on 9 Feb 2023
A Silent 60 series yacht launched at the new Fano facility.
Silent-Yachts, a builder of solar-electric catamarans, has launched the first Silent vessel at its new shipyard in Fano, Italy.
The first launch at the Fano yard, which the builder acquired in spring 2022, is a Silent 60 series yacht.
“We are happy that our Italian shipyard performs really well. It was the right decision to purchase and develop it in a way that is in line with our corporate long-term strategy,” says Michael Köhler, Founder and CEO of Silent-Yachts.
The new Silent 60 carries 42 solar panels for 16 kWp of solar energy to power two electric motors of 2 x 250 kW. Backed up by a battery capacity of up to 210 kWh, Silent says the vessel can cruise efficiently with zero emissions solely on solar power for up to 100 nautical miles a day for weeks.
The Silent 60 has four bright guest cabins on the lower deck (the series allows up to six cabins plus one crew cabin), including a spacious master suite in the bow. There are numerous social areas on board, including an airy main salon, an aft cockpit, a bow area and a flybridge. The yacht has high headroom throughout, up to 2.32m in the main salon.
Thanks to a draft of under 1m the Silent 60 can access shallow bays, a crucial consideration for cruising grounds in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Two swimming platforms in the stern can be extended on the owner’s request to carry a pair of electric jet skis. The lifting hydraulic platform between the two platforms can carry a 4-metre tender.
“The Silent-Yachts catamarans are built to last and they are reliable ocean-going vessels,” adds Köhler. “They require virtually no maintenance especially compared to yachts with traditional combustion engines. In addition, warranties for batteries and solar panels are for 8 and 25 years respectively.”
Featuring a high-performance hull form with a long waterline and reverse bow, the yacht has a cruising speed of 6-8 knots, but can reach up to 18 knots if needed. The recently launched Silent 60 is equipped with 2 x 250 kW engines for a maximum speed of 14 knots.
The yard has confirmed several more Silent 60 series yachts will be delivered in 2023, including the first Silent 62 3-deck.
“In Fano, in the area of 22,000 square metres, we have five more production sites that are fully equipped for the construction and fitting out of our boats,” says Köhler. “After an initial start-up and restructuring phase, the growth was exponential. We tripled the number of employees by the end of 2022, and we invested heavily in infrastructure and machinery.
“This month, we start manufacturing the new Silent Tender series in Fano as well,” Köhler adds.
Last year, Silent-Yachts became Silent Group, a move designed to bring together distinct business divisions under the Silent name.