Nominate a boat in the 2024 Gussies Electric Boat Awards

October 1, 2024 Jeff Butler 0 Comments

Nominations are open for the fifth annual Gustave Trouvé Awards for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating Awards are presented by sponsors Aqua superPower, BlueNav and Oceanvolt.

Nominations have closed.

History of The Gussies

‘The Gussies’ were created in 2020 to recognize the inventors, designers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and visionaries who are making advances every day to develop clean, quiet, zero emission technologies and innovations to reduce reliance on fossil fuel for marine propulsion.

The awards are named to honour Gustave Trouvé, a prolific French inventor with over 75 patents – among them the world’s first outboard boat motor, which he devised so that he could detach the motor from his prototype electric boat ‘Le Teléphone’ and take it home for further work in his Paris apartment.

In the first award in 2020 there were 50 boats nominated from 19 countries and in last year’s Gussies more than 160. There is every reason to believe even more will be nominated this year.

The 29 Gussies Winners thus far represent 19 different countries: Austria, Bangladesh, China, Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and USA.

See the 2020 Gussies Winners See the 2021 Gussies Winners

See the 2022 Gussies Winners See the 2023 Gussies Winners

We are delighted to have the 2024 Gussies Awards presented by:

Aqua superPower, the first fully marinized dockside network of fast chargers for electric boats
BlueNav, developer of innovative hybrid solutions enabling more leisure and commercial boat owners to reduce their carbon impact, and
Oceanvolt, pioneer and leader in electric motors and propulsion systems for boats.

Rules

Anyone, including boatyards and manufacturers, can nominate a boat in any of the 9 categories, including their own boats or boats they are affiliated with. However, only one boat from a manufacturer is eligible in any one category.

Criteria

The spirit of the Gustave Trouvé Awards is to recognize achievement and excellence in electric boats – boats with non fossil-fuel propulsion – and to promote zero emission motor technology.

While the Awards are conducted annually, it is not restricted to boats launched in that year. Any boat that qualifies under the following criteria can be nominated, including past Gussies Finalists. The only non-eligible boats are Gussies winners.

Criteria for Production Boats Categories:

Electric Boats Under 8 metres / 26 feet 3 inches
Electric Boats Over 8 metres / 26 feet 3 inches
Commercial Passenger Electric Boats
Electric Workboats

Main propulsion must be electric
Can include other non fossil fuel propulsion methods as secondary propulsion (i.e. sail)
Fossil fuel propulsion as secondary propulsion does not meet criteria:
a hybrid boat that uses fossil fuel for propulsion does not meet the criteria
UNLESS it is offered for sale to the public in an all-electric version
At least one production model sold by September 30, 2024
Commercial Passenger Electric Boats must have at least one vessel in operation
Only one model per Category per Manufacturer
Boats that are previous Gussies Winners of the category are not eligible for the 2024 Awards

Criteria for In Development Boats Categories:

Can be in any stage of development, but must meet propulsion requirements of Production Boats Categories above.

Clarification of Commercial Passenger Electric Boats

This category is to award electric boats that have been designed specifically to take paying passengers from one location to another such as ferries and water taxis. Boats designed for recreational use that may be used as tenders should be nominated in the appropriate length category above, as should boats that are designed for recreational use but are in use for rental or charter purposes.

The general criteria for Production Boats apply to this category.

In Operation boats must be accepting payment from the public for transportation as of October 1, 2024. Other boats are In Development.

Criteria for Retrofitted / Customized Electric Boat

‘One-off’ boats that have been specifically built or refitted /retrofitted for electric or hybrid propulsion. Production boats customized, altered or fitted to the purchasing client’s desires are Production Boats.
‘DIY’ boats either built or refitted / retrofitted by individuals are welcomed in this category.

Criteria for Electric Sailboats

Main propulsion wind/sail
Secondary propulsion all electric
Sailing boats with an all-electric drive train that use fossil fuel to generate electricity but not to propel the boat are eligible.

