Design Clean, green and mean Baltic’s 68-foot Café Racer really is a yacht for the 21st Century
Breaking new ground. Easy to say, but for Baltic Yachts that is genuinely the core of its DNA. It is almost 50 years since Baltic Yachts was founded on a simple principle, based on a refusal to accept the “norm” and to explore new boundaries. In 1973 five men, young at that time, eloped from Nautor to start their own boatyard and build the very finest sailboats in the world together with a group of native talents from the Bosund region in Finland. They wanted to create top quality, comfortable cruising yachts with racing potential and with lighter displacement than their competitors’ boats, not only to boost performance but also to make life easier and more enjoyable, and they had the idea that hi-tech materials and methods could do this. Not fighting head-to-head with other boatyards but instead creating their own product for the small niche of very demanding performance cruising/racing sailors. Without question Baltic Yachts has led the way in advanced composite construction for superyachts over the past decades, never settling for “good enough” and always looking for the next breakthrough in composites, systems or technology generally to ensure clients could rest assured that they were always getting the ultimate solution. It’s no surprise then that the Baltic 68 Café Racer breaks new ground in many ways. It is a size the shipyard knows well, with notable launches in this size range including Claude from the board of Reichel-Pugh. The inspiration behind the Café Racer stems from clear messaging from clients that has driven many of the key elements of the yacht, from
64 SEAHORSE
eco-friendly building materials to electric propulsion and the concept of “easy sailing”. Clients are looking for a cutting-edge design but combining performance with the latest developments in materials, particularly noting the environment. The way clients use their yachts is changing, shorter trips but more frequently, so ease of use is key. That embodies the Café Racer philosophy. Baltic Yachts has for some time been researching new eco-friendly materials and techniques. Recognising that, very much as they did by being the first shipyard to embrace the challenge of advanced composites for performance cruisers and superyachts, being aware of the future is key. By using naturally grown flax to reinforce the Baltic 68’s hull, not only is her carbon footprint dramatically reduced but the shipyard is again breaking new ground in both adopting new materials and seriously addressing the concerns of clients about the environmental impact of more traditional materials.
For the Baltic 68 more than 50 per cent of the hull structure will use Bcomp ampliTex flax as a reinforcement, which also has excellent sound deadening properties. This has multiple benefits that are not immediately obvious. Not only does the yacht continue the enviable tradition of developing what are widely considered to be the quietest superyachts sailing today, but the fact that the material deadens sound allows a more efficient use of space by reducing the use of insulation.
Materials used in the Café Racer’s
Above: the strikingly handsome new Baltic 68 Café Racer is designed to deliver pure, hassle-free sailing with sparkling performance, easy handling and luxurious comfort. But whatʼs most remarkable about this groundbreak- ing design is its innovative use of more sustainable materials and minimal carbon footprint
accommodation continue the eco- theme with light oak timbers and flax composites combining with specialist wallpapers, wicker and paper cord to produce a light, cool, contemporary accommodation. For the exterior the Baltic 68 Café Racer’s beautifully laid decks, another Baltic trademark, use multi- purpose modified wood which is a sustainable, durable pine that comes with a 50-year warranty against rot. This solution lasts longer and is harder wearing than teak so deck thickness is reduced and consequently there is a 30 per cent weight saving.
The award-winning Lignia Yacht deck material means Baltic can avoid using hardwoods but maintain the feel and performance of a genuine deck and at the same time save weight, something of a holy grail for most owners.
In addition to embracing materials that are quieter and greener, this new yacht takes electric propulsion to levels not yet seen in the sailing world. The Café Racer is completely electric, removing the diesel engine completely from the inventory. The low-emission drive features two 20kw propulsion units. With such potent sailing performance on tap
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