Today YCB Yachts team travelled to La Grande-Motte to test the new Airforce sail technology for one of our future projects — and it turned out to be a fascinating experience. It may not be the most practical solution for every yacht, but the concept itself is genuinely appealing for large-yacht owners. The system offers extremely simple, fully automatic sail handling: with a single button the sail raises, reefs, and stows itself.
Another big advantage is the completely clean deck — no lines, no clutter, and no flogging sail with reefing ropes whipping above your head. Sail trim is automated as well: you simply set the desired percentage of the maximum load. In practice, it’s a sailing catamaran that’s almost as easy to handle as a motorboat.
The boat is fully electric, without a generator — unsurprising given its pedigree. It’s built (and funded) by the same team behind Energy Observer. There are many clever solutions on board: for example, the solar panels are slightly elevated above the coachroof, with fresh-water pipes running underneath them. The water gets heated while the panels stay efficiently cooled — a smart two-in-one approach.
Pricewise, it comes in slightly below a Gunboat at around €8 million, with the second hull expected to be offered at €7 million. Considering the amount of R&D and the level of innovation, that actually seems quite reasonable.
In the end — as we expected — we decided not to adopt this solution just yet, though it remains a very possible option for the future. At YCB we always keep an eye on new developments and stay at the forefront of yacht-building technology, while never compromising on usability or safe operation.
Another big advantage is the completely clean deck — no lines, no clutter, and no flogging sail with reefing ropes whipping above your head. Sail trim is automated as well: you simply set the desired percentage of the maximum load. In practice, it’s a sailing catamaran that’s almost as easy to handle as a motorboat.
The boat is fully electric, without a generator — unsurprising given its pedigree. It’s built (and funded) by the same team behind Energy Observer. There are many clever solutions on board: for example, the solar panels are slightly elevated above the coachroof, with fresh-water pipes running underneath them. The water gets heated while the panels stay efficiently cooled — a smart two-in-one approach.
Pricewise, it comes in slightly below a Gunboat at around €8 million, with the second hull expected to be offered at €7 million. Considering the amount of R&D and the level of innovation, that actually seems quite reasonable.
In the end — as we expected — we decided not to adopt this solution just yet, though it remains a very possible option for the future. At YCB we always keep an eye on new developments and stay at the forefront of yacht-building technology, while never compromising on usability or safe operation.
