Star Trek Boats

A few months ago this beast of a boat turned up at our yacht club…

It’s 3 hulls make it look just a little different to your run-of-the-mill Riviera. Today though, I discovered that this thing is probably one of the most conventional things being turned out by the boats designers: Craig Loomes Designs. Based in New Zealand, these guys seem to love not just designing new boat concepts, but also building them. From Ultimate Lady to 40 knot customs boats these guys are turning out some pretty awesome stuff.

But nothing compares to Earthrace, a 24 metre tri built purely to break the current UIM powerboat record for an equatorial circumnavigation via the Panama and Suez canals. It’s called Earthrace. Whilst powering along at a steady 15 knots, the boat can travel 2500 nautical miles before needing refuelling. Considering it’s also powered by Bio-diesel, this boat could well be the next trendsetter in boat design.

Now if you think that looks like a cool crashed alien space ship, consider the design they are tossing about now. It’s only a concept… but…

Imagine that boat built as a super yacht. Or a super super yacht. Or whatever you’d call that 150 metres long. Or if your imagination has been suffering look at this picture from their website…

Yup that thing would make some of James Bond’s boats look like remote control ducks in a bathtub. Here’s what they say about it on their website:

Sea trials of the revolutionary Earthrace design has done much to convince CLD of the benefits of the wavepiercer trimaran platform and enough to create this remarkable 151m superyacht design study. A motoryacht like no other, this monster boasts a sprint speed of 50 knots, a five level owner’s suite, two huge VIP suites and six split-level apartments. Extraordinary features include the twin skylounges perched in the dramatic arching wings linking the twin 60m long sponsons. These viewing areas allow guests to sit in luxurious surroundings whilst watching the faraway centre hull bow and the much closer sponson bow majestically wavepiercing the ocean. As close to low level flying as you could get without an aircraft!