Inspired by the idea of Utopia at Sea as a highly desirable and problem-free place in the world, Vripack Yacht Design Studio held a brainstorming session to identify the most pressing environmental problems relating to yachts. A key one, the team concluded, was waste.
Although relatively modest in size, yachts nonetheless produce enough waste to be of concern. Waste of the obvious physical sort and with respect to exhaust gasses. The mission was decided: design a yacht with an environmental footprint as harmless and as faint as that left by a human walking along a sandy beach.
‘We’re entering a period of radical transformation in which technology has the potential to significantly raise the basic standards of every man, woman and child on the planet’.
PETER H. DIAMANDIS – FOUNDER OF THE XPRIZE FOUNDATION
With respect to waste, being on board a yacht is little different from being on land. But the sources are mostly the same: human, discarded food, and packaging. Thus, an on-board incinerator was one idea. However, like a yacht engine, an incinerator would produce CO2.
The team members pondered this unit one day, on a trend walk for VriThink. VriThink is the studio’s idea platform, and they stumbled on a nature-inspired air purifier that separates oxygen from carbon. Carbon is a common element of a all known life, and oxygen is life itself. Research and prototyping followed, and soon the concept of Utopia at Sea was born, complete with on-board park and clean air.
‘We connected our award winning diesel-electric propulsion system to 4 nature-inspired air purifying units and visibly attached the entire system to an on-board park providing it with clean air. All being monitored from an on-board control room allowing researchers to observe its operations, while visitors engage with the park and its connection with technology.’
ROBIN DE VRIES - DESIGNER
| Current name | Utopia at Sea |
| Type of vessel | Displacement Motor Yacht |
| Design number | 7359 |
| Length | 88.00 M |
| Beam | 14.20 M |
| Draft | 8.80 M |
| Designer | Vripack |
| Naval Architect | Vripack |
| Structural Engineering | Vripack |
| Mechanical Engineering | Vripack |
| Interior Design | Vripack |
| Interior Engineering | Vripack |
| Hull type | Displacement |
| Material | Steel |
| Classification | Lloyds 100A1 SSC, G6 YACHT MONO LMC, UMS |
| Engine | CATERPILLAR 3516 (2x) + CATERPILLAR C32 (2x) |
| Speed (cruising/max) | 12.5 / 16 knots |
| Fuel capacity | 200,000 liters |
| Fresh water capacity | 80,000 liters |
| Grey / black water capacity | t.b.d. |
| Owner & Guest | 15 persons |
| Crew | 14 persons |
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