A new range of catamarans with electric motors
Guy Marchal is the head of Symphony Marine, a company he created in 2019 after several years of experience in prestigious superyacht yards, such as Oceanco. Today, he works in the construction of megayachts over 60 m and launches in parallel a range of catamarans with electric motors, Whisper Yachts.
The first model, the Whisper 50, has a total length of 15 meters. Its modern and elegant design is by Berret-Racoupeau.
"The catamaran is an ideal platform for electric propulsion. Its hulls offer much less resistance in the water than a monohull. It is also a guarantee of comfort, thanks to its stability and its living space. Finally, it also offers a large exterior surface to accommodate solar panels explains Guy Marchal.
"Electric propulsion: propulsion of the future
If he has chosen electric propulsion for his range - a 40-foot and a 60-foot are under consideration - it is because he is convinced of the future of electric propulsion in boating.
"I have been observing electric technology for 8 years now. It offers ecological, comfort and maintenance advantages. When sailing, the silence of electric propulsion is incredible. The torque is immediate, so you can sail very comfortably at 6 knots, as well as at 12 knots and reach a maximum speed of 18 knots if you want. With a combustion engine, you have to respect the engine speeds, whereas the electric motor is efficient at all speeds. I definitely think that this is the propulsion of most of the boats of the future explains Guy Marchal.
The Whisper 50 is equipped with two 100 kW Deep Blue motors from Torqeedo, powered by a 200 kWh BMW battery pack. It is possible to boost the power to 2x120 kW to reach 18 knots in a short period of time. 30 m 2 solar panels producing 6 kW provide the necessary energy, in addition to a 13.2 kW shore power outlet and a 25 kW back-up generator.
According to the shipyard, the autonomy is unlimited at a speed of 5 to 6 knots, the recharge being ensured by the solar panels only. Between 8 to 9 knots, the autonomy increases to 5 hours, always without CO2 emission.
The Whisper 50 offers an autonomy of 8 to 10 hours at a speed of 9 to 10 knots with the 25 kW generator. Finally, at a maximum speed of 18 knots, the autonomy is one hour maximum, still with the generator. A speed that we will privilege in case of emergency.
A luxurious semi-custom layout
In terms of layout, the Whisper 50 has a large cockpit with a sunbathing area over the swim platform. The cockpit space is protected by a rigid roof that can be completely closed by insulating glass if necessary and extends the space of the interior lounge. Two lateral meridian seats invite you to relax. The total surface of the main deck is 35 m2. There are also sunbeds and sofas on the flybridge and the forward cockpit. The hulls can accommodate between 3 (owner's hull version) and 4 cabins.
Series construction
Made of vinylester and fiberglass with carbon reinforcements to optimize weight, the Whisper 50 will be manufactured in semi-custom series. The owner will be able to choose to customize his boat, especially in terms of decoration and cabin version. Guy Marchal intends to offer a high level of finishing and a production of luxurious quality, close to the environment in which he currently works. Two shipyards are currently being considered to build the range, one in Italy, specialized in the manufacture of luxury yachts and one in France, known for the production of catamarans.
"By proposing a complete range, and in particular a 40-foot model, we want to convince the market of the usefulness and merits of electric propulsion. The more electric boats there are on the water, the more this propulsion will be democratized. Today, many anchorages are polluted and inaccessible. We want to avoid this and offer the possibility to a maximum of people to consider the purchase of an electric boat", concludes Guy Marchal.
A high-end positioning
A possibility that requires a certain budget, however, since with a luxury positioning, the Whisper 50 has a price excluding taxes of 1.4 million euros with many standard features such as the teak platform for example. A first model as well as a virtual visit system will be available in Düsseldorf in January 2022.
