News & Interest

Carpooling for Yachts

The large and unique DYT Yacht Express was in Newport yesterday. She’s a (float on float off) yacht transport that takes on ballast and sinks to allow her cargo to load and unload them selves. The process all happened just north of the bridge where she anchored on Monday. From here she is scheduled to sail to Port Everglades FL and then go trans-Atlantic, on to Europe.

Yacht Express is 685 feet LOA. That’s just 45 feet shy of two football fields in length. She is 105 feet wide and can carry yachts up to 200 feet. July is off season and her current load is a light one, but depending on the yacht’s size she can have 40 or so, on deck at a time.

Image gallery

This is how it works: Engineers plan out the deck placement according to size shape. Blocking and boat stands for each boat are placed on deck in the corresponding location. The ballasting (taking on water) process starts and the ship slowly lowers into the sea flooding the deck. When the water on deck is the proper depth the yachts enter the (floating marina) under their own power operated by owners or crew. When the yacht is in the proper location, divers put the blocking and boat stands in place. Once all the yachts are loaded the de-ballasting starts and ship slowly rises. Divers stay in the water during the process to make sure the stands and blocking stay put and the yachts have settled in correctly. When the ship is fully floated and the deck is clear of water some of the boat stands are welded to the deck, the yachts are further secured and strapped down.

Another unique feature of the Yacht Express is that owners or your crew can ride along in comfort too. There are complimentary cabins, fitness and media facilities an atrium with 180 degree views, lounge and swimming pool deck.

The Yacht Express is the world’s first specifically designed (purpose-built) semi-submersible yacht carrier. She was built in China and launched in 2007. The crew is from the Ukraine and contracts aboard for 4 months at a time. Dockwise Yacht Transport is a Dutch company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ann Souder is the local representative and lives and works out of Newport.

Yacht Express is new and modern. Her service speed is 18 knots making her the fastest way to deliver a yacht across the Atlantic. She is driven by two V12 diesel engines as big as full size pickup trucks that generate electric power for two pod drives. There are miles of electric cable in the ship and she has a giant bow thruster which is electric too.

Using DYT is the equivalent of carpooling across the ocean because it saves on energy and emissions. Yachts avoid wear and tear and save on engine hours, maintenance and fuel costs. Range is also a big benefit. A lot of yachts simply could not make it across the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans.

More images and information at – www.yacht-transport.com

1 Comment

1. 

   Very cool. – Thanks!

   Comment by dave — August 3, 2009 @ 1:23 pm

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