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A Boat of His Own: Suhaili relaunched

09 September 2016

For the past three years, whilst not travelling the world fulfilling his hands on role as Clipper Race Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has spent the bulk of his waking hours painstakingly and personally restoring his long-term passion project, Suhaili .

This week, more than half a century after being built in Bombay, India, one of the most famous yachts in sailing history has been refitted and relaunched alongside the latest two generations of his Clipper Race fleet.

Sir Robin first made history in 1969 when he won the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race on board his 32-foot Bermudan ketch Suhaili , setting the record as the first man to sail solo, non-stop around the world, thus kicking off an incredible career during which further racing records, multiple yachtsman of the year accolades, a knighthood, patronages of sailing organisations all around the world, and twenty years of inspiring amateur sailors to follow his experience, have followed. Sailing Today Deputy Editor Emma Bamford, who took part in the 2009-10 edition of the Clipper Race as a media berther for The Independent, went to visit Sir Robin as he prepared to relaunch his well-loved ‘companion’ (the English definition of the word Suhaili). The following is an extract from her feature article.

A BOAT OF HIS OWN

SIR ROBIN KNOX-JOHNSTON is going cruising again. He tells Emma Bamford about restoring Suhaili – and plans for a perfect cruising boat.

From the ground, divested of her sails and bowsprit, the 32ft long-keeler looks like any other old boat on the hard of any yard – brick-red antifouling, fresh coat of white paint on her topsides, stripe of peeling blue masking tape between. It is only when you look closely at her owner – dressed as many a British yacht owner in faded polo T-shirt and paint-spattered deck shoes – that the identity of this boat becomes apparent. This is Suhaili , the first boat to ever circumnavigate the world non-stop; and this is her owner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

It is remarkable to think that such a doyen of the sailing world would be in the yard, getting grubby working on his boat. Isn’t Suhaili a national treasure, for one, protected for the nation, like the Cutty Sark or Mary Rose , in the purified air of a museum somewhere?

For a while she was: the 32ft bermudan-rigged, teak-built ketch (44ft length over spars) went on display at the National Maritime Museum Greenwich in 1997 but her planking started to shrink in the controlled atmosphere so Robin removed her in 2002.

For the past three years she has been on the hard of a Solent boatyard, slowly being restored back to her former glory – note, not modernised, but restored – ready for her owner to take her cruising again.

He does most of the work on Suhaili himself, with help from a shipwright and his grandson. When we arrive at the boat, he shouts from the hard: “I can’t hear the sander!”

“I’m sanding by hand!” comes the replying shout from inside the boat by Ralph, 16 – who certainly has enough dust covering him to prove it.

Suhaili is the only boat that Robin owns now, although he is contemplating buying another (we’ll come to that later).

He and a couple of friends built her in the early 1960s in a Bombay dockyard. “It took foreeever,” he says, stretching out the word to add emphasis. Her keel was laid in 1963 and she was finished in 1965, and sailed first, with a crew of three, comprising his brother Christopher and Heinz Fingerhut, to South Africa. Then, after her skipper took a break to earn some much-needed cash in Durban by stevedoring and captaining a trading coaster, the trio sailed her to Britain. Following his groundbreaking circumnavigation in the Sunday Times -sponsored Golden Globe race in 1968/9 she would go on to be cruised quietly by Knox-Johnston through the 1970s and 1980s.

And now she’s back in the yard, being put into tip-top condition ready for the start of the Golden Globe Race 2018, the event being held to mark the 50th anniversary of what Robin acknowledges is probably his biggest achievement – being the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world.

I’m not using journalistic licence when I say that you wouldn’t know, looking up at her on her stand on the hard, what this yacht was.

It is only when we climb up the ladder that we see how dated she is. The cockpit, by today’s standards of cruising boats, is remarkably exposed. There’s a flat teak deck, with a square pit in the centre, deep enough for sitting. There is no protective coaming, no sprayhood, no steadying grab-rail within easy reach of the helm.

The sheet winches – no self-tailers here – are tufnol originals, embossed with ‘Tuff Fittings’, and they are incredibly small, perhaps only four inches in diameter, and were fitted in the 1960s. “I went to Beaulieu Boat Jumble and picked up a spare,” he tells me. “It goes in my Suhaili box. There’s all kinds of things in there.”

The idea of Sir Robin riffling through odds and sods at the boat jumble is incongruous but actually here, sitting with him on the coach roof in his paint-speckled shoes in the August sunshine, I can well believe it – just another bearded bloke looking for bits for his boat… Click here to read Emma’s full article.

Sir Robin and Suhaili ’s return to racing will take place later this month when they compete in the Hamble Classic Regatta, 24 - 25 September. The anniversary Golden Globe Race will take place on June 14 2018, organised to mark exactly 50 years since he set off on his record setting voyage. In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition plans to replicate the technology and equipment which were available to Sir Robin at the time, known now as the ‘Golden Age’ of solo sailing. So far the race organisers have confirmed three Suhaili replicas are in build or planning phase, and 26 provisional entries have been named so far.

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SUHEYLA SULTAN

Tip:   Luxury motor sailor SUHEYLA SULTAN carries not only a name of a royal but also royal like facilities. She is state-of-the-art sailing yacht with 6 large double cabins, 4 of which are full beam double suites. Add to this large deck spaces full of luxury amenities for a fabulous, royal-like yachting vacation in the East Med and you have one set an eye on one of the most iconic traditional yachts in the Mediterranean!

About Luxury Gullet Yacht SUHEYLA SULTAN: Luxury Crewed charter yacht SUHEYLA SULTAN is one of the most luxurious motor sailors or gullet type of yachts of around 40m and available for fully customised private yacht charter cruises in the East Mediterranean and the Adriatic. Designed to represent a genuine member of a royal family, whose name she carries, this de-luxe gullet is certainly one of the most sublime options for anyone considering their vacation on sea within the East Mediterranean, preferably a private charter a la royal style. The SUHEYLA SULTAN luxury sailing yacht features a contemporary interior design with neutral and minimalistic yet elegant décor with high gloss woods, cream leather seats and large mirrors and windows throughout. With latest technology and all the required safety facilities added or updated during last refurbishment in 2009, spacious living areas and huge deck spaces the guests will be pleased when boarding her. The very spacious deck include aft deck with al-fresco dining table and fitted canvas bimini, while most of the forward deck on top of the cabin house, is reserved for sunbathing. Despite the traditional built styling, with her recent update and latest sailing and navigational gear on board including best classification, the yacht offers a very contemporary as well original and timeless feeling. This stylish gullet yacht will command a prestigious presence in all the anchorages and bays you will visit while on board of her. The super yacht crew of up to 6 always provide luxury five-star service to meet all the needs of private yacht charter guests and their visitors on board. They have their own separate accommodation and bathroom facilities and will be pleased to allow you to enjoy the magnificent Mediterranean food and climate, the traditional Turkish hospitality making your private de-luxe gullet vacation the most memorable, almost royal like experience ever.

