Futuristic Yacht Concept Would Appear to Hover at High Speeds

The yacht of the future may barely look like a yacht at all. According to Business Insider, the design firm Schwinge is working on a futuristic yacht concept that more closely resembles something from outer space.

Instead of the traditional construction you see in most boats, the propeller of the Tetrahedron Superyacht extends downward from the bottom of its pyramid-shaped structure. The unconventional design is what would allow the ship’s body to hover above the water when traveling at high speeds.

As the boat propels forward, the blades of the Hydrofoil Small Waterplane Area Ship (HYSWAS) hull would push water away. This would cause the majority of the boat to lift above the surface, helping captains navigate through rough waters and travel longer distances by cutting down on drag.

At low speeds, the boat would glide across the sea. When docked, its three sides would fold out into larger decks for lounging while overhead awnings would provide coverage from the sun.

The Tetrahedron Superyacht isn’t the only spaceship-inspired sea vessel currently in the works. In April, we shared the concept art for Jet Capsule’s Unidentified Floating Objects: disk-shaped houseboats that look like flying saucers that crash-landed in the ocean.

Like Jet Capsule’s houseboats, the Tetrahedron Superyacht is just a concept for now. It’s still too early to say if the ambitious physics would pan out in real life, but Schwinge claims the design is inspired by actual technology that’s been demonstrated by the Maritime Applied Physics Corporation. According to Business Insider, the firm is moving ahead with its plans with a large shipyard that it’s choosing to keep under wraps for now.

[h/t Business Insider]

All images courtesy of Schwinge.

Know of something you think we should cover? Email us at tips@mentalfloss.com.