UK electric boat show ‘Electrika’ returns for 3rd successful year
One of the communities embracing electric propulsion is the owners of the boats and barges that ply the web of canals and rivers of England, Scotland and Wales. Electrika – the only show dedicated to electric narrowboats on UK waterways – is back for its third year in response to rising interest.
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The show is now an important meeting place for boat builders, refitters, motor companies and accessory suppliers to share information and real-life experience about the electric life. Most canalboat, barges and narrowboats are powered with diesel, so electric propulsion is new and exciting, but education is needed.
Electrika 2026 is organized and presented by Aquavista, the UK’s largest marina operator, and Ortomarine, one of the leading builders of electric narrowboats. Ortomarine has produced over 30 electric narrowboats – a mix of Serial Hybrid, Parallel Hybrid and All Electric designs. Their commitment to greener boating was recognized in 2022 with a UK Boating Business sustainability award. Aquavista’s 33 marinas offer a full suite of residential and leisure moorings, boat sales, floating homes and marine services.
Friday July 10 and Saturday July 11 are the show dates, Brinklow Waterside & Marina, Cathiron Lane, Rugby is the show location. Entry is FREE. Tickets can be »» reserved on the Electrika website.
There will be seven electric narrowboats for visitors to inspect with the boat builders and owners there to answer any questions. Other builders will have representatives and information available, but will not have a boat on the water. There are also exhibits and information from electric motor and systems suppliers, battery and solar panel companies and others with green products and services available, including a hydrogen fuel cell unit specifically designed for narrowboat owners.
Below are some highlighted boats and products along with brief outline of presentations from industry experts and electric narrowboat owners.
Directory of Electric Boat Exhibitors at Electrika 2026
Click any tile for company information and links.
Established in 2004 by Justin & Jane Hudson-Oldroyd, Aqua Narrowboats is celebrating 20 years in business. During that time, we’ve gained a reputation for building superb quality boats and providing great customer service and aftercare.
One of those boats is tThe Speedy Whippet II, a 68 ½ ft boat powered by a Hybrid Marine Parallel hybrid engine. The gas free boat has 775 amp hours of batteries enough to provide 8-12 hours of continuous cruising.
The Speedy Whippet II is the fourth hybrid boat we’ve built to date. The fifth will be Thistledown (our 58th boat build). This will be a serial Hybrid utilising a Fischer Panda generator and Ortomarine’s own electric motor, LiFePO4 batteries and their OrtoMate Control system to provide monitoring and automation on board.
July 10-11, 2026
Rugby, UK, Brinklow Waterside & Marina
Buiding on the success of last year’s pioneering event, we are pleased to announce Electrika 2025, the second ever gathering of electic narrowboat owners, industry experts and manufacturers.
With more and more electric narrrowboats on the canal network and increasing interest in sustainable boating, Electrika aims to encourage and support the wider adoption of electric propulsion on the UK waterways.
Details for this year’s show are still being worked out, but we have included as much information as we currently have below, and we recommend watching this space for updates.
Marine is Energy Solutions’ longest established market area , since 1996 we have been working with leading OEM boatbuilders, superyacht owners, boat yards and individual sailing and motor yachts. As well as helping clients find power and control systems that fit their requirements we continually strive to introduce new, innovative products to our customers. We research, design and manufacture in house and provide new ways for our clients to attract customers and set themselves apart in terms of look, efficiency and technology. Working with products from the world’s leading manufacturers we are able to offer clients fully designed systems incorporating all elements form helm panels to tank senders.
Hybrid Marine has been developing advanced hybrid systems for over ten years. From leisurely inland canal boats to fast offshore sailing catamarans our hybrids have been well proven.
Our parallel hybrid is the result of a five year research program and provides an integrated power and propulsion solution for small marine craft. Since 2008 we have been working with Beta Marine UK LTD to provide complete parallel hybrid systems for both inland and offshore craft.
We make hydrogen fuel cell domestic power systems for boats, enabling those afloat to live off-grid without idling engines or running petrol generators in Winter. Our aim is to start the transition away from carbon-based fuels for the canals and rivers of the UK. We do domestic power now, since that is possible now with portable G20 cylinders. Join us on the canal journey to nett zero.
Leoch is one of the UK’s leading independent battery specialists. Our operations are backed by over 100 years of collective experience in the battery industry, supplying products for an impressive host of applications. Through a direct partnership with our manufacturer and global battery superpower, Leoch Battery PTE, we are at the forefront of battery technologies.
