SELF-SAILING YACHT

Do you love sailing but have little to no sailing experience? There may soon be a yacht just for you. A new smartyacht concept promises to sail itself and all you need to do so is... your smartphone.Online Editor: Natasha Hendriks
Image: Max Zhivov

Let's sail away

The futuristic 25-meter Drakkar S is the "baby" of yacht design studio Max Zhivov. The vessel is intended as a solution for people who have little to no sailing experience and still want to be at the helm of a superyacht.

The concept is equipped with a high-tech steering automaton system that uses the latest artificial intelligence technology to navigate. The studio says the vessel would even be able to approach a mooring at the right distance to moor and self-identify surfaces or underwater obstacles. This not only simplifies the steering process for amateurs, but also means no captain is needed.

Clean, quiet and emission-free

The Drakkar S can be controlled directly from an app on your smartphone. The idea is that you use the yacht for a short trip of one to four days. Once on board, you choose a destination through the app and the system will automatically plot and chart a course.

The design features a state-of-the-art electric motor and 861 square meters of solar panels covering the roof. This means the Drakkar S would offer a clean, quiet and emission-free boating experience.

On board, meanwhile, the ship is comparable to any other luxury yacht in its class. She has a sprawling living room with a roof that can pop open just like a convertible. Elsewhere there is a well-equipped kitchen, two master cabins, two guest cabins and the indispensable swim platform.