To attain the highest sustainability standard, Merveille Yachting sees the need to radically change the approach to design by incorporating eco-responsibility from the very inception to the very end of a yacht’s life.
The principals of Merveille Yachting are Nicolas Cantenot and Jérôme Vollet. Owner of a classic 50-footer wooden sailing boat, Cantenot is a former Navy Officer who obtained an MBA degree from INSEAD in 1996. He has spent his entire career working with the best artisans in the world, mostly at Dior and Hermès. He was notably part of the team that created and successfully developed Hermès Maison, the home and decoration division of the Hermès group.
Vollet is one of the pioneers of the French excellence in offshore racing. A composite engineer by training, he designed and built his own 40ft sailing boat when he was only 18. Since then, he has always been at the forefront of creation and performance. He has worked with the renowned French and international sailors, in particular with Éric Tabarly, Steve Fossett, Bruno and Loïc Peyron and many others.
The Merveille vision for eco-responsibility
“Eco-responsibility is a very demanding mindset that requires a great sense of innovation, experience, rigor and the ability to challenge every aspect of a yacht’s impact on the environment, says Jérôme Vollet. At Merveille Yachting, every detail is meticulously worked out to minimize the impact on our seas and oceans. We have put a special emphasis on three key aspects: reducing onboard energy needs while ensuring the highest level of comfort; producing and using renewable or non-fossil energy; and designing sustainable interiors with the ultimate quality and discreet elegance.”
Reducing onboard energy
Displacement
- As in airplanes, weight reduction is the first and foremost driver for reducing energy consumption and increasing performance.
- Thanks to our expertise on racing boats, we apply a lean and ultralight design to every aspect of our eco-explorers: from their structure to their systems and to all the materials and equipment used on board.
Propulsion
- One of the solutions we apply to reduce energy consumption is to equip our Eco-explorers with the fully automated Oceanwings®.
- Designed by AYRO, a spin-off of the world-renowned naval architect firm VPLP, this WING propulsion system with no rigging provides the simplest, the safest and the best handling you can dream of.
- In February 2021, DNV GL, the world’s leading classification society, has awarded AYRO an Approval in Principle (AiP) for its Oceanwings® 3.6.3 wind assisted propulsion system for ships. An AiP is a statement confirming that no significant obstacles exist to prevent the concept from being realized.
Ventilation
- Innovative tubular structures and volumes have all been designed to favorized a flow of fresh air both from the bow and the stern of the yacht.
- It substantially reduces the onboard temperature, allowing a sizeable and sustainable saving on air conditioning and an improvement of air quality.
Producing and using renewable energies
- Merveille Eco-explorers are equipped with wind turbines, solar panels, and underwater turbines, providing additional sources of renewable energy for onboard needs.
- When the yacht sails with her wings, the underwater turbines regenerate kinetic energy to recharge the battery packs.
Designing sustainable interiors
- The design of the interior is a particularly ESSENTIAL component of a yacht, as it will literally determine how the owner, his/her family and guests, and the crew will LIVE ON BOARD. Moreover, it will directly contribute to the yacht’s SUSTAINABILITY.
- Sustainable, local, and eco-friendly materials will be selected for the interior. With its French flair, the interior architecture will be customizable to the latest inch by the BEST CRAFTSMEN, to treat you and your family with the ultimate comfort and luxury.
Why our planet needs us to act urgently
- 3,000 billion: in $ – yearly amount of economic activity derived from the seas. It represents 5% of the world GDP (Source: UN)
- 3.5 billion: number of people in the world depending on the seas for their subsistence (Source: Sea Change, EU)
- 600 million: number of people in the world living less than 10m above sea level (Source: Sea Change, EU)
- 8 million: in tons – plastic garbage dumped every year into the sea (Source: UN)
- 3.4 million: in km2 – size of the « Great Pacific Garbage Patch », slightly bigger than… India! (Source: UN)
- 932 million: in tons – amount of CO2 rejected by maritime transport. It represents 2.2% of all human rejection
MERVEILLE 253W – MAIN SPECIFICATIONS
DIMENSIONS
Overall length: 77.11m /253ft
Waterline length: 76.80m/ 252ft
Beam: 19.11m / 63ft
Water draft up: 4.00m /13ft
Down: under calculation
Air draft: 49.38m /162ft
Wings Area: +/- 782 sqm/8417sqftestimated
Gross tonnage: 1,932 UMS estimated
Cruising speed under calculation
ACCOMMODATION
Owners + Guests: 12 persons
Owners’ cabin: 200m2//2153sqft
Crew: up to 23 members
DESIGN
Jérôme Vollet for Merveille Yachting
