Big and fast and dripping in innovation
The new Swan 88 is the best possible combination of proven technologies for reliability and the latest technical and design ideas for performance – and of course style.
As with every new design from Nautor Swan, the Swan 88 is packed with innovative features, yet also represents a careful evolution of tried and tested concepts. The result is a stylish blue water performance cruising yacht, with soul of a racer, an all-new carbon fibre hull design and the option of hybrid propulsion developed specifically for this model in a two-year collaboration with Torqeedo.
Nautor Swan’s go-to stylist Misa Poggi played a key role in the interior design and layout of the new 88.
It’s often erroneously thought that the primary driver for choosing a yacht with electric or hybrid propulsion is sustainability. Actually the associated improvements in comfort and flexibility are rapidly becoming the main reasons for choosing a hybrid yacht. In particular, three key benefits – silent operation, instant power and easy energy management – tend to be massively underestimated by those who are not familiar with these systems.
‘The lack of vibration and the lack of noise of diesel electric propulsion is incredible – it’s far above expectations,’ says Nautor Swan CEO Giovanni Pomati of DreamCatcher, the first Swan 88, which launched earlier this summer.
The raw numbers are nothing short of staggering when compared with a diese-powered Swan Maxi yacht. When motoring at 10 knots, for example, sound levels in the saloon and crew quarters fall by seven to eight dB(A), representing a 50 per cent reduction. Yet the yacht is also quieter under sail, as the Torqeedo Deep Blue electric propulsion system generates enough power via hydro-generation to run the considerable hotel loads of this yacht, as well as the hydraulics required for sail handling and winches at a speed of eight knots. Escaping the need to run a generator for these loads reduces noise levels in the accommodation by a whopping 75 per cent when under sail.
The 160kW Deep Blue battery bank is also capable of serving all hotel loads, including air conditioning, cooking and hot water for up to 12 hours without running a generator. That of course translates directly into silent nights at anchor and in port. ‘This is the future, and by that I mean the future of yachting,’ says Jarrod Cripps, captain of DreamCatcher, who has worked with her owner, a long-term Nautor Swan client, for many years. ‘I am no longer a slave to the generators and the AC system. It’s such a different way to run a boat: we cook, make water, sail, all without having to think about loads and tripping generators.
‘The biggest benefit though is silence,’ he adds. ‘Nautor Swan has done such an amazing job of sound insulation on this vessel, that I have been caught out once. The generators ran, charged the system, then shut down and I didn’t even notice. She is an amazing boat.’
The 120 kW Deep Blue inboard motor developed for the Swan 88 by Torqeedo’s engineering team will drive the boat at a maximum speed of 11.4kts. The system also has a 50kW electric motor to power the hydraulics. This is sized to give generous capacity for bow and stern thrusters, while winches, furlers and the windlass consume considerably less power.
There’s also a 22kW shore power charger, while amenities that draw very high levels of power such as the air conditioning, oven, watermaker, dishwasher and washing machine are also integrated into the Deep Blue energy management infrastructure via a 22kW DC/AC inverter.
The 88’s hybrid propulsion package has the same range as a conventional engine.
Hybrid propulsion package key figures:
10+ day, 2,000-mile range under power at 7.5kts
Maximum speed under power 11.4 knots
160kW battery bank runs air conditioning, cooker, hot water and watermaker for > 12 hours/li>
Full recharge achieved in less than 1.5 hours
Range under battery power at 10 knots 16 miles / 1.5 hours
Range under battery power at 7.5kts 40 miles / 5 hours
In the automotive world many hybrid cars have a shorter range than equivalent petrol or diesel models as they lack space for batteries and a large fuel tank.
So, is range anxiety a problem for the Swan 88? In fact the reverse is true, as a big advantage of the hybrid system on this yacht is that the twin 45kW generators are able to operate at their most efficient constant speed in a way that’s not possible for a diesel propulsion engine that typically needs to be sized for its torque characteristic, rather than maximum power output.
As a result, DreamCatcher has a range under power of 1,000 miles when cruising at 10 knts with both generators running. However, this can be greatly extended by reducing speed to 7.5kts, which eliminates the bulk of wave-making resistance. Only one generator needs to be run at that speed and range increases to 2,000 miles, representing motoring non-stop for more than 10 days!
