Meet Domus – the solar electric sailing yacht concept created as a collaboration between Rob Doyle Design and Van Geest Design. This 40-meter sailing vessel promises to deliver the interior volume of a 60-meter yacht and can propel itself using wind, solar, hydro regeneration, and hydrogen fuels cells to deliver “unlimited range.” All without any carbon emissions. Did we mention it has a movie theater?
Domus emerged last year as a collaborative concept dreamt up between superyacht developers Rob Doyle Design and Van Geest Design. Dutch-born yacht designer and project manager Pieter Van Geest utilizes 2D and 3D computer aided design (CAD) in accomplishing detailed modeling like the renderings you’ll see below. His company has a massive portfolio of non-traditional maritime vessels in addition to Domus.
The team at Rob Doyle is based in Ireland and brings three decades of experience to the superyacht segment of design, focused on high-performance, innovative, and timeless vessels that prioritize, safety, speed, and comfort.
The culmination of both these teams has led to something special – a solar trimaran that not only priorities space on deck, but sustainability throughout the entire vessel. Check out Domus.
Domus is a 750-gross-ton trimaran sailing superyacht
Just when you thought solar catamarans were “superyacht “enough, the designers behind Domus have kept true to the “super” title with their 40-meter trimaran concept. Fully silent with zero emissions, the design team intends for the Domus concept to one day set sail as the world’s first solar superyacht with truly unlimited range.
In an interview with Boat International, Domus’s designers spoke to the sustainable propulsion implemented throughout the vessel, allowing its passengers to sail anywhere and everywhere without worry:
The uniquely designed combination of solar power, hydro-regeneration technology, and hydrogen fuel cells gives Domus unlimited range with zero emissions. An optimized system of solar power and battery storage allows the yacht to motor during daylight hours and then transfer over to the battery system at night. This also means that Domus is fully silent with zero emissions while at anchor.
While Domus is applaudably eco-conscious, its overall design is also quite aerodynamic to ensure the utmost performance at sea. To reduce drag and deliver maximum speed, the design team says Domus will be able to heel at an angle of two degrees.
Across two separate decks, Domus promises over 8,400 square feet of space, closer to that of a 60-meter yacht, but on a 40-meter footprint. The name Domus itself dates back to the Latin domesticus, representing a single-story home built around an atrium.
That design philosophy has been adapted to the modern maritime age aboard the solar trimaran, as most cabins open up to a central atrium. Accommodations include two owner’s suites, complete with their own lounges, in addition to four VIP guest cabins.
Amenities include a cinema room, gym, saloon with a bar, plus a spa area complete a swimming pool. Who wants to trek all the way down below deck into the ocean anyway?
Domus not only represents a new way of designing superyachts to be spacious, safe, and sustainable, but also shows how far technology and design has come and continues to evolve across vessels like the trimaran. Per the designers:
Just because superyachts are what they are now, does not mean they should stay this way. We were constantly looking at every aspect of the design and saying, ‘is there a better way?’ We truly believe that this project will redefine what a multi-hull sailing superyacht can be.
Looking ahead, both design teams state they are already working on an even larger yacht with zero emissions they hope to bring to an actual shipyard soon. If and when that happens, trust we will be following its progress. Learn more about the Domus Trimaran in the video below:
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