Martini 7.0 Catamaran With Active Suspension Flies High, Eliminates Motion Sickness

Catamarans are twin-hulled watercraft that have become increasingly popular in recent years with the one-percenter clientele. Because they have dual hulls, they are more stable and faster than single-hulls, and also offer a wider living area for all those luxury amenities the same clientele has become accustomed to. After all, if you can afford it, you should always get the best and biggest boat possible.

Sometime in the future, that best boat could be a Martini 7.0. Presented in November last year and shown in the header photo, it is the latest collaboration from fledging yacht builder Servo Yachts and UK-based studio Shuttleworth Design, and the latest in the Martini series. All entries in this series share the same trait: the active suspension on the twin hulls, which keeps the elevated deck completely still even in rough waters.

The idea is simple, yet never before done in the industry: much like active suspension keeps a vehicle’s cab stable, the patented suspension on the hulls of the Martini cat keeps the elevated deck motionless, regardless of everything happening around it. The latest entry in the series, the Martini 7.0, is also the largest so far, measuring 165-foot (50-meter) in total length. The size allows its creators to offer the same level of stability and comfort as with the other Martinis, but more space for luxury amenities.

Shuttleworth Design has released only one official render of the Martini 7.0. The other two photos in the gallery (and below) show the previous iteration, the Martini 6.0.

The main engines and all onboard systems are located in the hulls, which means the entire main body is meant for entertaining. It’s made of carbon fiber and foam cores, which considerably reduces weight and offers increased durability. The upper deck is 4,628 square feet (430 square meters), which means there’s plenty of space to put there a jacuzzi surrounded by sun pads, and create a generous entertaining space, including two lounges and a dining room. An infinity pool is located on the main deck.

Accommodation on board is for ten guests, with the owner suite located up front and offering spectacular surrounding views due to its elevated position. It also boasts a private office and its own gym.

Guests can sleep in four ensuite cabins, while crew are quartered below deck, where there’s also the professional galley, a dive center and a garage that can house several water toys and a large tender. When the superstructure is lowered onto the water, the garage becomes a wet dock, which allows launching the tender or water gear without the need for a crane or other complicated maneuvers.

This brings us to the hottest selling point of this catamaran: its suspension. The video at the bottom of the page is of the Martini 6.0, and it shows how the hulls respond independently and in real time to absorb all the heave and vibrations from the waves, so that the main deck / superstructure remains stable. The hulls are connected to the four corners of the deck by four articulating scissor mechanisms with pneumatic and electric rams, which lift the superstructure by as much as 12 feet (366 cm) over the waterline.

Unlike current stabilizing tech, which often shows a lag in response time, the patented mechanism on the Martini 7.0 responds in real time. This quick response and the active suspension enable the cat to cut through rough waters at a higher speed and with improved efficiency, as compared to most modern vessels.

While the Martini 7.0 exists only in CGI form for the time being, Servo Yachts says that prototypes for its predecessors have been tested in the San Francisco Bay. The implication is that the above claims aren’t purely theoretical but have been proven in real life or, at the very least, have been shown possible.

“With the Martini 7.0, I believe we have found a way to solve seasickness and significantly improve the sailing experience so that everyone can enjoy traveling on the ocean,” David Hall, founder of Servo Yachts, says in a statement. “I am very excited for Servo Yachts to continue to push the boundaries of marine technology and transform ocean travel.”

Here’s ocean travel transformation, in CGI form for now.