Spirit Yachts has delivered its new 44ft Spirit 44CR(e) to her Canadian owner. The project is the first fully electric yacht to be designed and built by Spirit Yachts.
Based on the Spirit cruiser racer (CR) design, the 44CR(e) was commissioned for an eco-conscious customer who set Spirit Yachts the goal of ‘near total energy self-sufficiency’.
At the request of her owner, the yacht has zero hydrocarbons on board. She is also the first yacht in the UK to be launched with solar panels integrated into the main sail and deck.
The sloop-rigged sailing yacht, named Avvento, has a lightweight (65kgs) Oceanvolt ServoProp15 sail drive, which is powered by Oceanvolt 48VDC batteries. The electric drive system uses hydro generation via the electronically controlled pitch propeller to regenerate the batteries whilst sailing. Regeneration is boosted by solar panels on the mainsail and the aft deck.
The owner is Vincent Argiro, a retired technology entrepreneur living, sailing, racing and exploring in British Columbia. He plans to launch a website, which will track the yacht’s energy usage and regeneration.
