A green weekend at anchor with Greenline Yachts
From the idyllic Balearic isle of Palma de Mallorca to the Mediterranean hotspot of Ibiza, Greenline runs a real-world example of a sun-filled family cruise aboard its 45 Coupe with the latest 6G Hybrid system.
- Greenline Yachts is a hybrid pioneer since 2009
- Cutting carbon emissions by up to 40% per year with the 6G hybrid
- Eight hybrid models from 39-58ft LOA
- Meeting the need for sustainable yachting
The Greenline 45 Coupe is the ideal family weekender. Available in several versions with two cabins and two bathrooms or three cabins and two bathrooms, the full-beam owner's cabin is in the centre of the boat, the most comfortable and stable position. The third cabin can also be ordered as a fully furnished office to meet remote work requirements.
Outside, there is a beautiful cockpit area with bench seating and table, totally open to the saloon thanks to the sliding glass windows, while the sunpad in the bow comes with a folding bimini for the hottest part of the day. The large bathing platform provides easy access to the sea and to the toy storage garage.
The interior designed by Marco Casali is elegant and warm and bathed in light through the large windows. The galley aft is practical for both indoor and outdoor dining. Forward is a comfy L-shaped saloon with a choice of elegant furnishings.
But there’s more to the Greenline 45 Coupe than just cruising comfort. Responsible yachting has always been a priority for the Slovenia-based boatbuilder, which produced its first hybrid model over 15 years ago. Its latest 6G H-Drive system, able to cut emissions by up to 40% per year across the typical use cycle of a Greenline yacht, will be showcased at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2024 aboard the flagship 58 Fly Hybrid.
“We believe modern boaters are ready for the next step in the evolution of leisure boating and are becoming increasingly more aware that we are the only ones that can preserve the environment for our children and grandchildren to enjoy,” says Vladimir Zinchenko, Greenline owner and CEO.
The middle-of-the-range Greenline 45 Coupe with the 6G Hybrid was the perfect candidate to demonstrate exactly how the brand’s ongoing research into hull efficiency and sustainable solutions provides carefree family moments on the water while reducing operational costs and impacts on the environment.
Apart from the convenience of having electricity available at all times, the advantage of hybrid drive is silent and emission-less navigation. It also allows for cruising for up to 20 nautical miles at 4-5 knots on a full battery charge, which is more than enough for a typical day on the water which would be an emission free trip. Moreover, the running costs of electric boating can be 10 times lower than burning diesel fuel.
But even without the hybrid system, there are huge benefits from Greenline’s standard fit solar panels. These are constantly creating renewable energy and feeding the battery bank so that onboard lighting and refrigeration, even air conditioning, can be run without having to rely on a diesel generator. That means no noise, no vibration, no emissions, and no more warm bottles of wine!
“We’ve been in this game since our launch, so our yachts are miles ahead of the competition when it comes to efficient hybrid propulsion and silent hotellerie,” says chief commercial officer Luca Raumland . “But to illustrate a typical application of our hybrid system, we ran a case study based on a trip from Palma de Mallorca to Ibiza with an overnight stopover at anchor in a bay near Andratx, a total distance of about 60nm. The results may surprise you.”
1. Day 1: Undocking
In the early morning, the Greenline 45 Coupe smoothly left the marina in Palma using its electric motor and running the air-condition of the battery. After a quick top-up at the fueling station, it continued its journey towards its first stopover. The battery state 1-2 nm from the marina is still above 80%.
2. Day 1: Switch to diesel mode
The scenic journey from Palma to Andratx , a distance of about 20nm, takes about one hour at an average speed of 20 kts. In Diesel mode the electric motor turns into a generator and charges the batteries. After just 15 minutes, the battery level is already back at 100%.
3. Day 1: Weekend stay at anchor
We anchor in an idyllic bay of Andratx in the south west of Mallorca for 48 hours while family members take a swim and sunbathe before sunset cocktails and dinner with only the sound of the water lapping the sides of the boat. All of the home appliances including the A/C in smart mode are running off the battery bank. Including the electric maneuvering in the bay, the battery is at around 10% 48 hours later.
4. Day 3: Switch to diesel mode
Departing Andratx for Ibiza, the Greenline 45 Coupe cruises using its efficient diesel engine. The electric motor turns again into a generator and charges the LiPo batteries. After the two-hour ride we arrive with 100% battery power.
5. Day 3: Ibiza at anchor
Approaching Ibiza, known for its nightlife and traditional houses that stand out for the whiteness of their lime-covered façades, we switch into electric mode and enter the bay silently. The Greenline 45 Coupe stays in the north of the island for another 48 hours. All of the home appliances, including the air conditioning in smart mode, are run off the batteries. By the end of our stay the battery level is at 10%, which will recharge completely as we start the crossing back to Palma in diesel mode at the end of a perfect long weekend.
(Note: consumption figures include not only marina maneouvres but also the use of onboard home appliances and A/C in smart mode on sunny days with solar kickback).
ABOUT GREENLINE YACHTS’ RESPONSIBLE YACHTING
Greenline Yachts has developed a distinctive philosophy of responsible yachting. This is not simply a matter of hybrid propulsion and solar panels – the whole design ethos of Greenline Yachts is built around efficiency in the water. It starts with the “superdisplacement” hulls of each model, which have been rigorously developed and tested to provide the smoothest ride, stability and efficiency at both lower and higher speeds.
Responsible Yachting extends to the construction process as well. The high-tech foam sandwich used to strengthen the hull comes from recycled PET plastic. Lay-up is through vacuum infusion, ensuring very precise material use. Currently using exclusively vinyl-ester resin allowing a 5-year warranty against osmosis. Furthermore the yard’s technicians are experimenting with natural fibres and green resins in the lay-up of the yachts themselves.
The shipyard is also reducing waste and power usage on the production lines. Any offcuts of wood from the interior fit-out are collected and pressed into heating pellets, while leftover foam is reused by a neighbouring company to produce home insulation. Production of single-use marketing materials has been almost eliminated and even then, it is clearly focused on recycled or sustainable materials.
Greenline Yachts is also working on an annual Greenline Yachts award to recognise those owners who have made the biggest strides towards responsible yachting each year. For example, the awards will celebrate the owner whose yacht has generated the greatest amount of solar power over that year, as well as the highest number of electric engine hours. This data can be tracked by the client via the Greenline app if the owners agree.
It is all part of the Greenline Yachts philosophy of empowering owners to put sustainability at the core of their yachting experience. That is why Greenline Yachts makes sure that every new yacht it delivers is equipped with biodegradable green yacht wash that does no harm to the ocean, and that all its owner’s manuals are in digital form, not printed.