We were intrigued when we first heard about Silent Yacht, a company that builds the world’s first solar-powered yachts. Could a yacht run entirely on solar power without sacrificing luxury? What happens when the sun isn’t shining? To answer these questions, we flew to the crystal-clear waters of Mallorca to experience life aboard one of these cutting-edge vessels.
Inside a Solar Powered Yacht
The interior of the yacht was light and airy, making it feel like we were inside a cozy Airbnb and not a boat in the middle of the ocean. Silent Yachts are designed with the intent that people will be living on them full-time, so they include many amazing amenities to make everyone feel right at home. Some of the things we were most impressed by were:
- Outdoor Living: Spacious decks featuring endless seating options for meals, sunbathing, and relaxing.
- 4 Private Cabins: Each bedroom has its own ensuite bathroom and plenty of storage.
- Modern Amenities: Like air conditioning and a washer and dryer.
- A Full Kitchen: Including a stove, freezer, refrigerator, and dishwasher.
Remember, every single thing on this yacht is powered 100% by the solar panels, from the dishwasher to the air conditioning. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from being the owners of a partially solar powered Sprinter van it’s that this yacht has got to use a lot of solar energy.
How Does It Work?
When Michael Köhler, the founder of Silent Yacht, first came up with the idea for a solar-powered yacht, everyone told him it was impossible – but he proved them wrong.
I’ll avoid the super technical talk, but basically the yacht’s solar panels generate power and store them in batteries underneath the yacht’s floorboards. There are more than 2,000 pounds of batteries storing 200 kWh – that’s twice the capacity of Tesla’s most advanced battery.
The boat’s energy is free, renewable, and almost endless because the solar power is constantly getting pulled into the boat. Even on a cloudy day, the boat is still able to generate energy and you almost never have to worry about using too much AC or forgetting to turn off a light.
Life on the Yacht
Sailing on one of the Silent Yachts is a luxury that is almost impossible to describe. We spent our stay cruising around the rugged Mallorca coast, snorkeling in turquoise blue waters, and exploring hidden beaches. After drying off on the sunny deck, we enjoyed meals cooked by the private chef while watching other mega yachts glide around the coastline. There was spicy Thai curry, a Mallorcan version of Korean BBQ, and creamy chocolate mousse, all made with the freshest ingredients.
It was incredible how much power the solar panels provided. With the solar panels on our Sprinter van, we can boil one kettle of water before the battery is drained. On the yacht, we had air conditioning, refrigeration, and a TV all powered by the yacht with no problem. Thanks to the solar power, the yacht drove completely silently, and all we could hear was the peaceful sound of waves hitting the boat.
Between meals and dips in the sea, we took the jet ski out for a spin, sipped wine on the deck, and watched every sunrise and sunset over the Mediterranean. It’s a hard job testing out these yachts, but someone’s got to do it…
Final Thoughts
Our expectations for this trip were through the roof, and yet, this solar-powered adventure exceeded all of our expectations. It was incredible to consider the future of travel through the lens of luxurious electric yachts and we cannot wait to see what other innovations unfold.
