Power catamaran

THE ICON - Foils for going faster and farther

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Article published on 12/07/2023

By Emmanuel van Deth

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published inn°SP20aug. / sept.

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There’s Cannes and then there’s Cannes... BMW and boatbuilder Tyde have chosen to exhibit their new creation at the 76th Cannes Festival (the Film one, not the Yachting one!). The hull hesitates between one and three hulls, not dissimilar to some America’s Cup boats. A wedge-shaped design gives this 43-foot (13.15 m) boat an “arrow-shape” effect - at the expense of deck area forward. Obviously, at Multihulls World, we can only regret this choice, as it halves the interior volume (and the surface area for any solar panels) and pretty much eliminates the deck. With almost non-existent side decks and no protection, it’d be difficult to pass a mooring line to the bow without the help of a tender... The superstructure takes the liberty of featuring glazing everywhere, as the boat is sailed on three foils, i.e. high above the waves. By reducing conventional Archimedean drag by 80%, foiling opens up new possibilities, as the two 100 kW motors powered by six BMW i3 batteries enable the boat to cruise at 24 knots for two hours. The turquoise hues and LED strip lighting contribute to the boat’s modern, high-end ambience. Inside, rotating seats allow passengers to sit and interact as they please in a luxurious environment. A tablet-based infotainment system is also available. At the center of THE ICON is the cockpit, featuring a steering wheel and instruments designed by BMW. The interface combines nautical instruments in a digital control unit whose centerpiece is a 32-inch touchscreen. Essential functions such as range information and weather reports can be obtained by voice command, which can also control ...

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