Please select your home edition
Edition
Vaikobi 2024 December

The 80 Sunreef Power Eco: Building an electric Super Cat

by Sunreef Yachts 13 Jan 2023 08:51 PST
80 Sunreef Power Eco © Sunreef Yachts

The Sunreef Team meets the future owner of an electric 80 Sunreef Power Eco catamaran for an exclusive interview. Currently, under construction at the shipyard in Gdansk, the luxury catamaran will be customized to the owner's exact specifications to reach the highest levels of sustainability and energy efficiency.

What is your experience with yachts & boating?

We have been on the water since childhood, including racing small sailboats, extensive cruising in New England, Florida and Bahamas with family boats. We have also chartered in the BVI. Our three generations of our close-knit families have enjoyed countless joyful experiences on-board our family yachts.

Why did you decide to build an electric yacht?

The climate impact of large power yachts is significant. We have taken extensive steps to impact the climate crises, therefore we could only consider a power yacht if it would incorporate technologies that are rapidly scaling in other sectors such as solar energy and electric vehicles. Given our focus on sustainability broadly, only an electric "Eco" boat aligned with our values.

Why did you decide to build with Sunreef Yachts?

We conducted extensive research in collaboration with our broker Staley Weidman from The Catamaran Company. This included visits and meetings with multiple foreign shipyards, to determine who was genuinely and successfully advancing state-of-the-art with electric and sustainable yachting. The result of our discovery process was clear - Sunreef leads the industry with research and development, high-quality production, highly evaluated sourcing, and compelling on-water performance.

How was your collaboration with the Sunreef team?

The Sunreef yacht design capability has allowed for significant input and choice on our part. We have accomplished this because Sunreef's client-facing team patiently interfaces with us remotely sometimes on a weekly basis. On-site visits have been extremely efficient in terms of making early design decisions about layout, material, colors, and furnishings. It's a family-run, private company that has a history of high achievement, and that culture is evident throughout the organization.

Were you involved in the design process?

My spouse and I, together with our Captain, designer and broker, have worked directly with Sunreef, throughout the project. While we have never designed and built a yacht, we have brought our style and ideas from our home and hospitality projects and enjoyed learning and shaping of our future marine home!

Where will you cruise?

We will spend summers in the Northeast, some of which we know well, but much remains to discover. We look forward to joining the ship in the Bahamas and the Caribbean in the winter when the boat is off charter. The Caribbean, in particular, is mostly a frontier for us, and will offer a wonderful escape from the cold northern winters!

Related Articles

Armstrong Foils: New A-Wing XPS Mk1 arrives!
The new A-Wing XPS Mk II have many new features useful for riders at all levels After two years in development, the new A-Wing XPS Mk II is here. Whether it's next level wing surfing, freestyle, or the Wednesday night local race, it's all in the cards with the A-Wing XPS Mk II. Posted on 21 May
Int'l Youth Match Racing Champs dates released
RPAYC announce the dates for the 2025 Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship RPAYC is pleased to announce the dates for the 2025 HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship, with the 31st edition set to again be conducted on the beautiful waters of Pittwater, scheduled to occur 19 to 23 November 2025. Posted on 21 May
Block Island Race preview
Most of the fleet will tackle the traditional 186-nautical-mile course from Stamford This year's start time has been moved up two hours from prior editions to take advantage of increased daylight and potentially fairer conditions in Long Island Sound. Posted on 21 May
IMA Maxi Europeans Inshore Series Day 3
North Star & Proteus win today's races, while Bella Mente holds a solid lead overall It was an intense day on the water for the Maxi fleet in the penultimate act of the IMA Maxi European Championship, the last stage of the 2025 Tre Golfi Sailing Week. Posted on 21 May
Eighth edition of the Foiling Awards wraps up
Overall Forlanini Award goes to France's Erwan Jauffroy The prestigious accolades recognising the world's top foiling athletes, products, projects and events over the past 12 months were presented in Genova (Italy), based on online votes cast by the international foiling community. Posted on 21 May
Introducing the Calibrator from SailingPerformance
Onboard electronics from Sailling Performance Have you ever sailed on a boat where the wind numbers coming from the onboard electronics were constantly wrong, where every time you tacked, the wind seemed to back by 15 degrees? Posted on 21 May
IMA Maxi Europeans day 2
Small boats to the fore after formidable coastal course The second coastal course of the IMA Maxi European Championship in Sorrento, Italy was an action-packed affair, taking the maxis on a complex course visiting local hotspots including the Amalfi Coast and lapping Capri. Posted on 21 May
SailGP Docuseries Spotlights Spithill's Sacrifices
Showcasing growth of the most exciting racing on water SailGP announced it will launch its first-ever, long-form premium docuseries Uncharted next month in order to highlight how the global championship has flipped the narrative on traditional sailing through the lens of Jimmy Spithill. Posted on 21 May
2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race preview
To date, yachts representing ten nations have confirmed their participation There has been an encouraging early wave of entries for the 46th edition of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, set to commence on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Posted on 20 May
IMA Maxi Europeans Inshore Series Day 2
Bella Mente wins on corrected time in the coastal race The second day of inshore racing at the IMA Maxi European Championship delivered another spectacular show in the Gulf of Naples, with breathtaking scenery and challenging weather conditions. Posted on 20 May
Mackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMC-Tech 2021 SnuffAir 728x90 BOTTOMHenri-Lloyd Dynamic Range