One of the most anticipated moments of the annual Monaco Yacht Show is the unveiling of Feadship’s latest concept design. Much more than a rendering, this 75-metre design showcases innovative technologies within stunning exterior design and forward-looking interior styling. This year, in honour of the 75th Diamond Anniversary of the brand, Feadship’s Studio De Voogt presents its latest gem, C. The name derives from the symbol for carbon on the periodic table, carbon being the basis of diamonds, and a little play on words see and sea.
Inspired by how a cut diamond’s patterns reflect and magnify light, C sparkles with innovations and dazzles with mesmerizing angles. But more than just generating an unforgettable profile, these facets amid broad expanses of glass draw light deep into the yacht’s interior, turning the centre of circulation for owner and guests into a light-filled gallery and unprecedently fluid living space.
This design also blurs the separation of decks with the fore and aft section of each offset by a half-level, smoothly transitioning to the next lifestyle area be it up or down. Opening the centre of the yacht to an atrium with floating stars and a lift without walls must be seen to be appreciated! It is truly a flash of brilliance.
Other design innovations onboard C are the partially enclosed lower deck sea lounge that can be used at anchor or underway, a beach club with sea-level dining, a duplex owner’s suite and an articulating crow’s nest rising from a private observation deck. A pair of infinity-edge hexagonal pools match the shapes of various seating areas and the atrium.
There’s nothing rough about this diamond in Feadship’s concept collection. Her hull shape and fully electric propulsion system with inline contra rotating propellers – an evolution from the Breathe concept and Feadship Savannah – are predicted in computer simulations to be 30 per cent more efficient than a typical 75-metre yacht with dual shafts, propellers and rudders. The advances made to her underwater profile mean less wake.
As with all Feadship concept yachts, C is completely researched and buildable. Following on the hydrogen fuel cell power generation developed for Feadship’s 118.80-metre Project 821, concept design C will draw 100 per cent of her power needs from fuel cells directly running on methanol, complimented by lithium-metal batteries. Feadship sees green methanol as the best near-term step in the decarbonization of yachting due to its relatively high density and ease of use. Normal cruising speed on the fuel cells is 14 knots and a top speed of 17 knots can be achieved by adding the battery power to the DC electrical grid. Additional power will be generated passively by two pair of wave-actuated fins that fold out from the hull aft of the anchors. Estimates are that in a one-metre sea energy generated by their movement will meet one-third of C’s hotel load.
Polishing the remote bridge plan introduced on the 2021 concept design Pure, C showcases the next evolution of Feadship’s adaptive technology with a command centre positioned on the lower deck between the crew area and beach club. This fully digital operation and navigation hub includes the latest in intelligent situational awareness technology with cameras and data fusion. The enabling technology has already found its way into the Feadship fleet onboard Ulysses. Its location is seen as a way to centralise crew tasks and improve communication lines between engineering and navigation crew. This layout and the smaller single-level engine room supported by the fuel cells maximizes prime owner and guest space, creating more value to an owner within the same gross tonnage.
Designers Ruud Bakker and Tanno Weeda will be available during the Monaco Yacht Show to explain the technologies and explore the design via the model and video animation with visitors next to the Feadship hospitality centre. For those unable to attend the show, more details on C will be released soon.