Accommodation: Luxury Gullet Yacht SUHEYLA SULTAN can accommodate up to 12-14 guests in 6+1 luxuriously appointed en-suite cabins. The guests will have a total of 6 double cabins at their disposal. The master suite is uniquely based on main deck forward and it is spread across the full beam. The suite features a large King-size double bed, a sofa and vanity as well as all facilities required for a genuine luxury crewed yacht charter experience and fun and adventure filled, fully customized sailing vacation in the East Med which also includes large en-suite with Hot Tub. The VIP cabin or a second master is below deck with other cabins. She is also full beam with luxury facilities. The remaining double cabins also feature a French bed and luxury facilities with n additional 7 th cabin having a single bed. Two of these doubles are spread across full width of the yacht as two masters are!! All cabins are en-suite and with their own individual air con and audio-video entertainment systems and mini bar on top of obligatory granite shower stalls and luxury toilets, bidet and large mirrors in the master/vip cabins. The master suite on main deck also features a Jacuzzi with all cabins having a dressing table, wardrobes and setee as well. De-Luxe Gullet Yacht SUHEYLA SULTAN charter prices: SUHEYLA SULTAN super yacht charter prices start at 42,000 Euros per week in low season, while high season prices are as high as 49,000 Euros per week plus APA expenses as per regular MYBA terms. In some locations VAT can be charged on top and prices can be higher on special days such as NEW YEAR or during special events such as Boat shows.   Special offers, negotiated deals and last minute discounts are available on request.

Luxury motor yacht SUHEYLA SULTAN is fully air conditioned throughout. This is a non-smoking vessel. SUHEYLA SULTAN´s experienced super yacht charter crew of up to 6 including the captain, have a separate head and shower and companionway. Guests may not be allowed to bring pets on-board.

Luxury Gulet Yacht TENDER: Private charter yacht SUHEYLA SULTAN has a 6m super yacht tender with a 90hp engine De-luxe Gullet Yacht itineraries: Luxury Gullet Yacht SUHEYLA SULTAN is usually offering de-luxe private yacht charter cruises around the breathtaking East Mediterranean coastline throughout the year. Her favourite luxury crewed yacht charter destinations are Turkish Lycian coast and Croatian, Bosnian and Montenegrin Adriatic coastline. Luxury crewed yacht charter vacations and itineraries around Cyprus, Sporades and Halkidiki are also offered on a regular basis. One way and tandem charters in some parts of the West Mediterranean, Malta and Cyprus may also be offered on request. Please enquire !

Apart from the luxury goolet SUHEYLA SULTAN, a 131.2’ yacht charter boat , we at SuperSailYachts.com can offer a great selection of other superyachts available for luxury crewed yacht charter. These include motor yachts, sailing yachts, crewed charter yachts,luxury goolets, sailing and powercatamarans , de-luxe gullets or mega and giga yachts. For a detailed quote, please fill out the following YACHT CHARTER REQUEST FORM or contact our experienced and friendly Super Yacht Charter Team .

For more information, please contact us on +44 (0) 121 285 8010

Technical data

Specifications, accommodation, water sports.

Luxury Gullet Yacht SUHEYLA SULTAN has an a great selection of water sport toys on board. These include: - 1 x ZAR 53 tender with 115hp outboard - 1 x 3.2m/10’ Zodiac tender with 50hp outboard - Waverunner – licence may be required - Canoe, Sea Kayak, Windsurf - Wakeboard, water ski for adults and kids - SUP paddle boards on request - Spearfishing equipment on request - Inflatable and Towable toys - Water skis - Wakeboard - Snorkelling equipment - Fishing equipment - Rendez-vous diving only - Underwater camera – still or video on request - Large 18ft foldable Swimming platform aft ------------------------------------------- - Waverunner, Jet Ski’s, FlyJetBoard, Sea Bobs and other toys available on request. - Windsurf, Kayaks, SUP paddle boards, Mountain Bikes etc, available on request - Floating pools, Superyacht Water slides, Waterparks could be arranged on request - Giant inflatable MANTA RAY - Inflatable raft, toys and water animals, Halyard flying, Spinnaker pole swinging all on request - Cabanas, Trampolines, nets, balance beams, swings and slides or sea-rockers can be arranged on request - Submarine and Sub Aqua Toys, SeaBobs and other similar toys can be arranged on request - A massage therapist can be invited on board throughout the charter as well

Entertainment

Luxury gulet yacht SUHEYLA SULTAN has a good selection of entertainment facilities on board: This includes: - Cinema system with Projection screen in salon - Large SAT LCD TV/DVD in salon and all cabins - HiFi system, CD and MP3 Player - Extensive DVD / CD library - iPod / iPhone dock - Board games and cards - Rotating sun deck and Spa pool on deck - Games - Deck Jacuzzi with ozone treatment - Bar on deck - Water maker / Icemaker - Wi-Fi Turkcell on request - Underwater lights and windows Communication: - Radar - Autopilot - Marine VHF - SATCOM - GSM Mini M / Phone-Fax-E-mail - SSB radio - EchoSounder - EPIRB - Wi-Fi Turkcell or VIP - Internet, Fax/copier/scanner - Magnetic Compass & Mobil VHF Radio Charter Flights: On request, we can arrange private charter flights to the closest airports, including Bodrum and Dubrovnik and for all yacht charter guests on board of this yacht.

Luxury Airport transfers:                                  Luxury helicopter or limousine and de-luxe air-conditioned van transfers from any of the Turkish, Bosnian, Montenegrin or Croatian airports including Athens and Tivat, directly to the nearest bay or port for all our yacht charter guests, is available when required.

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• World Class motor sailor cruises in Red Sea, Arabian Gulf and Africa
• 40m royal-like SUHEYLA SULTAN gullet in the Adriatic!

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Gulet Yacht Suheyla Sultan

6 Cabins Crewed VIP Yacht Accommodates 12 Guests

Gulet Yacht Suheyla Sultan Description

The elegant Suheyla Sultan is a modern motor-sailing yacht and her long, her dark blue hull set herself apart from the traditional gulets. The interior is designed very modern, light, and stylish. The elegant décor, the creme-colored cushion pads, the high-gloss finished interior, and all technical and safety installations state-of-the-art make the Suheyla Sultan one of the most luxurious boats for an exquisite Blue Cruise holiday on the East Mediterranean coast.

As a luxury sailing yacht, Suheyla Sultan carries just six spacious cabins for up to twelve guests in her forty-meter hull – the main master cabin is housed on the main deck towards the front and enjoys the space of the full beam width with a king-size bed, a comfortable side couch, a vanity table, a jacuzzi and a beautifully designed bathroom with all necessary and practical features and a bathtub. The second luxurious master cabin is located with the other cabins below deck and is located in the stern, with a king-size bed positioned high with steps are leading up on both sides, and a side sofa and a vanity table. The two VIP double bed cabins enjoy similar generous space as the master cabins, and the other two cabins have a double bed and a single bed. All cabins have a mini-bar, large mirrors, wardrobes and separately adjustable air-conditioning, a TV and DVD- and music system and iPhone pods. The ensuite bathrooms of all cabins have granite walk-in showers, luxury toilets, bidets, washing basins, and shelves. On request, there is a seventh cabin with a bunk bed. The indoor salon is a comfortable and luxurious design with a long settee and a glass dining table with chairs, a bar, and a game- or coffee table and the large windows allow plenty of daylight. An LCD TV, DVD-and music system enable entertainment indoors and outdoors on the deck.

