2021, Knysna 550F

NAVIGATION – equipped by Garmin.

2 x 15-inch MFD chart plotters (GPS Map 8416) with autoroute capability. 

2 x autopilot displays (GHC20).

4 x customisable general-purpose displays (GMI20).

1 x wind display (GNX Wind at helm station).

1 x sailing display (GNX20 at nav desk).

2 x hardwired VHF handsets with DSC (GHS11i).

1 x Class-B AIS (AIS 800 Blackbox Transceiver).

1 x GMR 18x HD radar. 

2 x GPS/Glonass units (GA38 & 19x), NMEA 2000 network & devices throughout. 

4 x Garmin cameras for docking & single-handed anchoring (GC200).

1 x forward view transducer (Panoptix PS51TH).

1 x depth/speed/temperature transducer (Airmar DST-N2000).

1 x fishing transducer (Airmar B75M).

WATER SYSTEMS

Fresh water: 1000L tank. 

Watermaker: 210 litres per hour (Stella Watermakers 230v Gen 3) with automatic flushing system. New membranes in August 2024.

Hot water: 2 x 40L water heaters (Isotemp Basic 40L), heated by main engine coolant or internal 230v elements. Gas-powered instant hot water for relaxed living at anchor.

Black water: 60, 80 & 120 litre tanks with gravity discharge & deck pump outs.
Grey water: 3 x 10 litre sump boxes with automatic discharge.

AV/IT & INTERNET

Starlink, Networked 24 port switch, Pepwave 5G router, Cel-Fi phone signal booster, HD Home Run, Plex server, NAS drive.

LIGHTING

LED downlights throughout. Recessed LED mood lights in all cabins, bathrooms, & communal spaces. 2 x reading lamps per bed, 2 x pop-up ‘secret’ lights in flybridge & 1 x in cockpit. Spreader lights & underwater lights.

Aqua Signal nav lights, plus red LED for night-time navigation.

PAINT

Superstructure: Faired surfaces, with Awlcraft 2000 two-component topcoat. Matterhorn White with Greystone highlights.

Side decks & bow: non-skid paint made with Awlcraft 2000 two-component topcoat blended with fine & course GripTex particles. 

Interior walls & ceilings: Midalux Envirolite 230 range in ‘Arniston White’ & ‘Paintbrush’, with discrete two-tone highlights in other areas.

Hull: Hempel one-component ablative antifoul.

SAILING, RIGGING & DECK

Mast, boom & rig from Sparcraft.

Fully battened 117 m² Ullman mainsail with Sparcraft in-boom furling (around a carbon fiber mandrel) & 2 x stainless steel goosenecks.

62 m² Ullman Genoa with electric furling.

142 m² Ullman Screecher with electric furling 

402 m² Ullman Asymmetric Spinnaker with Private Island logo & hoisting sock.

5 x self-tailing winches (2 x Harken 60 electric at helm station, 2 x Harken 50 on main deck, 1 x Harken 50 on mast). 

POWER MANAGEMENT by Whisper Power

Power Generation: 1.44kW solar hidden on flybridge (4 x Sunpower Maxeon 360 watt). 8.6kW diesel DC generator (M-GV3 Piccolo K). 2 x additional 150-amp engine alternators, 2 x shorepower cables with Glendinning electric cable reels & pig-tail adaptors.

Battery storage: impressive 23 kWh from 12 x 160Ah lithium ion (LiFePO4) batteries with integrated fuses & CAN bus interface.

Inverter: powerful 13kW AC inverter to run air conditioning, watermaker, cooktop, oven etc.

Information & management: 7-inch touch screen at saloon navigation desk.

SAFETY 

Oscar 640 collision avoidance system visible on two mounted iPads. Remote controlled mast mounted searchlight, DanBuoy MOB device, 2 x life rings. 

EPIRB, handheld VHF radio, handheld Garmin InReach GPS, radar reflector. 3 x Bluetooth two-way headsets. Lars Thrane satellite phone, Iridium Go satellite, Starlink.

8-person Viking UKL life raft. Flares & SOS grab bag. 8 x solid foam lifejackets. 6 x self-inflating lifejackets with safety harnesses & Ocean Safety PLB1 or MOB1 tracking devices installed.

Removable lifelines on sides & stern. Grab rails on deck & interior. 2 x wall mounted escape hatches & collision bulkheads in the bows.

Fireboy automatic fire suppression in generator cupboard & both engine rooms. 

6 x fire, heat & carbon monoxide detectors. 7 x ABC powder extinguishers, fire blanket.

First aid including heart defibrillator (AED), suture kits, IV kits. 

CONSTRUCTION & HULL 

PVC foam core vacuum bagged to outer laminate & balanced with hand laid inner laminate.

Monolithic areas & coosa board reinforcements between laminates.

Structural bulkheads infused with 25mm closed cell PVC foam core & laminated directly to hull & bridge deck.

Sacrificial keels (just in case). 

Bilges have 4 x permanently powered Johnson automatic bilge pumps with manual override, plus 2 x Whale manual bilge pumps.

Emergency pass-through valves in engine room bulkheads & bow collision bulkheads. 

PROPULSION, STEERING & FUEL
2 x 80HP turbo diesel Yanmar engines (4J80CR) with sail drives (SD-60). Flybridge & saloon VC-20 throttle controls, with emergency controls in the saloon. 760 hours use. Fuel efficient, with each engine burning about 5 litres per hour at 2000 rpm.

2 x independent 105Ah Varta start batteries with parallel option.
2 x stainless steel EWOL folding propellors with rope cutters.
Vetus 85kgf bow thruster with 2 joystick controls.
Steering: Reactor 40 autopilot, Lecomble & Schmidt hydraulic pump & rams. Carbonautica composite helm.

Rudders have 316 stainless steel stocks. Emergency tiller arm with through-deck access.

Fuel: 1000 litre diesel tank with independent shut-off valves. Reverso FPS 80 fuel scrubber system & Separ filter.