Following on from the first sale of the Windelo 50 Adventure last April the Windelo team announces that the second Windelo to hit the water will be the Windelo 54 Yachting, due for launch in spring 2021.
What makes the new Windelo 54 Yachting remarkable is that the owner stated that this autonomy came from electric power. French yard Windelo has utilised the roof space on the 54 to equip the boat with 4.5kw of solar panels. This provides sufficient power to allow all the onboard equipment to run plus the diving compressor without the need to use the backup diesel generator.
The two 24kw electric motors aboard the Windelo 54 Yachting are also able to switch to hydrogeneration mode when the yacht is under sail, topping up the batteries and further increasing the autonomy of the yacht. In normal circumstances, the combination of solar panels and hydrogeneration mean that it won’t be necessary to run the diesel generators. If the winds fail and you are obliged to motor for long distances, the combination of generators and solar power will give the boat an autonomy of 1,100 miles.
The 54 Yachting is the result of a collaboration between the design team of Christophe Barreau and Frederic Neuman. The Yachting version of the 54 is the more luxurious option, fitted out with top end deck hardware and instruments, all with the aim of providing a yacht that is fast, comfortable, luxurious and easily handled by a small crew.
The team behind the 54 has drawn up a living space open to the sea with complete 360 degree vision and easy access to the cockpit.
The forward cockpit is placed at the foot of the mast assembling all maneuvers. This cockpit has a 100% clear view of the head and is an excellent position for adjusting the sails. It is possible to close this area so it’s protected from external elements.
Self-tacking solent to be able to facilitate maneuvers in navigation with limited crew.
Lifting daggerboards are placed at the center of the hull to optimize their hydrodynamic performance which enables sailors to have a way to precisly ajust their boats in all ways.
Christophe Barreau explains: “We felt the team very open to really innovative solutions in terms of optimising space and this allowed us to work on a really original concept which makes the most of the catamaran’s strengths. The result is a vast, single, seamless space combining a saloon, a cockpit and a galley, with a 360 ° view of the sea, and with tilt-up door and sliding doors and windows opening fully to the outside.”
The construction of the new Windelo 54 Yachting has already started, while the commissioning of the first Windelo 50 Adventure is almost complete and the boat is set to hit the water in November.
Windelo 54 Yachting Specs
Lenght: 16,46m
Beam: 7,98m
Lifting daggerboards draft: 1,22m / 2,35m
Fixed keels draft: 1,60m
Light displacement: 12,8t
Engine: Hybrid electric 2x20kW (24kW)
Fuel capacity: 550l
Fresh water capacity: 400l
www.windelo-catamaran.com