The vessel you see in the cover photo comes from one of those builders that like to make dreams happen, Baltic Yachts. It’s called the Baltic 68 Café Racer and is a vessel that is no longer just a concept on a drawing board. No, this yacht has already seen it’s down payment, and the build process is currently underway. Want to find out what some folks spend their money on? All you’ve got to do is continue reading for the next three to five minutes.
There are a few reasons why this yacht is special, but first, a bit about its size and specs. A length of 20.73 m (68.01 ft), beam of 5.63 m (18.47 ft), and draft of 4 m (13.12 ft) offer more than enough space for an interior that’ll make you fall in love with the intimacy this sort of ship offers.
One of the attractive elements regarding the hull construction is the fact that more than 50% of it is constructed using naturally grown flax fibers. Wait a minute. Don’t humans eat flax? Yes, they do, but this grain has been around in human history for tens of thousands of years and is now seeing some technological upgrades. Recent years have led to the use of many grains and natural fibers, including crowd-favorite hemp. Here, Baltic uses flax fibers to reinforce the hull structure and, in the process, even saves space due to its sound insulating properties. The rest of the hull seems to be a combination of carbon fiber and resins that keep everything together. To add more eco-friendly goodness to this yacht, you’ll find solar panels used to run electrical systems and to recharge batteries and possibly the 30-kW electric engine.
The naval architect for this creature, Javier Jaudenes, made the vessel so simple in that the sail plan can be even be managed just by two people. As for the interior design, Jens Paulus and Baltic Yachts worked together to create spaces tapered towards the 1960’s café racer design.
The design elements and cues are simple, with an elegant manipulation of natural and man-made materials used offering a low-light and intimate interior that invites you to take a load off. Oak timber, paper cord, wicker, and more flax offer a contemporary feel to the interior.
The bedroom sits at the front of the ship and carries over the same design cues as the rest of the ship. Here, wood is once again used heavily to complete everything from a bed frame and lateral lounging benches to a desk and storage cabinets.
But that’s really a lot of wood. Doesn’t that weigh a lot? Apparently not. The Baltic 68 reveals decks and other furnishings using various treated woods. One of the main points is the multi-purpose LIGNIA modified wood that comes with a 50-year warranty against rot. 50 friggin years! This is starting to sound like the kind of vessel you pass on to your grandkids, as it should be.
With all this tech and innovation this ship reveals, the only remaining question regards the price for it all. To get some idea, some Baltic Yacht vessels run upwards of $22 million. That’s one heck of a boat and one heck of a lifestyle.
