yachtbau goal

#63 Tom Goal, von Schwäbisch Hall über die Malediven an den Bodensee: Was hast du als Bootsbaumeister bisher erlebt?

Von Schwäbisch Hall nach Lübeck und über die Malediven zum Bodensee!

Ungefähr so sieht der Lebensweg von Tom Goal aus. Er ist Bootsbaumeister und hat sich mittlerweile am Bodensee mit seinem eigenen Unternehmen Yachtbau Goal in Moos selbstständig gemacht.

Mit Jan Peter Kruse und Max Herrmannsdörfer spricht Tom über seine Stationen, die Besonderheiten des Bootsbaus und Herausforderungen bei der Unternehmensgründung.

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King of Carbon: Michael Schmidt of YYachts

• January 25, 2022

An Admiral’s Cup winner and former owner of Hanse Yachts, Michael Schmidt launched YYachts in 2016 to build 70-100ft carbon-fibre sailing yachts that are fast, luxurious and easy to operate, with sales rising for the upcoming flagship Y9.

Michael Schmidt developed YYachts to build carbon yachts

Michael, can you give a brief overview of your yachting life, in building, selling and racing?

I have been involved with boats since I was a little boy. I grew up on the water in Kiel and I went sailing whenever there was time … or not! Later, with the brokerage company Schmidt & Partner, I traded in yachts of all sizes, then with Yachtwerft Wedel I built some of the fastest IOR racers of the 1980s (including Pinta, Düsselboot, Outsider and Container ).

In 1985, as skipper of Rubin , I won the Admiral’s Cup for Germany. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, I moved to the former GDR (East Germany), founded a new shipyard in the historic Hanseatic port of Greifswald in 1990 and gradually built it up into a big player. When I left there and virtually retired, the YYachts brand slowly emerged as I was looking for a yacht for myself.

Over a dozen units of the Y7 have been built

What exactly what were you looking for?

I was looking for a light 80-footer with a good design that I could even sail alone. When I didn’t find anything like that on the market, I started with my own concept. The real challenge is to reduce a yacht to the essentials. That way, there are fewer sources of error and only a very small crew is needed.

Our credo at YYachts is ‘the simpler the boat, the purer the sailing experience and the greater the pleasure’. In addition, a yacht must be as light as possible so that it already sets sail when others are still motoring.

Schmidt built Cool Breeze (the first Y8) for himself

Having decided to build your own yacht, why did you choose Lorenzo Argento for the design of Cool Breeze , the first Y8?

Lorenzo, who worked for Brenta Yacht Design at the time, won the design competition. At YYachts, we like to work with Italians. Their understanding of design harmonises perfectly with the demands of us and our customers.

It seems like a major investment to start a new shipyard and brand, so what led to the desire to create the Michael Schmidt Yachtbau facility on the Baltic Sea and the YYachts brand?

I have not only invested in yacht building but in different areas and industries. The construction of the shipyard was necessary because there was demand. And only in a modern shipyard can production be as controlled as is absolutely necessary for such yachts.

Michael Schmidt Yachtbau began operating in late 2016

The entire production facility was built from scratch in record time in 2016 and was ready for production in December of the same year. We are passionate about building light, fast sailing yachts from 20-30m offering maximum comfort. Everyone at the shipyard loves the sea, just like our yacht owners do.

Can you tell us about your facility and production methods?

We build the hulls, decks and rigs exclusively in carbon-fibre and use our specially heated paint shop to finish them to perfection. Each yacht is oven-tempered to permanently bond the many layers of carbon-fibre and resin together, giving the hull strength and solidity.

The specially heated paint shop

The production area is equipped with modern, technologically advanced systems, but at the same time simple and straightforward to live up to YYachts’ ‘keep it simple’ philosophy. We develop concepts that simply work but do not sacrifice comfort or good design.

In the production process, the various components and interior areas of the boats are built in modular processing to optimise production time, efficiency and precision of assembly. This allows YYachts to reduce production times and avoid downtime. Production time is around six months for the Y7, 11 months for the Y8 and no more than 18 months for the Y9, YYachts’ flagship.

What are the advantages of carbon?

Carbon-fibre is the forward-looking material that will revolutionise yachts in the coming decades. It was the preferred construction material in aerospace and was then successfully used in high performance sports such as Formula 1, America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race.

The Y7 is YYachts’ best-selling model

Today, YYachts uses this advanced material to produce lightweight yet luxurious carbon yachts that are very easy to sail. In the design and manufacturing of our yachts, the hull, deck, entire structure, bulkheads and rigging are made of carbon-fibre, predominantly epoxy resin. This achieves very high strength and rigidity with a low weight.

Compared to conventional builds, our yachts are up to 50 per cent lighter, which improves sailing performance. Our yachts are optimised for low weight in every detail, so they sail at very good speed even in light winds. This also means transfers under engine can be largely dispensed with, which significantly reduces fuel consumption, an example of our focus on sustainability.

Why is sustainability important to you?

Because the wind is free, sailing is one of the cleanest, most ecological ways to travel and enjoy your holiday. We make concrete efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels on board and minimise our ecological footprint.

The custom-built Tripp 90 uses eco-friendly Lignia wood for its decking

YYachts has introduced many innovations over the years such as replacing teak decks with Lignia wood, a natural wood with a much lower ecological footprint. This wood is an alternative to the classic Burmese teak, which is heavily affected by deforestation.

Other new, innovative developments at YYachts include using sandwich materials made from flax or recycled PET bottles to replace traditional construction materials.

Instead of implementing complex high-voltage propulsion systems, we run the yacht with two engines, each with an additional alternator that charges the large battery banks in less than 10 hours. In addition, we install solar panels on the fixed bimini that provide another 4-8kW of charging power during the day.

Interior of a Y7

Why did you choose Bill Tripp to design the Y7?

Bill Tripp is one of the world’s best designers and naval architects. He’s very experienced and the yachts he has designed have won numerous regattas. His standards are the same as ours. By using carbon-fibre and lightweight material in the luxurious interior of the Y7, we achieve a high sail-carrying capacity and a large keel weight, which results in a fast 70-footer.

