For two years in a row, the Dutch shipyard Saffier Yachts has positioned itself on the roof of Europe, winning the European Yacht of the Year award. This is an important milestone not only for the company but also for the type of choices it has made, pushing ever more insistently towards sustainable and electric solutions.
We are talking about a manufacturer that has been considered the symbol of the technological and creative avant-garde for some time now. It all started with a key decision 13 years ago when the team began using artificial teak decks on boats to reduce the felling of large trees. And today, with their Saffier SE 33, sustainability travels in full sail!
Saffier Yachts and electric mobility
In 2021 the symbol of the company was the Saffier SE 27 Leisure model, powered exclusively by electric propulsion. To date, however, the award-winning Saffier SE 33 dominates the scene, coming with both electric and diesel propulsion. The first approaches to the electric sector, as owner Dennis Hennevanger recently recalled, began about ten years ago. At the time, many electric sail drives were built by engineers who did not relate to the customer. Things have started to change since Torqeedo launched the Cruise Fixed Pod, of which you may find an image below:
Modern boats must be able to offer stability, good seakeeping, and maximum safety regardless of the weather and the wind. And it is precisely for this reason that Saffier Yachts daysailer solutions try to offer unique sailing experiences, allowing to accommodate up to 9 people on board. All without having to resort to a crew, because driving simplicity is one of the prerogatives of its models.
The importance of development and research
The success of Saffier Yachts is also linked to the constant development and research work starting from the feedback from its customers. In this way, details that many consider “secondary”, but important to ensure good navigation, have been improved. For example, the design of the backrest on the deck was modified, considering the constructive criticisms made by a customer. This decision has led to dozens of compliments from many other following customers.
Therefore, the brand’s new projects are born starting from consumer considerations, from research and from ideas to be developed. Saffier Yachts is currently working on a new boat with a Torqeedo electric motor, solar panels and dock power as an alternative. A challenge that the company wants to face to perfectly combine its models and solar panels.
The new project, as revealed by Hennevanger, will be presented in Düsseldorf at this year’s Boot fair.
The collaboration with Torqeedo
A company like Saffier Yachts, that has been able to conquer a space on the market selling an average of 150 boats annually, is constantly looking for high-efficiency solutions capable of enhancing its models. And this is where the collaboration with Torqeedo came into play, to offer an electric propulsion of excellent quality. Each project arises from the exchange of ideas and thoughts, to improve each solution and try to find remedies for overcoming any obstacles that normally arise in the production phase.
It’s therefore clear that the present at Saffier Yachts is dynamic and full of opportunities, but so will be their future. Sustainable innovations will drive not only the company but an entire sector, thanks to electric motors and new materials to make the boating experience increasingly accessible and pleasant.
The sailing community is definitely growing, and Saffier is ready to set sail.