Innovation

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Featherlight

An approach aimed at saving weight and contributing to improved performance and lower fuel consumption. The Featherlight^TM program was cleverly developed by the shipyard’s inhouse R&D team, backed up by 60 years of experience with aluminum construction. Featherlight^TM combines the best of both worlds: performance and luxury.

Featherlight‘s strongpoints

Weight saving – compared to a conventional aluminum construction, Featherlight secures a 10 – 15% weight reduction.
Speed – high performance and maximum comfort for sailing yachts in the 40 to 55m / 130 to 180ft LOA range.
Expense saving – if “lightweight” is a must but the added expenditure for a composite hull is not, a Featherlight-designed aluminum yacht saves building expense.
Sustainability – keeping the yacht’s eco-footprint as low as possible by using recyclable aluminum

To combine comfort and safety to explore the world with an extremely lightweight yacht to be competitive to carbon composite superyachts in regattas wasn’t an easy task

- Mario Pedol, Nauta Design

Mario Pedol continues: “Our early intuition was that an aluminum construction sailing yacht could be much lighter than the existing aluminum fleet. Royal Huisman supported this vision with enthusiasm and accepted the challenge. Extensive research work and calculations, confirmed our initial thought.”

Owner’s representative Nigel Ingram of MCM Newport says: ”From the outset of the project the owner made it clear that achieving the weight goals was of paramount importance. ‘Lightweight’ became the keyword. Not just for the hull, but for all on-board systems, the interior, the rig and even the deck equipment challenging the shipyard’s engineers in all fields to employ even more ingenuity than their already high standards require. This project has been the perfect candidate for the new Featherlight program, combining the comfort of a structurally optimized aluminum yacht with the performance gains of the best carbon composite build techniques.”

1. An integrated multi-disciplinary design focusing on weight reduction

The Featherlight^TM program employs ESA air space technology and digital FEM strength analyses (Finite Element Method) and Parametric Modelling to engineer exactly the right volume of material for exactly the right location. This facilitates for example optimized, machined Alustar parts, custom thickness plating and the smart positioning of frames, which in turn ensures that materials and masses are only there where they are needed.
The Featherlight^TM program uses the latest in glue techniques to bond aluminum with components, deck equipment and construction elements, without the added weight of fastening materials
The Featherlight^TM program tailors the best of each: lightweight Alustar® aluminum completed with composite structural elements for the hull (keel trunk, bulkheads, plate stiffeners, and composite for the superstructure) – all in combination with adaptability during the development and build process.

2. Continuous weight monitoring

A dedicated weight engineer is allocated to each project to ensure scrupulousprocessing from the start to the delivery

3. Hybrid structures combining aluminum and carbon fiber in the right place

Various lightweight aluminiu alloys are used, with tensile strengths up to 20% higher than conventional aluminum
Lightweight interior panels
3D printed components (synthetic and composite materials)

4. Combining comfort and performance

Excellent, fast, and stable sail handling, facilitated by optimized design
Silent luxury
More space available for an expansive interior configuration, as less machinery is needed (less power requirement equals less energy consumption)

5. Combining safety and sustainability

Aluminum is safe: it has great structural integrity upon impact. Aluminum will bend rather than break, and is easy to repair
Aluminum is 100% recyclable
Sustainable energy & propulsion system

6. Classification

The hull is constructed in compliance with Class requirements, thus meets all applicable safety standards. Not just for the hull, but also for the yacht’s outfitting

7. Conceptual energy regeneration

Yacht owners are ready for hybrid wind and solar electric systems – Royal Huisman and Featherlight are ready to respond to this demand, appreciating that innovative yachts really can make a difference to our environment

Not just a lightweight hull

A perfect fit: installing the deckhouse and guest cockpit onboard Nilaya. The 17.5m / 57ft carbon composite structure as well as the carbon trunk for the retractable keel have been manufactured “next door” at Rondal, the shipyard’s sister company. Nilaya was constructed in compliance with Class requirements.

Weight reduced with 11%

The hull of Nilaya is a high-grade mix of aluminum and carbon composite, utilizing a semi-automated structural optimization process. During sixteen reviews that are part of the shipyard’s new construction method, the structural weight of this project was reduced with an admirable 11% compared to conventional methods. This did not affect the stiffness of the hull, nor her structural integrity. The Featherlight oncept does not just involve a lightweight hull constructed in compliance with Class requirements. Lightweight materials and components are used throughout the yacht’s interior and in various board systems.

Optimizing carbon… And more

Ensuring the optimization of all the carbon components, Rondal’s own engineers also supported the Featherlight™ process throughout. Working alongside the sailmaker and naval architect on mast and rig development is a logical and efficient process. For Nilaya, the methodology brought product innovations such as a runner arrangement that saves 1,200kg / 2,646lbs and a new generation hybrid captive winch that saved half the weight of previously available captive winches.

Tapering to top of the mast on all four sides and eliminating a headboard lock in favor of a unique hook to capture and hold the mainsail are innovations that saved 150kg / 331lbs in a position that made a big positive impact on impact on the yacht’s center of gravity.

Beyond sailing performance

Another positive result of Featherligh results in the yacht needing less power for motoring, a factor that leaves more space to the interior accommodation. In Nilaya’s case, the team developed a ”tribrid” propulsion system (link) for Project 405 saving 2,000kg / 4,409lbs. Its battery pack has the added benefit of allowing the yacht to operate silently in no-carbon areas. Similarly, a critical look at the HVAC system and selecting direct expansion and fan coils for each room, shaved another 600kg / 1,323lbs from systems weight.

“For such a large yacht, the acceleration is exciting as she rapidly reaches high speeds. Twin rudders and light, positive steering effect superb maneuverability and she has reached all her project targets with ease. Rondal’s sailing systems enable fingertip control of the massive loads involved. Below decks, life is as comfortable and quiet as one would expect of the latest performance cruiser from Royal Huisman. The builder’s efforts toward building a light and stiff structure have paid off.” -Nigel Ingram of MCM, Newport, Owner’s representative of Nilaya

Mario Pedol, co-founder of Nauta Design, adds following his overall experience during sail trials:

Nilaya is not good… She is superb.

Sailing Nilaya in the St. Barths Bucket was the ultimate superyacht race experience. This was her first regatta and the yacht performed magically under the owner’s helmsmanship on the spectacular racecourses.

- Jim Pugh, President Reichel/Pugh

First truly composite superyacht

While many aluminum vessels have some composite parts, Nilaya is much more than a hybrid, she is possibly the first truly composite superyacht of the modern era. Featherlight: the right balance between price and value.