Monaco Yacht Show: Technology Preview
There will be technological innovations on display at this year's event that cover every inch of a superyacht…
When looking ahead to the technological element of the Monaco Yacht Show (MYS), it’s somewhat tricky to hone in on any one particular highlight, as there is innovation to be found in every area of the show. With over 500 exhibitors attending the event, many of whom are OEMs and technical service providers, one is bound to stumble across any number of ground-breaking, future-thinking solutions they didn’t even know they were looking for. After all, the sheer number of systems and components that go on board a superyacht number in their hundreds.
‘Disruptive technology’ is a term that can be used flippantly at times, but in the instance of Palladium’s Titan smart distribution system, I am reliably informed by our Technical guru Charlotte Thomas, it is very fitting.
The premise is that centralised breaker boards are replaced with remote breaker clusters, resulting in a significant reduction in on-board cabling, while opening up the yacht’s myriad systems for enhanced integration and control. In company president Mike Blake’s words, the upshot of this is that “on a 100m yacht and a 140m yacht and we’re seeing upwards of 20 tons of copper cabling being saved and around €2.5 million euros of savings.”
Beyond the yachts themselves, one of the eternal crowd-pleasers at any MYS is the ultra-high-spec AV systems on display. And for those seeking the definition of high-spec audio, they need look no further than California Audio Technology (CAT). In the words of co-founder, Brian Barr, “We are the only company in the world who build amplifiers to a true marine-grade level. Besides using the best materials, we flash our critical boards with two microns of gold each side so the copper in the circuitry can never corrode. If the loudspeakers are exposed on the decks we build them out of wristwatch-quality stainless steel, aluminium, titanium and carbon so they can hold off the elements.” It is this sort of staggering attention to detail that ensures, in CAT’s lexicon, you will not just hear the music, but ‘feel’ it.
And talking of AV, renowned integrator, Van Berge Henegouwen, will be presenting its wares in a rather innovative manner. Marketing Manager, Casper Kleiman alluded to what we can expect: "VBH is proud to show a VR Experience of a conceptual yacht, developed together with designers. It combines the best of design, interior, exterior and technology!"
In terms of the bandwidth provision that allows all of these products to talk to each other, it’s well worth paying a visit to PRIVA, Global Eagle’s luxury asset connectivity brand. While the satcomms market is a crowded one, there are far fewer who can strike that prized balance between performance and pricing, which owners crave. The parent company claims to be the largest commercial purchaser of satellite capacity, with over 150 airlines and 1,600 maritime vessels served, demonstrating its ability to meet esoteric client needs.
Finally, on our whistle-stop tour, to the engine room, where Pisa-based company CMC will be attending with its new system, whose name and characteristics will be revealed at the Cannes Yachting Festival.
The company has developed, in collaboration with French partner Sirehna, who created the exclusive software, a new integrated steering and stabiliser fin control system, aimed at ensuring superior performance concerning seakeeping and a reduction in consumption.
CMC Marine will also bring to the market its Directa™ electric steering system, which has so far been produced exclusively for one leading Italian shipyard (over 90 units on eight different models) and will now be available for the yachting industry.
These are just a taste of the various next-gen innovations you will find at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, taking place in and around Port Herculé from 26-29 September.
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