There is ample space for relaxation and sunbathing. The aft deck has generous space for the outdoor table around by seating benches for dining al fresco under the fixed awning, while on the foredeck full-length sunbeds are arranged and the arc of the cushioned seat in the forward bow invites social or quiet moments. Another favorite relaxation area is up on the flybridge where a long U-shaped comfortable seat surrounds a fold-out table suitable for seating, and dining, a cocktail bar with seating and a Spa Pool tub ideal for having a drink or enjoying the scenery as the Suheyla Sultan moves out splendidly under her full sailing rig or drops anchor in a quiet bay on the Turkish coast which the captain knows so well. In the aft a 18 meter squared folding swim platform facilitates access to the watersports.

The captain, chef, and crew of four on sailing boat Suheyla Sultan, who have their own quarters, are true hospitable professionals who will see to every service, meal and care of the guests and the yacht, to ensure the true luxury VIP gulet holiday aboard the Suheyla Sultan is enjoyed by all who are welcomed aboard to enjoy the sparkling seas of Turkey and the Greek Islands.

Gulet Yacht Suheyla Sultan Specifications

Gulet Yacht Suheyla Sultan - 2024 Charter Rates / Per Day

• Fuel for cruising up to 4 hours per day.
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• Water sport equipment and extra fuel expenses.
• Passengers cancellation and personal travel insurance.
• Airport Transfers (Can be arranged at an additional cost).
• Turkish transit log.
• Crew Gratuity (5-10% of charter fee).

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Suhaili 50 Falmouth, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston Returns to Visit Falmouth

Ever had an idea that grows and builds to become an obsession? Robin Knox-Johnston did, and on June 14th 1968 (a Friday, considered amongst sailors’ as an unlucky day to start a voyage!), he climbed aboard his 32 foot Bermudan Ketch, ‘Suhaili’, and recovering from illness (jaundice), with no sponsorship, crew, or certainty that the yacht would even make it, Robin set sail from Falmouth. His obsession being, to become the first person to sail solo, 30,000 miles around the globe, non-stop.

In 1967 Sir Francis Chichester circumnavigated the globe, only stopping once in Australia for a major refit, making him the first person to complete the longest ‘non-stop’ voyage. It was this that inspired Robin to take on the only great circumnavigation challenge left, to sail solo and entirely non-stop.

9 entrants took part, in an attempt to attain the purpose created, Sunday Times Golden Globe Trophy, for the first person to sail single handed and non-stop around the globe, and a £5.000 prize fund, for the fastest time. The rules were, entrants must set sail solo from anywhere in the British isles between June 1st and October 31st 1968, and return to the same port. Robin was the 3rd to depart.

For over 10 months, Robin battled through just about every weather condition imaginable, Suhaili suffered polluted water tanks, leaking seams, ripped sails, loss of self steering and for 8.5 months of the journey Robin sailed with no radio. It wasn’t until 1,200 nautical miles from home that a tanker sighted him using his signal lamp, this must have been a great relief for everyone wondering where he was after all this time.

On April 22nd 1969, Robin sailed back into Falmouth, and not only became the first person to circumnavigate the globe solo, but he also completed it in the fastest time, he donated the 5,000 prize to fellow competitor Donald Crowhursts family, after Crowhurst committed suicide during the race.

In the years that followed Robin has continued to compete, including completing three more circumnavigations. He has been awarded a CBE and received a knighthood in 1969 and now quite rightly, is known as Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

For several years, one of Britains most famous yachts was on display at the National Maritime Museum Greenwich, but the controlled atmosphere was having a detrimental effect on her planking. Sir Robin made the decision to remove her from the museum in 2002, and spent the next few years restoring her back to her original form. Sir Robin and Suhaili have since returned to racing together!

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Golden Globe Race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Suhaili will return to Falmouth, along with the Golden Globe 2018 fleet, on June 11th. The fleet will moor at the Falmouth haven Marina, next to Custom House Quay. The haven will be open between 11am & 2pm on the 11th & 12th June for the public to view the fleet.

The parade of sail led by Sir Robin and Suhaili, will take place on June 14th at 10 am, then at 13.30 pm the SITRaN charity race  from Pendennis Point to Les Sables d’lonne France will start. The first stage of the 50th anniesary Golden Globe Race commences on July 1st.

CLICK HERE for more information and full programme of events.

If you are looking for accommodation please take a look at our accommodation pages HERE

GETTING HERE

Falmouth is a very straight forward destination to reach by road, rail or by air.

GETTING ABOUT

Explore Falmouth in many different ways, including by bus, traing and by boat.

Falmouth is a destination for any taste, whether it is a beach holiday in Cornwall, a sailing trip or a cultural holiday.

View various web cameras in Falmouth and the surrounding areas to get a live view.

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Boat of the Week: The World’s Largest Sailing Ketch Doubles as a Luxury Home on the Water

The 283-foot vessel just happened to set a record for its size. the owner was more interested in seeing the world from a bespoke lap of luxury., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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The 282-foot Aquijo might be the largest high-performance sailing ketch in the world, but that wasn’t the primary goal of its design. The owner’s intention was to build a fast world cruiser that could sail to the ends of the earth, but just as importantly, have huge amounts of interior space that would make the sailing superyacht feel like home anywhere.

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Aquijo is a boat built for escapism. “The owner wanted to go and see the world on his yacht,” Gerhard Veldsman, her captain, told Robb Report.   “We’ve been around the world once already, and returned to Holland in early 2020 to complete the boat’s five-year survey. After Covid hit, everything changed.”

The plan had been to make a refit pit stop in the Netherlands before heading through the Northwest Passage to the Pacific, and then embarking on a second world circumnavigation. That voyage has been postponed until travel restrictions ease, or at least until a time when fragile countries are less vulnerable to the pandemic. “I doubt the vaccine will be available in the small island nations as quickly as everywhere else” says Veldsman. “So we’re just sitting tight.”

The owner wanted the same amount of interior space in his sailing yacht as similar-sized motoryachts.  Courtesy Edmiston

Built in 2016, Aquijo was an unusually complex sailing yacht, a collaboration between Oceanco and Vitters. Her owner is a seasoned sailor who first chartered every large, iconic sailing vessel out there, from the 289-foot Maltese Falcon and Enigma (when named Phocea ) to Mirabella V, before embarking on a design and build of his own yacht.

“His aim was to take the best design pieces out of each of those yachts to construct Aquijo ,” says Veldsman. “That included matching Maltese Falcon in size, but adopting a large bar on the aft deck with a beer tap.”