Due to the modular construction, the layout can be adapted to the owner’s wishes. The stern garage is installed transversely in the stern, completely watertight, which creates more volume in the interior. The crew has separate access to their cabins in the cockpit. All halyards, sheets and extensions run directly to the steering columns, so the helmsman can always operate the Y7 alone.

The new Y8 offers 20 per cent more volume than the original

What are the main differences in terms of space and features on the Y8 and the upcoming Y9?

We are currently launching a new Y8 with 20 per cent more interior volume than its predecessor. This results in many different layout options. For example, the owner’s suite with a separate saloon can be located either in the bow or in the stern where it has direct access to the cockpit. The galley can be installed open or closed, and three or four cabins can be fitted. (For more details, see link below)

Germany’s YYachts developing new Y8 designed by Spain’s Surge Projects YYachts by Michael Schmidt Yachtbau is building a new Y8 designed by Palma studio Surge Projects that offers 20 per cent more volume than its predecessor.

With the Y9, we have built a yacht that combines both sailing performance and large interior spaces. The Y9 resembles a 100ft ship in terms of speed, interior space and her long, clean look. The owner has a suite with a private saloon and dressing room. A Y9 can also be highly customised in terms of layout. We already have three Y9s under construction and two more orders (as of December 2021).

Set to launch in 2022, the Y9 is YYachts’ flagship production model

What was the reception to the Y7 and Tripp 90 (Review, Issue 62) at the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival, and how do you believe YYachts is positioned to expand including here in Asia?

We had a very good response in Cannes, which is the most important show for YYachts. We have a good position in the market with our philosophy, our construction and our design. We sell all over the world and Asia is a market that can develop even further.

http://www.yyachts.de

Y focus on carbon: Custom Tripp 90 by YYachts Specialising in luxury carbon sailing yachts from 70-100ft, Germany’s YYachts has launched its custom-built Tripp 90, which features an exterior by Bill Tripp and a richly detailed interior by Winch Design – and will be followed by the Y9 model in 2022. By John Higginson.

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BAVARIA YACHTS is relying on 100 percent “Made in Giebelstadt”

published on 17 October 2018

The future development of Bavaria is taking clear shape: The yacht builder, respected worldwide for its good price/performance ratio, will once again build its boats one hundred percent in Germany. Bearing the seal of quality “Made in Giebelstadt”, both sailing and motor yachts will be manufactured and handed over to customers in Franconia. The R55 motor yacht, previously produced in Croatia, will for the first time be hand-built at the company’s headquarters in the first half of 2019. The moulds and tools are currently being transported from Croatia to Germany and installed in Giebelstadt.

Development and construction will primarily be under own management

“We want our outstandingly well trained and committed employees to develop and build all our yachts primarily under own management. The workforce identifies strongly with Bavaria Yachts; it is the key feature of our company,” explains Managing Director Erik Appel, who has been Chief Operating Officer of Bavaria Yachts since December 2017. “This is why we intend to further increase our permanent staff and simultaneously reduce the proportion of temporary workers. This will help considerably to bring down production costs. To increase the efficiency of the shipyard, we will concentrate on our own engineering, i.e. the technical development of yachts, at Bavaria Yachts once again. Interdisciplinary teams have already been formed. We will organise the handover of newly developed models from engineering to production better and thus reduce costs. Engineering and joinery will continue to be core in-house competences.”

The series production that Bavaria Yachts stands for is being taken to new levels. To do this, it will be necessary to greatly reduce the complexity that has emerged in recent years. The current portfolio includes 26 models – within the next three years it is to be focused on 10 to 12 models which are efficient and popular in the market. “Our model range will be more attractive and at the same time of a highly reliable quality, with a portfolio of the same size,” adds Erik Appel.

BAVARIA C50 successfully revised, big and small sisters to follow

Work has already started on this, and production has been modified in some important respects: The BAVARIA C65, presented in 2018 but not successful, will no longer be built; the E-Line (electric propulsion and hybrid yachts) has been discontinued. The C50 sailing yacht has been removed from series production and technically reworked as a prototype. Following successful re-engineering, the C50 will return to series production from November 2018. The findings from this process will now be transferred to the flagship BAVARIA C57 and its little sister BAVARIA C45. The new COO has ensured the feasibility of producing the largest sailing boat at the Giebelstadt site. The C57 is now on the production line and at the same time the findings from the C50 are being made use of in the ongoing production of the C57.

Moderate new developments are planned from 2019. Two or three new product launches per year are feasible for a shipyard. Fast production, reliable quality and plenty of space, along with sporty performance and a competitive price/performance ratio, are to be the hallmark of Bavaria Yachts once again.

“Successful series production in yacht building involves a lot of handiwork, a love for detail and the will to create. That’s what Bavaria has always stood for and that’s the way it will be again in future. We can create a lot together here and we can implement new ideas quickly,” says Appel, the innovation engineer and native Franconian.

CMP: Closing is complete – Security for employees, customers and suppliers

Kai Brandes, Executive Partner of CMP Capital Management-Partners from Berlin, which represent and advise the investing equity fund, explains: “We are delighted about the successful conclusion of the transaction: The purchase agreement has been signed, the approval of the Federal Cartel Office has been given and the closing, i.e. the fulfilment of all contractual conditions, has just taken place. This means security for the employees, for the customers and for the suppliers.”

CMP Capital Management-Partners has been an investor in the German-speaking SME sector since 2000. “As an active investor, we pursue an operational and entrepreneurial investment philosophy. We concentrate on companies that have a healthy operational core but which find themselves in a situation of necessary change,” says Kai Brandes, who is also Chairman of the Advisory Board of Bavaria Yachtbau Holding GmbH. “We believe in the development potential of Bavaria and we are impressed by its loyal employees, dealers and customers. A good investment for a good price.”

Works Council counts on closer integration of sales and production

Christian Hartmann, the Works Council Chairman of Bavaria Yachts, is relieved: “The purchase agreement is now all wrapped up, all 800 jobs in Giebelstadt and in France have been secured. We consider the fact that CMP strongly supported the purchase of the company a good signal.” For the future, Hartmann is counting on closer integration of sales and production: “We see production and sales as cornerstones, carrying the company together. Optimum planning in construction, a continuous production process and a sales division that synchronises customer requirements with production, are to be the hallmark of Bavaria Yachts in future. We as the workforce would also appreciate closer involvement in the further development of production and sales. The people who work on the yachts every day are enormously important for improving existing procedures and methods.”

