neel trimaran hybrid

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• NEEL 52 Trimaran

The new NEEL 52 sailing trimaran is a brand-new concept by famed French designer Marc Lombard, who is also responsible for the NEEL 43 and NEEL 47 designs. The new NEEL 52 multihull is replacing the highly successful NEEL 51 cruising yacht of which over 40 units have been crafted.

Improved Performance & More Volume

The NEEL 52 trimaran has some dynamic improvements in her hull design. The boat’s central hull features a deep rocker for quick maneuvers and great load bearing characteristics. The trimaran’s fine amas help tracking, greatly improving stability and upwind speed. This all results in a quick sailing yacht that can already sail at wind speed at under 8 knots of breeze. This is a feat that hardly any other multihull with the same volume can achieve. The boat’s sailing systems are cleverly laid out in such a way that one person can easily sail, reef and maneuver the boat.

Luxurious Interior &  Open Design Philosophy

Her interior is cavernous, a mix of luxurious spaces and modern, clean styling. Order your NEEL 52  in 2 different Versions. Choose between the trademark master cabin or having a cavernous chef- galley with an adjacent bar on the main deck. Both versions can be configured with various number of staterooms in the amas. The new NEEL 52 also features the expansive salon/cockpit (Cockloon) as well as the large systems and engine room under the main deck. Weight centering and access to maintain machinery has always been at the heart of NEEL’s design philosophy.

Environmentally Conscious 21’st Century Sailing Machine

High-tech built at NEEL’s state of the art production facility the NEEL 52 trimaran is crafted using a hybrid composite construction, utilizing carbon in high stress areas. The yard is also environmentally conscious. Consequently it uses PET recycled foam as a core and epoxy based Isophthalic resins. For safety, the boat carries the highest offshore Category-A ECC certification.

Whether living aboard or shorthanded family circumnavigating, we think she is one of the best cruising sailing yachts on the market. Experience the NEEL 52. She combines the best aspects of a monohull and catamaran.

Low Profile Flybridge. Exceptional Shorthanded Yacht

The new NEEL 52 has a true flybridge with proper seating and forward sun lounge . The helmsman can communicate both with the guests on the flybridge as well as friends in the cockpit and galley below. Just as on the smaller Neels, the NEEL 52 trimaran centralizes its running rigging to the helm. Reefing, furling and raising sails, as well as tacking, sail adjustments and anchoring are all accomplished without even leaving the safety of your helm seat. Yes, you can even tack by pushing a button…

Discover the NEEL trimaran models

Contact Aeroyacht to reserve your exclusive private tour with the NEEL factory in La Rochelle, France. Aeroyacht will provide you with an in depth look at all phases of construction and design of this innovative trimaran. We will organize “meet and greets” with the principals of the Neel Company, sit down to define your personal Neel as well as test sail on a NEEL trimaran.

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Neel 52 Review

Today we review one of the most anticipated vessels ever from Neel Trimarans – sporty and elegant cruiser Neel 52 , designed by one and only Marc Lombard. There is still not much information on the upcoming yacht, so we had to conduct a thorough research based on available data from the shipyard. Yet, the existing information is more than enough to already form a certain opinion on the trimaran and draw conclusions regarding this exciting project even before it first launches in 2024. Additionally, we add similar reviews by professionals in the same field so you have information from different sources.

This is how the Neel 52 will appear to us when its finally launched. This trimaran, similar to the predecessors, provides incredible stability unheard of among monohull and even catamaran lovers. You can definitely see the influence of Neel 51’s design philosophy in the new shapes, yet at the same time you are not likely to confuse the two of them – the lines of the exterior became more gentle and soft, almost like this trimaran resolved its inner issues and achieved enlightenment of some sort, especially considering that model 51 looked constantly angry with its curved saloon windows at the front.

Indeed, it seems that many of the problems of the model 51 were resolved by famous Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group in this new project.

Stability is definitely an advantage of trimarans, yet the maneuverability often becomes a problem. In order to address this, Neel 52’s central hull was resedigned – now it features a deeper rocker which is supposed to improve the yacht’s agility and load bearing. New long and swift amas (side floats) allow the yacht to introduce a more ambitious sail wardrobe and stay on target even during big waves. Add to that a powerful 110 HP Volvo engine, large fuel and water tanks for the 16-meter vessel, CE certification class A, allowing you to go on a long cruise in the ocean, and you have an interesting hybrid between a racing boat and a full-time cruiser that is lighter than ever with displacement of only 12.6 tons.

Based on our experience, it is the versatility improvements that eventually attract more and more people into the multihull market. Usually, speed lovers owners are worried that they will be stuck on a slow-moving cruising raft without any ability to actually drive it, yet Neel Trimarans are adamant about marketing their vessels capable of sailing and cruising combined, depending on the layout you choose. At the same time, Eric Bruneel, the founder of the company, spent a lot of time himself specifically on racing trimarans and is eager to show the world that a trimaran can be much more than just a comfortable apartment on the water.

