Sunreef Yachts has launched WETRA, an intelligent, connected yacht management system incorporating navigation, safety, comfort, energy and preventive maintenance. Developed by Sunreef’s engineering team, WETRA allows the owner and crew to monitor and manage systems from the helm, other onboard interfaces, and mobile devices like tablets and smartphones.

The proprietary WETRA operating system has been installed on the first Ultima 88 powercat (cover & Review, Issue 89), which includes a 60-inch screen on the flybridge helm station. The catamaran builder has stated that WETRA streamlines technology by reducing repetitive tasks, simplifying operation, and giving owners and crews key information depending on the situation or time.

Francis Lapp, founder and President of Sunreef, said: “The best technology is the technology you almost forget is there. With Sunreef WETRA, our goal is to make the yacht easier to understand, easier to operate and ultimately more enjoyable to experience.”

WETRA is most visible in the system’s configurable, ultra-wide helm screen, presenting one coherent digital interface instead of multiple screens, gauges and control panels.

Displays for navigation, propulsion, tank levels, electrical systems, weather, alarms and cameras can be organised across the screen according to the situation. The interface can prioritise the information that matters, depending on whether the yacht is cruising, manoeuvring, docking or at anchor. 

WETRA also integrates HVAC, lighting and entertainment, accessible through onboard touchscreens and mobile devices, with voice control available for selected functions. Using occupancy, time of day and user preferences, the system can automatically adapt selected comfort settings while keeping crew in full control.

Beyond monitoring, WETRA can support automated load management and generator operation according to actual demand. Energy forecasting can estimate battery autonomy and future requirements, helping crews optimise energy use and potentially reduce unnecessary generator running time.

For safety and preventive maintenance, Sunreef WETRA centralises alarms, navigation information and critical technical data, allowing important information to be identified and prioritised quickly. 

More importantly, the platform is being developed to move yacht management from simply reacting to alarms toward condition-based and preventive maintenance. By continuously analysing parameters such as temperature, voltage, current, pressure, operating hours and equipment cycles, WETRA can identify abnormal behaviour and developing trends before conventional alarm thresholds are reached.

With secure connectivity and appropriate permissions, selected technical data can also be accessed remotely by Sunreef’s service specialists, helping crews diagnose issues and allowing technicians to arrive better prepared with the right knowledge, equipment and potentially required parts. 

“The objective is to give the captain and crew better, more timely information, increasingly anticipating potential issues before they develop,” Lapp stated.

Sunreef WETRA extends beyond the yacht through the Sunreef mobile app, available for iOS and Android. Authorised owners and crew can remotely check energy and battery status, monitor connected systems, receive notifications and prepare selected functions before arriving on board.

The same ecosystem extends across the helm, onboard touchscreens, tablets and smartphones, creating one consistent digital experience with secure access adapted to each user. 

To incorporate future technology, WETRA is designed as an evolving platform capable of integrating new equipment, sensors and automation technologies. 

Sunreef stated that artificial intelligence will play a growing role in analysing operational data, detecting anomalies, forecasting energy requirements and adapting selected functions to how the yacht is used. The shipyard emphasised that AI is a tool, not the product. Ultimately, WETRA is designed to make increasingly complex yachts easier to operate, understand and maintain.

sunreef-yachts.com