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Cantiere delle Marche announces new 31m explorer series RAW with one unit sold

Italian shipyard Cantiere delle Marche has taken the opportunity of the Cannes Yachting Festival to unveil a new 31.1-metre explorer series known as RAW (Recreational All-Weather Watercraft). The first unit has already been sold, with plans to diversify into a full range.

The new model has an exterior by Giorgio M. Cassetta , characterised by geometric lines and a bright orange overhang and bootstripe. Key numbers include a seven-metre beam and a range of 4,500 nautical miles at 10 knots, with RAW billed as a "powerful, honest, direct explorer" by the yard.

"My team and I have noticed a growing trend toward more informal, discovery-oriented yachting," explained Cassetta. "RAW was an opportunity to create a rugged explorer with exceptional content for its size. We wanted [the model] to convey that powerful, commanding look an explorer needs while also being fun and playful."

RAW has several functional features befitting its explorer DNA, including drone and helicopter landing capability, storage for up to two five-metre tenders in the bow and the placement of the ventilation trunks outside to preserve indoor space.

Interior renderings are undisclosed, though accommodation will be across five guest cabins and three crew cabins. The large aft cockpit is envisioned as the main social hub, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors converting the space into a veranda for suitability in all seasons. The aft deck is relatively open plan with the cockpit connected to both the main saloon and the beach area.

Meanwhile, the swim platform is styled as a "panoramic balcony" with a low bulwark and a handrail. This area is accessed by a staircase that can also function as an informal lounging spot with recessed seating or as additional storage space.

The sundeck has two possible configurations: the first is dedicated purely to watertoy storage and drone landing operations, with sofa seating positioned forward. The seconds leans into a more conventional layout with sunloungers aft, a bar, an al fresco dining table and a lounge area.

The model is propelled by twin Caterpillar engines for a maximum speed of 13 knots.

The news follows a string of summer launches and deliveries for Cantiere delle Marche, including the 44.3-metre Mat , the 42.6-metre B2 and the seventh Darwin 86 . The shipyard's first Flexplorer 146 model Maverick is currently making her debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival.

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A migrant has died off a Greek island after smugglers ditched 31 people in the sea to avoid patrols

Greek authorities say one migrant has died after smugglers piloting a speedboat from Turkey to an Aegean Sea island forced their passengers into the sea to avoid detection by marine patrols

ATHENS, Greece -- One migrant died after smugglers piloting a speedboat from Turkey to an Aegean Sea island forced their passengers into the sea on Tuesday to avoid detection by marine patrols, Greek authorities said.

The remaining 30 migrants on the vessel were unhurt, a coast guard statement said.

The statement said the incident occurred off the eastern island of Samos, which is close to the Turkish coast. It said the speedboat was detected after the migrants — including eight children — had been forced overboard. It was stopped following a chase in which coast guard fired warning gunshots that caused no injury.

Two Turkish men on the vessel that had been heading back to Turkey were arrested and charged with migrant smuggling and actions that led to the loss of life.

The statement said 27 people managed to swim ashore to Samos. A search and rescue operation later located three migrants alive in the water and the body of a man. Nobody else was reported missing.

Greece is a major entry point for people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia seeking a better life in Europe. Most enter by sea from nearby Turkey, with the help of smuggling gangs that charge thousands of dollars per person for the passage.

Following increased policing of Greece's eastern Aegean waters, smugglers have for months been using high-powered speedboats to try to dodge patrols. This has led to a series of confrontations in which speedboats rammed coast guard vessels, and in one case a migrant was fatally shot as coast guards opened fire on a smuggling boat.

Alternatively, smugglers cram dozens of migrants into sailing yachts that try to circumvent patrols by heading through the central Aegean Sea toward Italy.

Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

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X4⁹E Official Press release

”We didn’t want to be first movers on this area, but preferred to wait until technology and knowledge had matured properly”, says Kræn Nielsen, CEO of X-Yachts’. ”And I’m really happy to say that the time finally is right to present the first X-Yacht with electric propulsion.”