Dr. Tobias Brinkmann: “BAVARIA faces a great opportunity.”

Special thanks are due on the part of Bavaria Yachts and CMP to Dr. Tobias Brinkmann of the law firm Brinkmann & Partner. Dr. Brinkmann joined the Board of Management at the time self-administration in April 2018, to guarantee the continuation of business and to head the sale process. With closing completed, the experienced lawyer is now standing down as planned. He guided Bavaria Yachts safely through this particularly difficult business phase. In summing up, he says: “We succeeded in securing a promising solution for Bavaria. CMP is a buyer which specialises in the restructuring of German SMEs. This is precisely what Bavaria Yachts needs at the moment. That is why it is a good new owner. The fact that we built 220 boats together under difficult conditions in the insolvency proceedings, and that the workforce remained loyal to us throughout this lengthy period, demonstrates two good characteristics of the shipyard. Bavaria is a strong brand! The fact that CMP recognised this and is investing in Bavaria represents a great opportunity for the company.”

Dr. Ralph Kudla as Chief Restructuring Officer now on the Board of Management

Dr. Ralph Kudla, a partner at CMP, has also been a Managing Director of Bavaria Yachts for a week now, following on from Dr. Tobias Brinkmann. He sketches out his task as Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO), along with responsibility for HR, Law, Purchasing and the holding Bavaria Catamarans in France, as follows: “In order to regain sustainable competitiveness, a high degree of experience in change processes and consistency in operational dealings is required. For the implementation of the measures that will realign the company, CMP is not only providing financial resources through the funds it advises, but also supporting the management on-site as and when required. Stabilisation, further development and a return to the path of growth are key themes of the restructuring process. Furthermore, the future model range has still to be defined. This represents the greatest challenge and it will certainly take us six months or more to take the initial decisions and set some impulses.

The French holding “Bavaria Catamarans” will in future revert to its well-established name “Nautitech” for marketing purposes. Dr. Ralph Kudla knows that “Bavaria stands for yachts, Nautitech for catamarans. We believe that it is important for the two companies to be able to highlight their respective identities even more clearly in future. The two firms will collaborate closely in technical matters and develop the partnership between Germany and France even more vigorously.”

Outlook: Break-even planned for financial year 2019/2020

In the first, abbreviated financial year and as a result of ramping up production, Bavaria will show a loss, which CMP will bear as the investor. Furthermore, it takes a relatively long time to implement efficiency improvements in boat-building. Some things go a little faster and have already been started, others take more time because they involve the actual structure of the boats. Break-even is planned for the next full financial year (1 August 2019 to 31 July 2020). The key improvements are expected in two or three years.

Dr. Ralph Kudla looks ahead: “We want to regain lost trust. We intend to keep Bavaria’s promises and meet its delivery dates. Quality must also improve again. And we want to involve our dealers more closely in strategy and product development. A dealers’ advisory board will be introduced to this end. In this way, we will hear customer feedback, pick up on it and turn it into product improvements as quickly as possible.”

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Norm architects introduce scandinavian minimalism to ms yachtbau's luxury sai....

Photo by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.

Norm Architects Introduce Scandinavian Minimalism to MS Yachtbau's Luxury Sailing Yachts

Project name, architecture practice.

Designed by Danish practice Norm Architects in collaboration with acclaimed US-American naval architect  Bill Tripp , and built in Greifswald, Germany, by esteemed yacht-builder MS Yachtbau , it would be fair to say that as far as sailing yachts go, “ Bella ” has everything going for it. Measuring almost 22 metres in length, with a sleek, aerodynamic silhouette and elegant interiors of Scandinavian minimalism, Bella, the first of the Y/Yachts model Y7, marries competitive sailing performance with comfort and style like no other.

Founded by Michael Schmidt in 2014, MS Yachtbau grew out a desire to manufacture the perfect sailing yacht. With an equal emphasis on both technology and aesthetics, the brand’s luxury carbon yachts are not only lightweight and fast, but also sport an interior design sophistication not usually associated with sailing boats. Manufactured in collaboration with an eclectic selection of international designers, each Y/Yachts model uniquely marries design, craftsmanship, function and the latest technology, and Bella is no exception.

Photo by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.

Underpinned by a minimalist sensibility of elegant simplicity and understated refinement, the interior design is characterised by tactile surfaces, natural materials and matt finishes. Extensive use of wood veneer that gently follows the curves of the yacht’s hull, concealed lighting, and a selection of smooth and coarse fabrics create cosy, homely spaces that are also highly sophisticated. Crisp details and high-quality craftsmanship, from the frameless doors and seamless cabinetry to the convex and concave veneer surfaces, imbue the yacht’s interior with a sculptural quality as well as echo the streamlined profile of the exterior.

What’s really impressive though is how little the spaces reminds one of a yacht interior despite having to follow strict safety guidelines that require for example all furniture to be fixed and handrails to be installed. Instead of curtailing their vision though, Peter Eland and Linnea Ek Blæhr of Norm Architects have taken advantage of such requirements to enhance the yacht’s minimalist sensibility. Case in point, the mandatory handrails whose lithe silhouette of black steel is picked up by the slender desk lamp and bedside light fittings, as well as other black details throughout the interiors. From the smallest features such as these, to the extraordinary engineering that allows the 28.5 tons yacht to smoothly sail across the sea, Bella is a beauty inside and out.

Norm Architects Introduce Scandinavian Minimalism to MS Yachtbau's Luxury Sailing Yachts

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Yachtbau Y7

Norm Architects has created the interior architecture for the 70 foot yacht “Bella”, the first of the Y/Yachts model Y7 manufactured in Greifswald by Michael Schmidt Yachtbau.

Photography

Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

The main design elements of the boat are tactile sufaces, natural materials and matt finishes, while colors are tone-on-tone for a subdued, moody setting.

The lighting further emphasises the calm and cosy settings, with inbuilt, subtle lamps built in to shelves and cabinets. Beautifying details are found in the forms and high-quality craftsmanship of the built-in, wooden elements.

