The best ideas often come just like that, alone on the water or during a relaxed chat with friends. This was also the case for Espen Øino and Guido Krass. The designer and the founder of Silver Yachts were sitting together in Sardinia, looking at the yachts bobbing at anchor in Cala di Volpe. "Some of them were moored in one place for most of the summer," says Øino, "and that's when the concept for a floating house came to us." The first draft roughly envisaged a platform connecting two simple hulls, with minimal motorisation to slowly change position from time to time. In principle, a luxurious residential raft or a small villa on the water.
But things turned out completely differently, which is not surprising given that the Norwegian-born designer is known for absolute mega projects, even beyond 100 metres, such as the "Flying Fox" (Lürssen, 2019). A floating platform with mini propulsion would hardly have been taken off his hands. "The operational restrictions seemed too high," admits the designer, "our concept quickly developed into a real cat." More specifically, the SpaceCat 36, the Australian brand's first twin hull. Silver Yachts had previously made a name for itself with aluminium boats that were comparatively efficient thanks to their low weight and optimised hull shapes. A good example of this is the 85-metre explorer "Bold" (issue 3/20), also designed by Espen Øino and his studio based in Monaco. The engineer and yacht designer co-founded Silver Yachts in the mid-2000s; their first joint project was the 74-metre-long "Silver".
The advantages are obvious
The big step from mono to catamaran had obviously been buzzing around in the minds of those involved for some time, precisely because the advantages are obvious. "A cat is more stable on the water, especially at anchor. The distribution of space is better, with fewer long corridors," Øino points out, "and most of the guest suites are located above the main deck with large windows for plenty of fresh air." The accommodation is also spread over several levels, "just like in a house". The SpaceCat has a total of five suites: two VIP doubles on the upper deck, the master plus, a suite with single beds on the main deck and a cabin in the starboard hull, which can accommodate up to four people thanks to folding beds.
With a length of 35.90 metres, a width of 13.27 metres and 478 gross tons, the SpaceCat offers a volume equivalent to a 50-metre-long monohull. The total outdoor living space measures more than 400 square metres, optionally enriched with a 5.50 metre long pool on the aft deck. The interior space adds up to over 150 square metres - modern and sleekly styled by Pulina Exclusive Interiors. The studio based in Pisa didn't make much of a fuss. Warm, light wood dominates the floors and some of the walls, with plenty of white and casual grey in various shades of brightness. Very subtle black accents, such as picture or mirror frames, chair frames or blinds, create focal points for the eyes. This relaxed feeling of air and space extends all the way up to the 38 square metre private owner's area, "a unique space that offers a spectacular view and plenty of privacy at the same time," says Øino about his declared favourite place on board.
Keeping an eye on the focus of the SpaceCat
In the design, however, he focussed on what most customers probably only realise on closer inspection: the slimmest and most efficient hulls possible. A topic that Øino has been working on intensively for a long time. "By optimising the length to width ratio of the hulls, we achieve lower resistance. At higher speeds, the wave resistance is the dominant part of the hull resistance," Øino continues, "by distributing the hull volume over the length and not the height, you can significantly reduce the power required to bring a ship up to a certain speed."
Silver Yachts and Espen Øino are now taking this principle to a higher level with the design of the catamaran, with a hull ensemble that has an even better length-to-width ratio than the slim monohulls from the Silver Yachts range. The resistance shrank even further and with it the propulsion power of the engines.
The launch of the SpaceCat goes hand in hand with the expansion into China. The shipyard, headquartered in Henderson, Western Australia, is now also building on the Pearl River Delta, where high-quality aluminium components have been produced since 2018. The exterior lines will look familiar to yacht connoisseurs: "The smooth, curvy shapes are deliberately reminiscent of Silver models," explains Øino. The bow sections of the hulls extend over the main deck and merge with the bulwarks of the bridge deck. This visually increases the freeboard. "The silhouette looks more like a compact superstructure over a strong hull than two decks on flat hulls," continues Øino. In contrast to the originally planned small engine configuration, the SpaceCat was fitted with four Volvo Penta IPS units, each with 588 kilowatts of power, which propel the Alukat forward at a brisk pace. The shipyard specifies a maximum speed of 22 knots, plus two cruising speeds: In economic mode at eleven knots, the range is an enormous 6,200 nautical miles, and at 15 knots it is still 3,800 nautical miles.
SpaceCat with hopes and wishes on board
Various hopes and wishes rest on the SpaceCat. The twin-hulled catamaran is intended to expand the portfolio and meet the changing demands of the superyacht market in new regions, particularly in Asia. In countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Hong Kong, customers particularly appreciate the quiet position on two hulls, as a catamaran rolls significantly less than a monohull.
The shallow draft of 1.82 metres also increases the appeal, especially for fans of shallow bays. With the new concept, Silver Yachts is not only demonstrating its ability to build large yachts for experienced owners, but also "to serve customers who are coming into contact with a superyacht for the first time," says Marketing Director Mark Sanderson, praising the concept. "The target group could also be owners who prefer to choose three SpaceCats instead of one large gigayacht. The cats could be based on three continents: one in Asia, one in the Mediterranean and one in the Caribbean." This means that no transfers are necessary and two yachts could be made available to charter customers.
The catamaran could also appeal to owners looking for an upgrade. "Compact dimensions, plenty of volume and a small crew ensure maximum comfort with manageable running costs," says Sanderson. Anyone who is directly interested can currently purchase the first SpaceCat 36 for 15.5 million euros, which is listed with several brokerage houses. Those who want to have a say in the interior can invest in build number three, which has already started production. Silver Yachts has announced that the series will soon be expanded to include a 22-metre entry-level model and a 24-metre SpaceCat mid-range model.
Technical data
- Length over everything:35,90 m
- Width:13,27 m
- Depth: 1,82 m
- Gross tonnage:478 Gross tonnes
- Material:Aluminium
- Motors:4 x Volvo Penta IPS 1050
- Engine power: 4 x 588 kW
- Speed (max.):22 kn
- Speed (travelling): 15 kn
- Speed (econom.): 11 kn
- Range:3800 / 6200 sm
- Generators: 2 x Volvo Penta 86 kWe
- Navigation:Simrad
- Air conditioning:Fujitsu
- Fuel: 40 000 l
- Water:7600 l
- Construction:Silver Yachts
- Exterior design: Espen Øino
- Interior design: Pulina Exclusive Interiors
- Class: Lloyds SSC G3
- Shipyard:Silver Yachts, 2023