Voting

Finalists in each category are decided by the International Judging Panel of representatives from national electric boat associations and other organizations such as Foiling Week and the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, along with representatives from past Gussies winners.

Finalists are voted on by the public with the Final Winners determined by weighted votes of the public and the Panel: 75% Panel, 25% Public.

Click to see Complete Rules

After nominations close, the International Judging Panel selects Finalists by selecting 3 boats in each category. Depending on the number of entries in the category, the Finalists will be the top 6, 9 or 12 top vote-getting boats (plus ties). The exception is the Retrofitted / Customized category, in which all entries are automatically Finalists.

After the selection of the Finalists, public voting begins. At the end of the Public Voting, the Judges will vote again, but this time voting for only 1 boat in each category. (This is because a Judge’s ‘favourite’ boat or boats may not have made it to the finals.)

The Judge’s votes in deciding the eventual winners are weighted 75% and the Public votes 25%.

For the mathematically inclined, here is the analysis of how that works:

Assumption: 1,000 public votes in the category. Those 1000 votes represent 25% of the total ‘points’, so the total number of points for the category works out to 4,000. The total Judging Panel votes will account for 3,000 points ( 75% of 4,000) and the public points for 1,000. There are 36 Judges, so in this example, each vote from a Panellist represents 83.3 points.

Judges may cast one of their three votes for their own boat in the selection of Finalists, but can not vote for their own boat in the selection of a Winner. If a Judge has a boat as a Finalist in a category, they have the choice of voting for another boat in the category or of recusing themselves from voting, in which case the weighting points of each other Panellist will increase accordingly. ie: if there are 36 judges and one does not vote, than the votes of the other 35 judges are weighted at 1.028 votes instead of 1 vote.

The voting criteria for both Panellists and public is “what boat best exemplifies ‘excellence”. For some voters this may be excellence in hull design, for others, excellence in propulsion efficiency, or finishing details or sustainability of materials or something else – it is up to each individual how they decide.

One of the refreshing things about The Gussies is that it reflects the competitive camaraderie in the electric boat industry. The Judging Panellists appreciate the role of rewarding excellence as everyone pushes themselves and others to promote zero emission boating and literally help change the world.

A big thank you and shout out to all the Judges.

Schedule

Nominations are accepted until Midnight EST, Friday, October 25, 2024
Panellist Selection of Finalists: October 26- November 1
Finalists will be announced and Public Voting begins November 8, 2024
Voting ends Midnight EST, Saturday, November 30, 2023.
Winners will be announced the following week.

Thank you to our sponsors: Aqua superPower, BlueNav and Oceanvolt

Aqua superPower
Aqua superPower is the first fully marinized dockside network of fast chargers for electric boats. The product range includes AC and DC charging solutions with a current maximum power output of 300 kW, allowing DC compatible powerboats to rapidly recharge and extend their autonomy. Aqua superPower has developed the first supercharger specifically engineered and rated for use in marine environments. Built to IP65 standards, Aqua superPower is a revolutionary and sustainable marine charging solution.

BlueNav

Aware of the limitations of batteries for the widespread adoption of electric mobility, BlueNav has focused its efforts on motors that can convert any type of boat into a hybrid electric vessel. BlueNav engineers have risen to the challenge of accelerating the energy transition in the boating industry by envisioning a global ecosystem that guarantees performance, boating comfort and environmental responsibility. Deep-rooted commitment is the foundation of the BlueNav mission and motivates unwavering dedication to client satisfaction.

Oceanvolt
Oceanvolt is a leading manufacturer of electric motors and propulsion systems for boats. Oceanvolt offers Hybrid or Electric systems as a power & propulsion option in partnership with many leading boat builders as well as repowering solutions for boat owners wishing to converting from legacy diesel engines. The silent, clean power and propulsion systems are available for either shaft or sail drive configurations and are suitable for sailboats, non- plaining motorboats and small passenger ferries and watertaxis.