We are also delighted to represent US-based lithium-ion battery distributor RELiON Battery. The green energy source of the future can provide up to 10 times the cycles of lead alternatives.
Established in 1990, we are innovators and leaders in the design and manufacturing of highly efficient and reliable electric motors suitable for marine, vehicle, robotic, industrial, hybrid and traction industry.
Mastervolt offers integrated electrical systems which generate, store, convert or manage alternating and direct current. We realise this by using high-quality technology in digital switching, energy storage by means of Lithium Ion batteries, and chargers/inverters that are both efficient and user-friendly. All these products communicate in the same language via the MasterBus platform. This ensures that everyone working with a Mastervolt system can always see the right information related to each product in the system. Onboard, at the yard or on remote, system analyses are always easy to perform. This ensures a carefree and reliable electrical power system which enables sailors to enjoy having electricity onboard without any concerns.
Netherlands
Enjoy the inland waterways
Solar Electric Boats For The Inland Waterways
Innovative Approach • Bespoke Designs
Stylish Interiors • Reclaimed Timber
We want you to feel the joy of motoring along in near silence and fully present to the natural world; birdsong, buzzing insects and the ripple of the water in the knowledge that you are not costing you or the earth anything.
People respond to nature and natural products. Go below into the cabin. Here the majority of timber used is reclaimed, often hundreds of years old.
That said, there is nothing old fashioned about our design. It’s fresh and every thought is given to the feeling of space, we make contemporary narrowboats.
A range of solar electric and hybrid boats designed for inland waterways.
Location: UK
Ortomarine’s goal is to build environmentally friendly boats that both significantly reduce the vessel’s “carbon foot print” and create a quieter, cleaner and more natural boating experience. We want to give our customers, the “greenest” narrowboat that current technologies allow, without compromising on quality or cost.
Purpose built narrowboats
We pride ourselves on creating bespoke narrowboats to our customers own requirements. We help plan every little detail of the build from start to finish, making the whole process a fun and exciting experience!
Törkmar specialises in producing high-torque Permanent Magnet AC (PMAC) electric motors for boats on inland waterways.
Our electric motors for boats are designed to be efficient. These motors excel at driving large propellers, ensuring optimal performance with reduced energy consumption. Törkmar’s innovative technology offers eco-friendly, powerful solutions tailored for reliable and sustainable boating adventures.
Look after the watts and the kilowatts will look after themselves.
The Törkmar inboard electric motors for boats are highly efficient and extremely quiet. Glide along, and all you’ll hear is the gentle gurgling of water around the propeller, the rustling of leaves, and the songs of birds. You can be assured that you will be using minimal watts to navigate your way.
»» Download your free guide to master the art of successful electric boating.
Northants, UK
Simply silent, simply electrifying
Enjoy undisturbed peace, unrestricted sailing, and a carefree boating experience with the press of a button. VETUS intelligent and modular electric-propulsion systems are easy to install (or refit) and bring performance, efficiency, and convenience to your boating adventures. With VETUS electric propulsion, you are always ready for a prime time on the water. A full day of pure enjoyment is now within your reach.
High performance, eco-friendly, and cost-saving
After years of innovation and testing, VETUS E-DRIVES have perfected silent, high-performance boating while staying fully compliant with environmental regulations. But the benefits go beyond just the planet—electric boats saves you money and bring more genuine, uninterrupted moments on the water.
Ready for the green zones
As more waterways become designated green zones, you can navigate these eco-friendly areas effortlessly with a VETUS electric propulsion system, enjoying silent, emission-free boating.
Find the ideal electric propulsion system for your boat
VETUS offers two solutions for electric propulsion. The E-LINE is a compact shaft drive system, and the E-POD is an all-in-one electric pod system.
Netherlands
End of Directory. »» Return to top to close
Highlights: ‘Show Boats’, Motors, Accessories, Presentations
Expert Speaker Presentations
There will be a full program of talks on all aspects of electric propulsion, on both days of the show, given by industry experts and experienced electric narrowboat owners.
Install Guidance for LiFePo4 Batteries: Paul Sumpner
Paul and Kay Sumpner decided a few years ago to fulfill their dream of building a narrowboat and cruising the waterways of England and Wales. They decided on an electric boat, ‘Old Nick’, which was designed and built by Ortomarine with plenty of input from the Sumpners. Paul will be talking about the specifics of LiFePO4 batteries (Lithium Iron Phosphate, also known as LFP) at Electrika. You can »» read more about the Sumpner lifestyle on their blog ‘The Sumpners Afloat’ and the full Plugboats article about the building of Old Nick through the link below.
