At the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the Yachts International Pavilion welcomed a distinguished scientific panel assembled by The International SeaKeepers Society’s CEO, Dean Klevan, to speak to the yachting community.

SeaKeepers’ primary goal is to provide data collected through remote sensing technology to the global scientific community. It does so by raising funds to build sturdy and reliable monitoring units (which can be equipped with a variety of sensors) and install them on private yachts, commercial ships or buoys.

Science can be a very dry subject, particularly when it comes to data. But meticulous collection and analysis over long periods of time are necessary steps in solving scientific enigmas. The panel answered questions from concerned mariners and yacht owners.

What role do the oceans play in the global climate? What does all the trash and plastics pooled in giant circular patterns (called ocean gyres) do to our marine environment? What do oil spills do to the food chain, and how do hydrocarbons affect human health?

Mark Luther, associate professor at the University of South Florida, Bill Read, director of the National Hurricane Center, Roni Avissar, dean of the Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and Fabien Cousteau, ocean advocate and filmmaker, spoke on a number of these subjects.

Intuition and empirical data can’t explain changes in fish behavior, the formation of hurricanes or help assess consequences of oil spills.

Read’s team, which is based in Miami and has the arduous task of predicting the next big weather event, uses models and scientific data to help forecast the birth, intensity and course of hurricanes and typhoons. It is one of the very few institutions flying airplanes into hurricanes to collect atmospheric data, and does so only in the Atlantic area. Elsewhere, scientists have to rely primarily on satellite and surface data. This is not exact science, but building a database ensures forecasters improve their chances of accurately predicting the next big weather event, saving lives in the process.

Of late, many have expressed concerns that plastics left to deteriorate in the environment (and there are tons in the ocean) are leaching chemicals able to cause DNA mutation. Data is scarce. “The first step is to design an observation system, so it can be analyzed from a biological, physical and chemical point of view. That is why things like SeaKeepers are so important. We need the data,” Avissar said.

Avissar, who spent years in the Amazon studying the effects of deforestation and was one of the first scientists to use a specially equipped helicopter to collect environmental data, also said similar remote sensing technology could help with conservation and management of fisheries, which currently rely primarily on speculation and anecdotal experience.

Luther, interviewed for a previous Yachts International article (see November 2010, pg. 59), has been tracking oil in the Gulf of Mexico since the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. He said there is a shortage of data collection points over water. “There are large areas of the ocean where we don’t have measurements.”

Since its creation in 1998, SeaKeepers has been able to establish a bit more than 90 autonomous systems on private vessels, commercial ships, scientific research vessels or fixed platforms. The system is reliable, said Luther, who heads the USF’s calibration lab where the SeaKeepers units are sent for regular maintenance. The units are relatively easy to install and reliable, thanks to proper filter and anti-fouling agents that prevent bubbles or biological materials from disturbing the sensitive scientific instruments. The vessel does not need to be huge. Recently, a unit was installed on a 22’ open fisherman cruising the Tampa estuary. The biggest challenge, Luther said, is to be able to expand the number of units and availability of sensors to answer the scientific community’s needs.

For more information, visit seakeepers.org

Ocean SUV 148

Earlier this year, Kingship unveiled several new edgy models. The affable Roger Liang, who heads the Kingship Shipyard, expressed concerns about the environment in his home of Hong Kong and elsewhere. The perceptible changes in his immediate environment motivated him to develop greener and more fuel-efficient boats. As of the end of 2010, construction had begun on the Green Voyager, a 144’ yacht to be built in compliance with RINA’s Green Plus notation that will feature a Siemens Eco Prop hybrid system. The projects announced earlier this year feature conventional propulsion, but all tout fuel-efficient hulls. The Kingship 156 combines the talents of Donald Starkey and Azure Naval Architects. The attractive design features a plumb bow and a generous 8,500-nm range at 10 knots. Top speed for this six-stateroom yacht under the 500-GT threshold is 15 knots. The shipyard also unveiled a series of so-called ocean SUVs, ranging in size from 87’ to 148’. These “frill-free” and economical expedition-style boats, with generous interiors able to satisfy discriminating yacht owners, have extended ranges from 5,000 to 9,000 nm, depending on the model. Unlike their automotive counterparts, they are designed to be fuel-efficient, but like them they are sturdy, comfortable and long-lasting. Sergio Cutolo of the Varazze, Italy, firm Hydro Tec, is the naval architect working with Kingship. Previous projects by Hydro Tec include the trawler-style Vinidrea built by Proteksan-Turquoise in 2002 and the 82’ explorer-style Naumachos.

Meanwhile, the shipyard also delivered a Columbus 90 and the second Magellan 110.  The series designed by Vripack and styled by Pieter Beeldsnijder, features an interior by Miami-based yacht designer Luiz de Basto.

