OI: Mr. Kuhner, how does a pilot actually get a second job as a shipyard manager?
By ordering a yacht from a shipyard, then the shipyard goes bankrupt, but you yourself are convinced of the product. After I ordered a 47 from SLYDER in 2014, there were cash flow problems after a while, so I took over the logo and brand and then reorganised the whole structure. I started my career 35 years ago as a pilot with Lufthansa and now only fly part-time on long-haul routes. So I have two jobs, that’s right.
OI: What happened after you took over SLYDER?
We found a shipyard in the Far East, ordered the prototype of the SLYDER 49 and then two more SLYDER 49, and then the world was virtually locked down due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was a difficult start. Nevertheless, the two units were completed and the SLYDER 80 concept was also created during the lockdown in collaboration with designer Matthias Krenz. We also developed the SLYDER 55 together and other models will follow.
OI: What are the main features of the SLYDER 80?
The SLYDER 80 combines the elegance of a café racer monohull with the performance and spaciousness of a luxury catamaran. At the heart of its development was the desire for a fast, luxurious, spacious and particularly future-proof catamaran.
Large solar panels, a hybrid drive, a 38 square metre main saloon, headroom of 2.20 metres and king-size beds are just some of the features. One highlight is the “Sports-Fly” (SLY-FLY) developed for the SLYDER 80, which offers plenty of space and safety and gives fellow sailors the opportunity to take part in the fascinating experience of “sailing”.
OI: When could an interested customer start building a SLYDER 80?
Construction can start almost immediately. We are very flexible, so the keel could be laid after one to two months of preparation. The boat is made of lightweight aluminium. The catamaran weighs just 35 tons.