There’s no denying that Aquijo is a beast. She has 64,500-square-feet of sails. At full pelt, she reaches speeds in excess of 20 knots which, for a 1,600 gross-ton yacht, is an impressive sight to behold. “When you have a boat of Aquijo ’s size and weight traveling fast through water, you need a team of people who understand not only the principles of sailing but also what happens below deck in terms of the hydraulics.”

Courtesy Edmiston

Features like the indoor spa pool beneath the opening skylight are one of many features that make Aquijo a liveaboard yacht.

Aquijo has a significant amount of complex hydraulic power. Vitters’s knowledge in building large custom sailing boats was a primary reason for the owner selecting that shipyard in Zwartsluis, Holland. But at 282-feet, the boat was too big for Vitters to construct at its facilities. So, Vitters built the sailing systems, and Oceanco was chosen to build the hull and superstructure.

Exterior design was by Bill Tripp, with the contemporary interior by Dölker+Voges Design. Together with the owner, the designers conceived a sailing vessel matching a comparable-sized motoryacht for interior space. “Balancing the abilities of a lightweight, high-performance sailing yacht with all the space and luxury of a motoryacht is why Aquijo is the size that she is,” says Veldsman. “We had to go big to accomplish that.”

Aquijo pairs an efficient cruising hull with lots of weight in her lifting keel, the largest of its kind ever designed. With the keel down, the draft is an impressive 38 feet. “We once cruised up the Sicilian coast in 40 knots of wind, and all the motoryachts were turning around but we were able to sail through it,” says Veldsman.

The owner took different designs from other super sailing yachts for Aquijo and added features like the bar and al-fresco dining table.  Courtesy Edmiston

Notable design features include neon headboards, extensive deck space and a private owner’s terrace that takes you from bed to balcony in two steps. The 197-foot-high crow’s nest offers the best views on board. The beach club, with Jacuzzi below a main deck skylight, is one of the owner’s favorite spaces on board, particularly in colder climates. The boat’s 300-foot masts are too tall to travel through any canals, which means navigating the Polar regions to get to different continents. Vast, remote waters like those off the coast of Patagonia, where wind speeds can reach 70-plus knots, is where Aquijo comes into her own.

This summer, Aquijo is cruising around the Mediterranean, with charters in Turkey already confirmed through Edmiston, before heading to the Caribbean for winter.

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We are incredibly proud that our sailing flagship CeFeA, 111’ has been crowned Winner of the Yacht Design and Innovation Awards for the best sailing yacht design of the year 2021 – and that’s not all: the judges at last night’s Boat International World Superyacht ceremony have also selected CeFeA as the Judge’s Commendation Sailing Yacht 2021. The largest Solaris sailing yacht has definitely left its mark among the line-up of contemporary performance cruisers.

How it all started

Marc Giorgetti, a European entrepreneur, is a sailing passionate since his childhood. Meeting the Solaris boats, he declared: “I found a shipyard that designs and builds boats for those who sail, made up of real sailors, people attentive to seafaring, functionality, comfort in navigation rather than appearance and life in port. I had already owned boats from other prestigious European shipyards, but none of these showed me such attention to those internal and external details that guarantee comfort and safety even when the boat heels and in all sea conditions as I found at Solaris. And so, I fell in love with it”.

Since 2008 Marc Giorgetti has been committed as a shareholder in the development of the company, working hard and achieving truly exceptional results.

Since then, sales have multiplied by ten and today the Group is represented by 52 dealers worldwide with a consolidated turnover of € 56 million, 70% of which consists of exports, to which € 20 millions of CNB turnover must be added, for a total of € 76 million. Furthermore, Solaris Yachts has conquered the European leadership in the high-end fast-cruiser sailing sector.

Solaris has now become Solaris Group divided into four divisions differentiated by product and market of competence, but united by the outstanding quality:

•    Solaris Yachts: manufacturer of fast-cruisers from 40 to 80 feet; •    CNB Yacht Builders: recently acquired from the Bénéteau Group, manufacturer of ocean-going sailing boats from 60 to 90 feet; •    Performance Boats: high-end carbon hyper-technological maxi sailing yachts builder; •    Solaris Power: manufacturer of open and lobster motor yachts from 40 to 80 feet.

These different product lines materially express the will of the Solaris Group to affirm in each sector all the design, technical and construction characteristics that are its own and which give the boats exceptional qualities: seaworthiness, strength and stiffness and last but not least comfort in navigation. This is the hallmark of the Group, the main characteristic of each of the four companies and the underlying reason that has led to its success.

The famous build quality will be maintained and even further improved. The company will keep its focus on creating exclusive and highly customizable yachts for the expert owners.

Upcoming models in development

Solaris Yachts 

The range of fast-cruisers has been enriched this year with two new models:

•    40 feet, smart all-rounder with all the famous attributes •    60 feet, avant-garde mini-maxi.

Solaris 40 is a very advanced 12 meters designed by Javier Soto Acebal, with many features that characterize hull performance and navigation comfort. The hull features a short chine ending mid ship. The highly buoyant bow is compensated by the extremely wide stern. The cockpit is extremely large. The two helm stations located full width allow the helmsman to steer even while the sprayhood is open. The interiors, created with the contribution of the architect Patrick Roséo, thanks to the shapes of the hull, are the largest in the category and offer truly innovative design.

The Solaris 60 water lines represent the latest design evolution by Javier Soto Acebal applied to the size of 18 meters, which guarantee a perfectly balanced hull, high performance also in regattas, and smooth open ocean navigation, plus all the standards of the exclusive Solaris construction technique. Solaris 60 was born from the concept of giving life to a high-performance fast cruiser that challenges racing boats, with an overall length of 18.31 meters. Solaris 60 will be a strong competitor in the Mini-Maxi circuit, whose main event is every year in Porto Cervo. A fundamental innovation of Solaris 60 is in the cockpit, where the helm station are at full width, as on the 40, allowing the helmsman to steer the boat outside the encumbrance of the sprayhood and to always have in view the luff of the jib. The position of the helm station allows to lower the lifelines in the stern part and raise them at the two steps to get on the side decks, a solution usually used only in boats over 140 feet. Aft, different seats are available for maneuvering and steering in different sea conditions, even when seated.

Both boats are equipped with a self-tacking jib and can be handled by a minimum crew even of just two people. They are on display and can be visited in the sailing section of Port Canto at the SAIL170 stand and SAIL032 moorings.

From 2022 the production of the CNB 66 and CNB 76 will be progressively transferred to the Solaris Yachts production site in Aquileia, where a plant completely dedicated to CNB is under construction. The synergy between the two production philosophies, Solaris Yachts fast-cruiser aimed at owners oriented to performance cruising and CNB aimed at owners not only looking for maximum comfort, but also lovers of long-range ocean navigation, will from now on go to advantage of the development of new models, respecting the identities of the two brands. 

