DSe Hybrid yacht is super eco-friendly, totally unaffordable

Yachts are usually pretty environmentally unsound, so the DSe Hybrid just debuted by Island Pilot at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show should be a real breath of fresh air (literally) if green is your thing. And apparently it's really about as eco-friendly as it gets -- using a combination of diesel, solar and electric power (when it goes into commercial production it will also boast wind turbines) the vessel can cruise at up to six knots on a sunny day for an indefinite period of time without any fuel and zero emissions. Possibly best of all (for those like us with delicate ears, anyway), it's virtually silent when not running on fuel. If you need to get somewhere in a hurry however, its Parallel Hybrid Propulsion System in diesel mode will move at up to 13 knots. There are all sorts of "luxury" amenities on board including a 26-inch HDTV and totally ferocious Bose home theater system. Island Pilot is taking pre-orders now (you have to lay down $5,000 just to reserve one) for delivery in 2009, but fair warning: this thing has a price tag of $600,000.

[Via gizmag]

[Tom Robertson @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:06PM]

They don't exactly leave you much space on the boat to relax in the sun...

[lowdef @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:08PM]

hey you could tan/cook on the solar panels...

mmmmmm burning flesh

[Flashpoint @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:33PM]

Solar panels in this design are a great idea for ships. They are currently used on some boats to decrease the amount of fuel they will use and cut shipping costs, but I think this is a good start. Make the ships longer, OR, integrate solar cells into the sails as well as the cielings.

$600,000 is not a bad price for a yacht by the way.

[Richard @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:39PM]

Who needs the solar panels to cook?

You are in nice, close proximity to that Ratheon radar dome.

Fry, Baby, fry!

[Mike10010100 @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:41PM]

@Richard

One word, my friend:

Mythbusters

[Lars @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:00PM]

"$600,000 is not a bad price for a yacht by the way. "

Did you see the size of it though? It's tiny! I don't know if you could even really call it a yacht. Looks like a small fishing boat with an enclosed rear deck.

If you really want to go green on a boat, use sails.

[lowdef @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:07PM]

oHHHHH EMMM GEEEE a bose stereo!!! it must be good!!!111

...

not

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Nov 4th 2008 5:34PM]

B uy
O ther
S ea
E quipment

[kempcross @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:08PM]

more like a "yacht."

[lowdef @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:18PM]

hit the link...is this even a yacht? the thing is small as hell for 600k

[kempcross @ Nov 3rd 2008 5:40PM]

hence the quotation marks.

[Artie Lange @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:09PM]

The very production of a yacht is environmentally unfriendly, regardless of its propulsion system.

[Shaun @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:09PM]

Knots per hour? Is that a unit of acceleration?

I'm not familiar with that metric.

[TwoSixMike @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:12PM]

It's endorsed by the department of redundancy department.

[Shinigami @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:34PM]

Knots per hour is the measurement of speed for any water vehicle. If you don't drive on water xD you don't need it.

[Jay Evans @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:49PM]

The knot is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour.

Knot already has the time measure include. Knot per hour is redundant (and wrong)

[Shaun @ Nov 3rd 2008 4:38PM]

The article originally read " its Parallel Hybrid Propulsion System in diesel mode will move at up to 13 knots per hour." I was poking fun at this typo. It has since been changed.

[htd @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:13PM]

I thought environment crazy people are going with kayak only.

[NGinuity @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:52PM]

Which is interesting, because lots of kayaks are made from thin MAHOGANY.

[rcappo @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:03PM]

I thought it would at least be a sail boat. Also, 6 knots isn't very fast for traveling long distances. I would like to see a boat that is a little more hydrodynamic and could travel 12-15 knots on solar power, and if the wind is going in the right direction, even faster.

Now if I lived anywhere close to water, I might be interested if I won the lottery or something.

[Lars @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:07PM]

Actually most Kayaks are plastic. Wood is the best resource, environmentally speaking. Of course you gotta make sure the wood was harvested by environmentally sound means (ie. not by destroying the rain forests).

[bob sakamano @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:13PM]

its always funny when people create these "ultra luxurious" visions... and then when they finally come into fruition the technology they deem as great is a few years old... like a 26 inch LCD screen...

[letstakeawalk @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:50PM]

The Bose plug ensures that this is targeted at the nouveau riche...

[happy_penguin @ Nov 3rd 2008 5:04PM]

Of course the television is only 26". IT'S A FUCKING BOAT!

