The April 2019 edition of MBY – our Future of Boating special – included a boat test of the Silent Yachts 55 in, shall we say, less than ideal conditions. Given that the boat is a solar-powered power catamaran the sheeting rain that we endured during our short sea trial somewhat hindered the boat’s ability to show us what it could do. At the time I lamented the weather and commented that to assess properly whether Silent 55 is a viable cruising machine we’d need more time onboard to test its technology in realistic conditions and, ideally, somewhere sunny. Luckily, Silent Yachts agreed so in July we headed out to Mallorca to live aboard the boat for three days to see if it works.
Our meeting point is Santa Ponsa in Mallorca’s southwest, not the most salubrious of locations, but the bay, with shelter from the prevailing winds and excellent holding, is where the Silent Yachts team base themselves for the summer months. It says much about the liveaboard potential of this boat that Silent Yachts’ CEO Michael Köhler and his wife Heike run the business from the 55 during the season and are regularly joined by members of their team and potential clients so that they can experience the boat for themselves. A sailor at heart, Michael is not a man who likes to be tied to marinas (they spent one night in port last season) so this tranquil anchorage is ideal. We are met on the quayside by the tender (powered by a Torqeedo electric outboard, naturally) and whisked silently towards the transom of the awaiting 55 where we are welcomed by the Köhler’s Australian Sheepdog, Tinker, and meet the other crew members Euan and Christian, who both work for the shipyard. Every berth onboard is occupied, meaning the boat’s living spaces and the technology used to keep the creature comforts running smoothly are going to be thoroughly tested.
LAP OF LUXURY
Esta historia es de la edición December 2019 de Motor Boat & Yachting.
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Esta historia es de la edición December 2019 de Motor Boat & Yachting.
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Lofoten or Bust- Part 4- Grandezza owner Per Harrtoft heads back to Sweden after an epic 3500nm adventure deep into the Arctic Circle to visit the mythical Lofoten islands
After ten memorable days in the Lofoten Islands in the far north of Norway, we are on our way back south towards Sweden. We have already made it as far as Trondheim, a charming place even if it was raining so hard we had to cycle round the city centre clutching umbrellas. But now we are back on board Deamare, our Grandezza 40 Fly, eating up the miles at a steady 31 knots.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YACHT TRANSPORT
As the name suggests it's a means of having your boat moved professionally from one location to another. It might be as simple as hiring someone to tow your RIB a few miles down the road or as complex as shipping a superyacht halfway around the world.
HANDLE A SINGLE SHAFTDRIVE BOAT PART 1
Single shaftdrive boats are relatively rare these days but the reduced costs of buying, servicing and fuelling such a simple but reliable drivetrain does mean they are making a bit of a comeback.
COCKWELLS MOTOR LAUNCH
There can be very few boats that have appeared three times at the Southampton Boat Show and been sold off the stand each time.
INSTALLING AN AUTOPILOT
Rick Channon makes solo boating simple with a Raymarine Evolution Autopilot
GOOD AS NEW
Why fit a brand new engine when Volvo Penta's remanufacturing service can rebuild you an old one to the same standard for a fraction of the price?
BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER 54
Alex Smith heads to France's Beneteau HQ for a UK exclusive on what might just be the best Swift Trawler yet
ΧΟ EXPLR 44
Can XO's all-new aluminium flagship really make it big in the Med?
BUYING OUR FIRST CLASSIC
Instead of whiling away their retirement playing bowls, Rob and Shona Adams decided to invest their time and money in a classic Silver gentleman's yacht. Would the gamble pay off?
PRINCESS S65
Torn between the V and F Class flagships? The new S65 might be the boat you've been waiting for...
