Francisca Cortés Solari

Chilean ocean conservationist and philanthropist Francisca Cortés Solari has dedicated her life to being an agent of change. The mother of three has spent 20 years promoting Chile’s comprehensive and sustainable development through science, culture and conservation. In 2021, she took receipt of her first yacht, a sustainable new build that led to the development of ground-breaking technology for the protection of whales. Chances are, it won’t be her last.

Cortés Solari is a passionate Chilean. Her original idea to produce educational programmes for schoolchildren from vulnerable populations led to the inception of Filantropía Cortés Solari (FCS), an initiative that seeks to generate social, environmental and scientific value in Chile. In turn, it led to the MERI Foundation, which works in partnership with the Monaco Scientific Center to promote science and environmental education. It played a pivotal role during the 2023 Monaco Ocean Week, which saw the inauguration of the Monaco Blue Initiative (a discussion platform co-organized with the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco), and the first Blue Economy Round Table, which seeks to prepare a Policy Paper to protect marine ecosystems and present it at the next COP28. Cortés Solari is no stranger to advocating change. So, when she had the idea to build her first yacht, it was never going to be straight forward. 

Cachalote (meaning sperm whale) is a 23.7m motorsailer. Built by Navik Patagonia, a small shipyard located on the island of Chiloé at the gateway to Patagonia, and exterior designed by Vripack, it enjoys a traditional aesthetic crafted with modern know-how and all the space for outdoor living. “I had originally intended on building a wooden boat in the style of the nomadic southern seafarers who once inhabited Western Patagonia, but my hope for world cruising dictated the need for steel,” she says.

Undeterred, she saw through the remainder of her wish list, much of which pivots around sustainability. The boat’s ability to travel under sail reduces fuel consumption. Solar panels on the roof support the hotel load, and Flexiteek decking runs throughout the exterior. The interior aesthetic takes on a Scandinavian vibe, with natural fabrics and bare woods sourced from sustainable managed forests. Traceability and provenance for all the materials was a must. The interior wood is European oak coated with a water-based finish to make it stain-resistant while retaining its natural colour.

Most significantly for Cortés Solari, who has dedicated 12 years to researching the negative effects maritime traffic has on whales, she ensured that vibrations and noise levels are kept to a minimum. “Whales are one of the main species under threat in Patagonia,” she says. “The noise pollution from marine traffic and toxic anti-fouling coatings used on boats have negative impacts, but the biggest danger is the number of collisions that occur between whales and vessels in coastal waters. We’ve been studying and tracking the migratory path of blue whales for years, and I wanted to build a boat that could incorporate new technology to help prevent that.”

Together with scientists from Boston University, she invested time and funding into the creation of whale detection technology that can be fitted on a vessel. They also undertook studies to try and place an economic value on the marine ecosystem to promote its protection. “Whales produce oxygen and capture the atmosphere’s carbon, which means each blue whale has an economic value of around $4 million,” she says. “The valuation varies according to the size of the whale, but on average, blue whales in Patagonia sequester around 33 tonnes of carbon, the equivalent of 1,000 trees.”

Onboard whale detection technology remains a work in progress, but the research served as inspiration for the Blue BOAT (Buoy Oceanographic Alert Technology) Initiative. The complex early whale warning system is a network of smart buoys that alert vessels in real time to the presence of whales within an 80km range. It includes a passive acoustic and oceanographic monitoring system, while the buoys also help to evaluate the health of the ocean. Sponsored by the Chilean government, the first buoy went into action in October 2022 in the Gulf of Corcovado.

She describes Cachalote as “an expensive prototype” for the series of research boats she hopes to build. In fact, it’s a comfortable, stable, family explorer capable of cruising remote regions with minimal impact on the oceans. For its maiden voyage, the boat gently cruised around Chiloé Island in the Gulf of Corcovado in north Patagonia. It has since navigated the fastest-flowing glaciers in northern Patagonia’s icefields. “Patagonia’s fjords and ice floes are dangerous to sail because they’re really narrow in places and largely unchartered, but we crossed the Gulf of Corcovado without encountering any problems,” she says, smiling.

Cortés Solari, who has vast experience organising and leading scientific research expeditions deep into Patagonia’s waters, likes to take the helm. When at anchor, her favourite place on board is the sun deck where she relaxes and dines with her family. It’s also a great platform for diving into the sea. “Building Cachalote wasn’t just a passion project, it became a cultural conservation one for me too,” she says. “My dream is to build a second, if not a series, of scientific boats with the capacity to be used by the foundation for open water research.”

However, she notes that it’s not enough to promote scientific development alone. She believes that, as a yacht owner and ocean advocate, it is essential to raise community awareness of the sustainable management of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, as well as the natural and cultural legacy of our oceans. It’s an aim that an increasing number of superyacht owners and guests share – and we will all be the beneficiaries.