VPLP Design presents 76m wing-powered "mega-catamaran" concept

French studio VPLP has unveiled a 76-metre, wing-powered "mega-catamaran" concept called Tyrena. Proposed as the largest catamaran ever designed, the concept was revealed at this year's Monaco Yacht Show as a sustainable, high-performance alternative to a traditional motorised superyacht.

Designed in collaboration with Italian studio Micheletti & Partners, the yacht's rigid wing propulsion draws inspiration from the USA 17 trimaran that won the America's Cup in 2010, with the system already undergoing testing on the RORO cargo vessel Canopée and the MODX 70 yacht.

“We’re convinced that today’s yachting market is about to witness a paradigm shift,” said Quentin Lucet, naval architect and partner at VPLP Design. “Over the past decade, with Canopée and with MODX 70, we’ve been championing wing power as a realistic and reliable response. All that’s lacking today is a visionary first client who will dare to lead the way in the superyacht domain.”

Equipped with VPLP's OceanWings technology, the concept is set to offer fuel savings of up to 40 per cent using hybrid propulsion alongside a range of 3,800 to 6,400 nautical miles assisted by wing power, a cruising speed of up to 12 knots and a sailing speed of up to 17 knots.

The concept balances both French and Italian design, with a particular focus on aesthetics, proportions, heritage, elegance and materiality. Numerous terraces and patios provide a permanent link to the surrounding environment, while high, enveloping bulwarks preserve guest privacy while sheltering them from the elements.

Lucio Micheletti, founder of Micheletti+Partners, explained: "Tyrena gave us the opportunity to bring this approach to an extraordinary scale, where the breadth of the platform allowed us to think architecturally: creating patios, sheltered spaces, terraces and long perspectives towards the sea. The Mediterranean became a natural reference, not as a style, but as a way of organising life on board."

A mobile platform sits aft of the main deck and can be lowered at anchor to form a gangway between the two hulls, allowing guests to move around the yacht as freely as they would on land. A large skylight aft of the main deck also blurs the visual boundary between the upper and lower levels.

At the bow, a private amphitheatre preserves the space's acoustic qualities, bolstered by uninterrupted views of the water. 

Other highlights on board include an infinity pool with a viewing tunnel that opens onto the water, framed by a monolithic seat spanning the pool's full width, and a coachroof that features a series of movable flaps inspired by the gills of a fish, which, when open, catch and redirect airflow toward the centre of the vessel.

VPLP's portfolio encompasses 24 superyachts, according to exclusive BOATPro data, including three recently delivered Lagoon superyachts: the 25-metre Lagoon Eighty 2, the 25-metre Arktos and the 24.4-metre Alvria.