The luxurious superyacht that looks like an alien spaceship: 'Flying pyramid' LEVITATES over the sea and has a top speed of 45mph

  • The innovative concept vessel ‘levitates’ thanks to a vertical strut attached to a submerged torpedo-shaped hull
  • Called Tetrahedron Super Yacht, it boasts spacious sun decks, an outdoor dining area and water toys for guests
  • Thanks to a design that controls roll forces, pitch and heave, the yacht can travel smoothly through rough water

Advertisement

With a pyramid-shaped superstructure that appears to fly low over the water, this innovative luxury superyacht looks like it belongs in outer space instead of the ocean.

Billed as aviation on the sea, the radical concept from a London-based architect flips traditional yacht design on its head with a complete rethink.

The futuristic vessel, called Tetrahedron Super Yacht, ‘levitates’ thanks to a vertical strut attached to a submerged torpedo-shaped hull, but it retains all of the luxuries one would expect on a multimillion-pound ship.

Tetrahedron Super Yacht appears to fly over the water thanks to a vertical strut attached to a submerged torpedo-shaped hull

Tetrahedron Super Yacht appears to fly over the water thanks to a vertical strut attached to a submerged torpedo-shaped hull

 Thanks to a unique design that controls roll forces, pitch and heave, the yacht would travel smoothly through rough water

 Thanks to a unique design that controls roll forces, pitch and heave, the yacht would travel smoothly through rough water

With plenty of deck space on all three sides, passengers will be able to soak up the sun on loungers or sofas or enjoy an al fresco dinner 

With plenty of deck space on all three sides, passengers will be able to soak up the sun on loungers or sofas or enjoy an al fresco dinner 

TETRAHEDRON SUPER YACHT: BY THE NUMBERS

Ship type: HYSWAS (hydrofoil small waterplane area ship)

Construction: Carbon fibre superstructure/duplex stainless steel 

Passengers: 6

Crew:

Length: 21.6 metres (70.8ft) 

Beam: 25 metres (82ft) 

Displacement (weight): Approximately 75 tonnes 

Slow water line speed: 12 knots (13.8mph)

Take-off speed: 15 knots (17.2mph)

'Flying speed' above water: 38 knots (43.7mph)

Range: 3,000 nautical miles 

Designer: Jonathan Schwinge

Project manager: Marcel Muller, INMAINCO

Renderings: EYELEVEL UK

Designed by Jonathan Schwinge, renderings show spacious sun decks, an outdoor dining area, water toys and a set of retractable stairs into the sea.

Made from carbon fibre and duplex stainless steel, Tetrahedron Super Yacht can accommodate six passengers and four crew members in a 70.8-ft long pyramid that has four faces and six leading edges.

It has a ‘flying speed’ of 38 knots (43.7mph) above the water line and a take-off speed of 15 knots (17.2mph), with a range of 3,000 nautical miles.

Thanks to a unique design that controls roll forces, pitch and heave, the yacht would travel smoothly through rough water, said Schwinge.

At low speed the yacht sits gently on three underbelly hulls and at high speed the pyramid rises from the water as the hydrofoils rotate on the submerged HYSWAS (hydrofoil small waterplane area ship) hull.

This type of hull was previously developed by a number of companies, notably the Maritime Applied Physics Corporation in the US.

The cost of the project was not revealed. 

Schwinge said in a statement: ‘The design is instigated by the rethinking of the form, superstructure and propulsion of the modern superyacht into a radically simple enclosure and an elevated mode of travel above the water line.

When it is travelling at low speed or anchored in the open water, Tetrahedron Super Yacht sits gently on three underbelly hulls

When it is travelling at low speed or anchored in the open water, Tetrahedron Super Yacht sits gently on three underbelly hulls

The yacht has a ‘flying speed’ of 38 knots above the water line and a take-off speed of 15 knots, with a range of 3,000 nautical miles

The yacht has a ‘flying speed’ of 38 knots above the water line and a take-off speed of 15 knots, with a range of 3,000 nautical miles

‘A three-based pyramid consisting of four faces and six leading edges provides fundamental stability and enclosure.’

He added: ‘Its form produces a pure, precise, logical and mathematical “roof” for which to connect to the hull assembly. Generally, simple forms are not known in ship and motor yacht construction through restrictions in ocean-going hull design.

‘Long distances are achievable with reduced out-of-water drag and stormy ocean conditions would incur virtually no slamming.’

Marcel Muller of INMAINCO Visionary Marine Management is the project manager and renderings were produced by EYELEVEL UK. 

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.