Inside, the yacht are designed with seamless door frames as crisp details rather than disruptive elements.

Minimal aesthetics and materiality define the boat’s exterior as well the interior design.

We’ve aimed to achieve a simpler framework by correcting the unnecessary elements of the boat and embracing the natural curves of the ship.

The internal construction of the ship has been aligned, correcting the unnecessary to achieve a simpler framework, following the natural curves of the ship.

Moreover, the security requirements are met in style through elegant, built-in furniture that appear unfixed, to provoke a homelier feel, ultimately accomplishing an understated luxury.

“Bella” is the construction number one of the Y/Yachts model Y7 and was developed in cooperation with the US-American designer Bill Tripp, who has already brought numerous yachts between 15 and 86 metres in length onto the water.

Like all Y/Yachts formats, “Bella” was manufactured in Greifswald by Michael Schmidt Yachtbau. The aim in developing the Y7 was to combine comfortable sailing behaviour with competitive sailing performance, also on the regatta course. This was achieved by consistently reducing the weight of the yacht during construction and extension as well as by doing without a backstay – the profile of the mainsail (with Fathead) thus gets a better profile and more space. At the same time the carbon fibre mast can be somewhat shorter and the yacht can become more stable and significantly faster.

Press Package

Composite Applications

Carbon composite materials in modern yacht building.

A catamaran built almost entirely from lightweight, high strength carbon fibres is set to circumnavigate the globe using solar power alone. Jürgen Klimke, Sales Director Europe, and Daniel Rothmann, Manager Technical Sales, SGL Technologies GmbH, discuss the PlanetSolar project.

Many spectacular attempts have been made to circumnavigate the globe. Whether by land, sea or air, as soon as the technical opportunities were created, projects sprang up to realise this dream in the most unique way possible. Given the international fame and recognition that attend the achievement of such an ambitious goal, there will probably always be new projects that will fill observers with amazement.

But a project that is certainly unique in the history of such adventures is the circumnavigation of the globe with a catamaran made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) and equipped with the latest photovoltaic technology. Powered entirely by solar energy, the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar is due to set off on its voyage around the world early in 2011.

Raphael Domjan from Switzerland and Gérard d’Aboville from France will be on board the Tûranor PlanetSolar to navigate the 31 m long, 15 m wide craft across the world’s oceans. The adventurer d’Aboville was the first man to row across the Atlantic in 1980, and later, the Pacific.

Minimising weight

The catamaran is fitted with more than 500 m 2 of solar modules. The photovoltaic cells mounted on the deck and on flaps at the stern and sides give the craft its characteristic appearance. But one of the biggest challenges has been to store enough solar energy so that the vessel can maintain its progress even in darkness. To achieve this, use has been made of the latest lithium-ion batteries, which weigh around 11 tonnes in total. The batteries are housed in the left and right floats – the two hulls that run the full length of the boat.

To minimise consumption of precious energy as the craft cruises along, it was necessary to save as much weight as possible in the boat structures by employing modern lightweight construction technology. Through the use of carbon fibre composite in the hull structure, the requirements for excellent mechanical properties combined with very low weight were successfully met.

The four electric motors are driven by a massive power supply and provide a maximum output of 120 kW. The catamaran is moved and steered by two large propellers, which are also produced from carbon fibre materials and fitted on the end of each float. The propellers can be independently controlled to steer the craft on the desired course. The maximum speed is approximately 14 knots.

PlanetSolar‘s virtually silent and pollution-free circumnavigation of the globe is scheduled to take about 160 days. Several stops along the equator are planned to give a wider international audience the opportunity to learn more about this unique project.

The giant catamaran is currently being finished in the Knierim Yachtbau shipyard at Kiel in northern Germany, and initial tests have already been successfully completed following the christening and launch of the vessel on 31 March 2010. But before it can set off on its voyage around the world in early 2011, a considerable amount of detailed work and trials have still to be carried out to guarantee the success of the project.

Composite construction

Knierim Yachtbau is an established company that specialises in building individual high-tech yachts. It has already made a name for itself in a wide variety of projects as one of the leading manufacturers of innovative yachts constructed with composite materials. For example, Knierim Yachtbau successfully implemented projects such as the ‘UCA,‘ one of the largest German ocean racing yachts, and the ‘Container‘ in 2008. The first German America’s cup yacht, ‘Germany 1,‘ also came from the Kiel shipyard. Knierim Yachtbau recently introduced a new 10 m long, thoroughbred racing yacht with a fast, ultra-modern hull shape, which is set to create quite a stir. Here again, it used the favourable properties of carbon fibre composites in the construction of the hull, as did the mast maker for the mast.

The Kiel shipyard has over 40 years’ boat building experience and has developed great expertise in the use of composites, and carbon fibre materials in particular. So it is not surprising that, in planning the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar, it was decided to use carbon fibre again.

The catamaran had to be lightweight and yet at the same time extremely stable in construction to meet the exacting demands of the open sea. After several proposals, ranging from a single-hull boat to a trimaran, the company finally opted for a double-hull design by Craig Loomes, director of the LOMOcean company in New Zealand. The design of the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar catamaran is based on the so-called ‘wave piercer’ principle. This means that the two catamaran hulls are designed to slice through the waves in rough seas, so helping the craft adopt a stable, solid position in the water.

The high stresses expected in foul weather conditions during the voyage made it necessary to use high strength carbon fibre for the hulls. Steffen Müller, one of the two managing directors of Knierim Yachtbau, points out that the stresses under storm conditions should not be underestimated, since in very high seas, the central hull will also thrust through the waves.

In the production of the hull in Kiel, most of the work was carried out using the hand lay-up process with vacuum compression, which made it possible to ensure an optimum fibre volume content. The moulds for the hull were produced by Knierim Yachtbau itself, which has its own CNC 5-axis milling machine to make the master patterns and the moulds.

The Knierim shipyard‘s Tooling division also designs and produces moulds for the wind power industry, e.g. for rotor blades, and for automotive components. The moulds for the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar are based on a steel bottom frame and a Styropor block, which was machined to the correct contours using the CNC milling machine. Coated with high quality epoxy pastes the moulds were then shaped to the final contours by repeated finishing to give them a high quality surface. Owing to the immense size of the yacht, the moulds for the hull structure and the deck were each divided into three different sections and then assembled in the production hall to give the complete mould.