The International Judging Panel

IEMA – International Electric Marine Association (Global)
IEMA is the first industry-backed association advocating national and international policies to enable the global marine sector’s transition to zero-emission by 2050. It is a global alliance of companies from across the electric marine industry specifically focused on accelerating this sector’s remarkable growth towards sustainability and unblocking all future obstacles as they emerge. IEMA works to address innovation, technology, and implementation challenges in the electric marine industry, always with a singular aim: Zero operating emissions and the decarbonization of the world’s waters.

The Electric Boat Association (UK)
The EBA was established in London, England, in 1982, and is the largest organization in the world dedicated to electric boats and boating. The EBA champions the interests of electric boat owners. We’re here to help with issues such as waterway access, charging points, slipway facilities, reduced licence fees and the Boat Safety Scheme. Members also enjoy meeting up and talking kilo watts.

The Electric Boat Association of America
The Electric Boat Association of America was formed in 1992 to gather those dedicated to the enjoyment and promotion of clean and quiet electric boating. Goals include being an educational arm and information source for electric powered boating issues, representing electric boaters in matters of environmental protections and regulations and providing a forum for sharing experience and advice on electric boat related projects.

L’Association Française pour le Bateau Electrique / The Electric Boat Association of France
The AFBE was created in 1994 in Bordeaux by partners from different professional backgrounds – academics, researchers, engineers and industrialists – to promote and develop the domestic and international marketing and awareness of France’s electric boat industry.

The Electric Boat Organization of Greece – EBA Greece
The Electric Boat Organization of Greece – EBA Greece was founded in Greece in 2016 to promote the development of electric boats and to serve the needs of all those who have an interest in the field of electric boats and ships, such as boat owners or members and business owners dealing with the specific construction sector.

Swiss Association for Zero Emission Boats
The objectives of the Association, among others, are to promote the design, construction and use of zero emission boats. They encourage individuals to shift to sustainable boating and professional to equip their marinas with electric and / or hydrogen infrastructures. The association works also with the public authorities to increase the shift to zero emission boats. Once a year, the association organize a Swiss Tour to showcase developments in the field of zero emission boats. The public and guests can discover the latest innovations in electric and hydrogen boats, test them and enjoy the pleasure of sailing without any noise or pollutant emission.

Electric Boat Association of Canada
The Electric Boat Association of Canada was formed in 2018 by a group of boating enthusiasts who are concerned about the use of fossil fuels for transportation and are excited about the possibilities of boats and ships powered by electricity. It advocates for policies, incentives and programs that will encourage use of electric propulsion in the country with the world’s longest coastline.

Unser Finowkanal: Friends of the Finow Canal
Germany’s Finow Canal contains twelve historic locks that capture the region’s technological and cultural heritage. The Friends of The Finow Canal Initiative lobby for the survival and preservation of this important waterway and its so future generations will be able to travel down the thundering water of one-thousand tons of Finow Canal water at each stage.The Friends of The Finow Canal Initiative lobby for the survival and preservation of this important waterway and its so future generations will be able to travel down the thundering water of one-thousand tons of Finow Canal water at each stage.

VeniceAgenda2028 and PolyBoatGlobal
Kevin Desmond is a passionate advocate of electric boats who has been writing about them since 1979, was Chairman of the UK Electric Boat Association and co-founded the French Electric Boat Association. He founded VeniceAgenda2028 to work with Venetians to electrify all motor boats on the canals and in 2023 established PolyBoatGlobal. This challenge encourages e-pontoon owners, waterside tourist offices and town councils to offer enjoyable, informative, and educational cruises to small groups and create fresh leisure opportunities for both residents and visitors.

Foiling Awards
Established in 2016, the Foiling Awards have become the international benchmark for the foiling industry and a coveted accolade for those who win them. The awards are presented each year in March at a gala event, with the winners decided by public votes and a jury of previous winners.

