A new brand dedicated to exploration yachts has been launched at the Superyacht Technology Show.
Project SailXplorer has been created to develop vessels capable of sailing globally in an environmentally friendly way and equipped to accommodate a wide scope of expeditions.
The project has been founded by sailing ship captain and operations manager Dominique Geysen, together with naval architect and two-time Young Designer of the Year Award finalist Andres Otano who aim to redefine what an explorer sailing yacht can be.
The SailXplorer platform has been designed from the ground up for ‘long-range exploration, research and real-world operation’.
New way to navigate the future
“In an era where ‘all hands-on deck’ is the order of the day for the maritime industry to get its act together towards carbon emissions and the urge to engage in ocean conservation, SailXplorer aims to attend to both challenges,” explained a spokesperson from the project.
The project founders say that beyond design and performance, project SailXplorer proposes a new way to navigate the future, addressing a new generation of owners willing to sail the globe with a purpose in mind.
SailXplorer combines smart technologies with wind- and hybrid-propulsion, with the platform itself designed to provide flexibility and functionality.
The interior includes dedicated spaces for science and communication and even a medical facility with a foldable hyperbaric chamber.
Advanced naval engineering
A launch-and-recovery solution has been integrated into the design to ease the handling of tenders or subsea equipment and a dive deck has also been incorporated.
“The merging of the concept and advanced naval engineering results in a flexible, multi-purpose platform that enables a SailXplorer to support a wide range of expeditions globally,” explained the project spokesperson.
SailXplorer includes two lines of vessels – the XV line and the XY line.
The XV line has a high freeboard and an open aft deck with multiple capabilities and the XY line has a focus on open exterior spaces and the provision of a more private experience for guests, in addition to dedicated operational areas.
The project has been launched in collaboration with Atelier Cala for the interiors, VBH for technologies and virtual reality company Sanders Studios.