Altogether, more than 20 tonnes of carbon fibres, 11 tonnes of foam core and 20 tonnes of epoxy resin and hardener were used in the construction of this boat.

Carbon fibre

Carbon fibre materials were supplied by the SGL Group , headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany. In the construction of the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar, the Knierim shipyard used three different carbon fibre materials from SGL: a unidirectional fabric; a bidirectional fabric with weights of 300-400 g/m 2 ; and a SIGRATEX® woven carbon fabric with similar weights.

In the construction of multilayer fabrics such as bidirectional fabrics, the different layers are applied with the required alignment to one other (e.g. ±45°) and then stitched together fully automatically with polyester thread. This method produces very good cohesion of the individual fibre rovings and allows the fabric to be more easily placed and aligned in the hull mould.

Another advantage of these fabrics is that, unlike in woven fabrics, the fibres are always straight and non-crimped. As a result, the intrinsically very high strength and stiffness values of the carbon fibres are retained and mechanical tensile and compression forces can be optimally absorbed by the composite structure.

In addition to unidirectional and bidirectional fabrics, special structures with three or four layers can be tailored to meet particular load-bearing requirements.

By using these multilayer fabrics, it is possible to reduce the work involved with placing the material in the mould. Instead, only one complete fabric consisting of different individual layers with different fabric weights needs to be placed. This represents a saving in production time and costs for the user. In hand lay-up with vacuum compression or vacuum infusion, these fabric designs allow good impregnation of the individual rovings and so result in high component quality.

In the production of these fabrics, SGL uses mainly the SIGRAFIL® C carbon fibres manufactured in its plants in Scotland and the USA. At present, two different types are produced at SGL, a 50K heavy tow carbon fibre and a 24K carbon fibre. The standard feedstock used for these fibres is polyacrylonitrile (PAN), which is based on a highly polymeric organic substance with a high carbon content. Through the successive processing steps of oxidation and carbonisation carried out at carefully controlled temperatures, the basis of the subsequent carbon fibres is created. These processing steps are followed by surface treatment to apply different sizings such as polyurethane or epoxy. In the case of the TÛRANOR PlantSolar project, the carbon fibres used were those with an epoxy sizing.

Before the different woven and multiaxial fabrics were used in the TÛRANOR PlanetSolar yacht, they first had to be certified to the special marine requirements of Germanischer Lloyd (GL), together with the SGL SIGRAFIL C carbon fibre.

Unique project

The TÛRANOR PlanetSolar yacht is an excellent example of the opportunities opened up by using modern carbon fibre materials. Built with high-performance materials and equipped with the latest technology, the carbon catamaran fulfills all the requirements of a unique and prestigious project. As in other industries where eco-friendly drive concepts are required for the future, this yacht represents a milestone in international yacht building thanks to its lightweight construction and photovoltaic technology.

It will take an estimated 68 000 man hours before the 85 tonne craft is completely finished. The great moment will come in spring 2011, when the yacht will set off on its voyage around the world. The plan is to start in the Mediterranean and then circumnavigate the globe in a westerly direction. Points of call on this adventure will include cities such as New York, San Francisco, Singapore and Dubai. We look forward to following the progress of this adventure and hope for a successful and safe voyage around the world.

This feature was published in the July/August 2010 issue of Reinforced Plastics magazine.

Further reading

Case study: The Farr 400

Hodgdon employs core thermoforming in yacht build

SP specifies composite materials for Rogers yacht

PlanetSolar to sail around the world in 2011

Carbon fibre producers optimistic in downturn

Hungarian company builds racing yacht

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Y Yachts’ Y7 review: This powerful carbon cruiser is guaranteed to excite

• Toby Hodges
• March 5, 2020

Michael Schmidt’s powerful new Y7 combines genius ideas with a keep-it-simple theme, says Toby Hodges

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

What is your idea of simple sailing? To a wooden yacht enthusiast it may be the pleasure of hand hoisting and trimming sails via block and tackle alone, where an owner of a modern glassfibre yacht might baulk at the amount of upkeep timber demands and prefer the ease of push button sailing.

Others might look back whimsically to their youth and the joy of simply dragging a dinghy down the beach and sailing without any maintenance or financial woes.

Michael Schmidt ’s latest creation is his solution to simple sailing at the luxury end of the scale. The decorated sailor who founded Hanse Yachts believes in a keep-it-simple philosophy with his models, which you may find hard to believe when looking at this new 70-footer and the levels of technical complexity that must lie beneath its carbon fibre/epoxy skins.

We tested the Y7 off Mallorca in 7-12 knots. Photo: Nico Krauss

But having sailed the Y7 in precisely the light wind conditions for which it was designed, and felt the thrill of helming a perfectly balanced, potent and contemporary fast cruiser, I can vouch that it does have a theme of simplicity, which becomes dangerously enticing.

“Sailing fun is made possible by a simple ship that has been reduced to the bare essentials without sacrificing comfort,” Schmidt believes. We’re not talking a yacht stripped to engineless minimalism here. The Y7 is, to all intents and purposes, a scaled-down superyacht , which has been kept approachable, performance-oriented and comparatively easy to manage.

I quote Schmidt not simply because he is the founder of the company, but because he is a veteran boatbuilder, sailor and visionary of the industry. Having built up and then sold Hanse Yachts, and extensively cruised its largest model at the time, the 630e, he searched fruitlessly for a larger, lighter boat that could better harness the softer breezes typically found in the Mediterranean.

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Michael Schmidt Yachtbau, now Y Yachts, is the brand of luxury carbon cruisers he created, a German firm that aims to use the best technology available to simplify the sailing. Schmidt also believes a yacht needs aesthetics that will distinguish it from the pack.

This philosophy underpinned his first model, the Brenta 80 (now Y8). Schmidt has since cruised that test boat, Cool Breeze , thousands of miles. And while many reportedly liked that concept and design style, they found it too large for their needs.

