Why moor your superyacht off of that sugar-white St. Tropez beach or Icelandic ice floe when you can simply scramble ashore? Italian design studio Lazzarini’s new amphibious catamaran concept, Pagurus (Latin for “crab”), is based on this absurd notion.
The twin hulls of this 82-foot mini-superyacht are the key to its amphibious capabilities. Four 21-foot-long steel cylinders are concealed in recesses, each with a helical spiral flange that resembles the thread of a gigantic screw. Pull up to a shore, and at the push of a button, all four cylinders will descend from the hulls. The screws, each propelled by their own 440 horsepower diesel engine, turn, biting into the sand and dragging the catamaran onto the beach.
Pierpaolo Lazzarini told Robb Report, “It would be the ultimate explorer yacht, with the ability to take you on land as well as sea.”
Initially, Lazzarini envisioned a military version of the catamaran. Even a rendering with camouflage paint and a rooftop cannon was produced. But seeing a huge uptick in luxury yacht buyers seeking to “go off the grid” with friends and family, he believed a globe-girding private version with cabins for eight, would have real appeal.
In addition to allowing you to see penguins from your bedroom window, one of the major draws of Pagurus’ ability to travel on land is the opportunity to explore in your own 44. Specifically, a Tesla Cybertruck.
“We envisioned it being stored on a platform between the vessels and lowered to the ground using winches. The same platform could accommodate two electric Tesla Cyberquad ATVs or snowmobiles, he says.
And recharging the Teslas would be simple, thanks to the vast arrays of solar panels integrated into the platforms. Even the rotation of the screw cylinders while the catamaran is in motion is designed to assist in battery charging.
Lazzarini envisions Pagurus equipped with a pair of 900 hp Caterpillar diesel engines coupled to sterndrives, resulting in a maximum speed of 25 knots.
Want to enter that secluded cove without disrupting the local wildlife? These underwater helical screws could turn silently under electric power to propel the yacht at five knots with secrecy.
Lazzarini claims that the inspiration for the yacht’s name originated from a gigantic crab. You can see it in the high-sided vessels and low, low carbon fibre superstructure with its distinctive, narrow glass half-circle. The Pagurus’ steel hull would be up to an inch thick and reinforced around the bow for safe and effective ice-crushing, resembling a crab’s hard carapace.
The designer is aware that he may receive censure for the environmental impact Pagarus may have, but he views the screw-drives as a safety feature for rescuing the catamaran if it runs aground or becomes mired in mud. It can also land itself if the weather deteriorates.
The Pagurus concept could be realised for approximately $30 million. If you like the design but not the ambitious screw-drive technology, a Pagurus made of carbon fibre with water-jet propulsion and a maximum speed of 32 knots could be constructed for approximately $8 million.