Features of Neel 52

• Brand: Neel Trimarans
• Hull type: Trimaran
• Overall length, m: 15.8
• Width, m: 8.53
• Draft, m: 1.82
• Displacement, t: 12.6
• Air draft, m: 24
• Water tanks, l: 600
• Exterior design (Architect): Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group
• CE certification: A
• Mainsail type: Fully battened
• Jib type: Furling genoa
• Mainsail area, m²: 95
• Jib area, m²: 71
• Engines, hp: Volvo, 110
• Fuel tanks l: 700

Review of Neel 52 by TopRik Team

Let’s start with the yacht’s main features and performance at the sea.

Our research shows that the weight of the yacht is concentrated very low and most of it resides in the central float. It is pretty much an only viable solution for a trimaran of this size, allowing to reduce pitching and achieve less shaky motion, including going to windward. Weight is reduced to the minimum: vacuum-molded composite sandwich was used to lighten the whole structure, with triaxial fiber reinforcements and foams made of PVC and PET at the core. For those who don’t know – very often balsa is used instead of foam in such designs, which is cheaper, yet is more vulnerable to water getting inside. As we can see, Neel doesn’t want to save up on hull’s integrity and safety - to minimize toxic emissions of styrene, new resins and gelcoats were developed, protecting both you and environment from pollution.

There are two options for the mast materials: aluminum and carbon, both doing a great job in reducing the weight and improving yacht’s handling. The sail plan allows you to tame even the barely noticeable 8 knots of wind to put the yacht in motion – moreover, huge 95 m² sail area can easily be handled by one person, including reefing and all necessary maneuvers. No wonder that Neel trimaran are often noticed at ARC regatta – a famous competition for those who are enthusiastic about water racing, attracting around 200 boats from all over the world every single year.

The predecessor, Neel 51, was able to cover 290 miles in 24 hours with triple-reefed mainsail paired with self-tending staysail. We expect even more out of this model – after all, the displacement of new model is just 12.6 t compared to 14 t. Hopefully, the cruising speed will be improved, but we can definitely be sure, that we will at least get 10 knots reliably and even up to 14 knots thanks to occasional gusts of wind.

Even though you can manage it alone, if you have just one more person to help you, self-tending jib set and simple winches will make sails management a really simple task for the two of you. We also have a suspicion that we will see high-quality products such as Dyneema and Spectra for rigging and lifelines on board again.

Another peculiarity about Neel range is the high freeboards – as you stand on one of the decks while anchored at the marina, you should really hold on to that lifeline to avoid accidents. Judging from preliminary CG renders, we don’t get full metal railing, yet Neel trimarans always had very sturdy lifelines, allowing the manufacturer to save up on precious weight of the vessel and make the final price more attractive too. Besides, such a sporty yacht by definition comes without a full-size flybridge, so not much safety railing is needed overall. Just make sure that you use the sunbeds on the saloon’s roof with care and only during full stop of the yacht – there’s quite some distance to fall from there on the deck’s flooring if you roll over the wrong way.

The floats are connected by two trampolines – again, not the safest feature, but definitely the most fun one. If you go on family vacation, make sure your kids know that they are just named trampolines and are not supposed to be used as such, especially during movement.

Closer Look

The main deck layout of Neel 52 looks like this:

As we can see, the yacht is almost square-shaped – such incredible beam allows for huge amount of space on a 16-meter yacht, with wide side decks, tons of space in the bow and ability to house an inflatable dinghy or RIB of pretty much any size at the transom thanks to stainless-steel mounts with a convenient davit. The black square hatches are sprinkled along the deck, allowing light to enter the cabins below – there just can’t be that many large cabin portholes on monohulls due to their limited width. The so-called Cockloon (combination of cockpit and saloon), traditional of Neel range, takes up most of the space on the deck, and on top of it is the aforementioned sunbathing area right under the sails. Let’s take a closer look at what we will be able to find on board.

Right away, you can notice that there are not many ways to board the vessel – you get a short stern extension on either right of left float, which are accessible even if you are moored side-to. We don’t get a huge bathing platform, typical for many popular catamarans – probably since the emphasis was put on cruising or racing performance and not all extra amenities. Also, the central hull makes it more difficult to set up a full-size hydraulic platform. You can easily use the extensions of both amas and the central hull (in case you don’t need a dinghy) as mini platforms – considering the width of the yacht, you just get three smaller wooden islands above water instead of a single large one.

We are happy to see some lifelines in this area too. In general, the yacht looks very flat and it is impossible to imagine it flipping over, which takes care of another possible danger for monohulls on a long cruise.

As for the space on board – just compare the skipper behind the helm at the photo above to the deck width. A lot of yachtsmen get pleasantly surprised by the space catamarans provide, yet a trimaran is a completely different game. That’s why the manufacturer proudly informs that Neel 52 will be able to easily accommodate 12 people on board, with max of 6 cabins! We’ll talk about cabins little bit later though, let’s discuss the cockpit/saloon hybrid.

