Why run on a single type of energy source when you can run on two and still get the best of it. When we think hybrid we think cars, we think animals and so on. Which is not a doubt the most popular things to talk about in that genre but, what if I told you that a yacht can also be hybrid.
When we talk about hybrid yachts, some people get the wrong idea of what it is. In simple terms, it is when a yacht is capable of shifting from one particular mode or power source to another, in this instance, electric to diesel and vice versa. Depending on the owner charterer’s taste, hybrid yachts can be configured in a way that it can use more power and cruising range or better fuel efficiency. A couple of hybrid yachts have since been built with the expectance to see more in the coming future.
In 2008 S/Y Ethereal by Bill and Shannon was one of the first yachts to be launched with this hybrid tech. it had a power storage of 500kW/h and also an option to recover power which simply involved the use of its propellers to generate electric power under sail. Another type of this Hybrid yacht was a 2014 52m Ketch Elfie. Unlike Ethereal, Elfie was more focused on how it could supply power through different output, different speeds and different fuel consuming generators.
With these yachts, it means fuel lasting longer and being consumed less, reduction in noise of the engines during the cruise of the nights, and the yachts also being self-sufficient.
For yacht charterers and owners who enjoy cruising, the ability to switch from one mode to another comes in handy as they can use both the diesel and electric part of the engine to boost their speed and enjoy the cruising experience to the fullest
Asides from the fact that these yacht types are built mainly to suit the ‘’eco-conscious analogy it is also a combination of the best of two worlds, with charters and owners being able to reach farther destinations without the need to refuel at intervals.
Example of specification of hybrid yacht
