For those of you who dare to dream big, bold adventures on the water, Danish Yachts has a project for you. She’s nicknamed “Hummer of the Seas,” due to a design and engineering package supporting off-the-beaten-path cruising.
This Hummer of the Seas measures 164 feet (50 meters). She’s a mix of a catamaran and SWATH, a.k.a. a Cat-SWATH. SWATH is an acronym for Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull. The twin hulls are pontoon-like, even torpedo-like. The design has been around for more than three decades, well proven in the commercial sector. SWATHs are notable for providing stability and smooth performance in rough seas. In industries like the offshore energy sector, where crews need to go out and stay out, it also helps combat seasickness.
Danish Yachts has built five Cat-SWATH vessels for that very sector. It wanted to extend the concept to yachting. The Hummer of the Seas bears design by Espen Øino. A few details are still being determined, such as suggested general arrangements. But, we can share with you a few set factors.
First, the more-than-healthy beam. The stability of a SWATH partially comes from a broad beam. The Hummer of the Seas boasts a 55’8” (17 meters) width. Because she’s a Cat-SWATH platform, she’ll be able to transition from one mode to another depending on conditions. For times when speed is wanted, the Hummer of the Seas can operate in catamaran mode (at top). An extra benefit, naturally, is better fuel consumption than a monohull would see. If the day of departure is characterized by rough seas, SWATH mode (above) takes over. Danish Yachts says the Cat-SWATH design can handle seas just over eight feet (2.5 meters), in fact.
Also of note, Danish Yachts says a vessel can switch modes in 90 seconds. It’s due to compressed air making quick work of shifting ballast water in or out of the pontoons.
We’ll have more details on the Hummer of the Seas when Danish Yachts releases them. In the meantime, if you’ve been following yachting for a while, you’ll recall there’s a SWATH megayacht. She’s Silver Cloud, the 134’5” (41-meter) delivered by Abeking & Rasmussen in 2008. The owner of Silver Cloud commissioned her because a family member suffered from terrible seasickness, and he still wanted to share the cruising lifestyle.
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