In the Cockloon

The biggest living area on board the predecessor, Neel 51, took our breath away when we first experienced it. The simplicity of single open space with no ladders, pyramids-style secret doors and connecting corridors on the deck is a breath of fresh air in the world of long-range cruisers. You still get a small cockpit at the stern, but it feels more like a porch of the house, than a special separate area. There you have couple of sofas under the hard bimini and we don’t see any reason why Neel would get rid of amazing galley to starboard which we got on Neel 51 before, housing a fridge, sink and a grill. Most likely, it will be present on model 52 also.

The only ladder that we can see, on the right, leads to the control station with a responsive steering wheel, all necessary displays and indicators and comfortable seating for three people in front of it. You can already see the electric winches in front of it – with three of them you can manage the halyards, reefing lines, sheets and traveler from the same spot. View from the seating position is somewhat limited when it comes to portside visibility, which is the price you have to pay for such large beam and flatness combined. Using the same ladder, you can climb to mini-flybridge with some rigid railing, only having enough headroom for sitting on the bench or lying on the sunbeds (watch out for the boom above you).

What’s surprising, we don’t see the solar panels on the roof, unlike Neel 51 – but maybe it just became an optional feature now. Or, the panels were also cut to reduce the weight.

Thanks to the well-engineered hull, Neel 52 gets full width sliding doors leading inside the main saloon space.

Even though it is a CG render and not a photo, based on our experience, we can tell that the manufacturer very rarely makes drastic changes on this stage of development – that’s pretty much exactly how the interior will look when Neel 52 will be finally launched. We can see, that Neel stays true to conservative home-like color scheme – shades of grey and cozy beige always work well together.

We can see regular coffee table and sofas, because some usual things just have to be there. Same with skipper’s table right near the galley, that’s your typical high-quality control station. The circle-shaped galley itself has four burners, a lot of tabletop space, an oven, sink, microwave, special hole for garbage – everything that a chef might need.

The skipper also has all he needs: full-featured navigation suite with chartplotter, autopilot controls, VHF etc. and all of this at the table from which you have great view – not quite like at the helm, but it’s enough to take control of some situations right from the saloon. Everything we described is surrounded by enormous windows (can’t even call them portholes) that make those ceiling lights pretty useless until its actually dark. The amount of light inside not only improves quality of life, but also allows to save up on energy, that is so needed on a long cruise.

Might be a surprise for those, who never sailed Neel yachts, but at the center of the saloon there is a big hatch in the floor. This hatch doesn’t lead into a secret hideout – instead, when you open it and climb down, you end in a huge engine compartment with 2-meter headroom, big enough to be someone’s apartment.

From our own trial and error, we know how important it is to have enough room in places like this – if there’s not enough storage room in the engine compartment, all your tools end up dispersed all over the yacht. And when something breaks, you can’t react in time because you need to assemble all the necessary equipment from various lockers first. Here you can just store everything you need for all your technical needs in one place, including some hefty tools that you wouldn’t fit on other yachts. Or you can always just throw some fenders in here – depends on your needs.

So far, we know of two possible version of Neel 52 – not fancy names, just version 1 and version 2:

So, we either get a large bar or owner’s cabin – first version is clearly made for charters and the second one for a couple, a family or a lone sea wolf. It’s always great to have a choice. Owner suite has a big bed, separate bathroom with a spacious shower and a bunch of lockers.

As for other cabins, we don’t really have any CG renders of them yet, but relying of what we experienced on Neel 51, all of them will be extremely well lit in any layout with a lot of storage space, available thanks to yacht’s impressive dimensions.

Advantages of Neel 52

So far, the only disadvantage that we could find is not the most reliable lifelines along the board of the yacht, but that can be justified as a mean to an end – this is all about reducing the weight and the price of the vessel. Other than that, we clearly see some good signs already:

• Performance. Thanks to extremely lightweight structure, this model is most optimized to move as fast as possible even at the slightest breeze. Whoever is in love with actual sailing yachts, fit even for the prestigious regattas, will appreciate the agility and stability of this boat.
• Ease of management. Electric winches with full control of everything you can think of when it comes to rigging, B&G controls and the helm station and mostly great view from the helm allow the yacht to be managed with little crew or without crew at all.
• Variability. This yacht is not tailored towards a specific niche. Instead, its like a transformer boat, that allows you to pick the layout that is exactly right for your situation, whether you want it to be a family boat, a party yacht or a charter workhorse.
• Comfort. Huge living spaces, lots of storage room, natural light coming from dozens of windows and hatches – this boat is not only about performance, but also about cruising and feeling like home even in the middle of the ocean.
• It’s a trimaran. Yes, an unusual advantage, but the stability and beam that you get from this type of vessel is something else. You have to try it to actually understand it, but if you want to know more, watch some reviews on the predecessor, Neel 51, and listen to what yachtsmen have to say about its qualities on the water – they will be even more pronounced on this new model.

The price reflects all that space and sportiness and even though the boat is not the cheapest, the price/quality ratio is much better than on many monohulls out there.

Reviews of Neel 52 from Professionals

To be fair, we didn’t expect to find any professional review on this yacht whatsoever, but Chloé Torterat from Multihull News as well as Giornale della Vela’s team blessed us with some of their writing.

