Ethereal
The world's first hybrid superyacht
Classic lines, pioneering technologies. Every new project presents its own challenges but the creation of Ethereal called for an unprecedented level of technological innovation and expertise, even by the standards of Royal Huisman.
Both the process and the result have been remarkable
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DATA & DIMENSIONS
| Yard no. | 384 |
|---|---|
| Type | Performance Ketch - The world's first hybrid superyacht |
| Naval architect | Ron Holland Design |
| Exterior design | Pieter Beeldsnijder Design / Ron Holland Design |
| Interior architect | Pieter Beeldsnijder Design |
| Length overall | 58m / 190ft |
| Year of Delivery | 2009 |
| e-Brochure | link |
Classic lines, pioneering technologies. Every new project presents its own challenges but the creation of Ethereal called for an unprecedented level of technological innovation and expertise, even by the standards of Royal Huisman.
It all started when owners Bill and Shannon Joy travelled to Holland to meet the team at Royal Huisman. They were inspired by the beautiful ketch Juliet, built by Royal Huisman, that they had often sailed aboard and which they loved. The Joys dreamed of building a yacht with similarly graceful lines and sailing performance, while using the latest technology and best operational practices to minimize its environmental impact. Working together, as they had on Juliet, master architects Ron Holland and Pieter Beeldsnijder gave Ethereal her beautiful lines and her clean styling that blends new and traditional elements. They also gave her outstanding performance and quality accommodation for 10-12 guests and 10 crew.
A three-day design charrette was convened at Royal Huisman where the shipyard engineers teamed up with an international group of experts, academics and suppliers, evaluating all ship’s systems and thinking outside the box to identify innovative ways to reduce Ethereal’s environmental impact and increase her energy efficiency. Thus began a restless search for new, lower impact solutions to traditional problems, a focused search that continued throughout and defined the spirit of the Ethereal project.
The result is a magnificent 58m / 190ft classic ketch that uses only a fraction of the energy of comparable yachts and is the world's first hybrid superyacht. When the shipyard team announced Ethereal in May 2005, hybrid technology was still in its infancy: the first-generation Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger car, had only entered wider markets like North America and Europe few years before. Ethereal would carry that same pioneering spirit onto the water as the world’s first hybrid superyacht. Her elegant lines — a well proportioned superstructure, fine bow, low freeboard, beautiful sail plan and sleek stern — complement her pioneering systems. Ethereal’s design and many innovations set a high standard for the large sailing yachts to be built in the years to come.