‘A 70ft yacht you can sail alone’ became Y Yachts’ target. The result is a fast cruiser with no backstay(s), a self-tacking jib and winches and lines that fall to the hand of the helmsman.

Toby helms and trims from the leeward deck. Photo: German de Soler

The design echoes the style of the Y8 and sees Schmidt maintain his penchant for high topsides (from his Hanse days), combined with a flat, low coachroof. Schmidt doesn’t like having to rely on crew and typically sails two-up.

Nevertheless the beamy and voluminous Y7 includes a crew cabin within the interior (rather than stuffed in the forepeak), with private access to the cockpit.

Bill Tripp was tasked with targeting lightweight performance to ensure the boat would offer enjoyable sailing in single figure windspeeds. A key attribute of the Y7 is that it shouldn’t need to motor in light airs.

That said, it can motor very efficiently thanks to the inclusion of two engines; Schmidt values low fuel consumption, good manoeuvrability and systems redundancy.

Carbon construction

Carbon sandwich construction with an epoxy outer skin results in a moderate/light displacement of 29 tonnes and a good balance of impact protection and noise control. Although Schmidt built some of the earliest carbon race yachts, he now subcontracts hull and deck moulding to specialist lamination yards in Poland and Slovenia, then fitting out in his new 3,000m 2 facility in Greifswald.

The structural work and finish of the first Y7, Bella , is certainly to a high standard, and the sub-€2m starting price for this 70ft carbon composite cruiser explains the appeal of the new design and demand to see it in action. The second hull has been handed over, the third is in build and the yard is now set up to produce one boat every four months.

The Y7 has similar styling and features to the Y8, including the high freeboard and low, flat coachroof. Photo: Nico Krauss

The price is a significant factor. The Y7 represents is a lot of carbon yacht for the money. At this price point, potential buyers might be tempted to compare it to a large semi-production cruiser such the CNB 76 or Euphoria 68 . However, those who are looking for comparable performance would need to look at lighter composite yachts – and the Swan 65 , for example, costs another €1m.

Simply seductive

Bella certainly looked very much at home nestled among the superyachts at Port Adriano marina in Mallorca. The flat coachroof was adorned with sunbeds and a table and chairs were set up on its large flush foredeck.

The large bimini shading it hung from the mast, forestay and shrouds – a clever idea to use the foredeck to create a shaded area away from dock. Bella also has a removable cockpit bimini, mounted on four carbon posts.

30º aft swept spreaders allow for a backstay-less rig. Photo: Nico Krauss

When sail trialling a yacht, you always hope to get the type of conditions for which it is primarily designed. I favour moderate winds to ensure I can get a proper feel for the boat. So I did fret a little as we motored out of the marina and met a sloppy sea and a gentle breeze.

However, that long afternoon and evening we spent under sail proved perfect for demonstrating the Y7’s capabilities, and particularly for appreciating its ability to be able to keep on sailing in light winds.

In just 10 knots of breeze, typical midsummer Mediterranean conditions, we were already heeled and powered-up, sailing at 8-8.5 knots. The modern, beamy hull shape, with a long waterline and generous sail area, all help produce such speeds. The sail area to displacement ratio is a huge 33.4, a figure that confirms this design’s significant power aloft. Consequently, she will need to be reefed early.

Lines are led under deck to winches fore and aft of the wheels. This shows the starboard aft winch with shorepower connections below. Photo: Nico Krauss

The square-top fully battened mainsail has 184m 2 of sail area alone, which could be a lot to handle without sufficient crew. An upgrade to the winch package would be on my option list, as it took an age to hoist this sail from the lazyjacks.

However, the helmsman feels the benefit of this sailpower immediately. Tacking the boat is an addictive, one-person affair. The 30° sweptback spreaders avoid the need for a backstay, and allow the use of a self-tacking jib.

We found more breeze once out into the bay and continued our beat west away from the island. The outboard position of the wheel pedestals helps give the helmsman clear views over the flat, low coachroof.

The huge aft deck raises on struts to reveal an enormous watertight garage for a 3.45m RIB, which is launched using a carbon pole off the boom’s aft end. The design allows the garage to remain sealed when the swim platform is lowered. Photo: Nico Krauss

The helm is generally light, as you’d expect with twin rudders, but with a pleasant increase in weatherhelm when the boat heels and powers up. There is also plenty of grip from these rudders, which are positioned relatively far outboard.

It is less comfortable for crew, however. Such is the beam aft (over 18ft) that it can feel unnerving to cross the cockpit or to stay seated to windward when at a high heeling angle. Comparable yachts of this size tend to have a mainsheet winch plinth with rails or a support/crash bar between the wheels. Y Yachts says it can offer the latter, which is an option I’d certainly recommend.

The long cockpit with split tables has room for eight to sit around, with more space on the large aft-facing seats. The portside seat has access to the crew quarters neatly integrated beneath. The aluminium frames that form the backrests for the cockpit seats are freestanding of the coamings, a clear indication that this boat is aimed at warm weather sailing.

Clear decks with lines led within reach of the helmsman. Photo: Nico Krauss

Push button reaching

I thought the Y7 might be all about the upwind sailing experience, keeping the apparent windspeed up and heel on, but then we hoisted a Code 0 for the long reach back.

At the push of another pedestal button, an electric furler fitted in the end of the bowsprit unleashed an enormous amount of sail (acquired, it transpired, from a Maxi 72). With this code sail set, we picked up pace and were able to match the 7-11 knot wind speeds all the way home.

The single point mainsheet is led forward to the mast and aft to one winch. This arrangement, together with the other sheets and halyards, results in a mass of rope tails in the cockpit. Unusually (and commendably), there are generous-sized rope tail lockers between the winches to keep all these lines from getting too unruly.

The deck is stepped in line with where the guest cockpit meets the sailing cockpit, so there is easy access out onto the sidedecks. Here, the double guardrails reduce to single rails to meet the bulwark and pushpit.

This low rail invites the helmsman to sit right out to leeward and enjoy the clear views forward. However, the wide-open aft deck and low rail do little to promote a secure feeling if you are in the sailing cockpit.

Nevertheless, as I perched to leeward, and with a light hand on the wheel, the sailing was truly memorable, and we footed along effortlessly under the Code sail.

