More technology and innovation can hardly be accommodated in 23 metres. The list of extras installed on board the Adler Suprema amazes even industry experts; the multitude of clever and complex detailed solutions is unrivalled in the semi-custom market segment. For example, the control station of the 23.11 metre long Adler debut, developed in collaboration with the on-board electronics professionals from Böning, is much more reminiscent of the hypermodern cockpits of a Tesla Model S or a Bombardier Global 6000 private jet than the command centre of a yacht.
The captain of the Adler Suprema sits in a comfortable captain's chair and looks at three large-format touchscreen monitors. Control elements in both armrests ensure an ergonomic working posture. The screens can be used to display the charge status of the on-board batteries, information on engine performance, current diesel consumption or the selected ambience setting - the choice of options is virtually unlimited. It's just as well that the shipyard plans an intensive introduction to the on-board system during the handover.
"We have realised numerous technical aspects in our Adler Suprema that are not standard even on much larger yachts. In our opinion, there is nothing comparable in the entry-level market," says Adler Yacht Managing Director Alessandro Barizzi.
Whisper ride for three hours
A particularly large amount of time was spent during the design phase on the development of the Hybrid Marine Solutions, or HMS for short, hybrid system. In cooperation with the companies TTControl, Aradex and Akasol from Germany and Austria, a propulsion system was created within four years that makes the Adler Suprema, which displaces just 49 tonnes, probably the most efficient yacht in its class - at least according to the specification. At a cruising speed of eight knots, the 5200 litres of fuel in the tank provide a range of 3500 nautical miles. On paper, this is a remarkable figure which, if realistic in the long term, will set new standards in propulsion efficiency. Nothing would even stand in the way of an Atlantic crossing.
The HMS system is based on two conventional Caterpillar engines with 860 kilowatts each, two electric motors with 100 kilowatts each and a powerful battery bank with an energy throughput of 170 KWh. "There are four different driving modes that the captain can choose from, depending on the desired speed and the charging capacity of the hybrid batteries," explains Alessandro Barizzi.
In electric mode, the Adler Suprema cruises for 45 minutes at up to ten knots; at a cruising speed of five knots, the battery capacity should last for three and a half hours of whisper-quiet sailing. In hybrid mode, the system reacts to the speed being travelled or the revolutions of the main engine. Up to 600 rpm, i.e. around six knots, only the electric motor works. In the power range up to 1000 rpm, a diesel engine starts automatically, which moves a shaft and supplies an electric motor via a shaft generator. The electricity generated in this way is used to feed the second electric motor, which is responsible for driving the second shaft.
If more power is required, the second diesel starts and the captain chooses how he wants to utilise the hybrid system. He can set whether the system should run neutrally, the batteries should be charged or the latter should provide a power boost to give the Adler Suprema extra power on the shafts and the carbon fibre propeller via the electric motors. "The drive concept is highly flexible and can be adapted to the needs of the owner and captain at any time," says the Adler CEO.
A projector and a screen ensure maximum gaming console fun in the lounge
The technical upgrades did not stop at the interior. In the saloon, a large-format flat-screen TV extends electrically from the sideboard, but as a back-up and "gimmick", the Adler team installed a three by one metre screen plus projector on the Suprema's construction number one, which ensures maximum gaming console fun or cinema enjoyment. A Bowers & Wilkins sound system guarantees the perfect all-round sound. If you want to be unobserved during media entertainment or a dinner party in the harbour, you can activate the dimmer function of the large electrochromic glazing at the touch of a button, making the windows opaque. This technology is certainly not new, but it has never before been realised to this extent in the entry-level superyacht segment.
It goes without saying that the ambience or the multimedia offerings in each room of the Adler Suprema can be controlled with a separate iPad - nothing else would have been expected after this introduction. Underfloor heating in the bathrooms on the main and lower decks is standard, as is an infrared heater integrated into the ceiling of the cosy cockpit, which provides cosy warmth even in cooler temperatures.
It should be noted that the standard package is available at a price that is significantly lower than that of the competition, despite the carbon fibre construction and hybrid drive. "The base price of the Adler Suprema, excluding taxes, is around three million euros; owners who tick all the boxes on our options list pay around one million euros more," explains Sales and Marketing Manager Philipp Pototschnik. "Pushing a brand like Adler Yacht in such a small market dominated by a small number of companies is quite difficult," adds the Austrian-born marketing professional. "We can only achieve this by thinking more innovatively than our competitors and offering a yacht that clearly stands out from the crowd in purely technical terms."
Nuvolari Lenard created an exterior that causes a stir with its sporty lines
The Swiss company entrusted the design of the first Adler Suprema model to the renowned yacht designers Carlo Nuvolari and Dan Lenard, who created an exterior that causes a stir with its striking, sporty lines and large glazed superstructure. The design of the modern and pleasantly warm interior and the intelligent room layout were also the responsibility of the experienced creative team from Venice, which has close links with many brands in the industry and was nevertheless able to develop a completely new and fresh design language for Adler Yacht.
To put theory into practice, the Adler team led by Alessandro Barizzi chose the Alto Adriatico shipyard with halls in Monfalcone, which laminated the hull and superstructure of the semi-glider using the vacuum infusion process in negative moulds and carbon fibre fabrics. It took two years to build the prototype, which is now in use as a show yacht. "Thanks to the preliminary work on the hull and superstructure, construction number two can be launched in just one year," says Adler boss Barizzi. "Of course, the owner then has complete freedom when it comes to designing the interior, the room layout and the combination of options."
Technical data of the Adler Suprema
- Length over everything:23,11 m
- Width:6,04 m
- Depth:1,75 m
- Displacement:49 t
- Material:Carbon, Kevlar, GRP
- Propulsion:2 x Caterpillar C18, 860 kW, 2 x electric motor 100 kW
- Hybrid battery:170 kWh
- Speed (max.):30 kn
- Fuel:5200 l
- Consumption @ 8 kn:11 l
- Consumption @ 15 kn:126 l
- Consumption @ 17 kn:160 l
- Range:3500 nm @ 8 kn
- Water:880 l
- Navigation & Automation:Böning, Furuno
- Styling:Nuvolari Lenard
- Interior design:Nuvolari Lenard
- Classification:RINA, CE "A"
- Shipyard:Eagle Yacht, Cantiere Alto Adriatico, 2016
- Price:from € 3 million (incl. hybrid drive, ex. VAT)
This article appeared in BOOTE Exclusiv issue 04/2017 and was revised by the editorial team in August 2023.
