Setting Sail: Echo Yachts Kick-starts Production of Record-breaking Sailing Catamaran

There’s a new titan on the horizon, and its name is ASC57. Echo Yachts, the famed Australian shipbuilders, have broken ground on what is poised to be the pinnacle of the sailing catamaran world. Nestled in their Western Australian facility, the 57-meter multihull marks a bold leap into the large-scale sailing yacht market for the venture.

The firm’s new monument to seafaring luxury draws heavily on the design aesthetics of their earlier 56-meter marvel, Charley 2, but sets its own course with an array of cutting-edge features. In partnership with One2Three Naval Architects, a specialist firm in crafting aluminium multihulls, Echo Yachts aspires to navigate the seas with a vessel that is lightweight, user-friendly, and equipped for extensive cruising.

Convenience merges with grandeur as the vessel includes a helicopter landing pad on board, much like its inspiration, Charley 2. Not to mention its ingenious regenerative power system complete with twin shaft generators and battery storage, enabling it to function silently under sail, and thanks to a controllable pitch propeller (CPP) driveline, to run effectively whilst motoring.

Designed with aluminium hulls for enhanced hydrodynamic efficiency, the shipyard is touting a reduced environmental impact for the ASC57, placing it a bow ahead of conventional motor yachts on the sustainability front.

Historically, large multihulls have seen measured growth, despite their benefits of higher gross tonnage, fuel efficiency, and improved stability. Yet, Echo Yachts has been sailing ahead, pioneering developments in this sector with impressive projects such as Charley 2 and White Rabbit. As the firm ventures into the creation of the ASC57, they promise yet another jewel in the superyacht market.