Marine

Savannah, the world's first hybrid superyacht

Savannah, the world's first hybrid superyacht
The Savannah is the first hybrid superyacht
The Savannah is the first hybrid superyacht
View 7 Images
Savannah was built at the Feadship shipyard in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands
1/7
Savannah was built at the Feadship shipyard in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands
The Savannah is the first hybrid superyacht
2/7
The Savannah is the first hybrid superyacht
The Savannah is the first superyacht using a metallic-finish paint job
3/7
The Savannah is the first superyacht using a metallic-finish paint job
The launch of Savannah
4/7
The launch of Savannah
Detail of the Savannah
5/7
Detail of the Savannah
The Savannah has an ocean-viewing lounge
6/7
The Savannah has an ocean-viewing lounge
The Savannah's propulsion nacelles
7/7
The Savannah's propulsion nacelles
View gallery - 7 images

If F1 racers can be hybrids, then why not superyachts? That seems to be the thinking of Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects as it launched "the world’s first hybrid superyacht," Savannah, last Saturday. The centerpiece of a James Bond-themed launch ceremony for the new owner and the people involved in the yacht's construction over the last three years, the Savannah not only boasts a novel power plant, but is also the first superyacht to be entirely metallic painted save for the mast domes.

The 83.5 m (274 ft) Savannah has a rather a generous crew to guest ratio with room for the owner and companion, 10 guests, and 22 to 26 crew. It's streamlined hull has a superstructure that uses glass, composite panels, polished stainless steel strips, aluminum supports, and teak.

In addition, the aft owner area and main deck are a single enclosed space sealed with weathertight sliding doors. The Sea Foam metallic green exterior color scheme required weeks of work using special mixing machines and an electrically-charged spray gun in a climate-controlled tent to lay the metallic flakes properly.

The Savannah's propulsion nacelles
The Savannah's propulsion nacelles

But the real first for the Savannah as a superyacht is its"eco-friendly" electro-mechanical propulsion. Unlike more conventional sea craft, Savannah is powered by a Wärtsilä 9L20 4-stroke engine pumping 1,800 kW into three Caterpillar generators charging banks of lithium-ion batteries running the electrically-powered screws. These consist of a single central propeller nacelle and an in-line azimuthing thruster set in the slipstream – an arrangement that Feadship says has never before been installed in a yacht.

The company also says that this arrangement produces fuel economies of 30 percent, allows for quiet cruising at low speeds on battery power, and provides extra speed when going flat out with less demand on the engines. "The possibility to choose between diesel, diesel-electric or fully electric is truly exceptional," says Savannah’s captain Ted McCumber.

There aren't many details about the interior by Design CG Design released due to privacy issues, but what is known it that belowdecks, there is an "underwater lounge" where the would-be Captain Nemo can look at sealife through specially engineered underwater glass ports or the goings on in the yacht's swimming pool through similar viewports.

Feadship says that the Savannah will be available for occasional charter.

Source: Feadship

View gallery - 7 images
3 comments
3 comments
andyfreeze
Why are these ships called yachts? To me a yacht has sails. This is a pleasure cruiser. I do appreciate the technology though.
ivan4
Andy, the term comes from the time when having a big yacht was a rich man's pastime - think of the origins of the Americas Cup to get the general idea.
These boats are now the super rich man's toys.
Windsor Wilder
Looks like they've gone all 'plank on edge' cutter for the hull, sort of a less ambitious wave piercer.