The Spirit 111 is the Largest Single-Mast Wooden Yacht built in the UK since Shamrock V in the 1930s and is one of the world’s largest sailing yachts with electric auxiliary propulsion. Image courtesy of Spirit Yachts
The yacht is powered by a Torqeedo Deep Blue Hybrid 100i system with four, 40 kWh Deep Blue batteries. The Deep Blue system charges the high-capacity lithium batteries with renewable energy by rotating the propeller shaft while the yacht is under sail. Under power, the Spirit 111 can travel at eight knots for up to 30 nautical miles on this harvested battery power alone – emission-free.
The owner wanted the most environmentally friendly yacht ever built,” Sean McMillan, CEO, head designer and founder of Spirit Yachts explained. “We are very happy that Torqeedo supplied, installed and integrated an electric propulsion and energy management system that met our every need.”
Spirit Yachts managing director Nigel Stuart explained:
It is important to the owner that he can spend the majority of his time away from marinas enjoying sailing and anchoring in bays. Using electric propulsion to regenerate the batteries whilst sailing, the yacht will be able to operate for up to four days at anchor without having to plug into shore power or start the two onboard generators. When the yacht crosses the Atlantic, as long as there is adequate wind, she will not need to consume any fossil fuels.”
Showcasing the Spirit 111 under sail and revealing her unique interior is a real milestone for the company. The yacht is incredibly complex in her design and engineering and we are very proud of what we have delivered. It’s been a challenging journey, which has given us the opportunity to innovate and gain insight for future superyacht and eco-focused builds.”
Spirit 111 launch
Images courtesy of Spirit Yachts. News courtesy of Torqeedo.