the decks can be raised or lowered on demand in the A85S
The windows on the A85S can be raised and lowered based on the weather
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The windows on the A85S can be raised and lowered based on the weather 
Behind the wheel of the A85S
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Behind the wheel of the A85S
The eight-seat dining table in the Arcadia A85S
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The eight-seat dining table in the Arcadia A85S
There's plenty of space to relax outdoors on the Arcadia A85S
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There's plenty of space to relax outdoors on the Arcadia A85S
A top-down look at the A85S and its solar panels
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A top-down look at the A85S and its solar panels 
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Look past their overt flashiness, and some luxury yachts offer fascinating takes on how to effectively use limited space. With a simple hull design, airy interior and auxiliary solar power system, the Arcadia A85S aims to pack a clean, luxurious floating home into its 85-ft (25.6-m) hull.

Arcadia says its design philosophy is centered around making the owner and their guests feel at home on the high seas. With this in mind, the company has created a new, fully enclosed deck above the main deck with floor-to-ceiling windows on all four sides that can be raised or lowered on demand. The area can be heated or air-conditioned when the windows are up, but serves as an open entertaining area when conditions are good.

This focus on light, airy design continues on the main deck as well. The main saloon is outfitted with an eight-seater dining table, surrounded by double-glazed reflective glass windows and electric blinds. Moving further towards the back of the boat reveals a big lounge, home to another small table and large, comfortable seating space. There are no windows, but the area is still fully undercover.

One of the undercover outdoor areas on the Arcadia A85S
One of the undercover outdoor areas on the Arcadia A85S

Below deck there are four cabins, but you'll want to be spending time in the 32-square meter (344.4-square foot) master suite – complete with en suite bathroom and "wellness area." Along with the four passenger cabins, the ship has quarters for four crew members in the forward section. Arcadia has also designed the crew walkways to make sure they won't accidentally cross paths with the owner or their guests, which is probably a selling point for some potential buyers.

Power comes from twin 730-hp (544-kW) MAN engines good for a maximum cruising speed of 16 knots (30 km/h, 18 mph). Dialing that pace back to 12 knots (22 km/h, 14 mph) delivers a cruising range of 850 nautical miles (1,574 km, 978 mi). The hull, designed by the National Physical Laboratory in the UK, couples with a light superstructure for 30 to 50 percent better fuel efficiency than comparable-size yachts from rival boatyards.

Beyond the diesel engines, a 36-sq m (387-sq ft) solar array can provide 3.5 kW, which is enough run the boat's fridges, water pumps, bathrooms, lights and the on-board AV systems while recharging the batteries. Although the system doesn't go as far as some of the fully-electric yachts popping up at the moment, it does make for less time spent spewing diesel fumes into the environment while sitting still.

The A85S will be displayed at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September.

Source: Arcadia Yachts

View gallery - 25 images
2 comments
2 comments
ezeflyer
The "no sharp corners to bang against" concept could be expanded.
ljaques
Interesting juxtaposition of styles. Far too much glitz inside the personal spaces, beautifully and smartly appointed in the public areas, with a bit of an ugly duckling for a profile. I wonder how -many- hundreds of millions of dollars those will cost.