The author starts her review by claiming than Neel 52 is fit for all kinds of sailing programs thanks to numerous layout options and recognizes that it’s the third Neel constructed by Lombard firm – they also made Neel 47 and 43. With load capacity of 19.5 tons this vessel can accommodate up to 12 people on board easily.

As for rigging, Neel 52 is provided with a special rudder that is controlled by textile lines on ball-bearing blocks. You get a huge mainsail, with a horn and a furling system, also the structural cable that is inserted right into the sail. Furling genoa or optional gennaker – that is up to you. You can order either Classic rig option (aliminum mast and steel standing rigging) or Performance (aluminum boom, carbon mast, textile standing rigging).

Talking about the living space, Chloé mentions that you can get either an owner cabins or give it up for a large saloon with a 360° view. She also noticed that latter option is definitely provided with charters in mind. As for cabins, there are different layouts for 4, 5 of 6 cabins, depending on much beds you need for the passengers.

Right away the writers of Giornale della Vela call the Neel 52 perfect for living aboard in their title – something that we can agree on.

Its worth mentioning indeed that Eric Bruneel participated in various high-level regattas across the world and even won 2004 Ostar. So, its not just some suit that doesn’t know anything about sailing that makes the main decisions.

The writers approve of the Full Beam Cockpit – an interesting decision of the design team, which is a very large cockpit with different seating options with full railing. The stern is spacious and makes it very convenient to launch and haul the tender. As for the helm, Neel trimarans were always known for ease of steering and this model definitely will not be an exception.

Layouts and additional packaging of the yacht provide a lot of options: high-performance ascetic feel or lazy, home-like features like luxurious upholstery, real wood, with brands like Bolon and Corian added to the mix.

Video Review of Neel 52

The information on the yet non-existent yacht is obviously lacking, yet we were able to find something that resembles a video review from Aeroyacht (better a small fish than an empty dish):

We will definitely add more video reviews once the yacht actually comes out.

When you are a seasoned competitive yachtsman like Neel’s founder, Eric Bruneel, it’s very easy to allow it to get to your head and start dismissing anybody, who just wants to enjoy some comfortable cruising with their family. Some people think it should all be about unbearable conditions for the sake of speed, maneuverability and the most complicated rig you can possibly imagine. It’s understandable – that’s what gives some people all the thrill they need.

The Neel’s founder had different ideas though. He tried his best to open his beloved trimaran base to everybody who will not be scared away by it. When you have two hulls on your yacht instead of one some people already don’t understand you, but what about three of them? It was not easy at all for him to convince people that this base is a viable solution, but when he finally did, he attracted all kind of people with all kinds of interest, just allured by the idea of perfectly stable yet fast and agile boat with tons of space on board. So, Neel-Trimarans made sure that every customer finds what they are looking in this boat with its 4 layouts provided, different rigging options and additional equipment offered. Even the price-list for all of the equipment is quite complicated – even with all our experience we got little bit confused at all possible options at first. And this is not necessarily a bad thing. Once you actually take your time, think about all the possibilities and finally assemble that trimaran of your dreams from all the provided options, it will be not be just a Neel 52, it will be your Neel 52.

Price calculator

Where to buy neel 52 at a bargain price.

We already have a calculator for this model on our website, but if you need a more personal touch, you can always contact our specialists – as we said, it might be a little problematic to figure out all the packages you need. After we agreed on what boat you would like to purchase, we will put you in a queue – when the boat comes out, you will be one of the first owners of Neel 52 in the world. And all of that at the lowest price we could possibly negotiate with the manufacturer.

As there’s more and more information available about the boat, we will keep you updated on the progress and possible changes from the manufacturer. When the boat is finally launched, we will:

• take care of all the boring documentation so you could just go behind helm right away;
• move the yacht to specified location;
• advice you on any additional equipment not included in the packaging (various rigging devices, fenders, watermakers, batteries etc.) We will not force anything on you or have some hidden fees or additional hidden purchases – it’s all up to you.

Don’t be afraid to contact us at any time through phone above of the feedback system on the website – we are always ready to help.

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Three hulls, one planet: Neel 51 owner explains how he went self-sustainable

• May 28, 2020

A Swiss sailor and organic farmer has customised his Neel 51 to prove that boats can be completely self-sustaining. Sam Fortescue reports

Wolf chose a Neel 51 trimaran for speed and comfort

Bluewater sailing stories usually start with someone who has been around boats all their life. But not this one. A Swiss man who goes only by the name ‘Wolf’ freely admits he came late to the sailing party when he started to spec out a new Neel 51 trimaran in 2016.

“I came to the boating world in an accident of life after a medical problem that made me think about how to spend the rest of my life,” he tells me before listing his new aspirations. “The first one was living on a boat, like a child’s dream.”

Coming to boat ownership without any of the preconceptions or traditional constraints that inform many of our choices, Wolf knew straight away that he wanted a multihull . “I wanted a fast and comfortable boat,” he says. But he also wanted something a bit more than that. “I wanted autonomy and environmental sustainability.”

