
At the Boot Düsseldorf show in Germany, Grand Soleil Yachts introduced a new project intended to address issues like sustainability and end-of-life cycle. Grand Soleil Blue is a prototype collaboration between Grand Soleil and Cantiere del Pardo to showcase eco-friendly yacht construction.
“The sea is our passion and our home,” Gigi Servidati, Cantiere del Pardo chairman said in a statement. “The GS Blue demonstrates how design, performance and sustainability can harmoniously coexist creating a boat designed for future generations.”
Other participants in the project include naval architect Matteo Polli, Nauta Design for the exterior and interior design and materials specialist NL Comp.
GS Blue is a 32-foot, 10-inch (10 meter) monohull sailboat designed to accommodate up to four people overnight. The boat is designed and built to be recycled at the end of its life.
It’s built with thermoplastic resin developed by NL Comp. Traditionally laminated fiberglass boats have proven difficult to recycle because of the resin-fiberglass combination. Thermoplastic resin makes it easier to separate the resin from the glass or carbon fibers for re-use or more environmentally friendly disposal.
Following practices used in the automotive industry, the boat was designed for easier disassembly, facilitating removal of components and accessories when the hull reaches end of life.
Propulsion for GS Blue comes from an ePropulsion 6-kW electric motor with a pod drive. Electric power is supplied by an 8-kW, 48-volt lithium battery bank from e-Propulsion. With this combination, Grand Soleil says the boat can cruise for 30 nautical miles at approximately 5 knots. This translates to 6 hours of continuous motor operation or 12 hours when the battery pack is doubled. When underway, the pod drive recharges the batteries through hydrogeneration, generating an estimated 250 watts at about 6 knots.
The standard battery bank can be recharged in 7.2 hours and storage capacity can be doubled without increasing charging time. The use of solar panels provides renewable energy for the boat’s electric motor and onboard services.
Developed by OneSails, the GS Blue’s 4T Forte sails are the considered “green” and are made from thermoplastic materials. Traditional glues and resins have been replaced by a recyclable base polymer and the sails are made with a hot-melt process.
Also at the German show that takes place from Jan. 18 to 26, Grand Soleil announced that it’s stepping up the size of its offerings with the Plus line that will focus on boats longer than 60 feet. Each yacht in the series will be built in-house under the supervision of Franco Corazza who will collaborate with Polli and Nauta Design. The first model will be the Grand Soleil Plus 80 that is under construction and planned to launch in 2026.