For more information, visit kingship.com

Sunreef Yachts, a now well-known specialist in power and sailing cats, will be showing an intriguing new concept at the Miami boat show this year: a power cat that is also a sportfish. The shipyard has created this 70-foot sportfisher more specifically for its North American clientele. Fitted with space for fishing gear and a tower, the Sunreef 70 Power Cat takes on another dimension. While this boat will likely not compete with speedy tournament monohulls, it comes with a full range of engine power options from 2 x 455-hp to 2 x 1,001-hp diesels and is capable of a 30-knot speed at the upper end. The enormous deck space allows the boat to accommodate large boxes, bait wells, freezers and fighting chairs. At economical speed, the yacht roams wide, with an 8,000-nm maximum range, allowing the boat to explore the world’s richest fishing grounds with a full complement of family and friends accommodated in four or five cabins. Sunreef will be at the Sails Marina during the Miami International Boat Show, February 17-21, 2011.

For more information, visit sunreef-yachts.com

Many unusual stories have a South Florida connection, and locals can be pretty jaded. Still, when the 102’ x 50’ catamaran Turanor emerged out of the inlet into Miami Beach Marina on Thanksgiving weekend, it made an impression. A hovering R44 helicopter was the first sign something out of the ordinary was near. The all-solar cat may have arrived quietly, but it arrived surrounded by a small flotilla of Jet Skis. A well-coordinated PR campaign, lovely jazz band, ceviche and fair weather notwithstanding, Turanor gets the credit for bringing out the crowd. The strange-looking craft, seemingly sitting on water like a water bug, moved in silently. Atop its 5,700-sq-foot surface of solar panels stood the man whose dream it was to bring this project to fruition, PlanetSolar project founder Raphaël Domjan. Domjan; Captain Patrick Marchesseau (who had experience with pirates as skipper of Le Ponant;) Mikaela von Koskull, the sole female crewmember; Jens Langwasser; Christian Ochsenbein and Daniel Stahl surprised everyone by arriving earlier than anticipated, after a 5,550-nm, 61-day, 34-minute journey from Monaco to Miami (including stops in Las Palmas and St. Maarten). Hurricane Thomas forced the slow-moving craft to take a more southerly route but did not disrupt plans to reach Miami.  After a 72-hour layover, which included press events, the craft was headed for Mexico to attend the Cancun climate summit and then continue south.

The whole point of this project is to prove that renewable energies, such as solar energy are, in fact, reliable. Challenges, along the planned circumnavigation, are numerous. Strong wind and currents can slow the wave-piercing twin hulls to a slow crawl and drain the batteries storing the solar energy captured by the SunPower cells (manufactured in California) inside the sturdy German-made PV panels.

So, has the craft ever run out of juice so far? “No. It’s all about power management,” says Domjan, who rode a solar bike around Miami Beach during his visit. Domjan, a charismatic 21st century Phileas Phogg, convinced Immosolar’s owner Immo Stroher to join his quest. Stroher, whose business is energy management, invested $17.5 million to help build the Craig Loomes-designed catamaran in Kiel, Germany. Swiss watch manufacturer Candino, a major sponsor, is also helping the crew meets its mission to complete the first circumnavigation using solar power—sun and wind willing.

For more information and to follow the solar cat’s journey, visit planetsolar.org

For the first time in a while, London-based Bannenberg & Rowell has reached across the Channel. The design firm that has made a splash with spectacular interiors in recent European launches, including the Abeking & Rasmussen Elandess featured on Yachts International’s June 2010 cover, has worked closely with CMN on this masculine styling of the Normandy-based shipyard’s 144′ yacht platform. Nicknamed Scorpio, the concept owes its name to the mast structure’s distinctive stinger shape, which punctuates an attractively angular superstructure. Large windows and sliding doors merge interior and exterior areas, opening up the space. The yacht is designed to stay below the 500-GT mark and to be built within 26 months of order. CMN’s recent deliveries include the Andrew Winch-designed 60m sisterships Cloud Nine and Slipstream (a 2009  International Superyacht Society award winner).

For more information, visit bannenbergandrowell.com and cmnyacht.com

We cruised the latest Jade Yachts 90, the most recent issue in the yard’s expedition series, off Kaohsiung a few weeks after surprise new laws made it much easier for Taiwanese to enjoy a full boating lifestyle. Due to tensions between China and Taiwan, and rules that really applied only to commercial craft and fishing boats, pleasure boating has been severely restricted for more than half a century.

But now, says Jade Yachts Vice President Memphis Han, authorities have decided to introduce Med-style handling of pleasure craft, with a few leaves taken out of the marine management books of former British-run territory Hong Kong nearby. “ I expect many more Taiwanese to start buying boats now,” he told us as his ninth steel-hulled, aluminum-topsides explorer design made her debut in the South China Sea.

“And marinas will start to flourish. Approval has been given for one capable of taking superyachts at the entrance to Love River in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s southern port city and massive pleasure boatbuilding center.  Ambrous Young’s 213′ Benetti Ambrosia III is already here, after moving permanently from Hong Kong’s Gold Coast Marina. I understand other Hong Kong owners are considering such a move too. Kaohsiung Harbor is an approved typhoon shelter, and the city has really come alive.”

