INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION THROUGH ELECTRIC POWER

Apr 6, 2021

In the March 26th edition of Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest, we carried the huge announcement that BRP was planning to offer electric power options in all their lines within the next five years.

I can easily see this working because the power needed to deliver strong performance in an electric Sea-Doo or Ski-Doo using a lithium ion-type power source and the latest electric motors, could be fitted to that package at a competitive weight and maybe a competitive cost.

Speaking of cost, we see that Tesla has been hugely successful with what are actually large, powerful and expensive cars. The Chevy Volt seems to sit on dealer lots by comparison. Is the trend to electric something that the wealthy will embrace while regular folks stay with the old tech for now?

That may be how it plays out with the electric versions being the upscale models.

Now we have the Swedish Candela electric boat company from Stockholm. The company has recruited Michel Kermarec, the French hydrodynamics expert from the American Magic, America’s Cup team. Kermarec will be leading the hydrodynamics team at Candela and his main task will be to improve the efficiency of Candela’s future electric hydrofoil boats.

Even at this early stage, Candela says its electric hydrofoiling Candela Seven is the most efficient speedboat ever built. The 7.9 meter (26’ LOA) runabout cruises at 25 knots, tops out at 30 knots and its range is 50 nautical miles.

Flying on two submerged foils, the Seven’s silent, smooth ride has made it the best-selling electric premium boat in Europe, says the company. The foils are retractable, the design of the boat itself is fairly conventional and when you see the video on their website you will be quite impressed.

It leaves almost no wake, has the power to pull a waterskier and it flies above the waves and bumps. While I can see the electric Sea-Doo grabbing a good chunk of market share, I couldn’t envision electric power in the larger runabout models until I saw the hydrofoiling Candela Seven.

Have a look at their website and imagine what boats could look like in 10 years.

Andy Adams – Editor