Plans for sustainable sailing include growing crops on board as well as making use of zero carbon renewable energy

This is where Wolf’s story takes a really interesting turn, because he wasn’t prepared to settle for standard ‘greening’ measures such as synthetic teak decks or a few solar panels . “Usually with boats, your life is based on a diesel engine . I thought ‘I’m not prepared to be dependent on fossil fuels’.”

So he looked at the design of a boat’s systems in a fundamental way to determine how he could live aboard with the lowest possible carbon footprint. It led him to develop his own straightforward solutions to harvesting fresh water, electric propulsion , growing food on board and managing waste – all interconnected.

“I didn’t want to do a concept boat, just one that I agreed with and understood,” he says. Now he wants to use his experience to prove to boatbuilders and other sailors that boating doesn’t have to pollute.

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Going electric

The first thing was to install an alternative to the standard 75hp Volvo engine of the Neel 51. “An electric motor seemed to be promising because I could also produce that energy as I went along,” Wolf says.

After some research, he decided to install a 50kW Deep Blue electric motor from Torqeedo to drive the boat, hooked up to six i8 lithium batteries , each containing 10kWh of energy. These batteries have their own dedicated shelves in the mechanical space usually given over to the diesel engine.

As is possible with all electric drives, the prop can generate electricity as the boat sails to recharge the batteries and run house loads, like the induction hob, electric cooker and the instruments. “I made some calculations and strangely it was quite easy to produce enough energy to cover all my needs. The Torqeedo system should produce 1kW at around 7-8 knots boat speed.

Engineroom space is mostly given over to batteries

“It could be much more, though, so I am also considering an independent hydrogenerator that you could lift out of the water when you don’t need it. This would be interesting because then there is more power available at a slower speed.”

Solar panels naturally cover part of his overall power equation, with the potential to dwarf the generating capacity of the propeller. He reckons that his 3kW of flexible DAS panels glued to the coachroof can generate 6-13kWh per day and estimates his demand to be 8kWh. The final piece of the jigsaw is two wind turbines that will help charge the batteries day and night.

Getting supplies of fresh water on board is a regular chore for bluewater cruisers. Most boats will install a watermaker to free them somewhat from the tyranny of the water tank and provide peace of mind in case of unexpectedly long passages.

Harvesting and waste recycling systems conserve water

Wolf has also put in a watermaker, a Katadyn PowerSurvivor 40E capable of producing five litres per hour. After all, he, “didn’t want to make any compromise on safety on board, or on comfort. I want to live on the boat for long periods of the year.”

Saving water

But the watermaker is a back-up – there just in case. He tries not to use it. “I didn’t want to depend on a watermaker, because it’s a very complex piece of technology,” he explains. “Desalination puts brine back into the sea, which contributes to the eutrophication of the marine environment. What’s more, they require a lot of energy, usually fossil fuels, reducing the range of the boat and increasing its environmental impact.”

His solution was to turn to a system that has been keeping mariners in fresh water since man first took to the sea: rainwater collection. By installing a small fiddle around the edge of the coachroof, which drains to a central point, it is easy to collect, filter and store fresh water.

Solar panels are used for electricity and heating water, while a fiddle surrounding the coachroof collects rainwater

By the simple expedient of rejecting the first few minutes’ worth of water, all the salt and any impurities caught by the sails or the coachroof are purged, he says. The first yard he approached just looked at him blankly when he outlined his project, but Neel was more responsive, readying the boat for all his subsequent modifications.

Wolf is an organic farmer in his other life, and also plans to grow food aboard Noos . He will make use of the “many wasted spaces” on the boat and apply intensive indoor growing techniques to cultivate simple greens such as lettuce, radish and herbs, as well as courgettes, tomatoes and even aubergine.

“As an organic farmer, I know it’s possible to produce quite a lot in a very small space,” he says. “My expectation is to cover the vegetable needs for four people all year round. This requires selecting the right vegetables, and always starting the next crop before the old crop is finished.”

Corridors between cabins have built-in troughs that are lined with plastic, troughs are then filled with a lightweight soil growing medium so lettuce, radish, herbs, courgettes and tomatoes can be grown

Special racks fill the corridor between the cabins, and what would normally be guest heads in the outer hulls. They are lined with a kind of plastic to keep the lightweight ‘soil’ and water in. Then a perforated fabric is buttoned over the top of the plants to stop things coming loose in rough conditions. Wolf has laid 400 litres of soil.

Some further adjustments will be necessary – such as removing the anti-UV coating on some hatches and windows, to allow the plants to photosynthesise. He plans to install some additional hatches to bring in more natural light, and top the whole system up with greenhouse-standard LED lighting as needed. The darker nooks and crannies will be perfect for growing mushrooms, he says.

Waste disposal

Of course, boats don’t just take on supplies; they also have to get rid of waste. And here again Wolf has some novel ideas. Already a mandatory feature on superyachts , water treatment systems are a key part of Noos ’ equipment.