The CNB 8X will be unveiled in a few weeks, leading the way for a new era of CNB yachts. Thanks to the union with Solaris Yachts, the future of CNB yachts fits into a more dynamic and reactive structure, more suitable to support this exclusive market. A calibrated tool for the production of small series with a high level of quality and customization for each boat. 

Performance Boats 

Solaris builds custom maxi yachts at the cutting edge of technology. Since 2012 the yard has launched several units around 100’ for the Wally brand and has built three maxi sailing yachts for Solaris Yachts, the latest of 111′, CeFeA, for Marc Giorgetti. Currently under construction is a hyper-technological 100-footer whose hull, deck and bulkheads are contained in the incredible weight of only 11,550 kilograms. With a ballast of a total weight of 21,400 Kg, composed by the lifting keel of 5,100 Kg and by the bulb of 16,300 Kg the furnished boat arrives to a final displacement of 50,000 Kg.

Performance Boats uses pre-preg carbon technology, even in high modulus, which combines the best weight control with the stiffness and quality of the product. Also the smallest detail is made in full carbon.

The division is equipped with one of the largest and most technologically advanced post-cure ovens in Europe measuring 40 x 11 x 5 meters, which can reach temperatures up to 90° C heated by diathermic oil, in which it is possible to carry out work on hulls up to 40 meters.

Performance Boats has a very advanced interior fitting department, capable of producing ultra-light furniture with aeronautical technology on a mold with pre-impregnated Kevlar or aluminum honeycomb materials.

A team of highly skilled and experienced international technicians from Great Britain, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal and Spain work alongside the Italian team of Performance Boats.

• Solaris Power

It made its debut in 2018 with the modern re-edition of the lobster boat, a traditional New England lobster fishing boat, combining the charm and elegance of a historic boat with the Group’s technology. This philosophy has led to a new milestone in performance, behavior at sea, technology and stylistic research. The result is yachts with a unique personality that stand out for their elegance, originality and performance at the top of the category, which are also very popular among the sail lovers. The open range has been developed on the hulls of the lobster versions, which re-proposes the same marine qualities in a more Mediterranean key, conceived for owners who love to sail.

The range of the power open and lobster boats is enriched by the new 44 Open, which actually before being presented to the public here in Cannes, where you can visit it at the stand QSP 151 – mooring QSP 026, has achieved considerable sales success with 10 units delivered. The 44 Open model offers the largest outdoor living area in the category.

Also on its way is the new Solaris Power 40 Open which will be presented at the next “boot” in Düsseldorf 2022 and the flagship 60 Open, which will touch the water in 2023, is at its final stage of design.

At the Solaris Power stand you can see the 48 Open, winner of the European Powerboat of the Year 2020 award, the comfortable lobster version of the same hull and the Lobster 57 model at anchor in Cannes’ bay.

The outlook for the year 2022 is to grow in all segments, thanks to the new models of each company, and the fact that the production of the nautical year Sept 21 – Aug 22 is already almost sold out. The expansion of the sales and service network, which today counts 52 points between Europe, USA, Russia, Asia, and Australia is in continuous development.

• Performance Boats
• Solaris boats
• Solaris Yachts

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How hybrid sailing yachts finally became a feasible option

• May 17, 2019

They’ve been a long time coming, but marine hybrid propulsion systems are finally a working reality, as Sam Fortescue reports

The Bootswerft Heinrich-built 13m Yamila uses an Oceanvolt electric motor rather than a diesel engine. Photo: Peter Minder

Every sailor is familiar with the wet cough of the diesel engine, and the acrid smell of its exhaust. For some it’s the sign that an adventure is starting, for others it is the reassurance that all is well on board the boat. The traditional engine is perhaps your boat’s most important safety feature, but its days may be numbered.

The electric sailing revolution is coming – and though adoption in the marine sector is proving much slower than in the automotive world ashore, progress is being made.

The market is still relatively small. Clear market leader Torqeedo had sales of €25m last year, most of which was in ferries and compact outboards. It also offers a range of saildrive and pod drive motors for yachts displacing from 2 to 50 tonnes, or roughly 20-60ft LOA.

But sailors have been slow on the uptake, and for one good reason: if you’re planning to cross an ocean or take on tough conditions offshore, you rely on your engine to help you outrun danger or motor through the doldrums – sometimes for days at a time.

Oceanvolt AXC series is a modular shaft drive system (10kW to 40kW) that will fit in place of a tradition diesel engine

Even with the current crop of advanced lithium-ion boat batteries , the range of an electric system is measured in tens of miles, not hundreds. So a 35ft monohull with 10kWh of lithium battery (four units weighing 96kg in total) would have a range of just 24 nautical miles at 3.8 knots, or less than 16 nautical miles at full throttle.

Taking into account the incredible wastage of combustion engines, which dissipate more energy as heat and noise than they provide in propulsion, diesel is still ten times more energy dense than batteries.

Full-carbon luxury daysailer Yamila uses an Oceanvolt SD8 8kW electric saildrive system. Photo: Tobias Stoerkle

“When you look at bluewater cruisers, of course you will have a diesel,” says Torqeedo’s founder and CEO, Dr Christoph Ballin. “And it’s right that not many coastal sailors opt for pure electric.”

But that doesn’t mean that electric has no interest for cruising sailors – far from it. The more common route for ‘normal’ sailors will be to combine diesel and electric in a hybrid sailing system.

Under this model, the engine is replaced by an electric motor, hooked up to a bank of lithium batteries. This can be charged via hydrogeneration – when the speed under sail turns the propeller and puts charge back into the batteries – and solar or wind. But when extended periods under power are required a standalone DC generator, which can be installed anywhere on board, supplies the electricity.

This is the set-up recommended by Finland’s Oceanvolt, which has focused on the cruising sailing market with a range of shaft and sail drive motors from 3.7kW to 15kW (roughly 10hp to 45hp in diesel engine terms).

“In the case of the round-the-world cruiser, we recommend a hybrid system with a backup genset to support continuous drive when/if needed,” says Oceanvolt CEO Markus Mustelin. “A regenerating prop, which spins while sailing and recharges the batteries (sacrificing 0.2-0.4 of a knot, depending on the boat and conditions) makes it possible to be almost independent of the genset and use it only for backup.”

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This system has the advantage that the generator is only needed on longer passages, so the boat still manoeuvres silently in and out of ports and anchorages.

And a well-designed, correctly sized generator is much more efficient at turning diesel into electricity than an engine not originally designed for the job. Some sailors opt for an in-line hybrid system, like those offered by Hybrid-Marine, which bolts onto the existing diesel.

These are easier to retrofit, with many of the same characteristics as the full hybrid system, but there’s the disadvantage of still having an engine boxed away somewhere near the middle of the boat.

Electro magnetism

Until now, most business has been done through retrofitting existing yachts. But an increasing number of yacht builders are looking to include electric propulsion as original equipment. The world’s third largest boatbuilder, Hanse Yachts , is perhaps the most advanced – offering its entry-level Hanse 315 with an electric rudder-drive option.

The system takes up less space than the standard diesel, is much quieter and vibration- and emissions-free. But Hanse admits take up has been disappointing.

