Simena Brings Hybrid Propulsion to a 62-Metre Classical Sailing Yacht

From a distance, Simena belongs to an earlier age. Her long, pale hull, pronounced bowsprit, two-masted ketch rig and mahogany-trimmed superstructure recall the stately sailing yachts that once treated ocean passages as both sport and ceremony. Look more closely, however, and the traditional profile reveals a thoroughly contemporary vessel.

The 62-metre flagship from Antalya-based Ares Yachts is an exercise in considered duality. Classical character is balanced by carbon-composite construction, automated sail handling and a parallel hybrid propulsion system. Formal interiors sit alongside relaxed outdoor living, while discreet circulation routes protect the privacy of guests without compromising the practical demands of a large sailing yacht.

A Classical Silhouette with Modern Structure

Simena’s naval architecture and exterior design were developed by Tanju Kalaycıoğlu of Taka Yacht Design. Clipper ships provided inspiration for details such as the fully rigged bowsprit, yet the underlying hull form draws more directly on the lineage of wooden cruising ketches.

The result avoids theatrical nostalgia. Simena has a purposeful sheer, an expansive foredeck and an elegantly restrained superstructure rather than the dark glazing and angular surfaces that define many modern superyachts. Varnished sipo mahogany and laid teak deepen the traditional atmosphere without disguising the scale or technical ambition of the yacht.

Beneath those references sits an AH36 steel hull and an advanced composite superstructure. At 499 gross tonnes, with a beam of 10.7 metres and a full-load draught of 4.72 metres, Simena has the volume required for extended cruising while remaining below the 500GT threshold.

Her sail plan covers 1,584 square metres. During trials and subsequent passages, the ketch reached 14 knots under sail, while the yard projects that favourable conditions could allow a higher peak. The mizzen and twin headsails also provide the crew with a broad selection of configurations for balancing speed, comfort and handling.

Hybrid Engineering Without the Illusion

Simena’s parallel hybrid system is built around flexibility rather than a single idealised mode of operation. It combines an 882kW MAN diesel engine, a 220kW electric motor, three Caterpillar generator sets and a Servogear controllable-pitch propeller.

Six operating modes allow the machinery to respond to different cruising requirements. The yacht can proceed under conventional diesel power, use generator-supplied electric propulsion for quieter manoeuvring, produce onboard electricity through power take-off, regenerate power from the turning propeller while sailing, or disengage the machinery and feather the propeller for pure sailing.

Importantly, this is not a battery-led, emissions-free system. Simena does not carry a large traction battery intended to propel the yacht for prolonged periods. In electric mode, the motor is principally supplied by the generators, while hydro-regeneration under sail can support the yacht’s hotel load rather than storing substantial energy for later propulsion.

That distinction makes the installation more pragmatic than utopian. It reduces the weight, expense and complexity associated with a large battery bank while still allowing low-noise propulsion, efficient generator loading and a meaningful reduction in reliance on the main engine. The configuration is especially persuasive during night-time manoeuvres or unhurried passages where mechanical refinement matters as much as speed.

Range Designed for Serious Passage-Making

Under diesel power, Simena has a stated maximum speed of 14 knots and a conventional range of approximately 4,000 nautical miles at an economical cruising speed. Under optimised, lower-speed electric operation, the calculated range can extend to as much as 6,000 nautical miles, although the generators remain part of that equation.

Her environmental performance has received a four-star SEA Index rating. The certification offers a measurable point of reference for carbon efficiency, although it should not be interpreted as making a yacht of this size environmentally neutral.

More significant is the way Simena combines sailing capability with operational choice. She can cross oceans under power when weather or schedules demand it, generate useful electricity from the propeller when sailing and enter an anchorage with less noise than a conventional diesel-only yacht. RINA classification for unrestricted navigation reinforces her intended role as a genuine blue-water cruiser rather than a Mediterranean showpiece.

This versatility reflects a wider change in the superyacht market. Owners may still be drawn to the romance of sail, but they increasingly expect quieter operation, measurable efficiency and technical redundancy alongside it.

Privacy Planned into the Architecture

Designing privacy into a sailing yacht is unusually complex. Masts, rigging, machinery and the narrow geometry of the hull place limits on circulation that do not affect comparably sized motor yachts. Simena addresses the challenge by treating movement through the vessel as part of the architecture.

Guest and service routes are separated wherever possible. A secondary service staircase allows crew to reach the saloon discreetly, while the galley, mess and accommodation for nine crew are grouped away from the principal guest areas. Sailing controls and working lines have also been moved out of the main social spaces wherever practical.

The forward, full-beam owner’s suite is conceived as a private apartment rather than simply the largest cabin. A walk-around bed, daybed, dressing room and extensive storage support longer periods aboard, while an open marble-framed bath becomes a sculptural element within the room. Woven metal mesh sealed inside bespoke glass panels introduces separation without closing the space.

The owner also has discreet access towards the forward lounge, allowing this part of the yacht to function as a more secluded retreat. Elsewhere, a side boarding platform creates direct access to the water from the accommodation level, avoiding the need to pass repeatedly through the principal main-deck entertaining areas.

A Contemporary Interior with Classical Restraint

Design Unlimited approached the interior as an interpretation of traditional yachting rather than a reproduction of it. Walnut joinery establishes warmth, joined by tonal leather, softly textured fabrics, antiqued brass and carefully selected marble. Technology is present but deliberately recessive, with screens, lighting controls and other systems concealed when not required.

The main saloon balances an informal lounge with formal dining, while a skylight introduces natural light deep into the room. Its proportions feel residential, yet the joinery retains the rhythm and craftsmanship associated with a classical yacht.

At the centre of the interior, the multidirectional staircase becomes one of Simena’s defining features. Timber, leather, brass pillars and tinted mirrors frame a bespoke suspended light inspired by currents in the eastern Mediterranean. It gives an otherwise functional circulation space the presence of an architectural installation.

Outdoor living is more openly contemporary. The aft cockpit brings together broad sunpads, U-shaped seating, a wet bar, a sunken spa pool and dining for as many as 14. Above, the flybridge combines twin helm stations with shaded seating and an extensive sunpad, allowing guests to remain close to the experience of sailing without occupying the crew’s primary working areas.

Simena’s achievement lies not in pretending that modern technology can make a 62-metre yacht impact-free, nor in allowing technical systems to overwhelm the experience of sailing. Instead, she presents a series of intelligent compromises: steel strength with composite lightness, traditional atmosphere with concealed convenience, and hybrid flexibility without dependence on an enormous battery installation.

For Ares Yachts, she is an assured entrance into large-yacht construction. For the broader market, Simena offers something more intriguing: evidence that the romance of the classical sailing yacht can evolve without losing its emotional pull.

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