Solar Electric Catamaran Completes Owner Led Transatlantic Voyage
Silent Yachts' SY62 3 Deck Open named 100% completed an owner led transatlantic crossing, arriving in Antigua on December 23, 2025 after about four weeks at sea. The voyage, departing Gibraltar in mid November and routing via Morocco, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, provides practical evidence that solar electric propulsion can support long range ocean passages with minimal fuel use.
Silent Yachts' 18.9 metre SY62 3 Deck Open, registered as 100%, arrived in Antigua on December 23, 2025, capping an owner led transatlantic voyage that demonstrated the real world capabilities of solar electric cruising. The trip began in mid November in Gibraltar and followed a southerly route past Morocco, through the Canary Islands and around Cape Verde before the final Atlantic leg to the Caribbean. The passage took roughly four weeks at sea.
The voyage crew combined owner involvement with technical and operational expertise. Owner Jay Dollries spent four years preparing the passage and sailed with Randy Lane, Will Mitchell as captain, Michael Scherdel serving as mechanical engineer and kite propulsion specialist, and Steve Bell from Silent Yachts acting as chairman while on board. That mix of planning, engineering and operational leadership helped the SY62 manage energy and propulsion strategies across varied ocean conditions.
For owners and yards the practical takeaway is clear. The crossing shows that a solar electric catamaran can complete long range ocean legs while relying primarily on solar assisted propulsion and using minimal fuel. The presence of a kite propulsion specialist points to integrated approaches that combine renewable energy systems with supplementary wind assist options during passages where conditions allow. The owner led nature of the voyage underlines the importance of extended preparation, crew selection and systems familiarity when attempting similar trips.
This landing in Antigua marks a milestone for Silent Yachts technology demonstrations. The SY62 3 Deck Open now serves as an operational example for owners considering low fuel or fuel free cruising, for brokers advising prospective buyers, and for yards and designers weighing energy systems in production models. The voyage will likely prompt renewed interest in how solar electric solutions scale for ocean crossing scenarios and how owners plan energy budgets for extended cruising.
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