The technology has found more interest among lake sailors. Innovative young German brand Bente has been fitting Torqeedo motors to its successful 24ft model, originally designed for Germany’s ‘Green Lakes’.

Closer to home, dinghy specialist RS Sailing has decided to fit a retractable electric drive to its new RS21 keelboat. Already christened the ‘invisible gennaker’, the system is based on Torqeedo’s Travel 1003 outboard motor.

Bigger race boats have also been attracted by the lure of low-weight propulsion. Just look at Malizia , an IMOCA 60 being prepared for the 2020 Vendée Globe with a lightweight Torqeedo system.

“Emissions-free round the world under race conditions, while simultaneously producing your own energy, is a thoroughly inspirational concept,” said Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann.

Electric has also been successful at the luxury end of the market, where lithium-ion batteries account for a smaller share of the boat’s overall cost. A 50ft Privilege 5 catamaran and a carbon fibre Gunboat 60 have both been retrofitted with Torqeedo kit, while Oceanvolt appears on a Swan 57 and an all-carbon Agile 42.

Overview of the Torqeedo Deep Blue propulsion system installed in the Gunboat Moonwave

The Gunboat Moonwave has two 25kW Deep Blue saildrives both capable of regenerating under sail. There is still a generator on board to extend battery range offshore, but “they no longer use the generator – it’s just for emergency,” says Torqeedo’s Ballin.

Spirit Yachts is also designing electric propulsion into its Spirit 111  flagship, due for launch this summer. With four big 40kW lithium batteries aboard and a 100kW motor, the yacht will be able to operate silently for hours, although it also has 100kW of diesel generator capacity.

“The real focus is not the propulsion,” explains Spirit director Nigel Stuart, “but that everything works in harmony, from galley equipment and hot water to heating, air conditioning, hydraulics etc.” The British yard is also building a 65-footer using Oceanvolt hybrid technology and a new 44-footer that is pure electric.

With racing on one hand and high-end cruisers on the other, there is something of a gap in the middle. By Torqeedo’s own admission, the cruising sailor hasn’t been a big focus of the electric revolution, but all that is about to change. “We started a bit late with sailing,” Ballin admits, “but in the next five to eight years it will be addressed big time.”

Fully integrated electric drive system will power the new 111ft Spirit Yachts flagship

What does that really mean? Well, in the first instance, it means system integration. If that doesn’t sound revolutionary, then imagine a set-up on board where solar panels, hydrogenerators, batteries, generators and motors all worked seamlessly together to keep the yacht supplied with ample power around the clock. “That’s what people are willing to pay for: plenty of energy with heating or air-con through the night,” says Ballin.

The future of hybrid sailing

In the near future, Torqeedo is planning a new range-extending DC generator specifically for hybrid sailing boats. Its existing unit is built by WhisperPower and provides 25kW, which is too much power for boats using the pod drive system.

The genset will be designed to operate at optimum revolutions, while clever DC to DC conversion decouples the battery voltage from the charging voltage, for much greater efficiency.

With boats, just as with cars, the breakthrough that will make all the difference is around battery capacity. Until range under electric power can match that of diesel, there will be many sceptics. And that isn’t likely to happen for a decade or more, according to Ballin.

“Theoretically, they’ve tested batteries in labs that are ten times more efficient than lithium,” he explains. “And if that comes through, then gasoline is done. But we are trying to combine long-term vision with short-term mindset.”

In the meantime, the prevalent technology is based on lithium-manganese-cobalt, and a process of steady development is making this 5-8% better each year. For example, BMW has just announced its next generation i3 battery, used by Torqeedo’s Deep Blue system, will be able to hold 40kWh of power – an increase of 33% for the same size, weight and nearly the same cost.

Torqeedo Cruise 2.0 FP Pod Drive is suitable for small yachts up to 4 tonnes – a folding prop can also be fitted

The other area of development is around the propeller. Most cruising systems use a folding or feathering prop designed for diesel engines. But Torqeedo’s own research shows that the consistently high torque of an electric motor is best utilised by props with variable pitch.

And yet it is Oceanvolt that has addressed this issue specifically for electric motors with its Servo Prop system, which it claims to be 30% more efficient ahead, 100% better astern and 300% more efficient in regeneration mode.

Oceanvolt says that this prop can pump around 500W into the batteries at just 5 knots – the average pace of a 30ft monohull. At 6 knots that rises to around 800W, and at a very manageable 7 knots for a larger ocean cruiser you get 1.2kW.

“A new technology can rarely compete in price with an established one in its initial growth phase,” says Mustelin. “However, we have passed this and today electric systems are offered at a quite competitive price. When you add to that the fact the electric system is almost service free, the total cost of ownership is turning in favour of electric.”

So, you may not hear them approach, but expect to see more and more electric-powered boats on the water as the revolution continues.

A question of torque

A key part of the viability of electric propulsion rests on the notion that a smaller motor can achieve the same work as a bigger diesel. There are two elements to this. First, a diesel engine is not an efficient converter of chemical energy into thrust, creating a lot of heat and noise in the process. Second, the torque characteristics of electric are much better than diesel.

Mustelin says that Oceanvolt’s 10kW motor “easily outperforms” a 30hp diesel. “Typically, maximum boat speed will be somewhat lower (0.5kt-1.0kt) than with a comparable diesel engine, but at the same time the boat will maintain the speed better in heavy seas and headwind due to higher torque. Manoeuvrability is much better in confined marina spaces.”

That’s because combustion engines only reach peak power (and maximum torque) over a small range of speeds. Torque is a measure of turning power – at the propeller in the case of a boat.

A diesel engine develops optimum torque between 1,800-2,000rpm, while electric motors deliver it from 0 to around 2,000rpm. This allows electric motors to use higher efficiency propellers that are slimmer and more steeply pitched.

Engine-driven: The ‘alternator on steroids’

It has taken years of development and over $10m of funding, but renowned boat systems expert Nigel Calder has helped design an alternator so powerful that it eliminates the need for a generator on board.

Mounted on the engine, on the second alternator position, the Integrel can produce five to ten times more power. Sitting behind the system is at least 10kWh of lead acid batteries (lithium is also an option), and Victron chargers and inverters.

“If you crank the engine it’ll charge the batteries; if you’re running with the engine in neutral, it’ll know it’s in standalone generator mode and switch to that algorithm,” explains Calder. “It will likely be cheaper than a generator installation, and eliminates the issue of the through-hulls, the cooling circuits, the long running hours, the maintenance.”

The system allows you to run all sorts of creature comforts on board that would normally require a generator: from hot water on-demand to coffee makers and freezers. “We honestly believe that this system is going to supplant generators on almost all boats that currently have, or would like to have, a generator,” adds Calder.

With the engine in gear and at low revs, tests show how the Integrel can produce some 2kW of power without increasing fuel consumption or reducing speed – simply utilising the engine’s wasted capacity. This means it will work with the yacht’s existing engine – no need to overspec – and it has already been successfully installed on a new Southerly 480, a Malo 46 and a similar-sized Hallberg-Rassy.