[bob sakamano @ Nov 3rd 2008 5:07PM]

@happypengiun

no, r-tard, its a 600,000 boat... they probably budged for what at the time was a 7-800 dollar TV (Still lame for half a million bucks) to which they can do a 42" for the same price now

[happy_penguin @ Nov 3rd 2008 9:02PM]

Okay, if it's going to be like that you fucking twat. It's still a goddamned boat and space is at a premium. Can you hear me now?? I can call people names too!

[AJ in the East Bay @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:17PM]

DSe or SDe? Which one is it, Engadget?

[rich @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:18PM]

wondering why they didn't just use kinetic power or wave power to generate electricity.

[Craig @ Nov 4th 2008 12:48AM]

@rich

They don't use kinetic or wave power, because in order to harness the power, the turbines (water powered generators) need to be stationary in x, y, and z directions. Boats are never stationary in all 3 directions, so it would be impossible to do this, unless someone comes up with the greatest anchor in the world.

[TheFairlaner @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:30PM]

*sigh* 600k for 39' and 13kts under power. People, if you want a "green" yacht in this range just buy one of these at less than 200k.

http://performancecruising.com/

I'd take the Gemini over that thing any day of the week.

[Patriks7 @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:48PM]

Because you will have wind everywhere you go.. right??

[Shinigami @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:33PM]

Please remind me when was the last super-eco-friendly tech also super-affordable?
At the same time OLPC sold their lappies for the same $100 price they wanted in the beginning - never.

Nothing to look at, move along.

[abhisheksuman @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:37PM]

Its ugly!

[Rebel6381 @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:40PM]

Marketing should concentrate this boat to local fishing charters. There is ample room for up to 10 people to fish. The initial cost may be exorbitant but the amount of money saved in the long run on fuel for a small-time charter captain may very well pay off. Gas prices here on land may be dropping lately but on the water; 93 octane and Diesel run closer to $4-$5 a gallon no matter what the state of oil prices are.

[David @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:33PM]

wow... I want to run my boat where you get your fuel. Marine diesel on Lake Ontario was $7.50 per gallon, and marine gas, was $8.00. That aside, it's nice to see people at least trying to help make a change. The design might not be bristol fashion, but it's a step nobody else has taken. I have a small wind turbine at the top of my flying bridge for running some of my electronics while under way. I can also power my radios and radar when in port or anchored. I thought it was great someone decided to make it a standard production fitting.
Depending on the length of the vessel, 600k seems like a fair price. I don't think that qualifies as a yacht though. It looks more like a 30 foot or so v hull party boat.
I'm pretty sure you have to break the 40 foot mark to qualify.

[Chafic @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:41PM]

600000 that is 600 hundred thousand dollars, and all they can afford is a 26in TV?

[Salsa Shark @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:03PM]

But it's got a "totally ferocious Bose home theater system".

What more could you possibly want?

[BJ is Gooder @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:18PM]

600 hundred thousand is 600,000,000. The department of redundancy department is looking for people like you to join their workforce of employees! Call today!

[Lawrence Roberts @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:53PM]

HEY -- we are still in the fun stage, the earlier adopter stage of solar technology. let's just enjoy all of these wonderfully expensive toys that are being made, essentially as prototypes. thye will lead to reduced costs of these types of products (boats) in the future. if you want the real scoop into what happening in solar you can always check out http://www.greentechmedia.com/

[Sly @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:09PM]

The French did the hybrid cat thing better and first with the Lagoon 420 Hybrid

[Rambo @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:16PM]

I'd rather have a wallypower 118.
http://www.wally.com/jumpch.asp?idChannel=44&idUser=0&attivo=2

For $600,000, a tiny interior, and virtually no deck space, I think you could do better.

[fischju @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:21PM]

Perfect for when everything is under water!

[Steve @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:32PM]

Imagine that, someday we might be able to buy a virtually silent boat that runs on wind power. What a technological breakthrough! Someone alert the Nobel Foundation!.

[Mega 777 @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:36PM]

Umm... doesn't that already exist?

[Akio @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:50PM]

@Mega 777


How the hell do you manage to get on the internet?

[MattZero @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:58PM]

I would get it if I could land with my blackhawk on this sweet yacht! all-purpose panels for the win!

[BJ is Gooder @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:21PM]

@Mega 777

Wow.
Good catch.

[Darayz @ Nov 3rd 2008 4:05PM]

Great idea. Terrible design.

[couchpundit @ Nov 3rd 2008 4:09PM]

They say the two happiest days of a boat owner is the day he buys it and the day he burns it to the hull and collects the insurance check...

[thedesolate1 @ Nov 3rd 2008 6:28PM]

And whoever said no man is an island? With this and some high tech saltwater filter you could probably travel all around the world and eat seafood all your life and not have to abide by international law or have a job.