The Plectrum – a yacht faster than your wildest dreams…
Even though hydrofoils have been around for over a century, Lazzarini think they’ve cracked the code. Known for their rebellious designs, the Italian studio has just unveiled a new 243-footer equipped with giant pterodactyl wings that help it achieve ludicrous speed.
Foiling tech dates back to the 1900s, but today appears on electric powerboats, surfboards and also competitive sailing. Not surprising then, Lazzarini’s Plectrum borrows alot from the foiling monohulls competing in today’s America’s Cup fleet.
Crafted from a mix of lightweight carbon and composite, it’s finished in a nice burnt orange hue – Lazzarini’s favourite. Not only is this the biggest bastard that Lazzarini has slapped a hydrofoil on, it’s designed to be the fastest of its class – inspired by the Prada Luna Rossa yacht design. No pressure then.
Unlike the Luna Rossa sailboat however, the Plectrum won’t rely on mother nature’s wind power. Instead, it would make use of three man-made hydrogen-powered motors (3728 kW each), a lightweight construction, and a super-efficient hydrofoil system to get to 140 km/h.
At anchor, the hydrofoil system would be 15 metres, expanding to 20 metres at full speed. This allows for much faster ocean travelling than your non-transformer type ships.
Luxury features would be on par with Bill Gates’ and Elon Musks’ megayachts. There’s a helipad with a hidden garage at the bow, and a lift that brings the aircraft up on deck when it’s time to switch modes. The main deck holds your standard pool and lounging area, which flow onto the beach club for drinks and diving.
Although in the prototype stage, it’s only a matter of time before someone with deep pockets donates the needed $100 million for the Plectrum to transition from computer screen to physical machine. ■
By Bill Vartimetis
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