Interview: Andreas Mengen
BOATS: The Neon 910 from Nautic Yachts presented here is only available with outboard engines. Why is there no inboard engine on offer?
Tino Böttcher: Maximum space utilisation is always an issue for yachts around nine metres in length. In the Neon 910, the outboard engine concept allows for a very spacious underfloor cabin in the stern. With a built-in engine, it would be much smaller or even completely absent.
And why are there only combustion engines on offer?
The shipyard does indeed currently offer the Neon with petrol outboards in various power levels. However, the platform is very well suited for e-mobility. Conversions with electric outboards can be realised with reasonable effort, as was the case with the retrofit with the Torqeedo presented here.
Read about the interview:
How do you rate the driving characteristics of the Neon with only 4.4 kW or 8 to 10 hp equivalent in electric mode?
The top speed is quite astonishing, after all it is a fully equipped boat weighing around 4.5 tonnes and with a decent volume. It turns out that at moderate speed you can make progress with very little energy.
You installed the photovoltaic system on the Neon. What challenges did you have to overcome?
The whole thing stands and falls with a good mounting location for the PV modules. With its very large roof, the Neon offers the perfect conditions here, as the area is completely free of shading and quite large. With the modules in different dimensions, which were glued on in a permanently elastic manner, the area could be utilised to the maximum.
How do your customers generally feel about PV power on board, even if there are no large consumers such as an electric motor?
For our yachts, which are habitable and purchased for extended voyages, PV equipment is now the norm. The Neon presented here has a fairly large system on the roof with over 420 Wp. The systems are usually designed in such a way that you can manage without shore power for several days with regard to normal consumers.
