The boating industry is focused on developing all sorts of new technologies and designs to make boats faster, more efficient, and delivering the smoothest ride on the roughest chop. Two new boats are real standouts, and here’s why.
What are these boats, and how do they work?
First, there’s the Candela C-8 hydrofoil speedboat made by Candela, a company from Sweden. It is an impressive 28-foot boat that uses hydrofoils to float out of the water and fly above the waves. Just looking at the picture of it at top speed looks almost like a photoshopped image.
Rest assured, it’s real. What’s also unique about this boat is that it significantly lowers the amount of gas that a regular speedboat would burn. The typical combustion engine is replaced by a 69kWh Polestar battery and a small, torpedo-shaped direct drive motor that remains completely underwater. This means that the boat will use the same amount of energy when the engine starts as when it reaches a main body of water and flies at top speed. It sells for a whopping $390,000 and has a 100% carbon fiber hull.
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Credit: Candela
The second boat is called the WaveFlyer Volaré and was made by the Australian boating company Electro Nautic. This boat is smaller than some jet skis, however, it can hover over the water so smoothly that you’ll hardly feel it moving when you go for a ride. It seats 2 people side-by-side and is equipped with a 7-inch digital dash and a control joystick.
It rides less than 27.6 inches above the surface. It uses a combination of electric propulsion units at the back of its retractable foils and an active stability control system, using up to 75% less power than a conventional boat hull.
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Credit: Electro Nautic
Why make these boats?
One of the best reasons for the creation of these boats is to reduce the amount of pollution in our seas. We’ve all heard about how at-risk our environment is, so any amount of pollution and carbon emission reduction is a good thing in my eyes. Plus, these boats run way smoother than a regular boat ever could, even on super choppy water days.
Of course, with all good things comes a downside, and in this case, these boats are typically more expensive than the average boat because of the materials they use. I mentioned before that the Candela C-8 hydrofoil speedboat is worth about $390,000, while the base model of the WaveFlyer Volaré starts at about $49,990. Other models will sell for as high as $59,990, so it’s no secret that these boats are on the pricier side.
Credit: Candela
If you’re thinking about whether or not to buy one of these boats, there are a few things to consider. Keep in mind how safe and smooth the ride is. And let’s not forget how much fun it is flying even if a few feet above the water.
Would you want to go for a ride in a flying boat? Let us know by commenting below.
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