This also has a knock-on effect in terms of reliability and resilience. With conventional diesel power all yachts of this size rely on both their propulsion engines and generators. However, with the Swan 88’s hybrid system if one generator fails the other will suffice for all loads with the exception of sustained periods of motoring at speeds of more than 7.5kts.
Bucking a current trend for in-boom furling systems, the first Swan 88 has a slab reefing mainsail and the second boat has the same setup.
Real-world figures for range may be even higher than the figures above, given that motor-sailing in light airs can be extremely efficient with an electric motor. Often only a gentle push, representing around 25 per cent of the motor’s rated power, can increase apparent wind enough for the sails to develop more power, creating a virtuous circle and an opportunity for silent and incredibly efficient motor sailing.
The performance characteristics of the four-blade controllable-pitch propeller can be changed at the push of a button, creating a seamless transition between sailing and motoring modes, without sacrificing the efficiency of either. Equally, it can be optimised for maximum renewable energy production.
Hydro-generation under sail rises exponentially as boatspeed increases. At eight knots the output meets all the energy needs of the boat; at nine knots roughly 25 per cent more power is produced. This ability to create significant amounts of energy while on passage raises the possibility of being able to remain autonomous for very extended periods while cruising.
Crew quarters astern and a choice of master and guest cabin configurations.
‘The Swan 88 proves Deep Blue can achieve similar range and performance as a combustion engine-powered yacht and even be fully independent under good sailing conditions,’ says Matthias Vogel, senior vice president of Torqeedo’s customised solutions unit.
‘The multisensory experience of silent motoring, sailing, and living on board is unparalleled and the Swan 88’s ability to travel 100 per cent emission-free guarantees future access to nature reserves and other pristine, regulated waters where combustion-powered vessels may not be permitted. Nautor Swan is bringing something truly unique to the maxi yacht segment.’
Hull shape, sailplan, styling and layouts are the result of a continuation of Nautor’s cooperation with legendary naval architect Germán Frers, Misa Poggi for interior design and Lucio Micheletti, for the exterior styling.
‘Partnering Lucio Micheletti and Germán Frers for the first time was quite an innovation,’ Pomati told Seahorse, ‘because for many, many years in the sailing yacht industry we had one designer for everything from the hull lines to the topsides, the deck and the coachroof.’
The new coachroof lines, which take inspiration from previous generations of Nautor Swan maxi yachts, are a major innovation on the Swan 88. The very streamlined profile is not vastly different from that of a flush deck, yet natural light floods in from the stunning atrium style companionway. The coachroof and hull windows make the interior wonderfully bright. The practicalities of an integrated sprayhood and bimini are also elegantly incorporated, while the transom beach club area is considerably larger compared with earlier models.
The new hull shape was fully updated and optimised by Frers. ‘This model is an evolution of the previous models,’ he says, ‘but for this one we’ve done a complete study for the balance, the performance, the position of the rig and the shape of the sails. From the results of these studies, we designed the hull.’
The hull shape is also designed to provide a soft and comfortable ride, even in rougher conditions, with optimal heel angles of no more than 20 degrees.
The torpedo bulb fin keel has a cruising-friendly moderate draught of four metres, while twin rudders bring significant advantages including reduced draught when berthed stern to a quay, as well as added safety and excellent balance under sail.
Lucio Micheletti’s low-profile coachroof allows a brighter saloon than a flush deck.
Deck hardware layouts can be customised to suit each owner and are optimised around the needs for cruising, though the second Swan 88 will also be raced. As standard there are four winches in the manoeuvring area of the cockpit, with one pair used for the mainsheet and the other for headsail sheets. Two more winches at the mast of boats one and two handle halyards and reefing lines, though these functions can be brought aft if owners prefer. Generally, 70-80 per cent of performance cruising yachts of this size are fitted with roller furling mainsails, but both the first two Swan 88s are bucking the trend and have slab reefing sails, along with a wide V-boom.
A further interesting prospect for owners is that, as well as meeting the criteria for maxi yacht racing, the design satisfies the critical 24-metre load line length rule for compliance to the light MCA charter regulations, which greatly simplifies the charter certification process. This model therefore represents a super-smart opportunity for owners to reduce running costs by chartering.
The Swan 88 maxi yacht will make her debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival, from September 10-15 and the Monaco Yacht Show, from September 25-28.
Click here for more information on the new Swan 88