Button-down covers reflect light and help keep soil in place around the plants

By keeping so-called black water separate from other wastewater, it is possible to filter and reuse the grey water from showers and basins. This is re-circulated in a closed system that supplies the vacuum heads (which flush with just 0.2 litres), washing machine and showers – everything except for drinking water, in fact. In this way, around 75% of grey water is recycled.

All organic waste on board, whether from cooking, growing food or from the black water system, is collected in a Clivus composter containing woodchip and worms. This produces a rich humus and liquid compost, which will be applied to the growing racks as organic fertiliser. “The waste that goes overboard is biologically neutral,” Wolf insists. “It can produce bad smells when the black water arrives in the composting tank, but a carbon filter solves that problem completely.”

Despite all of this renewable technology and the sustainable systems, Wolf has also put in a diesel-powered generator from Torqeedo. “Its advantage is to store a great amount of energy for a long period, which can be given up instantly on demand,” he admits with a sigh. “At the end it’s always about security.”

From boat garden to galley… produce doesn’t have to travel far

The aim is not to use the system at all, but he knows that may not be possible. “There may be some conditions in which you really need power and you haven’t generated enough – when you have cloudy weather without wind, for instance. During two weeks off Palma de Mallorca, I didn’t use the generator at all and from my calculations, I shouldn’t need it. With just 4-6 hours of sailing per day, I should still be able to do 1-2 hours with electric propulsion.”

For high-latitude sailing, he plans to install a small Refleks-style woodburning stove. “Burning driftwood, which is abundant on many beaches, offers a source of complementary energy. Depending on where it is positioned on board, it can also be used for cooking.”

The cost of pioneering

Wolf calculates that his modifications may have cost an extra €120,000 compared to a standard diesel-powered boat. But he believes that lower maintenance and almost no fuel costs will help to amortise the difference. “ Noos is maybe the first boat to fully integrate that new approach; so let’s bet on the fact that in a few years, the systems will cost a lot less and that the difference will be smaller and smaller,” he says. “In the end, it may be even cheaper than a diesel-based boat.”

Noos is novice sailor Wolf’s first yacht

He plans to refine his systems during the coming season in the Mediterranean , before striking out to sail across the Atlantic and explore the Caribbean . And though he’s fulfilling his dream of living aboard, he has a more serious purpose too: to showcase a sustainable way of sailing. It is all in line with the concept of ‘noos’ or awareness, which he has embraced.

“We as humanity have knowledge about everything, from particle reactions to the limits of the universe. Yet we are not able to solve some very simple issues like water and food for everyone, and an ethical society. What is missing is awareness. Noos means rationality, intelligence. The boat is a materialisation of that concept.”

Noos, or ‘nous’ as the Anglo-Saxon world styles it, is a concept from Greek philosophy that refers to the ability of the human mind to understand what is true or real. These days, Wolf and others use it to describe the sharing of information and awareness to break down silo mentality and solve the problems facing humanity.

He is launching a website called ‘Permaboat’, which will detail the systems he has developed to reduce the environmental impact of sailing, and he plans to use his boat as demonstrator. There will be seminars and practical events aimed at spreading his findings more widely.

But he hopes that his example will reach further than just the sailing world. “We won’t change agriculture by bringing agriculture on a boat. But what it will show is that we can use a small space for growing; if it applies to a boat, it could also apply in a city.

“In a closed cell and a hostile environment, it is possible to feed people. Imagine if half of every urban roof space was planted? And if we collected rainwater in cities?”

About the owner

Although Wolf recalls a few minor brushes with sailing when he was growing up, he’d be the first to admit that he has very little experience. The 52-year-old pursued other interests, running an organic farm near the Swiss-French border and an IT security business, until a health scare brought him to the sea.

He chose a trimaran from Neel because he felt it combined the safety of a monohull with the comfort of a multi. He took delivery of Noos in June 2019 and hired professional skipper Timothé Bruneel, the son of the yard’s founders, to get him up to speed during the four month cruise round to Palma. Since then he has lived sporadically on board as he finishes fitting out the boat.

First published in the May 2020 edition of Yachting World.

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LEEN 72′ : The Future of Hybrid Trimarans is Here

The trimaran LEEN 72′ is the latest hybrid multihull from the innovative French shipyard NEEL . With its hybrid engine, its unique design and its ergonomics, it is part of this new futuristic yachting trend which aims to make sailing more ecological and sustainable.

In 10 years, NEEL has designed trimarans that stand out for their quality of design and unique know-how . Their trimarans combine elegance, design and performance. The shipyard’s teams are at the forefront of research into performance and eco-responsibility. The LEEN 72′ combines all these precepts.

The usual habitability of NEEL Trimaran on a motor boat

The NEEL shipyard has built its reputation on the design of trimarans by a team of passionate experts . Their yachts are spacious and comfortable thanks to their unusual platform on a trimaran and their three convertible hulls.

Thanks to these characteristics, they combine the living space of a catamaran with the sailing qualities of a trimaran. The LEEN range is atypical, it offers motor trimarans with great habitability and a futuristic propulsion.

