by Germany’s YYachts by Michael Schmidt Yachtbau is producing a new Y8 that offers 20 per cent more volume than its predecessor.
Yachts is developing a new version of its Y8 that develops upon Cool Breeze, the brand’s first yacht. Built for the shipyard’s owner Michael Schmidt, Cool Breeze was followed by individual Y8 orders, but Y Yachts has now developed a modified 80ft platform that offers 20 per cent more interior volume.
The German builder produces fast, luxurious carbon-composite sailing yachts at its facility in Wieck on the Baltic Sea. Its most popular model is its Bill Tripp-designed Y7 (700), with over a dozen sales, while it’s also producing the first units of the flagship Y9, a 90-footer based on the custom-built Tripp 90 launched in 2021.
The Y8 sits in the middle of the range and Y Yachts has sold at least three units of the new version, a collaboration between the builder’s design and development team based in Palma de Mallorca and Spanish studio Surge Projects, founded by Javier Jaudenes in 2012.
Dirk Zademack, CEO of Y Yachts, said: “Javier Jaudenes is an excellent fit for Y Yachts with his previous projects and a great addition to Bill Tripp. We build fast boats that are both safe and easy to handle. That they also display outstanding design is a given.”
In contrast to the previous Y8, the new model has a wider stern and a mast set further back, which Jaudenes predicts will result in high speeds.
“The jib will provide a lot of speed. A lot of R&D results from previous projects have gone into the Y8,” said Jaudenes, who believes the carbon construction suits his studio’s philosophy. “It’s an essence of our experience and will be fast, but at the same time very safe under any conditions. The new Y8 is a lot of fun. I would describe her as a good mood yacht.”
The new Y8 includes a transverse garage in the stern, self-tacking jib and separate crew access in the cockpit and flat deckhouse, where windows prevent the yacht from overheating.
The increased volume allows for multiple layout options. The owner’s suite including a separate saloon can be in the bow or the stem with direct access to the cockpit. The galley can be installed open or closed, while three or four cabins can be fitted.
By moving the engine room below the saloon floor, the yacht has a lower centre of gravity and a better balance, also increasing speed. Due to the slightly raised saloon floor, owners and guests can enjoy clear views of the sea from the saloon.
Schmidt, who founded Y Yachts in 2016, said: “For me, this new Y8 is a very special design. After all, I founded the shipyard with the first Y8. In between, there were quite a few orders. But yachting is always evolving due to new building materials, different rigs and the regatta scene. This is what inspires us at YYachts to continually develop new products.”
Source: Yacht Style, www.yyachts.de
