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71 foot Tripp DesignCarbon ketch from KM Yachtbuilders - 100 per cent clean

Uske Berndt

 · 16.01.2025

Bill Tripp drew a 22 metre long ketch that goes on long journeys without diesel but with a 220 kWh battery bank. The carbon hull will be delivered to KM Yachtbuilders in Makkum in spring 2025.
Photo: Tripp Design/KM Yachtbuilders
A superyacht entirely without fossil fuels - the 71-foot-long carbon ketch from Tripp Design is intended to show what can be achieved in terms of "sclean drives" is possible. KM Yachtbuilders has them under construction.
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A young family placed the order, which presented the team led by designer Bill Tripp with an exciting challenge: a fully autonomous yacht for sailing around the world. The result is a 71-foot pilothouse ketch with five cabins, designed for long-distance voyages without a single drop of fuel. Two 25 kW engines, hydropower, solar energy, plug-in technology and, of course, the wind power the Carbonbau.

A carbon construction from KM Yachtbuilders

At first glance, the choice of building site at KM Yachtbuilders may seem unusual. The shipyard, based in Makkum, is known for its robust Bestevaer line and actually a specialist for aluminium hulls. In the past, the KM quay has also produced GRP formats, primarily in the Dykstra look with the characteristic deckhouse. For the Tripp design, the Dutch company outsourced the production of the carbon fibre hull to Paul Dijkstra Composites in Uitwellingerga, 30 kilometres inland. From spring 2025, KM Yachtbuilders will take over the outfitting and interior outfitting.

Tripp design for safe and easy sail handling

The Tripp Design team focussed on living comfort, creating a 360-degree view from the upper saloon, an aft master stateroom with private companionway and vertical windows that flood the interior with natural light.

Every detail of the handling is also designed for ease of use, including a self-tacking jib and a Code Zero electric furling jib. All lines come together below deck at a special point in front of the steering wheels to keep the deck clean and uncluttered. The custom-built lifting keel, which is adjustable from 12 to 6.2 feet, adapts the yacht to different sailing areas.

The mizzen boom lifts the E-tender into the water

Naturally, there is also an electric tender on board, which is charged from the 220 kWh battery bank of the mother ship. This tender enters the water from the garage via a single-point lift on the mizzen boom. Safety was also a top priority for the family, hence the ketch configuration for low, balanced loads. In addition, the cockpit is well protected and the side decks are non-slip.

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Technical data Tripp 71

  • Type: Ketch
  • Length: 21.74 m
  • Width: 5.92 m
  • Draught: 1.90 - 3.65 m
  • Displacement: 31 tonnes
  • Hull material: Prepreg carbon fibre
  • Rig: Carbon
  • Construction / Design: Tripp Design
  • Shipyard: KM Yachtbuilders, 2024/25

This is how the carbon hull is made at Paul Dijkstra Composites:

Uske Berndt

Uske Berndt

Editor News & Panorama

Uske was born just outside Volkswagen in 1970 and tested various small boats with sails through her boyfriend (now husband 😊) on a quarry pond. Her studies in Kiel took her to the Baltic Sea with boats of all kinds and eventually to a regatta from Hong Kong to Mauritius via the Academic Sailing Club. Her teacher training ended at the Burda School of Journalism in Munich instead of in the classroom and finally at Boote Exclusiv. After a long break and various stories about house building, she returned to Delius Klasing and has been filling the magazine with long stories about large ships ever since. A family-owned H-boat was quickly sold again as the mother realized that sailing with two small children was neither relaxing nor fun.

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