A Superyacht Off The Grid: Self-Sufficient Yachting

Life off the grid doesn’t have to involve a dreary cabin in Montana with a composting toilet and a wind turbine. A new megayacht promises all the amenities of a 5-star luxury hotel without any of those pesky emissions.

Back in January, Richard Sauter showed off the Ocean Empire, a yacht nearly capable of becoming a self-supporting ecosystem. Now, the designer of extreme “life support vessel” (LSV) megayachts has penned an even larger superyacht, the Ark Angel. Though Sauter envisioned a platform to showcase carbon neutral technologies, one look and all we can think of is what a badass super-secret lair it could be.

The 255′ megayacht features a Carbon/Kevlar composite hull and decks over an aluminum superstructure. At 14 knots, she can cruise for 5,000 nautical miles, with an unlimited range at 10 knots. Top speed is 28 knots, thanks to a wave-piercing hull and a high-torque counter-rotating propulsion system.

“I consider the Ark Angel the champion of green power,” Souter said. “Not because she can do 28 knots and cruise for up to 5,000 nautical miles carbon neutral, but because in leading the campaign for responsible yachting, she is challenging all comers.”

If the super-efficient 1600kW Daimler Turbo Compound DD16 diesel generators run dry, solar cells and motion damping regeneration — which captures energy from each passing wave — provide up to 100kW each, while lithium-ion batteries rated at 3000kWh keep the lights on. Should you need to get out of dodge without a drop of fuel, a SkySail rated at up to 400 kW can regenerate power.

In the best of times, Ark Angel can generate up to 450 mWh of electricity for on-shore use. In the worst of times, there’s a hydroponic farm and fishery for off the grid survival.

Source: Wired Magazine (Keith Barry)