Silent-Yachts, which is based in Mallorca, Spain, started building its fleet of solar-powered electric catamarans in 2016. The Silent Tender 400 is the company’s first tender, and another, larger version is already on the drawing board. The DNA is obvious: The ST400 employs lightweight carbon fiber and an efficient hull shape to deliver a sporty-looking ride.
The tender can be ordered with an owner’s choice of an electric outboard or an electric jet drive; customers can also choose a 16-kilowatt-hour lithium battery or upgrade to a 20 kWh battery for longer reach. The boat purportedly allows for two hours of run time at 10 knots, and it can be fast-charged in two and a half hours.
The 13-foot ST400 accommodates up to six passengers but weighs only 198 pounds, excluding propulsion. The boat is a center-console that borrows aesthetic choices from the company’s 60- and 80-foot catamarans, including angular lines, a distinctive black-and-white finish and stem-to-stern chines. The ST400 also carries a practical yet stylish rubber stripe that helps protect its carbon-fiber topsides from docks, davits and poor docking decisions.
Whom It’s For: Boaters who want a high-tech, lightweight and performance-minded tender that can do 20-plus knots sans a traditional internal-combustion engine.
Picture This: You and your family are cruising Cape Cod, Massachusetts, aboard the solar-powered Silent 60 catamaran. You tuck into Provincetown for the evening. The mooring lines are secured, and you and the troops cruise over to Long Point Light Station in your ST400 before making a harbor tour and then heading to the Lobster Pot for dinner and drinks.
Take the next step: silent-yachts.com
