GOING SOLAR

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Serenity Yachts offers pure electric and hybrid models that blend the range of a sailboat with the comfort of a power catamaran.

GOING SOLAR HARNESS THE SUN

Level up your on-the-water experience with Serenity Yachts, one of few boatbuilders bringing green technology to the yachting community. Serenity offers pure electric and hybrid yachts that harness the sun, with two options—the Serenity 64 and 74—currently available. Potential buyers can tour the model boat when it’s based in Fort Lauderdale and even take it for a test drive. Before heading out to sea, director Boyd Taylor breaks down how Serenity is going green. (serenityyachts.com)

FLI: Tell us more about how Serenity Yachts is bringing green technology to its yachts.

Taylor: We have proven that having a fully electric luxury yacht is no longer a dream—it’s a reality. Right now, our yachts are able to achieve this level of efficiency and reliability because we build in carbon fiber, so they are ultra-lightweight. As solar, wind, and battery technologies improve, our boats will become faster and even more energy independent.

Do you consider Serenity Yachts to be a pioneer in this technology?

Absolutely. When we first started Serenity Yachts, electric and hybrid yachts were still in their infancy. The dream of building a truly luxurious solar-powered motor yacht probably sounded crazy at the time. While most companies were still in the research stage, we worked tirelessly with manufacturers to engineer a reliable drive system that would allow our clients to go around the world without using a drop of fuel.

What makes the Serenity 64 and the Serenity 74 special?

In addition to the fuel savings and sustain-

COURTESY SERENITY YACHTS

ability that come from solar power, the quiet electric motors make for a much more comfortable and luxurious experience. With our solar-powered yachts, an owner gets to relax and enjoy the fresh air without the smell of diesel fumes or the rumble of a generator.

Why is going “green” important in the yachting world?

Mankind has always been drawn to the sea and, until now, that has been at the expense of the very environment we set out to enjoy. Our yachts allow one to explore the most beautiful and unique places in the world without damaging or polluting them in the process. As stewards of this planet, it is our responsibility to preserve the many delicate habitats and ecosystems that give the ocean its majesty.

COURTESY FLIPATIK

UNIQUE DISCOVERIES

Adriana Gonzalez is the force behind Flipatik (a play on the words “flipping an attic”), a local source for affordable midcentury modern and vintage furniture and home decor. Prior to starting the business five years ago, Gonzalez was unhappily working in corporate America when she decided to restore a piece of furniture with her husband. Her career transformed from there, as she pursued a full-time gig handpicking, restoring, and reselling furniture from the 1950-1960s.

“Sometimes we get lucky and find a piece in good shape,” says the Broward resident whose studio is in Wilton Manors. “Other times we have to fix, sand, stain, and seal it. I don’t mind leaving marks, though. I think it gives the piece some personality. I don’t like pieces to look too perfect.”

She sources furniture locally and from Denmark and has “pickers” who are always on the hunt. “I gravitate toward wood pieces with a special ‘touch,’” she says, often selecting pieces that have a curved leg or a rattan detail. “They always have to have that extra ‘something’ for me to buy.” (flipatik.com)