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Project ICE Kite Brings Wind Power to Your Next Luxury Yacht

Paying close attention to the ever-changing landscape and taking cues from other industries, the yachting industry is slowly but certainly shifting towards more sustainable products. If it’s ever built, Project ICE Kite could be one such example.
Project ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval Architects 11 photos
Photo: Red Yacht Design
Project ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval ArchitectsProject ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval ArchitectsProject ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval ArchitectsProject ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval ArchitectsProject ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval ArchitectsProject ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval ArchitectsProject ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval ArchitectsProject ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval ArchitectsProject ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval ArchitectsProject ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval Architects
Many shipyards have already introduced hybrid versions of their diesel-powered vessels and some have even designed concepts for fully-green ones, using either batteries, solar or wind power instead of traditional fuel. Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval Architects propose a yacht that uses an oversize kite as a means of becoming more fuel-efficient.

Project ICE Kite, a 211-foot superyacht, would still be powered by diesel engines but would also employ a 1,700-square-foot kite, flying 600 feet high in the sky, with a novel hull architecture that would allow it to sail with minimal carbon footprint. On those days when sailing wouldn’t be possible, it would use the diesel engine for propulsion.

Not only would this superyacht be green (or, at least, as green as possible), but it would make no compromise in terms of luxury amenities. Project ICE is inspired by the sea and sea creatures, so the goal was to create a vessel that seems to belong at sea, the shipyard explains on the official website.

Project ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval Architects
Photo: Red Yacht Design
“We wanted her to look like she always came from the sea,” Fatih Sürekli, cofounder at Red Yacht Design, tells The Robb Report. “The main inspiration came from sharks and dolphins. We wanted the superstructure and bow to convey a feeling of majesty, with the aggressive look of a shark. Aft, the areas are more welcoming, with a friendly, dolphin-like feeling. The main goal is to integrate enclosed spaces with more light while assuring a striking profile from the exterior.”

Large open spaces and even larger glazing are included in the vessel’s design. In total, the superyacht features 5,000 feet of open space, from spas to several sundecks, BBQ, dining and jacuzzi areas, and oversize glass windows that create the impression of openness for guests.

Speaking of guests, this yacht could comfortably accommodate up to 10 guests in a total of five staterooms: four cabins and the owner’s full-beam master suite. The master suite comes with direct access to the spa on the lower deck, a full office and lounge and, of course, his and hers walk-in bathrooms and closets.

Project ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval Architects
Photo: Red Yacht Design
Luxury amenities include the spa and jacuzzi areas, sundecks, a touch-and-go helipad for the issue of the last mile, outdoor dining and the impressive Kite Lounge, which is perhaps the best example of how glazing is used to create the impression of openness. It comes with a spherical glass ceiling that turns it into an observation room with a view to the kite flying above head.

Project ICE comes with matching shadow boat (minus the kite). ICE Ghost is an 85-footer ideal for carrying toys or passengers. It can fit just about every water toy out there, including diving gear, an Icon A5 Airplane, U Boatworx Superyacht Sub, the Red Yacht custom rigid inflatable boat (RIB), and so much more. When not used for hauling watertoys, it can successfully double as an open party area, with the possibility of being used for overnight stays out on the water, thanks to its twin cabins for four.

With a low-resistance hull built of aluminum and an all-carbon superstructure, Project ICE will be able to reach top speeds of 17.4 knots. Once built, the owner plans to include it in a fractional ownership program, with the goal of maximizing efficiency and use of available resources.

Project ICE Kite by Red Yacht Design and Dykstra Naval Architects
Photo: Red Yacht Design
While Project ICE Kite is just a concept for the time being, Sürekli tells the same media outlet that they’re taking bids from interested parties, hoping to secure investments that will take it into the next phase. The combination of kite sailing and diesel engines has already been used successfully, and the time is right to introduce it to the world of luxury yachting.

“German kite manufacturer SkySails has been integrating this technology on commercial ships for many years to reduce fuel consumption,” Sürekli explains. “We started with the notion that it would also work on a yacht created for circumnavigation. It will almost exclusively be used on the high seas – there is plenty of open water and no helicopters flying by.”

Expect more details to be released when – and if – Project ICE Kite becomes a bit more than just a beautiful (green) dream.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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