Daedalus 80
In build at a specially created facility in Edenton, North Carolina, is a truly avant garde yacht, the Daedalus 80 catamaran.
It is being built for tech billionaire Stefan Muff, one of the founders of Google Maps, and its aim is be able to sail round the world off grid at between 1.4x and 1.7x the speed of the wind, and without producing any emissions.
To realise this goal, Michael Reardon, formerly of the Seaway Group (Shipman) and a project manager at Gunboat, brought together some of the finest multihull minds, including Gunboat designers and engineers Hal Witaker, Rudo Enserink and Doug Schickler. Even more ambitiously, this is to be the first of a range of Daedalus catamarans stretching from 70-110ft, a range that will take up where the new Gunboat 66 now finishes.
The Daedalus 80 started with the following parameters: had to be a fast cruising boat, capable of sailing at pace at all times; the VPP predicts 36 knots in 24 knots of true winds. C-foils will be used to provide around 20% lift. The carbon composite structure accounts for around 30% of the all-up weight of this world girdler and allows the owner a payload budget of “three tonnes for wine or books” says Reardon.
Three features of this project stand out. One is the propulsion and energy system. The D80 will have twin electric Torqeedo/bmw electric motors that can be deployed when sailing to recharge the battery bank. At a speed of 16-17 knots the designers calculate this should be able to generate 30kw per hour, recharging the batteries from zero in five hours.
Solar, wind and hydro power will also feed in. Once batteries are topped up, power can be stored as hydrogen and converted back when required. Solar panels will be fitted to the roof and the boat will also feature the world’s first solar trampoline using a new material called Solar Cloth developed by French sailor Alain Janet.
The second part of this project that is both groundbreaking and complex is the use of hydrogen power. “The tanks alone involve as much engineering as a normal recreational cruising boat,” says Reardon. “To develop this is not in the realm of normal production, but costs will come down and we foresee being able to get hydrogen, which is 15 times more power dense than diesel, by the can at Costco in the future.”
The third element that will be revolutionary is a system developed in conjunction with Michel Desjoyeaux’s company Mer Agitée to have a fully integrated, automatic sailing system that will tack, gybe, trim and maintain course.
The company has also recently acquired Farrier Marine, the trimaran builder set up by New Zealander Ian Farrier, best known for its folding F-22. These boats an almost cult following. Reardon says the company will continue to produce smaller boats, including a new entry level 18-footer, but has plans for the Farrier brand to extend up to 70ft. www.daedalusyachts.com