An increasing number of yacht-charter programs are catering to eco-conscious clients with yachts that reduce their environmental footprint.
WITH TRAVEL STARTING TO RESUME WORLDWIDE, THESE ECO-CONSCIOUS CHARTER YACHTS AWAIT.
They start their charter aboard the Silent 55 near Palma de Mallorca, in Spain’s Balearic Islands, and feel the same way they felt the first time they experienced the emission-free ride of an electric car. ¶ “They can’t believe how quiet it was,” says Bose, who is the chief marketing officer of Silent-Yachts. “They couldn’t believe how much you are able to do with the boat without turning on the generator. With our yachts, you have a backup generator, but you only need it on very rare occasions: when you want to cruise longer distances or go faster than the regular cruising speed. People are amazed at how little during a charter week you have to turn on the generator.” ¶ The Silent 55 is one of numerous yachts now available for eco-conscious charter in the Mediterranean, with bookings expected to continue well into October this year, as the world resumes more normal travel amid COVID-19 restrictions easing up. Some charter yachts, including the Silent 55, are being marketed in terms of their construction attributes, while others have owners working on things such as adding electric water toys to existing charter programs. Numerous companies, including Y.CO and Fraser, are offering clients the option to purchase carbon-offset credits for bookings and, in some cases, are giving guests hotel-style onboard options of only changing stateroom sheets every few days to save on power. ¶ “Some clients are very, very happy to do this,” says Quentin Bourgeois, a charter manager with Fraser. “They know it’s not good for the Earth.” ¶ One of the yachts Bourgeois markets in the Fraser charter fleet is Haze, an Extra 86 with solar panels that minimize generator use by providing the power for things such as small appliances. This means that clients who are eager to limit their ecological impact can cruise in a way that requires less generator use overall. ¶ “As a guest, it depends on what you want to do,” he says. “If you need a lot of electricity, yes, you will need the generator. But if you are on the aft deck enjoying life, you don’t need the generator.” ¶ Inside, he says, the solar panels add even more natural light in a way that clients with more modern tastes find pleasing. ¶ “It’s a lot of windows, and the solar panels are quite small,” he says.
franz bose says the reaction of guests is always the same, every single time.