Leen 72′: a unique hybrid motor trimaran for ecological cruising

Since its beginnings, the NEEL shipyard teams have been striving to develop a more eco-responsible type of boating. They are innovating to integrate renewable energy on their boats. The NEEL 51 NOOS, launched in 2018, marked an important turning point for the yachting industry with its hybrid engine.

Solar panels are installed on board. Special attention is also paid to limiting the risk of programmed obsolescence of materials and equipment installed on each yacht. The equipment is tested and selected according to its durability and reliability.

The LEEN 72′ is designed to avoid friction with water and air in order to consume as little diesel as possible. Its platform offers a wide range of layout possibilities without having to modify its very tapered hulls. Thanks to its ergonomics, the boat has a very high efficiency in terms of fuel consumption while maintaining good performance.

This trimaran consumes only 2 liters per mile at a speed of 12 knots. This is 4 to 8 times less than boats currently on the market. This reduced consumption allows a more eco-responsible navigation, but also to make longer distances without having to refuel and thus to be adapted to transatlantic crossings.

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General characteristics of the LEEN 72′.

The layout is conceived and designed by the architect Pierre Frutshi . It offers 4 double cabins with their bathroom . The owner’s cabin is in the front central hull of the trimaran. It offers a private bedroom, a private bathroom, and a private desk. In the rear part of the same hull is a guest cabin with its private bathroom. The two other double cabins are in the floats.

The bridge of LEEN 72′ offers comfort, protection, and safety at the same time. Its surface area impresses. It grants the layout of vast and luminous living spaces. The saloon and galley are located on the main deck, at the same level as the cockpit.

From the saloon, you will access the very comfortable saloon-boathouse by taking a few steps. This cozy space, entirely glazed, offers a 290° panorama. With its U-shaped sofa, flat-screen television, desk, and navigation station, it combines comfort and technology. 

The navigation station can accommodate up to two people. The bridge door gives access to the deck to facilitate docking, mooring, and departure, while an interior staircase leads to the flybridge.

The flybridge is then accessible from the saloon and cockpit. Outdoor circulation is systematically protected thanks to covered passageways. The owner can choose the layout of the exterior spaces according to his taste.

It is also possible to add cabins with an en-suite shower room and a single bed to the yacht’s layout to accommodate up to 10 passengers in 6 cabins .

Motor and speed

The trimaran LEEN 72′ is equipped with a “heavy-duty” hybrid engine, consisting of a central combustion engine and 2 side electric pods, located under the floats. 

The diesel engine serves as the main propulsion system, which the electric pods complement during port maneuvers, such as bow thrusters. They also can be used alone for silent electric motorization preferred to leave an anchorage or coupled to the generator set for backup motorization.

If the cruising speed of 12 knots allows you to cover 300 miles per day with a consumption of less than 2L/nm, you can easily obtain a top speed of 15 to 18 knots .

With its 5000 liters of diesel available in a single tank, the Leen 72′ allows for a smooth transatlantic crossing with a single tank of fuel.

Is the ‘LEEN 72′ right for you?

The LEEN 72′ trimaran is very convincing and attractive by combining the large living spaces of catamarans, thanks to its platform, and the performance and safety level of trimarans. It is particularly suitable for trimaran enthusiasts, for those who want to do long cruises or coastal sailing, but also for those who want to do ocean crossings such as transatlantics. Her base price is 2.5 M€. Windward Islands and The Sailing Resort also offer custom ownership with its innovative OWNER CLUB program.

Interested in the LEEN 72′?

This trimaran combines brilliantly and intelligently, a unique line and a strong character. Windward Islands offers you its expertise in sales and management of new and used boats and proposes you an OWNER CLUB management program with guaranteed income. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information.

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The NEEL 43: amazing and innovative

The NEEL 43 continues to amaze and to innovate, marrying an elegant and striking design with impressive interior volumes, housed within reduced exterior dimensions.

An innovative and environmentally respectful construction process

The structural elements of the NEEL 43 mirror the techniques and materials used in the other models of the range: a vacuum-infused composite sandwich, with carbon fibre reinforcement.

NEEL-TRIMARANS uses exclusively PVC and PET foams in the sandwich core, as well as resins and gelcoats have also been improved with a view to limiting styrene emissions.

NEEL-TRIMARANS has confirmed its determined commitment to respecting the environment ,, with a marked move towards the use of bio-sourced and recyclable materials.

A model inspired by the experiences of life on board

The design office has conceived a new style of interior design incorporating contemporary materials that are booth lightweight and functional. The modular design of the NEEL 43 is astonishing. There are two double cabins, and the configuration of the saloon can be rearranged to accommodate up to 10 people on board . The master stateroom is on the main deck, a constant feature of NEEL-TRIMARANS, offering invaluable privacy and a breathtaking panoramic view. Also located on the same level is the bathroom, which is equipped with a rinse basin and closet.

The finesse at the helm, the high quality of NEEL trimarans

The feeling at the helm is unrivalled. The finesse of the steering is obtained by a single rudder controlled by vectran lines on ball bearing blocks, with the rudder stock mounted on self-aligning bearings. A slight heel contributes to the feel at the helm and allows the windward float to ‘fly’ over the waves.