Case study: Dufour 382 Alcyone

Built by Dufour in 2016, Alcyone was immediately retrofitted professionally with Oceanvolt’s SD15 saildrive motor, supplied by a 14kWh lithium battery bank. Owners Michael Melling and Diana Kolpak also specced an 8kWh DC generator for range extension. The fit out cost €30,600 for the motor and battery system, plus an additional €13,744 for the generator, and installation costs were around €8,000.

They charter the boat out near Vancouver, for exploring Desolation Sound and the surrounding area where silent, clean propulsion is a selling point. “Nothing spoils the joy of sailing – or a secluded anchorage – more than the noise and smell of diesel engines,” they explained. “Installing an Oceanvolt system in our new boat has freed us from that. It’s the way of the future.”

Charter manager Merion Martin said the conversion has also been popular with charter customers, adding: “The main advantage of the system is that it consistently uses around 40% less fuel than a standard diesel engine over the course of a week’s charter. But understanding the power management system takes a bit of getting used to, and the many components involved in the system can make troubleshooting a challenge.”

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Putin-Linked Superyacht May Elude Sanctions, by Setting Sail

The Italian police are in a race to finish investigating a $700 million vessel thought to be the Russian president’s — before it’s out of their reach.

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By Gaia Pianigiani and Michael Forsythe

• May 4, 2022

MARINA DI CARRARA, Italy— The Italian police are in a race to finish investigating the ownership of a $700 million superyacht, which U.S. officials say is linked to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, before the vessel is put to sea and able to elude possible sanctions.

They may be running out of time.

After spending months dry-docked in the Tuscan port of Marina di Carrara, the 459-foot vessel, called the Scheherazade, was put into the water again on Tuesday. Crew members milled about topside as water slowly filled the dry dock. The British captain, who had previously spoken to reporters, did not respond to questions.

A former crew member said that the ship could be ready to sail immediately, but that first it was likely to undergo sea trials to check its equipment — common for a ship that has been under repair and, in this case, in port since September.

The Scheherazade has so far avoided the fate of some luxury yachts linked to powerful Russians, which have been seized in the effort by the European Union, Britain and the United States to go after the wealth of oligarchs and officials in Mr. Putin’s inner circle in response to the Ukraine invasion. In March, the Scheherazade’s captain, Guy Bennett-Pearce, said the vessel’s owner — whom he didn’t identify — was not on any sanctions list. The Italian media reported that the owner was Eduard Khudainatov, an oil tycoon not currently under sanctions. He is a longtime associate of Igor Sechin, a close Putin ally and chairman of the Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft, who is believed to be the owner of a superyacht seized in March.

Mr. Khudainatov’s ownership of the Scheherazade could not be independently verified. If indeed he is the owner, it may be only on paper. His name has also come up in the case of another superyacht, The Associated Press earlier reported: the Amadea , which shares an exterior designer, interior designer and builder with the Scheherazade. On Tuesday, Fiji’s highest court gave the United States permission to seize the $325 million Amadea, which has been held in the South Pacific nation since last month. According to an American official, the vessel’s owner is Suleiman A. Kerimov , a billionaire gold magnate from Russia who has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018; defense lawyers claim the true owner is Mr. Khudainatov, The Associated Press reported.

The former Scheherazade crew member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of a nondisclosure agreement that workers on the ship signed, had never heard of Mr. Khudainatov and said it was openly discussed onboard that the Scheherazade’s real owner was Mr. Putin. Soon after The Times first wrote about the Scheherazade in early March, U.S. officials said the yacht had ties to Mr. Putin, without offering specifics. A team of journalists working for the jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny obtained a list of crew members and found that many of them were employees of the Russian agency that guards Mr. Putin.

A spokeswoman for Italy’s financial police, which has been leading the national and international inquiry into the Scheherazade’s ownership, said that, should the vessel leave before their investigation concluded, there would be nothing that authorities could do to stop it.

Three port workers said that the authorities appeared to be keeping an eye on the yacht, which has been adjacent to a police station and the Coast Guard while in dry dock; a police helicopter makes daily fly-bys, they said. The workers, who were not authorized to speak to the press, asked that their names not be disclosed.

A retired shipyard employee, Roberto Franchi, said that if the Scheherazade “is floating, it can move relatively quickly.”

It isn’t clear where the ship would go, but the movements of Russian-owned superyachts that have successfully dodged American, European Union or British sanctions offer some possibilities. Two vessels that belong to the billionaire Roman Abramovich, who faces British and E.U. sanctions, have been in Turkish waters for weeks. Others have loitered in the Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean. The Nord, owned by the billionaire Alexei Mordashov, went much farther afield, arriving at the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok at the end of March, according to data from Marine Traffic, which tracks vessels.

Those superyachts escaped the fate of the Amadea and a growing list of others, including Sailing Yacht A, owned by the billionaire Andrey Melnichenko and impounded by the Italian police in March; and the Crescent, sister ship of the Scheherazade, impounded in Spain. Reuters, citing a person in the Spanish police, reported that the Crescent was believed to belong to Mr. Sechin.

Here in Marina di Carrara, port workers and other people with access to the shipyard saw a flurry of activity by the Scheherazade’s crew: removing the white plastic screens that protected the decks during the repairs, cleaning the ship, loading supplies. Last week, they said, fuel trucks filled the vessel’s enormous tanks, while crew members carefully moved wrapped cases onboard.

As the sun set on Tuesday, a young couple had their aperitivo drinks at a bar overlooking the shipyard.

“Look, Putin’s yacht is still here,” Massimo Giovi, a 25-year old student, joked. “If that goes, it will change the skyline here.”

Julian Barnes contributed reporting.

Gaia Pianigiani is a reporter based in Italy for The New York Times.  More about Gaia Pianigiani

Michael Forsythe is a reporter on the investigations team. He was previously a correspondent in Hong Kong, covering the intersection of money and politics in China. He has also worked at Bloomberg News and is a United States Navy veteran. More about Michael Forsythe

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A U.N. commission said it had uncovered new evidence of widespread torture of Ukrainian prisoners  held by Russian security forces, detailing a range of what it described as Russian war crimes, including summary executions and sexual violence.

Ukrainian authorities said that a Russian missile attack on Odesa  had killed a t least 20 people and had injured 73 others , the latest in a series of deadly air assaults on the southern Ukrainian port city.

Targeting Russia’s Oil Industry: With its army short of ammunition and troops to break the deadlock on the battlefield, Kyiv has increasingly taken the fight beyond the Ukrainian border, attacking oil infrastructure deep in Russian territory .

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Payne: Sailing the screen-tastic Lincoln Nautilus land yacht

Palm Springs — Welcome to the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus. Call it the Lincoln Not-like-any-cabin-you’ve-seen-before.

A handsome, high-definition 48-inch screen wraps the front cabin from A-pillar to A-pillar. Like the twin screen sitting on your office desktop, its expanded space allows you to run multiple applications. Which means you can keep your eyes on the road while scanning information including speed, navigation map, Sirius XM channels, range and more.

