Callender Designs awarded for green yachting innovation

by Media Services on 9 Oct 2010 Alastair Callender, the Design Director of UK based Callender Designs, took out the 'Excellence in Innovation' category, part of the prestigious 'Awards of Distinction' at this year's Monaco Yacht Show. This award is voted by the Board of Directors of the International Superyacht Society (ISS).

Alastair Callender said, 'This Excellence in Innovation award is a real honour to receive: to have my name and design work recognised in this way is tremendous. I am looking forward to an exciting career in the yacht design industry.'

The Monaco Yacht Club was a fitting venue to announce Alastair as the winner of this category. It was here – one year ago – the 190 foot Soliloquy eco-design concept, was displayed during the 2009 Monaco Yacht Show week.
'Innovation is essential to future business and the development of the industry as a whole.

'I hope by coupling beautiful aesthetics with a novel, sustainable design approach, the Green Agenda will also be supported through the work that we do as designers.'

Alastair's career has been going from strength-to-strength, after receiving numerous international accolades over the last 12 months, including winning the esteemed Condé Nast International Innovation and Design Award in May 2010, for Sustainable Design.

'It is a wonderful award from the ISS, especially in the knowledge that my design work was voted for by professionals within the superyacht industry.'

All recipients of the ISS Awards of Distinction will be presented their awards during the ISS International Awards for Design & Leadership Gala, held on the opening night of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in October 2010.

Although the multi-award winning Soliloquy superyacht remains a concept at present, the Callender Designs studio are positive that this super-green superyacht, with technology supplied by Solar Sailor Ltd; or other recent yacht design enquires, will soon be taken through further development, and into reality.

An international, multi-award winning Yacht Designer from the UK, has taken the Superyacht world by storm, with his revolutionary Super-Green, superyacht design called Soliloquy. This vessel uses state-of- the-art technology supplied by Solar Sailor Holdings Ltd, Australia.

Inspired by Environmental work of the late Sir Peter Blake, along with the dynamic architectural form of the Rotating Tower development in Dubai with its ever-changing shape, and the zero emissions Masdar City and Ghantoot Green City projects in Abu Dhabi, all contributed to this yacht being a zeroemission superyacht conceived at 58m length.

The design has attracted worldwide yachting and luxury press attention and there are a number of interested parties in taking it from the drawing board to launch.

'Because I was inspired by the Rotating Tower building in Dubai and the GCC region is leading the way in developing green cities, I feel sure the eventual proud owner is going to be a GCC resident,' says Alastair.

'They will go down in history as being a pioneer in the superyacht world, setting a new gold standard in superyacht design and power systems. Alastair Callender, of Callender Designs in the UK, has developed this radical 58m, rigid-wing superyacht concept, which will be powered from wind, solar and Hybrid Marine Power (HMP) technology from Solar Sailor Holdings Ltd, Australia.

The systems harness the power of the sun so efficiently that the yacht is actually energy positive - generating more power than it uses. Initially aimed at an owner of an eco-friendly stance, Soliloquy pushes the boundaries of yacht design convention as we know it today, and points to the future of clean, luxury yachting.

This pioneering and highly efficient motor-sailor will offer numerous advantages, which will widen her appeal to more potential investors - not least thanks to being powered quietly by renewable and hybrid-electric energy. In turn this will bring zero-emission capabilities, and result in significant savings in fuel cost. Soliloquy's rigid-wing rig, and architecturally dynamic form, will be a unique sight to all mariners.

Alastair commented: 'The future in the Superyacht design world is incredibly exciting: the industry must adapt and meet the challenges of the global economy, the „Green' agenda and the ever-shifting 'wish-list' to cater for the whims of discerning customers'.

Soliloquy's design brief was reached to ensure that renewable energies, along with eco-friendly materials and construction techniques, would confirm that this superyacht will become one of the Greenest of luxury yachts. This will comply with, and aims to excel in various industry requirements, including the new Green Star Plus certification from RINA in Italy.

The innovative overhead beam, sweeping forward to the bow, not only brings structural advantages, along with exciting and refreshing visual aesthetics, but has been specifically designed to house three automated and pivotally mounted, rigid-wing solarsails.

Efficient sailing propulsion is possible due to the patented technology and automation of Solar Sailor Ltd's solarsail pivot. This technology has received a development grant from the US Navy for unmanned ocean vehicles and is currently used on a series of commercial vessels.

This will allow Soliloquy's three solarsails to independently rotate through 360 degrees, and be coupled with the optimized rigid-wing design to add propulsion efficiency. When asked about the project's holistic design approach, Alastair said: 'In this ever-increasing environmentally conscious time, I wanted to focus my attention on looking at possible solutions to some of the current issues associated with the superyacht industry.

Eco-luxury should no longer be viewed as an oxymoron. „Soliloquy – the Super-Green Superyacht' is a true metaphor to show that this ideal is viable. Every opportunity to be environmentally responsible has been ensured.
Soliloquy brings all the luxury one would expect of a superyacht, without the noise, vibration, fuel costs and vast pollution levels of a motor yacht, nor the crew manning levels needed of a cloth-sailed rig.

Proven state-of–the-art patented technology by Solar Sailor Holdings Ltd. has brought this personal dream one step closer to reality.' The hull's highly efficient length-to-beam ratio has enabled a relatively low power requirement to reach competitive cruising speeds under sail and/or electric motor.

Soliloquy's additional innovations include an 'ever-evolving' superstructure which will create a truly unique visual display to all onlookers. This was the design lement inspired by the Rotating Towers in Dubai. The design provides up to 12 guests an unrivalled and adaptable inside/outside socializing area – featuring alfresco living space on the main deck.

The superstructure has been enhanced by its efficient Photovoltaic surfacing. Once all the adaptable blinds have evolved out of the overhead beam, a total of over 600 square metres of coverage will be revealed. Additionally each solarsail can be angled to the sun, to optimise solar collection when becalmed. The HMP system will allow for all renewable solar energy to be stored in the yacht's batteries, which in turn can quietly power the onboard electrics, without the need or noise of a generator.

Accumulating solar energy for 12 hours allows Soliloquy to travel at 8 knots. The increased level of privacy for its 10 guests will be possible due to the novel touch-button control system of the rig, resulting in less crew. The generous interior, has carefully selected renewable materials, resulting in a minimal carbon footprint. Soliloquy's eco-luxury design ethos, and cold-moulded construction technique, using wood from sustainably managed forests, will contribute to her understated opulence.

This design will act as a soliloquy for its owner's innermost hopes and desires: to express to the world the potential for a greener future in luxury yachting ~ through harnessing the power of nature. Alastair's vision to develop a rigid-wing, cutting-edge superyacht design is an exciting proposition.

The result is an elegant line, with a harmonious balance of form – that will support a synergy to create a uniquely sculptured, architectural and visually dynamic aesthetic, with state-of-the-art 'Green' technology. Soliloquy's innovative registered design, and unique Solar Sailor technology has received much attention across the globe.

Soliloquy?s designer, Alastair Callender is currently working on new concept for clients, whilst looking for an investor to turn this revolutionary Soliloquy concept into reality.

More at www.callenderdesigns.co.uk and www.solarsailor.com.au