Memphis thinks others may develop in Tanshui near Taipei and its weekend getaway Yilan, also at Hualien, Tainan, and Makung in the Penghu archipelago. Horizon Yachts CEO John Lu, who is also the Taiwan Yacht Industry Association’s chairman, agreed that the development could see many more Taiwanese on this ultra-wealthy island buying boats. Previously, they were limited to daytrips, with sometimes onerous and time-consuming checks. Now, by contrast, Taiwanese may freely voyage along their own coastline and to outlying islands, and drop anchor wherever they like, for however long. Mainland China still has fairly rigid rules and red tape, but it is hoped that this liberalization in Taiwan will help to spur similar yachting legislation there.

Enjoying this new freedom, our exploration-style Jade Yachts 90 moseyed along the coast, past the largest university in southern Taiwan, testing among other things a new six-bladed prop instead of the five-bladed ones fitted to prior explorers, but the pitch was taking time to adjust properly, and half a dozen technicians were in constant talks with their counterparts ashore.

Jade Yachts—which converted the German ship that became the Top 100 superyacht Amadeus—and has hosted the likes of 295’ Nero and Ambrosia, is currently completing a 10th Jade Yachts 90 Explorer, and has a 170’ explorer vessel in build.

The vessel we were trialing was being shipped to Spain shortly. In fact, all the Jade Yachts Explorers have gone to Europe, which suits their newly aligned dealer Ocean Independence.

A recently launched Jade Yachts 95, with Memphis aboard, has now made shakedown passages to Tsingtao, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Hainan and back to Hong Kong, and father and son are thinking of inviting friends and business colleagues to consider charters in unique Asian waters. The latter vessel is also available for sale, at about $10 million­—Bruce Maxwell.

For more information, visit jade-yachts.com

In March 2007, the stylish and innovative 115′ Moon Goddess, at the time a tender to the superyacht Princess Mariana (recently spotted at the Antigua Yacht Charter Show,) graced Yachts International’s cover. Speedy (53 knots) and original (with distinct modern styling and blue paint), she owed her exterior good looks to yacht designer Espen Øino and sturdy construction to Danish Yachts, which has experience building light and fast vessels. Recently the Danish shipyard launched a new line of carbon composite boats designed for military use, and at the 2010 Monaco Yacht Show unveiled a couple of new projects, including the next generation Aerocruiser (38F III), also designed by Øino. The Monaco-designer previously worked on project 116, a carbon composite vessel. Under development for the past two and half years, the nearly complete yacht (pictured) is expected to begin sea trials in Skagen, Denmark, in early summer. Projected speed for this stylish and efficient 124’7″ (38m) Aerocruiser, equipped with a MarQuip exhaust system and powerful twin MTU engines, is an aggressive 50+ knots. This would make it the fastest superyacht of its class, but she will also be fuel-efficient. She will be capable of a 900-mile range.

For more information, visit danishyachts.com

Palladium’s recently introduced SiMON ship-alarm monitoring application for iPad was recognized at the 2010 Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) as one of the year’s most innovative products. Last year Palladium had introduced an award-winning application for iPhone. The iPad application provides mobile monitoring through high-resolution color images and touch-screen functions that make the system user-friendly. Wi-Fi links allow data access from engines, generators, batteries, electric panels and more.

For more information, visit palladiumtechs.com

Herbert P. Baum and Guillaume Roché, founders of Turkey-based Sunrise Yachts, and Claudia and Albert Drettman, founder of the Drettman Group, a German boat consortium that marketed Horizon-built Bandito, Elegance and Premier models in Europe, have recently announced an agreement to combine forces and resources. Drettman, after experiencing tremendous growth during the past two decades, filed for bankruptcy in May 2010 after the boat market shrank, drying up demand for new orders. Baum, a successful German businessman who has owned and operated boats, and Roché, an experienced new-build consultant and lifelong boater, saw the two companies as a perfect fit. Their goal with Sunrise Yachts was to build yachts meeting high standards at a better price that cannot be achieved at leading European and North American shipyards. Sunrise Yachts successfully launched the 147′ Africa featured in our November 2009 issue and is currently building a second 45m yacht. The two also contracted yacht designer Espen Øino to develop new designs. Under the new company, Drettman will become a full-fledge yacht builder and plans are for the company to start introducing a line of new models in 2011, including expedition-style vessels to superyachts.

For more information, visit drettman.com and sunriseyachts.com

Five staterooms and a contemporary interior filled with light characterize this new entry in the Custom Line offering. A fairly classic layout makes plenty of room for a main-deck salon, formal dining area and a galley. But increasing the forward beam area, the shipyard created a spacious on-deck master stateroom with ensuite, a feature much appreciated on larger yachts. The rest of the accommodations are on the lower deck, where four spacious ensuite cabins share the space with a generous forward crew area. The sun deck is appropriately set with chaise lounges ideal for sunbathing, a dining area and an exterior helm. Forward is an additional salon area with two tables and matching banquettes. A large swim platform unfolds for close water contact. A 26-knot speed goes hand in hand with a sporty profile.

For more information, visit customline-yacht.com