Cruising hands-free in Blue Cruise down Interstate 10, I rested my hands on my knees and settled back in the comfy leather thrones. Ahhh, a comfortable day at the office.

With its emphasis on quiet luxury (current slogan: “Power of Sanctuary”), Lincoln has been about comfortable cabins rather than carving corners. Let Bimmer, Alfa and Caddy fly around Nürburgring setting lap records, Lincoln wants to fly you First Class. Now, with its Lincoln Digital Experience, the brand has created a high-tech environment to rival other transformative interiors from Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS and Cadillac Lyriq.

I first saw a pillar-to-pillar design on the Byton M-Byte, a Chinese electric vehicle, at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. It was a showstopper. Byton promised its 48-inch jumbotron would come to market in 2020. Didn’t happen.

With Nautilus, this is Lincoln’s chance to shine. At a dealer in North Miami Beach recently, I heard audible gasps from customers as they opened the Nautilus doors. I haven’t seen butts jump into seats so fast since the Model S screen wowed at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

Tesla opened boutique stores at high-end malls (think Somerset) across the country so casual shoppers could try on their interiors as easily as fitting pants at J.McLaughlin. Lincoln, which has dabbled in the boutique store market, should do the same.

The 48-inch display works as well in practice as it looks. Like a TV screen paired with remote control, the touchless jumbotron is controlled via a console-mounted 11-inch tablet. Lincoln’s native navi system is run by Google — like Android Auto — and either can be used in the panoramic display’s center.

“Hey, Google, navigate to Idyllwild,” I barked, and the route populated the command tablet and megascreen. I gripped the wheel and eased into Palm Springs traffic for my trip to the San Jacinto Mountains.

The simple steering wheel (Tesla simple and square like a Corvette C8) is slick. It’s squared-off so as not to obstruct the megascreen. Like a head-up display, instrument and navigation information is always in your line of sight. The wheel’s simple interface is anchored by twin touchpads (Tesla uses scroll wheels): volume on the right, adaptive cruise control to the left. It shames over-engineered, button-infested wheels like Mercedes.

My instinct was to glance at the closer console pad for directions, but, with time, my eyes focused on the big screen. Its right half contains three more “pages,” which I filled with radio, trip information and clock. Want to change the selection to include tire pressure? Simply drag ‘n’ drop the icon on the command screen and — bingo! — it's mirrored on the megascreen. A muscular Qualcomm chip makes for smartphone-fast touch speeds, a key to Tesla’s early popularity.

Also like Tesla, the Lincoln system is so cool you forgive Nautilus its dissonate notes.

Lincoln’s engine lineup is weak compared to competitors like Genesis and Mercedes (more on that later). Blue Cruise drive assist is sketchy — turning off multiple times during my interstate test. And there’s a wonky Drive Mode button on the console that doesn’t actually control the modes — it just gives you access to them in the command screen. It’s an awkward process not unlike Tesla’s two-button chore to open the glovebox. Happily, most Lincoln drivers will rarely use SPORT mode. Nautilus is no BMW M4.

Like the Bimmer, however, Nautilus is gas-powered. Lincoln teased a Star Concept EV two years ago, but has resisted the Sirens’ call to full-electrification like other small premium brands. Instead of tearing up its playbook, Lincoln’s refining it.

Nautilus’s state-of-the-art interior is executed atop a familiar gas-powered drivetrain lineup. Customers (Nautilus is part of an SUV family including Corsair, Aviator and Navigator) prize the “utility” in sports utility vehicle for summer trips up north or out west.

For all of Tesla’s innovation, the Silicon Valley brand copied Lincoln’s electronic button transmission for its 2024 Model 3 Highland. Tesla’s shifter buttons, naturally, are in the screen, whereas Lincoln offers hard buttons on the console. I played them like piano keys, shifting the DRIVE button with my middle finger and the REVERSE button with my forefinger as I backed in and out of a parking space.

Once on the road, my hybrid turbo-4 cylinder purred along — a distant heartbeat from the hush-quiet cabin wrapped in acoustic glass and insulation. Despite the premium ride, the engine is Nautilus’s weak link.

The base 2.0-liter sounds like the Ford Escape egg-beater it’s shared with, and the hybrid lacks the visceral authority of a Detroit machine. Genesis, Acura, BMW — even Mazda’s premium CX-70/CX-90 — offer six-cylinder mills. Lincoln follows Lexus to hybrid fours, and it’s worth the $1,500 upcharge over the base engine. Coupled with a smooth CVT transmission, the battery provides good low-rev torque-fill to offset turbo lag.

Also worth the extra cents are the seven cabin scents on offer.

The electronic scent cartridges — standard Mystic Forest, Ozonic Azure, Violet Cashmere and additional Cloud Balsam, Serene Seashore, Twilight Embers and Sunlight Retreat — are loaded, three at a time, into a hidden chamber beneath the armrest. I hesitated at dispensing them, fearing my cabin would be doused in incense.

But the odors were mild and pleasant and complemented my refreshing interstate drive.

Passengers will enjoy the ride, too, as Nautilus offers best-in-class rear legroom (43.1 inches) and a giant panoramic roof so they can enjoy the treetops/sky/stars overhead. The hybrid’s 600-mile range will get you to Mackinaw City and back without ever having to stop at a gas station. Or, ahem, sit at an electric charger.

This rolling yacht is wrapped in a bold Lincoln exterior, including soft-squeeze, Packard-like door handles along the shoulder line. Mirroring the brand’s signature horizontal rear taillight, the front LED lamp now wraps ‘round the front. Lincoln also is hell on wheels (remember the turbine wheels on the Navigator?) and offers head-turning 22s that come with the Jet Package.

Big as it is, Nautilus sweats the little things.

Start with the door handles, then note the no-cap gas filler and double-pull hood tab under the dash so you don’t have to fish around the engine bay for the hood latch.

Buy it and you’ll be that guy giving neighbors interior tours.

Next week: 2024 Ford Ranger

2024 Lincoln Navigator

Vehicle type: Gas-powered, all-wheel drive, five-passenger luxury SUV

Price: $52,210, including $1,595 destination charge (as tested)

Powerplant: 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline 4-cylinder; hybrid-electric drivetrain with 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline 4-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed transmission (2.0L); CVT (hybrid)

Weight: 4,517 pounds (hybrid, as tested)

Power: 250 horsepower, 280 pound-feet torque (2.0L); 295 horsepower, 310 pound-feet torque (hybrid)

Performance: 0-60 mph, NA; towing, 1,750 pounds

Fuel economy: EPA est. 21 city/29 highway/24 combined (2.0L); 30 city/31 highway/30 combined (2.0L);

Report card

Highs: Inspired interior tech, roomy, detailed design

Lows: Uninspired 4-cylinder engine lineup; Blue Cruise a work-in-progress

Overall: 4 stars

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at [email protected] or @HenryEPayne