The French shipyard Innovation Yachts, owned by extreme sailor Norbert Sedlacek, has launched the prototype of an open cat based on a design by Marion Koch. Built sustainably in Les Sables-d'Olonne from recyclable volcanic fibre, recycled foam and balsa wood as well as bio-epoxy, the boat will go into day charter with the provider La Bella Verde in Australia and on the Balearic Islands. The auxiliary drive is solar-electric and is intended to function 100 per cent autonomously. The pilot project is to be followed by larger units.
The cat is designed to be completely recyclable. Innovation Yachts offers to buy back the boats after their useful life in order to use the material for future boats. The foils are also made from sustainable materials that can also be reused.
The 11.20 metre long and 5.65 metre wide boat has a sail area of 47.3 square metres on the wind. The two electric auxiliary engines each have an output of 6 kilowatts and are powered by two battery packs of 9.5 kilowatt hours each. With the energy from solar panels and hydrogen generation, the LBV 35 is designed to be 100 per cent autonomous.
The deck layout and the boomless rig are simple and suitable for single-handed sailing. The cockpit is open, there is no deckhouse, the crew sits on the coamings or the net-covered outriggers. There are no centreboards, instead there are keel hooks from which the props protrude. Below deck there is only some storage space, tanks and a toilet.
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Fridtjof Gunkel
Deputy Chief Editor YACHT
