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Zelta "Flying Yacht" Concept Could Be the Future of Personal and Luxury Boating

One industry that seems to have taken off in the past couple of years is yachting. However, most yachts follow the traditional design norms established over the years. This one's about breaking away from those established rules.
Zelta "Flying Yacht" 8 photos
Photo: Julien Marie / Elaine Geojy
AvanguardiaAvanguardiaAvanguardiaZelta "Flying Yacht"Zelta "Flying Yacht"Zelta "Flying Yacht"Zelta "Flying Yacht"
Folks, the design you see here has been Dubbed Zelta, a "personal flying yacht." Maybe the words flying and yacht don't seem to mix when you're talking about the same machine, but in the case of Zelta, the way the ship maneuvers through water could be compared to flying. After all, fluid dynamics and all that.

The two minds that worked on this project are Julien Marie and Elaine Geojy. Zelta was achieved during an internship by E. Geojy at Toyota ED2 (European Design Development), Toyota's European design center. That alone should tell you a bit about the brains behind the work.

Everything began with a few sketches created by J. Marie that were then passed on to Geojy to apply the final touches and the complete renderings you see.

From the start, you can tell there's something different about Zelta. The yacht isn't created to function on classic principles of hull design; instead, it's built to operate on hydrofoil principles.

Zelta "Flying Yacht"
Photo: Julien Marie / Elaine Geojy
Even though we don't have any specifications regarding the size of Zelta, the ship's hydrofoil extends from the bow and well beyond the visible beach deck. What would appear like the most prominent feature of the ship isn't even seen; it's submerged underwater. This is where you can spot Zelta's hydrofoil hull.

The presence of the hydrofoil also impacts the hull shape, at the bow lifted and thin, while the rear is wide and flat, to offer stability at high speeds.

This feature is meant to offer Zelta a "flying" ability. Sure, the ship will still be touching water, but the livable habitat above should feel a whole lot like floating. After all, it's one of the reasons hydrofoils are being researched so heavily; they offer one heck of an experience.

If you keep up with autoevolution, we featured a piece on Lazzarini Design studio and their Avanguardia "Swan-Shaped" Megayacht. Up above the waterline, Zelta shows off a shape that seems somewhat familiar. Sure, they may not be the same, but some resemblance can be seen between the two ships. I would have loved to see Avanguardia with a swan head shaped like Zelta.

Zelta "Flying Yacht"
Photo: Julien Marie / Elaine Geojy
While an interior has not been created - it is just a concept - Zelta still features exterior styling by Geojy's hand. The thin, narrow bow I mentioned is now transformed into a large floating deck, possibly meant for the owner's loft. The space is large enough to set up several lounge beds, pads, and even a dancefloor with DJ.

At the rear, the two decks we can see showcase rear-facing furnishings with more space to lay around and drink mimosas. The lowest deck includes a large pool, lateral staircases offering access to the deck above, and the beach deck below. By the looks of it, there's really only one thing to do if you're ever a guest on Zelta, and that's just enjoying the ride.

While this design is meant only to capture your eye, if something like this is ever to be brought to life, extensive research into the efficiency of the hydrofoil design will need to be carried out, and that takes quite a bit of cash.

Then again, Zelta seems like the sort of concept meant for people with more money than we could count, so that shouldn't be a problem. Let's see what the future brings for the yachting industry.
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Editor's note: Images in the gallery also include the Avanguardia from Lazzarini Designs.

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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