august
2017
25platform, hybrid electric propulsion and automated wing sails that
can drive the yacht at 15 knots with 20 knots of wind, reducing fuel
consumption by around 30 percent.
“These are not pure sailing yachts or pure power vessels,” says VPLP
co-founder Marc Van Peteghem. “You can use power or sail separately,
but most of the time you would probably use both together. As an
explorer, the idea is to enhance range and autonomy rather than speed.”
VPLP’s interest in rigid wing sails began in 2010, when it collaborated
with BMW Oracle Racing, winner of the 33rd America’s Cup. Despite
the superior aerodynamic efficiency of rigid wing sails, they cannot be
reefed or furled like fabric sails to reduce their surface area. To overcome
this obstacle, the studio is pioneering a new soft-wing sail technology
called Oceanwings, which also can serve as a sail-assist solution.
Entirely automated, self-supporting and rotating through 360
degrees, Oceanwings adapts its angle of incidence to the point of sail
to ensure optimal propulsion. Power is managed by trimming camberabove: Atlas, the 360-foot mega-motorsailer concept from Laurent Giles
Naval Architects and H2 Yacht Design.