Transcript:
Most yachts are powered by loud diesel engines.
But solar-electric yachts produce much less climate-warming pollution and provide a quieter ride.
Bell: “It’s an incredible experience to literally cruise for three or four hours and have zero noise, just the noise of the water passing by.”
That’s Steve Bell of Silent Yachts. The Italy-based company builds boats with solar panels on top. The panels charge batteries that power the boats’ electric motors.
He says Silent Yachts are perfect for short trips.
Bell: “Most people on a cruise around the Bahamas, around the Mediterranean, would get on the yacht, do two or three hours, go into a mooring area, anchor, … and chill out, relax, and the sun is still then charging the batteries, but you’re not using any propulsion.”
The boats can travel longer distances. But they must either stop occasionally to recharge the batteries or rely on backup diesel generators.
Bell recently captained a trans-Atlantic voyage from Gibraltar to Antigua. To make the trip, he estimates that the Silent Yacht used about two-thirds less diesel than a conventional yacht would have.
So solar-electric yachts could help move the industry toward a cleaner, quieter future.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
