With a hull and deck reinforced with natural fibers, eco-electric propulsion, easy to handle sail plan and striking good looks, the new Baltic 68 Café Racer is an innovative example of where yacht design and construction is heading.
As its name indicates, this Café Racer is designed for performance sailing. But thanks to the latest rig and sail technology it’s reported to be easy to sail as well. Naval architect Javier Jaudenes explains, “This is a yacht for owners and their friends who want their sailing exciting, easy and enjoyable. When the mood takes them, the Café Racer is ready to GO! This is the essential modern weekender with a genuinely ‘green’ approach to construction and auxiliary power.”
The “green” construction approach Jaudenes is referring to is the fact 50% of the Café Racer’s hull and deck use Bcomp’s ampliTexTM naturally grown flax as a reinforcement. A SPRINT pre-preg lamination technique developed by Gurit is being used in this instance. Flax dramatically reduces the overall carbon footprint of the build and works well in conjunction with more conventional advanced composites, which are still used throughout the structure.
Additional “green” solutions include an extensive array of solar panels that will providing sufficient power to run onboard systems, including refrigeration and sustainably grown Marinedeck cork replaces teak for the Café Racer’s decking material.
And while not many yachts are “greener” than sailboats—when they use wind power to move—the Café Racer can also be driven by twin 15kW Oceanvolt electric motors with saildrive-style legs when the wind doesn’t cooperate. And better still, while sailing, the free-wheeling propellers can, if selected, drive the motors as generators, which in turn charge the Lithium battery banks. The solar panels add to the charging capability and there’s also a range extender using micro-turbine technology which will eventually be powered by biofuels or hydrogen.
Baltic Yachts Executive Vice President, Henry Hawkins says, “This is a yacht which tackles today’s challenges of sustainability and low carbon targets head on. She’s also fun and easy to handle, offering a genuinely rewarding sailing experience. Baltic’s engineers and partners have incorporated a brilliant, naturally grown yacht building material in sustainable flax which perfectly complements the advanced composites expertise for which the company is renowned.”
“We’re confident the Baltic 68 Café Racer Class offers a modern, attractive package which clients will be keen to buy into,” he said. “We are also exploring the possibility of a ‘green’ rating advantage to encourage the use of sustainable materials in yacht building,” he added.