Monaco Energy Boat Challenge
The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is an international event that welcomes students and professionals from all over the world to race in three different classes of alternative propulsion boats: Energy, Solar and Open Sea Class. Szilard Czibere is Business Development Manager, Sustainability Division, of the host Yacht Club de Monaco, which just celebrated the 11th anniversary of the MEBC.

Past Gussies Winners on International Judging Panel

ABB
ABB Marine & Ports is at the forefront of driving the evolution of sustainable shipping. Electrical propulsion, data-driven decision support and integrated solutions for ship and shore from ABB are paving the way to a zero-emission marine industry, providing greater efficiency and reliability to shipowners, and preparing vessels to meet the demands of tomorrow. ABB offers a wide portfolio of solutions from grid to propeller, and ship to gate, including the pioneering Azipod® propulsion, electric and hybrid technologies, and various digital innovations.

Artemis Technologies – UK
Artemis Technologies is at the forefront of the maritime industry’s push towards decarbonisation. Building on an extensive high-performance background, the company designs, develops and manufactures vessels that are zero emission in operation. Their revolutionary Artemis eFoiler® electric propulsion system, featuring a high-voltage battery energy storage system and ultra-high power density electric drivetrain, is setting new standards in maritime transport.

Axopar- Finland

Axopar, the adventure company, is one of the fastest-growing boat brands in the world. Its success derives from the ”one boat, one world” concept. It stands for boats that are multi-functional and accessible for the many, anywhere around the world. As a forerunner committed to continuous innovation, the company listens to its global community of Axoparians and shares the same respect and passion for nature. Axopar’s mission is to open new perspectives by bringing people out on the water and creating boats that make waves in the boating industry.

Candela – Sweden
Candela was founded in 2014 to speed up the transition to fossil fuel-free lakes and oceans by designing and building electric boats with both range and speed. Sensors and computers combine to continually adjust the retractable hydrofoils of the boat, creating a smooth ride with dramatically reduced drag and water resistance. At 20 knots, the energy usage per nautical mile for the Candela C-8 is 0.8 kWh – the energy content of 1.10 of a liter of gasoline.

Cantiere Ernesto Riva – Italy
Daniele Riva is the seventh generation of the Ernesto Riva shipyard, started in 1771 on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. Their elegant wooden e-Commuter ‘Ernesto’ took home the 2021 Gussies Award for Excellence in Electric Boats Under 8 metres – In Production. A master shipwright himself, Daniele maintains the shipyard’s historic reputation for being the epitome of hand craftsmanship while also marrying the cantiere’s classic design philosophy to the latest electric propulsion technologies.

DAMEN – The Netherlands
Family owned & client-driven since 1927, Damen stands for fellowship, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and stewardship. They are committed to securing tomorrow for the next generation, caring for our oceans, seas, lakes and rivers. Through a comprehensive portfolio of maritime services, DAMEN enables humanity to responsibly harness the opportunities our waters present. In the previous century, DAMEN introduced standardised shipbuilding in series. Facing the future, they aim to combine that heritage with innovation to become the world’s most sustainable shipbuilder.

Echandia – Sweden
Echandia is a world leader in the development of advanced battery and fuel-cell systems for maritime and industrial applications. Echandia’s solutions are designed to meet the highest quality and life-time requirements and endure the toughest demands and operational profiles. CEO Fredrik Hellström is a PhD, fluid dynamics and MSc, Naval architect with extensive experience in naval design.

ecomarine: Bangladesh
ecomarine was formed by Capt. Abdullah Al Mahmud and associates to help conserve nature through the use of renewable energy for water transports. The company’s refitted sightseeing boat in Dhaka, ‘IRON’, was winner of the 2021 Gussies in the newly introduced Customized/DIY category. Abdullah is a Master Mariner with more than 30 years experience both in shipbuilding and in commanding ocean going vessels.