The propulsion system in the new X4⁹E is delivered by Finnish Oceanvolt, probably the world leader in electric propulsion systems for yachts.

Read the full press release 

Reaching for new horizons

A new range of electric powered sailboats is a natural step for X-Yachts in order to support a greener future. Based on our path of 42 years of innovative yachts and heritage, combined with Danish green and sustainable energy.

With the cooperation between John Haurum and OceanVolt, we believe that the time and setup is just right, for the launch of the first X4⁹E with electric propulsion.

Our focus on the environment is more than just going electric - In the spring of 2021, X-Yachts became the main sponsor of the Race For Oceans Foundation, an organisation whose target is to protect the oceans from plastic.

When I met X-Yachts and shared my ideas, X-Yachts immediately committed to the project and shared a common interest in merging innovation, sailing pleasure and a greener future. The fact that X-Yachts has their own design office in-house at the yard in Denmark, is essential to build and control a project like this - When looking back at the heritage of X-Yachts, and the innovation that has already been done within X-Yachts - I'm sure that this will be another great success.

- JOHN HAURUM - THE CLIENT OF THE FIRST ELECTRIC-POWERED X-YACHTS

A mindset becomes a lifestyle

My plans for the X4⁹E are primarily to use it for long-distance cruising, but it has also been specified with performance sailing in mind and I intend to participate in challenges like Around Denmark Race and eventually, also the ARC Cross Atlantic. To commit to an electric saildrive is a mindset and perhaps a changed way of life at sea.

Sailing is all about harnessing the wind for energy and pleasure, X-Yachts and Oceanvolt have taken this mindset to the next level. The OceanVolt system stands out as enabling the use of the saildrive either for propulsion or powerful electricity hydrogeneration while sailing.

X-Yachts is using this to build an integrated energy system also comprising of solar panels and a conventional backup generator, for the rare instance where continuous sailing for a motor is needed. I expect the system will fully serve my sailing needs, while largely being energetically self¬sustainable.

When I first met John and he told me about his thoughts of having a new boat with electric propulsion, I was excited. I instantly felt his interest and passion in this eco-friendly system. To John, it was way more than just a product and a new boat - it was a passion for a new future with sustainable energy combined with his passion for sailing.

- ANDREAS ØRBÆK OLESEN - SALES MANAGER OF THE ELECTRIC-POWERED X-YACHTS

John Morsing - Technical Manager of X-Yachts

Every X-Yacht is designed with performance in mind - and the X4⁹E is no exception.

The X4⁹E is the first X-Yacht built as a hybrid-powered yacht. It is fitted with 2 x 10 kW electric saildrives, a 28,8 kWh Lithium battery bank and an onboard DC generator with capacity of 11 kW.

The hybrid concept is chosen to make long-distance crossings possible without worrying about ditance limitations. A pure electric solution is also available if limited distance under engine can be accepted.

The Concept

The X4⁹E is the first X-Yacht built as a hybrid powered yacht. It has 2 x 10kW electric saildrives installed, a 28,8 kWh lithium battery bank and an onboard DC generator with a capacity of 11 kW.

When talking electric propulsion, the first question that arises will always be: What's the range under battery power?

The Recharging time

There are three ways to recharge the battery bank.

Here are some examples that explain the power need versus boat speed.

The X4⁹E is the first X-Yacht built as a hybrid powered yacht. It has 2 x 10kW electric saildrives installed, a 28,8 kWh lithium battery bank and an onboard DC generator with a capacity of 11 kW. The hybrid concept is chosen for making long distance crossings possible without worrying about distance imitations.

A pure electric solution is also available if a boat is to be used as a day-sailor. On the X4⁹E the entire engine room is converted to a technical compartment where the LiFePO4 battery bank is located as low as possible in an aluminium battery box. On the engine bulkheads the water¬cooled motor controllers for the two saildrives are fitted together with the combi that's used for recharging the battery bank while the boat is connected to shore power.

