We all know that hydrogen is the power of the future. After all, scientists have been discussing it for decades. Between zero emissions, zero noise and no vibration, it is surely the fuel that superyacht owners have been waiting for. Why, then, is it taking so long to arrive, and when will we see hydrogen-powered boats?
The answer to the last question is simple: they already exist. There is a commercial barge plying the River Seine through Paris running solely on hydrogen, for instance. At rush hour you can cross the harbour from Antwerp to Kruibeke in Belgium on Hydroville, the world’s first H2-powered passenger shuttle. And the well-publicised Energy Observer project successfully sent a solar-powered hydrogen yacht around the planet without using a drop of fossil fuel.
Hydrogen power is stimulating the feverish imaginations of yacht designers searching for the next step forward in futuristic luxury. In 2019 there was the lavish 112m motor yacht Aqua drawn by Dutch design powerhouse Sinot. It had features galore, including a swimming pool that gushed in steps down the long teak transom of the boat, a glass bow observation lounge (pictured above) and shell-like helical staircase running from the top to the lower deck. And at its core were two 28-tonne hydrogen vacuum tanks capable of storing the gas in liquid form at -253°C. With 4.4MW hydrogen fuel cells on board, this was enough to power the yacht to 17 knots and give her a 3,750-mile range.
Denne historien er fra July 2021-utgaven av Yachting World.
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Denne historien er fra July 2021-utgaven av Yachting World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
5 EXPERT TIPS BOB BEGGS ON SAILING IN COLD WEATHER
As temperatures drop, Andy Rice gets tips on how to handle the cold from self-confessed Arctic weather fan and winning Clipper Round the World Race skipper Bob Beggs
SPECIAL REPORT EXTENDED CRUISING IN THE BALTIC
Sweden offers cruisers a warm welcome for winter - Janneke Kuysters has advice on how to boost your sailing time in the region
NIKKI HENDERSON
SEARCHING FOR MORE SPEED? BEFORE TINKERING WITH TINY ADJUSTMENTS, MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT THE BASICS RIGHT THE POWER DRIVING THE BOAT
MATTHEW SHEAHAN
WHAT WILL THE BOATS OF THE 38TH AMERICA'S CUP LOOK LIKE? THAT'S THE $20 MILLION QUESTION IF BRITAIN OR NEW ZEALAND DECIDE TO DEPART FROM THE AC75
60-knot squalls hit Middle Sea Race
The 45th running of the Mediterranean offshore, the Rolex Middle Sea Race, saw a spectacularly random mix of conditions - even for a race which is famed for its variable weather patterns.
Italy win first Women's Cup
The first ever Women's America's Cup was won by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli after a single, twoboat shoot-out final on 12 October.
'Three-peat' for ETNZ
As Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand came into this year's 37th America's Cup as clear favourites. But the Kiwi camp has far more than just the structural advantage of being the ones that wrote the Protocol for the competition, and the originators of the AC75 concept.
ROOM WITH A VIEW
SWEDISH DESIGNER GABRIEL HEYMAN POURED A LIFETIME OF IDEAS INTO THIS PILOT SALOON CRUISER, WHICH INCLUDES ARGUABLY THE LARGEST COCKPIT AVAILABLE AT THIS SIZE
LIVING HISTORY
THE ICONIC SEASON-CLOSING REGATTA LES VOILES DE SAINT TROPEZ WAS AN IMMERSIVE HISTORY LESSON FOR CROSBIE LORIMER
CHANGE OF PLAN
LEAVING AUSTRALIA, MARIANNE URTH NEVER PLANNED TO MAKE LANDFALL IN THE ISLANDS OF VANUATU, BUT THE EXPERIENCE WAS MAGICAL