Twin engine controls on one of the large binnacles. Photo: Nico Krauss

Two engines

The Y7 certainly has a slippery hull design – so much so that it was only as we approached the marina that I remembered that the Y7 is fitted with two shaft-drive propellers. Twin Nanni engines were chosen as they are simple to repair, with few electronics, and their relatively small size means the saloon sole and thus coachroof can be kept low and streamlined.

However, problems with the installation on this first boat resulted in unacceptable noise levels, an issue the yard now reports has been resolved. It says all future models will have saildrives.

Under power, the boat doesn’t quite spin on a point like a catamaran – the props are quite close together – but the twin engines certainly aid manoeuvrability and mean that you are much less reliant on the bowthruster.

Bella ’s modern open and inviting saloon. Note the sliding leather handles on the deckhead, which resemble underground train handles – a novel yet practical solution we first saw on the Y8. Photo: Sichtvorteil / Thomas Wilhelmi

Below decks, the styling matches the impressive look of the exterior, and is akin to a designer apartment. In Bella ’s case, it was customised specially for Michael Schmidt. Hull number two is said to have a much lighter, less masculine trim.

Schmidt was inspired by modern architectural designs he saw in Copenhagen, and this is reflected in the feel of the finish, from the choice of fabrics, to the lighting and overall interior shapes.

Smart thinking and styling

Multiple layout options are offered including three or four cabins, and the choice of a central transverse galley or passageway galley aft. Abaft the aft port cabin is a clever, if super-compact, crew cabin, which contains two bunks at right angles to each other, a heads and private access to the sailing cockpit.

The forward cabin with huge island berth. A step up through a watertight bulkhead leads into the generous heads compartment forward. Photo: Sichtvorteil / Thomas Wilhelmi

The semi-raised saloon creates the impression of a huge space. The yacht’s large beam accentuates this by exposing the curves and structures of hull sides. On the test boat the saloon has a wide-open space extending as far as the galley, sited amidships. To help you traverse it, there are sliding leather grabhandles on the deckhead for when moving about.

I like the use of vertical glass coachroof windows, which let in plenty of light without producing too much heat, but to provide better ventilation I would prefer to have more opening portholes and some coachroof hatches.

The galley is relatively compact and is open along the centreline, a layout that is perhaps not ideally suited to life at heel. That said, it boasts a large area of fiddled work surfaces and generous amounts of refrigerated stowage, and the yard does offer the option of a larger, enclosed galley aft, which connects through to the crew accommodation.

A central island berth in the forward cabin suggests this, too, is designed more for use in port than at sea. Hull number two has an offset berth here, which will be more practical at sea.

The Y7 is undeniably a lovely yacht to spend time aboard and one that can be handled with relative ease. The ‘keep it simple’ philosophy is felt mostly in the sailing, trimming and manoeuvring. The helmsman can easily manage lines and controls from the wheel – though would need help with setting, stowing and reefing sails. From the design of the tender garage, the installation of twin engines to a myriad of neat fixtures and fittings, the Y7 is packed with novel ideas, all born out of Michael Schmidt’s enormous experience. Below decks the Y7 feels as much like a luxury apartment as a yacht, and the style can be customised to suit an owner. I loved the exterior and interior design of Bella, although I think the layout is more set up for use at rest than at sea. The contemporary styling is bound to divide opinion. But the Y7 boasts superyacht quality at a size that is properly rewarding to sail. This powerful yacht boasts a level of performance that is guaranteed to excite.

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BELLA // Y7 // Y Yachts

Bella is the first unit of the y7 by y/yachts aka michael schmidt yachtbau, delivered to the owner..

The exterior design and naval architecture of the Y7 come from Bill Tripp , who is known for fast sailing yachts. The goal of the development of the 22-meter yacht was to create a fast sailing yacht that can compete at regattas but cruising and living with much comfort.

When there is no wind or the yacht docks in the marina, two 59 kW diesel engines by Nanni and a bow thruster assist. Joystick control makes this very easy.

A tender with a length of 3.45 meter is in the garage aft – a patented crane system integrated into the boom moves the tender into the water.

Interior of BELLA

Norm Architects from Copenhagen have designed the interior. Usually experienced in residential and furniture design, BELLA is the first yacht interior design of the studio.

The Y7 is available in different layouts ; the owner of this unit chose two guest cabins and one crew cabin aft. The owner cabin is at the bow area.

The base price of the Y7 is EUR 1.820.000.

Main Specifications of BELLA

Length Overall

Draft (Minimum)

Draft (Maximum)

Captain Paul Rider shows some details of Y7 BELLA

SHARING IS CARING - THANK YOU!

M5 (ex mirabella v) restyled by pendennis shipyard, southern wind 105 sorvind // nauta design, y8 // y yachts, ethereal: 58m hybrid sailing yacht by royal huisman (2008), 23m ketch “iltchi” by hoek design, w-100 // front street shipyard, oyster presents new 835 and 895, euphoria 54 – pocket sized superyacht.

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Michael Schmidt has won ocean races, closed big brokerage deals, launched the successful Hanse Yachts brand and now with Y Yachts he has created a new range of large yachts as esoteric as they are captivating.

Pioneering carbon raceboat builder, international yacht broker, Admiral’s Cup-winning skipper and helmsman, creator of the Hanse Yachts brand and now founding director of the award-winning Y Yachts shipyard, Michael Schmidt is one of the sailing world’s great all-rounders with several careers’ worth of experience packed into his five decades at the cutting edge of marine industry innovation.

But why on earth did he go back to the hard graft of establishing a new shipyard when he could be enjoying a well-earned and comfortable retirement?

‘Well, a few things came together,’ he says. ‘If like me you have sailed all your life, virtually since birth and then built thousands of sailing yachts, you have a certain wealth of experience. You have an idea of how a yacht should sail, what a good interior should look like and how the technology should work.

‘When I had time a few years ago and was looking for a boat for myself, there was nothing that came close to satisfying me. So I started to have a yacht built according to my ideas. Lorenzo Argento and Sir David Chipperfield designed the 80-footer Cool Breeze together with me.’

