Nautor's Swan founder reveals OceanBel 128 sailing yacht concept

[Craus]

The founder of Nautor’s Swan and creator of the legendary Mirabella sailing yachts has revealed a new 39 metre sailing yacht concept named OceanBel 128.

Finnish entrepreneur Pekka Koskenkylä teamed up with his nephew Sami Lehtonen on the concept, which is described as a “high-performance sailing boat with the volume and comfort of a large motor yacht”.



The aluminium yacht, which would be built from 100% recyclable materials, boasts ultra-green credentials. Diesel engines have been replaced with two 250 HP (186 kW) hybrid electric motors for propulsion. The concept also includes the option of large solar panels providing up to 30kW charging power in good sunlight.

As a result, it is described as a “solar assisted plug-in hybrid electric vessel”.

The “easy and aerodynamic” sail plan meanwhile consists of two foresails to allow operation with minimal crew. The inclusion of the simplified sail plan is to maximise the appeal of the yacht.



Lehtonen explained: “Our take was that many of the motor yacht owners see sailing yachts much too complicated to operate and that the sailing boat interior layouts were not to their liking.

“Our design brief was therefore to create something that the motor yacht clientele would consider easier to approach and operate.”

A newly designed deep lifting keelboard provides the yacht with a minimum draft of two metres and a maximum draft of seven metres, allowing the yacht to enter shallow harbours and anchorages while helping reduce rolling while underway.



The yacht is also capable of cruising for weeks without provisioning thanks to large cold storage and freshwater capacity.

The interior meanwhile has been specifically designed to appeal to motor yacht owners. “This is why the dining area is elevated and put at the stern so that people can see outside while dining and not feel cramped in the ‘cargo hold’,” Lehtonen said.

The accommodation quarters include six large ensuite double cabins and a smaller cabin forward, with maximum crew accommodation for a staff of five. All cabins are insulated with thick bulkheads for extra privacy and noise cancellation, with the engine room located at the stern of the yacht.

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