FarEast Boats – China

Fareast Boats established in 2002 has 20 years experience and build over 19,000 boats so far. They offer a full range of performance cruising and racing yachts. The company has a state-of-the-art 20,000 square meter modern and clean facility. Vinylester vacuum infusion is used on most models to save weight and to ensure high build quality. Fareast Boats offers modern designed, high quality performance Yachts that are very competitively priced, a hard to beat combination!

Faroboats – Portugal

Faroboats is a Portuguese company that designs and produces sustainable solutions for exploration and leisure boating. Its boats and solar docks are designed by Tomás Costa in Lima, built in several European locations, and sold everywhere in the world. Their mission is to harness their Portuguese passion for the sea to pursue constant innovation and build boats and boating solutions that reduce or nullify environmental impact.

Freepower – Norway
Martin Bjurmalm is the founder of Freepower Solar Boats in Norway, winner of the 2021 Gussie for Electric Boats Under 8m – In Development. A specialist in mechanics and electronics, Martin was working in the oil and gas industry in 2012 when he became a father for the first time and began to think of the consequences of fossil fuel consumption. After watching a documentary about Steve Jobs he was inspired to pursue his dream of a fossil-fuel-free autonomous boat and started the company and development of the electric Freepower Solar Boat.

Kochi Water Metro – India
The Kochi Water Metro is an innovative and sustainable mode of transportation that connects various parts of the city through its intricate network of waterways and 23 battery-powered electric boats manufactured by Cochin Shipyard Limited. The project aims to reduce traffic congestion and improve the connectivity of the city while promoting eco-friendly means of transportation.

Lamarca Engenharia -Brazil
Sérgio Lamarca is the Technical Director of Brazil’s Lamarca Engineering, which won the 2022 Gussie for ‘Commercial Passenger Electric Boat – In Development’ with their Zero Emission Double Ended Ferry. Lamarca collaborates with the Brazilian Society of Naval Engineering in the committees for the decarbonization of maritime transport and the production of renewable energy, with a focus on new electric and hybrid propulsion solutions that include batteries, photovoltaics and hydrogen fuel cells.

Lockheed 1937 – UK
Lockheed is a 30′ after-cockpit boat built in 1937 by a Thames boatbuilder Boats and Cars of Kingston Ltd. She has undergone a major rebuild and restoration over two and a half years, after being out of the water for 12 years. She was found in a field as a bare hull. She is of mahogany planking over oak carvel construction. She was converted by the owner to electric propulsion with 2 steerable electric pods and 93KWH of battery storage. She has an operation range of 20 hours with all services running.

MobyFly – Switzerland
MobyFly designs and delivers zero-emission performance marine hydrofoil boats that can transport passengers comfortably at speeds over 70km/h while using 95% less energy than existing diesel ferries — without creating any waves or pollution. MobyFly has been selected by the World Economic Forum as a 2023 Technology Pioneer to work with society’s foremost political, business and cultural leaders to address issues facing people and the planet.

Navalt – India
Sandith Thandasherry is the founder of Navalt, an eco-marine technology company that is a one-stop shop for everything “Green Marine’ and a driving force behind the Indian maritime industry’s transition to solar and zero-emission propulsion. The Aditya solar commuter ferry, winner ofthe 2020 Gussies for Commercial Passenger Boats, was introduced in 2017, and its success prompted the State Water Transport Department of Kerala to replace all 48 diesel ferries with solar-powered vessels. Navalt also manufactures solar-powered fishing boats and general workboats and has a data science division providing performance analytics services to some of the world’s largest shipping companies.

Nero Yachts – Germany
The central goal of NERO Yachts is to achieve a leading position in the development, production and distribution of carbon fiber yachts worldwide. By combining luxurious design, technological excellence and sustainable practices, they aim to create yachts that set new standards in the industry. Selected and crafted with the utmost care, each NERO yacht reflects and embodies their commitment to quality and precision craftsmanship. By using advanced technologies and environmentally friendly materials, masterpieces are created that are both impressive and forward-looking.