The engine room still has the nice aluminium finish on all sides, but the noise insulation is excluded, hence it is not needed anymore. The two Oceanvolt saildrives are installed below each berth in the aft cabins. They have a maximum power of 10kW each, theoretically enabling the yacht to sail with a speed of up to 7,8 knots whilst also repowering the battery bank with a regeneration power of up to 3.000 watts. Aft of the engine room an 11kW Fischer Panda DC generator is installed.

The generator is used to recharge the 48V lithium battery bank and/or to simultaneously supply power to the two Oceanvolt saildrives.

When talking electric propulsion, the first question that arises will always be: What's the range under battery power? The answer to this is that it highly depends on the boat speed, the wind, and the waves.

The calculations from Oceanvolt for the X4⁹ with a lithium battery bank of 28,8kWh are estimated with the conditions: flat water and no wind. See numbers next to this. The range is the maximum range with a 90% discharge of the battery bank. The sea margin takes 25% safety into account due to sea state etc. In case the yacht has to travel longer distances under power the Fischer Panda generator must be started to enable it to deliver power to the propulsion system and to have the battery bank recharged.

There are three ways to recharge the battery bank. Recharging times from 20-80% state of charge: Fischer Panda generator: 95 minutes. Combi charger: 9 hours and 40 minutes. Servoprops: Minimum 10 hours.

CASE 1 Full or almost full battery bank and need to travel for long distance under power. In this case the generator delivers all power (11 kW) to the two servoprops, i.e they are run at 5,5kW each. This will allow the boat to travel with a speed of 6,7 knots (conditions: no wind and no waves). The fuel consumption of the generator will be 3,8 litres per hour, i.e 1,7 NM per litre of fuel consumed. The yacht will be able to continue with this setup until there's no more fuel in the tank.

Need to recharge battery bank while under generator power. In this case the power of the servoprops must be decreased to a level lower than 5,5kW each, e.g. to 4kW. The generator still delivers 11kW. 8kW for the Servoprops, and 3kW for recharging the battery bank. The boat speed will be reduced to 6 knots, still calculating with no wind and no waves, and the fuel consumption will remain 3,8 litres per hour. After 10-12 hours max. the battery bank will be fully recharged, and boat can continue as described in case 1.

15 NM miles to destination. Battery bank 80% full and crew would like to travel as fast as possible to destination under engine. If bothservoprops work at full power of 2 x 10 kW, the boat will sail with a speed of 7,8 knots. It will therefore take approx. 2 hours to reach the destination. Battery bank is 80% full, which is not enough solely to power supply the servoprops all the way to the destination. The generator must be started. In this case the generator will deliver 11kW to the servoprops, the battery bank will deliver the remaining 9kW, which will bring the boat to the destination under full power.

Facts about the X4⁹E

- The life cycle of the MG lithium batteries is 3.500 cycles. 6 knots of speed, is equal to 15 NM * 3.500 = 52.500 NM

- The LiFePO4 batteries are the saftest chemistry on the market.

- Recharging from 20-80% with generator takes approx. 95 min.

- Recharging from 20-80% with charger takes approx. 9h 40min.

- 2x10kW Servoprops have the same torque as a 60hp diesel engine. In terms of top speed, the motors are equal to 30-40hp.

- Only the generator needs to be serviced.

- Regeneration drag up to 2 knots if the boat is sailed below hull speed. ,5 - 1 knot is close to hull speed.

Oceanvolt as a partner

Oceanvolt is a leading manufacturer of electric motors for sail-and-power boats, founded in 2004.

The Finnish-based company has HQ in Vantaa, where every single part of the system is specially designed for electrical use, and every component is designed and manufactured in Finland as well - This makes Oceanvolt unique to the market.

Oceanvolt offers clean, safe, reliable and state-of-the-art electric motors, which promote sustainability and have superior hydrogeneration compared to anything else on the market.

Download the X-Yachting Magazine - X Sustainability & X4⁹E

Sustainability and X4.9E.pdf (2.41 MB)

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