Lightwave 55 Motor Yacht revealed

Australia’s only remaining manufacturer of production cruising catamarans, Lightwave Yachts, has released renders and first details of its latest luxury creation, the Lightwave 55 Motor Yacht.

Still in its design phase but available for order, the new cat serves as a larger powered sibling for the Lightwave 46 sailing catamaran, with the boutique boat builder describing the newcomer as “an elegantly styled, efficient, long-range bluewater cruising catamaran with no compromise on comfort”.

Related reading:
2021 Lightwave 45 cruising catamaran teased
Lightwave Yachts plans for new model expansion
New 45 from Lightwave Catamarans

With an overall length of 16.75 metres, a beam of 7.55 metres and a dry weight of 18,000kg, the Lightwave 55 Motor Yacht signals the dawn of a new era for the company, boasting a clean-sheet design that retains all the best attributes of its forebears in a roomier, more spacious format.

Lightwave says the new model’s semi-displacement hull slices through the water with very little propulsion. With a 5500-litre fuel capacity, the twin shaft-driven Volvo Penta D6 engines can be rated from 300 to 480hp apiece, helping the boat to a generous bluewater cruising range of 2500 nautical miles at 8.0 knots, or 1100nm at 16.0 knots.

Equipped for extended open-water voyages, Lightwave says the 55 Motor Yacht incorporates safety features including high bridgedeck clearance, a modest draft of 1.1 metres, and a full-length keel that protects the rudders and propellers in the event of a grounding. Significant effort has been invested in mass centralisation, Lightwave says, to produce a low centre of gravity and greater stability when underway.

Furthermore, the Lightwave 55 Motor Yacht can also be fitted with a range of eco-friendly options to further enhance its long-range credentials, including up to 3600 watts of solar panels on the cabin roof – sufficient to power all of the vessel’s onboard electrical equipment – plus lithium-ion batteries and battery management systems, and even electric or hybrid engines.

Inside, the central helm features twin chairs with electric adjustment, along with the latest touchscreen and digital switching technology to make skippering the craft as simple as it is pleasurable.

The aft cockpit has table seating for up to eight, as well as a wet bar to port with electric grille, sink, tap and under-bench storage.

Accessed via a bulkhead featuring bi-fold doors, the galley is equipped with a full-height pantry and a full complement of modern appliances, while the large island bench has a breakfast bar overhang for two as well as a sink with optional macerator and multi-function Zip tap.

In the saloon, an L-shaped lounge and portable ottomans provide seating for up to seven, while an extra L-shaped lounge is located aft.

There’s a roomy forward storage room for fishing and diving gear or water toys, while when you’re ready to retire for the night you’ll be spoilt for choice with this vessel’s accommodation options, which can sleep up to eight.

The king-size master cabin is complemented by a port aft queen-size VIP cabin, plus a port forward guest cabin with twin bunks and an optional starboard aft guest cabin with twin bunks.

All these rooms feature air conditioning, while there’s a private ensuite for the master cabin and a shared bathroom in the mid-section port hull for other guests.

Rounding out the Lightwave 55 Motor Yacht’s appointments is a curved set of stairs near the galley that leads down to versatile space that can be configured to suit the owner’s needs – either as a laundry or utility room in standard trim, or as the fourth cabin with double bunks, an ensuite, and a washer and dryer.

Based in Yatala, Queensland, Lightwave Yachts was founded in 1996 by managing director Roger Overell. The company says it builds its catamarans to order, personally crafting each vessel to meet the unique and exacting demands of each owner.

Lightwave says that while the 55 Motor Yacht is still currently in its design stage, it is currently taking enquiries and orders for the new model, the first example of which is expected to launch in late 2023 or early 2024.

Specifications
Model: Lightwave 55 Motor Yacht
Length overall: 16.75m
Waterline length: 16.07m
Beam: 7.55m
Draft: 1.1m
Weight: 18,000kg (dry)
Engines: 2x300-480hp Volvo Penta D6
Fuel: 5500L
Water: 1000L
Holding tank: 300L
Accommodations: 3 to 4 cabins/up to eight people