Silent-Yachts – Austria
The original inventors of series produced solar-electric yachts, Silent-Yachts launched its first model, the Silent 64, in 2016. Today, the in-house developed technology of solar-electric drivetrain has been perfected and is multiple generations ahead in terms of reliability, performance, efficiency and autonomy. Being able to produce your own energy enables a fully self-sufficient lifestyle on board to travel the oceans sustainably while making them your infinite playground.

Soel Yachts – The Netherlands
Soel Yachts has been electrifying maritime mobility at the forefront of the solar yachts industry since 2007. By combining naval architecture and system integration expertise under one roof, Soel Yachts meticulously tailors every aspect of every boat for its intended purpose. This is achieved by crafting highly efficient hull designs perfectly harmonized with the solar electric propulsion system. This integral design approach allows Soel Yachts to meet each client’s unique operational requirements and deliver a reliable, extremely well performing solution.

Sunreef Yachts: Poland
Sunreef Yachts was founded in Gdansk in 2002 by electrical equipment magnate Francis Lapp and is now the world leader in the design and construction of large, customized luxury catamarans. The company launched its Eco line of electric and hybrid power yachts in 2019 with brand ambassador Nico Rosberg and the 60E won the 2021 Gussie for Electric Sailboats. There is now a full range of both sailing and power boats in the Eco line, including the Sunreef 80 with its innovative solar skin.

Swiss Sustainable Yachts: Switzerland
Swiss Sustainable Yachts was founded in 2018 and is working with a team of top international experts from various fields who shared the vision of a modern and smart power catamaran with superior performance, design and comfort, in tune with its environment and free from vibrations and fumes. The realization of that vision was the AQUON One, which incorporates solar, battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology. It was awarded the 2021 Gussie for Excellence in Electric Boats Over 8 metres / 26 feet: In Development and is now ready for production.

Tideman Boats – The Netherlands
The Tideman fascination for boats began with Bruno Joannes Tideman (1834 – 1883), who was the founder of modern ship building in The Netherlands. In 2006 his descendant – also Bruno – founded Tideman Boats to build the perfect fast workboat for rough environments: the indestructible Tideman RBB; Rigid Buoyancy Boat. These polyethylene boats are unsinkable, come with 5 years warranty on the 15mm thick hull, have a lifespan much longer than conventional workboats, a very low carbon footprint and are 100% recyclable. Tideman is one of the world’s leading HDPE workboat manufacturers, with clients improving their naval, offshore or military performances.

Wildtech – Sweden
Rikard Wildare is an R&D Engineer – Battery Systems, who has been an innovator and entrepreneur in the world of electric boating since 2010. He studied data and electronics and spent more than 20 years as an IT consultant for major corporations. In his free time he has channelled his lifelong interest in technology and electronics to building, refitting and creating electric boats and hydrofoil boards.

ZEN Yachts: Spain
Julien Mélot is the CEO of ZEN Yachts and the winner of the 2020 Gussies Electric Boat Over 8 metres category for his solar-electric catamaran ‘Aquanima’. He holds a Master’s Degree in Naval Architecture from the University of Lisbon and is passionate about using clean energy technologies, sustainable high resistance materials and innovative nautical design to build a world where humans can sail on zero-emission boats, yachts, and ships, leaving no polluting trace of their passage in their wake.

Zodiac Nautic: France
Zodiac Nautic was originally the Zodiac airships and aviation French company, which was founded in 1896 and specialized in the production of airships. In the 1930s one of its engineers developed a prototype for an inflatable boat and the company is now the world leader in inflatable products and services with millions of Zodiac owners in 90 countries. The inaugural 2020 Gussie Award for Excellence in Electric Boats Under 8m / 26 ft was awarded to the Zodiac Nautic eJet 450 Tender.