Schmidt’s vision created a beautiful performance cruiser that turned heads wherever he sailed it. But how did that one-off custom build project escalate into the creation and launch of a whole new shipyard?

‘That came a little later,’ he says. ‘When I sailed Cool Breeze, the yacht attracted quite a lot of attention from owners and interested prospects. So my idea of light, easy-to-sail, reduced and yet luxurious yachts seemed to appeal not only to me. Requests came in for a sister ship and I realised that this was a business. In 2016, I founded Y Yachts in Greifswald.’

That core concept, ‘reduced and yet luxurious,’ became the founding principle of the Y Yachts brand. At a time when most of the marine industry is so strongly focused on doing the exact opposite – adding a luxury dimension to yachting by installing ever more complex and sophisticated systems – what does Schmidt mean by reduced?

‘There is this quote attributed to several famous thinkers: “I’m writing you a long letter because I didn’t have time to write a short one.” A yacht has to be operated intuitively, so you have to rethink and simplify a lot of details, which costs time and energy,’ he explains.

A good example of overcomplicating things, he says, is the current fashion for equipping large yachts’ galleys with induction hobs and electric fan ovens. ‘Why does electric cooking have to be used on a sailing yacht? For that I need either a shore connection or a generator. Why not cook with gas? It’s safe and easy. When the gas bottle is empty, I simply replace it.’

This principle has always been popular among experienced sailors because it boosts the reliability of systems onboard. From backstay deflectors to programmable logic controllers, Schmidt takes a pragmatic and seamanlike approach born out of long experience that favours robust, reliable simplicity over the diminishing returns of adding extra functionality that isn’t strictly necessary.

‘Why do all sails have to be adjustable in so many different ways? If I’m not a racing sailor I don’t need these features which are also quite fragile,’ he says. ‘Why do the electronics have to be completely networked and harbour so many potential sources of error? At Y Yachts, we asked ourselves these questions and many more. We avoid a high level of complexity and thus vulnerabilities and high maintenance costs. That is what I understand by reduction.’

The coronavirus crisis has severely tested the resilience of many marine businesses but Y Yachts has thrived despite the constraints and challenges imposed by the pandemic. ‘We are getting a lot of enquiries,’ says chief executive Dirk Zademack.

‘Customers currently seem to be much more interested in owning a home on the water and separating themselves somewhat from the environment. Our philosophy of building light, fast, luxurious and sustainable yachts also strikes a chord with them. It goes hand in hand with the current neo-luxury trend of authenticity and self-determination.’

The cancellation of so many boat shows over the last 18 months has forced a change in YYachts’ sales and marketing strategy. ‘When this opportunity to generate leads was taken away by the pandemic, we focused even more on the digitalisation of our activities,’ Zademack says. ‘We conducted viewings via video call and Facetime, installed a new website with many new features and drew attention to ourselves with other digital activities. That has worked well.’

Post Covid, are the boat shows likely to regain the pivotal importance that they used to have for the yachting industry? Schmidt has his doubts. ‘I do believe that boat shows will no longer have the status they had before the pandemic,’ he says. ‘This culture that you must have a stand everywhere will disappear.

Perhaps it took this phase to make many people in the industry aware of this.’ Even so, YYachts will still be at a few key events. ‘We will certainly exhibit in Palma and Cannes,’ Zademack says. ‘We are also taking a closer look at the Monaco Yacht Show. At the moment I can’t imagine that we will still be exhibiting at indoor fairs but it’s still a bit early to judge. We’ll just have to observe the overall situation.’

The strong design aesthetic of YYachts is an important aspect of the boats’ appeal. ‘What unites all of our customers is that they are very design-oriented,’ Schmidt says. ‘They like our styling, inside and out. It’s not for nothing that we work with people like Sir David Chipperfield, Lorenzo Argento, Bill Tripp, Javier Jaudenes, Norm Architects or Design Unlimited.

We always work directly with the owners themselves. The geographical range is relatively wide, from the USA to Russia. Many enquiries come from Europe, but we are very interested in further expanding our preferred partner network.’

YYachts’ smallest model, the Y7, is proving especially popular, which Schmidt says is partly because it can be sailed by just two people and also because it’s been exhibited at so many boat shows and has had more magazine coverage than the other two models. ‘However, the Y8 and the Y9 are also generating a lot of interest,’ he says. ‘With the Y9 we have entered the superyacht segment. It is the ideal size to compete in world class regattas like St Barths Bucket or the Superyacht Cup, but still have a spacious yacht for the family with a small crew.’

Right from the start, YYachts has been keen to emphasise the sustainability of its yachts, beyond the inherently sustainable nature of sailing. ‘Our concept only begins with that principle,’ Schmidt explains.

‘For example, we cover the deck with wood from sustainable sources, we install vertical windows to minimise the use of air conditioning and we consistently focus on lightweight construction. Y Yachts are made entirely of carbon, the interior fittings are weight-optimised and they include parts made with material obtained from recycled PET bottles. You will soon see many more ideas on our yachts but in the interest of our customers, we will only implement things we believe in.’

The shipyard has already delivered four yachts this year. First, launched in April, was the Y8 Vegas Baby, a Lorenzo Argento design with interior styling by Design Unlimited. Next were two Y7s, one of which has extensive design input from its owner. ‘Then we handed over our current flagship, a Tripp 90, to its American owner,’ Zademack says. ‘Here we worked with Winch Design on the interior.’

Even larger build projects may soon be in the pipeline.

‘Up to 105ft would be possible,’ Schmidt says. ‘Our competence lies in sailing and with interesting models we believe we can convince many owners of motor boats that sailing is more exciting.’

Covid-19 has not slowed down production. ‘We are very proud that we were able to keep our delivery dates,’ Zademack says. ‘The fact that we rely heavily on regional suppliers is not only sustainable, but also had the positive aspect during the pandemic that our supply chains were hardly interrupted.’

Y Yachts’ goal is to become a global player in the market for full carbon sailing yachts up to 100ft LOA within the next five years. ‘Already in our first five years we have built up a very good image and satisfied our customers,’ Zademack says.

‘We’d like to continue this and convince some motor yacht owners to buy a sailing yacht. We have already succeeded with three of them.’

Click here for more information on Y Yachts

• Michael Schmidt
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