JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #111 - March 2017 - Special JEC World - o - 106

SOLUTlONS marine

Hybrid superyacht with composite wings
Last October at the 2016 Monaco Yacht Show, a venue for the large international
luxury yacht crowd, the well-known architecture firm VPLP Design presented a
thoroughly innovative project that created a buzz: Komorebi, a hybrid trimaran
concept for a motor-assisted sailing yacht.

T

his naval architecture firm
has given us the fastest
and most attractive racing
boats that spray all the records
of the races in this early 2017, as
well as the Lagoon, Outremer
5X, and Hemisphere ranges.
VPLP Design continues to
research and develop different
ways to sail as it endeavours
to comply with the new
environmental regulations that
combat pollution from these
superyachts.
Rigid wings
of fibreglass panels
Unlike standard yachts, this
86-metre-long trimaran can
forego the use of the engines,
when the winds allow it, and be
powered by two rigid, entirely

automated wings, rather than
sails. These rigid wings will be
made of fibreglass panels. If
the wind is not strong enough,
the hybrid engines electric
and diesel start up to assist the
wings. As Mathias Maurios
of VPLP Design Paris tells
us, "According to our estimates,
this hybrid-mode technique will
reduce fuel consumption by 30%
per crossing." The rigid wings
are supported by two masts
that can pivot around 360°. In a
20-knot wind, the yacht will be
able to sail at 15 knots without
engine assist. "Here, the wing is
twice as efficient as a standard
sail, because it is rigid," he adds,
"and this type of rigid rectangular
sail, comparable to an aircraft
wing, but vertical, can be lowered
along a rail and be stacked."
The naval architect likens the
design and fabrication of this

A japanese garden above the swimming pool

106

jec composites magazine / N°111 March 2017

Rigid wings to advance with the force of the wind

type of trimaran and boat
designed for an elite, to what
haute couture is compared to
ready-made clothing.
Japanese influence
and aesthetics
Its name, Komorebi 200,
is the transliteration of the
Japanese word that designates
the moment when the world is
magnified by the rays of sunlight
that filter through the trees. The
architects are in consonance:
a little Japanese garden graces
the rear cockpit, with a real tree
overlooking the swimming pool.
Wit hits many bay windows, this
marine giant is the essence of
space, harmony, contemplation
of nature, conviviality, and
extreme comfort. On the lower
deck, there is a garage for three
tenders and a range of nautical
"toys", including jet-skis, kayaks

and surfboards. This boat is the
perfect solution for those who
desire the comfort of a home
at sea, with plenty of space,
stability, low operating costs and
a more environment-friendly
way of sailing at reasonable
speeds, close to nature. Built in
aluminium, the "gently curved
giant" is strong yet extremely
elegant. Its shallow draught
means that it can access very
narrow coves and inlets.
Coming soon :
an explorer version
Developers are taking an
interest in Komorebi, so the
VPLP team is now working on
an "explorer" version, efficient,
agile and stable, that could ply
the oceans.
More information:
www.vplp.fr
http://www.vplp.fr
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #111 - March 2017 - Special JEC World - o
