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This Silent Predator is Completely Solar Powered and Waiting to Be Built

There you are, hanging out on your board waiting for the next wave to come in. There have been no signs of sharks in the area for the past days and everything seems perfectly fine. As your sitting, you are also having a chat with your surfer pal. Immersed in conversation, into your peripheral view comes a shadow. You didn’t hear it at all, the sun seemed to hide it until it got within striking distance.
The Cat 80 15 photos
Photo: SolarImpact
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Don’t worry, it’s not a man-eating shark, although just as silent. What we are actually talking about is the SICAT 80, a.k.a the Cat 80. This solar powered yacht is harmless to the environment and brings all the goodies you could want. And by you, I mean to say that, if you’ve got the penny for this dime, then you and the design team get to work out your toys and knick-knacks.

The Cat is designed by Roland Friedberger for Solar Impact. If and when this bad girl gets built, she will be put together by Schaff Yachtbau under the instruction of naval architect Tommaso Spadolini.

The entire hull and superstructure design utilize aluminum as the main material. Being a catamaran design, it should offer a more stable and comfortable ride than standard mono-hull craft. This hull comes in with a length of 78 ft. (23.95 m) and width of 39.3 ft. (12 m). More than enough space to play around in.

The Cat 80
Photo: SolarImpact
The lower deck offers all housing that may be needed for crew, guests, and owner. A single master suite with a king size bed and in-suite bathroom with his and hers service. The remaining six guest cabins each have their own restrooms as well. From my understanding of the layout, it seems that only the crew have shared facilities. Also located on this lower deck we find access to a beach club and space for tenders and toys. From here we are led up to the next deck through one of four staircases located in between rooms, or by the two stairways at the rear.

The next deck offers a lounging and dining experience. The rear includes a jacuzzi, large sun pads, and a bar, while the front is just one giant hot rock waiting for your lizard butt to just soak up the sun. All you will find at the bow are two tables and enough room for you and your guests to do nothing.

The interior of this deck holds true to the same ‘chill’ vibe with a huge entertainment center once again filled with lounging area. Honestly, I get it. What else are you looking to do on a solar powered yacht? In case you get hungry, a dining table is also available in this space. The initial stairs that gave us access into the interior of this deck also continue to the third and final deck.

The Cat 80
Photo: SolarImpact
Atop the vessel we will find the navigational deck or fly bridge. But, being on the top deck, we once again find lounging areas for some sun kisses, and a dining table to enjoy meals under a clear sky.

Now I did mention earlier that she is solar. Almost all the upper awning of the craft is covered in solar cells that feed an 800kWh battery. This battery system then feeds two 250kW engines and two 150kW range extenders giving the vessel a maximum speed of 20 knots. More than enough to cut through some calm bay waters.

So don’t worry about the shadow, it’s a good thing, this time anyway.
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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