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‘Unprecedented escalation’: How Russians view Ukraine Kursk incursion

Pro-Kremlin commentators say the cross-border attack was developed by NATO as Putin threatens Ukraine with a ‘worthy response’.

Last week, Ukrainian troops crossed the border to mount an offensive into the Kursk region of Russia, reportedly seizing scores of towns and settlements.

Residents frantically scrambled to leave their homes while electricity and water were shut off.

“It was not an easy journey,” said Elena from Sudzha, a town now under Ukrainian control.

Together with her cat Roo, she drove to the city of Voronezh, where she’s now staying with friends.

Local Telegram channels are filled with offers of free accommodation in various Russian cities, and the government has offered evacuees a one-time payment of 10,000 roubles (just over $100) as compensation although there may be additional payments, for example 600,000 roubles ($6,500) in case of serious injury.

“The enemy will certainly receive a worthy response, and all the goals facing us will undoubtedly be achieved,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, ordering security services to conduct a “counterterrorist operation” in the region.

‘A strong move’

The Russian media, which is largely aligned with the Kremlin, has grudgingly acknowledged the Ukrainians’ success.

“The Zelenskyy regime has made a strong move – with all the resulting not-very-pleasant conclusions and consequences for our side,” columnist Mikhail Rostovsky wrote for the newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets, referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“If you are dealing with a strong adversary (and no sane person has long doubted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are a strong and highly motivated adversary for Russia), you must be prepared for the fact that from time to time they will make strong and unexpected moves that will catch you off-guard.”

These successes were not lost on the exiled opposition.

Politician Leonid Gozman praised the Ukrainian troops.

“The actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces speak not only of their high professionalism, but also of the creativity of the Ukrainian leadership,” Gozman wrote in Novaya Gazeta, a newspaper that often takes aim at the Kremlin.

“Someone said to them: ‘Why not?’ and they did what no one expected of them, completely changing the picture of the war. As President Zelenskyy rightly noted, the Ukrainian army knows how to surprise.”

Gozman noted that Russian citizens have not yet resisted the Ukrainians en masse and disparaged Russia’s defence capabilities.

“Just as during the days of [Yevgeny] Prigozhin’s rebellion it suddenly became clear that the various Russian Guards were only good at fighting peaceful demonstrators, and did not want to go up against armed bandits,” he said, referring to the late leader of the Wagner Group mercenary force.

“So now it turned out that the border guards were not capable of confronting a real threat (and it was not their fault, they were designed for something else), that the formidable Chechen troops had missed the enemy for the umpteenth time, otherwise they would have certainly routed him, but it did not happen, and most importantly, our generals are good at attacking other countries, but not at defending their own.”

Pro-Kremlin Russian media have repeatedly accused the Ukrainian army of targeting civilians, including a drone strike on an ambulance that killed its driver and one paramedic and wounded another.

There have also been reports that Ukrainian soldiers opened fire on cars in the village of Kurilovka, fatally wounding a pregnant woman, and took captive volunteers who were helping evacuate civilians.

On his talk show on Rossiya-1, Putin-friendly TV host Vladimir Solovyov accused Ukraine’s Western backers of masterminding the incursion.

“What we’re witnessing is an unprecedented escalation,” he told viewers.

“Western countries are sincerely attempting to say, ‘We weren’t involved. We didn’t greenlight this.’ This is an obvious lie. It’s clear that this operation wasn’t organised by Zelenskyy or his headquarters. This operation was developed by NATO specialists. Their signature style is clearly evident. Quite many mercenaries are also involved as well as units that were safeguarded until now. The quantity of Western equipment is unprecedented for this sort of a task.”

Solovyov then railed against Telegram channels and even “mainstream media” outlets that he accused of sowing panic.

“Are you working for the enemy?” he asked rhetorically.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Roman Shkurlatov told the newspaper Izvestia that “the enemy may have several goals.”

“The first is to show their Western sponsors and curators that the Ukrainian Armed Forces can not only retreat, but also produce some results. They have been retreating and suffering defeats for months. They need a small tactical victory like air [to breathe]. The second probable goal is an attempt to stake out a foothold in the territory of Kursk Oblast for subsequent bargaining in these or other negotiations. The third is an attempt to force us to pull reserves near Kursk, exposing other directions. But they will clearly not succeed in this. We have enough unused reserves.”

Alexey Malinin, founder of the Center for International Interaction and Cooperation, told Al Jazeera that from the Russian perspective, the invasion of Kursk is counterproductive to peace talks.

“The incursion of Ukrainian troops into the Kursk region shows that Ukraine aims to strengthen its negotiating position,” he said.

“However, this act does nothing to bring the negotiation process nearer. On the contrary, it severely delays negotiations. At present, we can’t talk about negotiations as calmly as before after the horrific bombings of settlements and civilians. Ukraine won’t improve its negotiating position, only, at best, delay the discussion of a peaceful resolution, but the final scenario can be much worse for the Ukraine.”

Malinin added that after the Kursk situation is resolved, the Russian military will retaliate with an “intensive offensive”.