New line of VETUS electric motors debuts in Old Nick canalboat
Electric motor efficiency: Tim Knox.
Tim Knox is the proprietor of Mothership Marine boat builders and of Torkmar high torque electric motors. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the subject of motor efficiency. It was this experience that led hm to design the Torkmar motor, which is capable of turning a large propeller at low RPMs, providing the ideal propulsion for displacement boats on inland waterways. If you can’t catch Tim in person, read the Plugboats article below or »» download the free e-book on the Torkmar website.
Read the full Plugboats article about Torkmar propulsion
Total Energy Management: Phil Smith of Energy SolutionsPhil Smith is Technical Sales Manager for Energy Solutions, whose focus is on the design, build and supply of hybrid power solutions to marine, vehicle and off grid markets, with marine being the longest established market area. Since 1996 they have been working on vessels of every size and use, with leading OEM boatbuilders, superyacht owners, boat yards and individual sailing and motor yachts. Their understanding and modelling of hybrids puts Energy Solutions at the forefront of the industry, meeting the demands of increasingly sophisticated end users.
Optimum Hull design for electric narrowboats: Alastair Hunter of Floating Ohm
Floating Ohm specializes in building bespoke electric propulsion canal boats with intelligent design principles in evidence throughout – from the hull design optimized for electric propulsion to handsome space-saving home accessories in the living areas. Alastair Hunter is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects who turned his attention to the inland waterways and brought his vast knowledge and creative flare to Floating Ohm after decades of experience designing vessels ranging from passenger ships and bluewater yachts to aluminum high speed fishing boats.
Real life experiences of “Going Electric”: Sarah Mules
Sarah Mules is one half of a team (husband John is the Host/Moderator of Electrika’s Speaker Presentations) that write the blog ‘The Adventures of Narrowboat Jenny Wren’, a 58′ 6″ (18m) serial hybrid narrowboat built by Ortomarine. The maiden voyage of the Jenny Wren was last July 15 and Sarah will be providing an entertaining and informative view of life on the inland waterways, the moorings, restaurants and entertainment (both on and offshore) and all of the expected and some unexpected aspects of electric narrowboating.
Show Boats
Aqua Narrowboats – Infinity
Aqua Narrowboats was established by Justin & Jane Hudson-Oldroyd in 2024 and is now a full service business that offers bespoke boat building, luxury canal boats for hire and a furnishing shop with smart solutions for compact spaces. At Electrika 2026 they will be showcasing the Infinity, an 18.3m (60′) narrowboat with serial electric hybrid system by Ortomarine. The system incorporates an Engiro 22 kW electric drive and 38.4 kWh LiFePo4 battery pack with a Fischer Panda 15 KVA diesel generator and 8 x 200w semi-flexible solar panels providing 1.6 kW peak. Aqua Narrowboats website
Bluewater Boats – Paws & Relax
Bluewater Boats creates luxury custom boats crafted by a dedicated team of skilled welders, engineers, carpenters, electricians and painters. Each is a one-of-a-kind creation, tailored to reflect the unique vision, lifestyle, and requirements of its owner. ‘Paws & Relax‘ is one of those creations, a 63ft electric propulsion narrowboat with a hull that has been shot blasted and painted to significantly prolong the life of the steel and finish. She is fitted with a 15 kW electric motor, 6.5 KVA generator as a back up, 1800 watts of solar panels, diesel heating and 2 compost toilets. Bluewater Boats website
Elton Moss Boatbuilders – Dexter’s Star
Elton Moss is an offshoot of the Carefree Cruising shared ownership narrowboat program. Carefree founders Artie and Ruth Chalmers decided to start their own boatyard in 2002 after one they ordered from what was supposed to be a reputable boat builder broke down and failed multiple times over the course of its first year on the water. Elton Moss has now built over 300 boats, using the design and construction quality that is proven in the Carefree program. That entails being in use an average of 46 weeks a year and cruising in excess of 2,000 hours in the hands of 12 different owners with different styles and attitudes. ‘Dexter’s Star‘ at Electrika is a 17.7m (58′) serial electric hybrid (system by Ortomarine) with 15 kW electric drive, 44.16 kWh battery, 9kW generator and solar panels generating 2.34 kWp. Elton Moss website
Finesse Boats – Longinqua
Finesse Boats of Sheffield is one of the UK’s most respected builders of bespoke narrowboats, widebeams, and next‑generation electric craft, combining exceptional craftsmanship, advanced engineering, and a fully in‑house build process. Winners Of The 2019 Crick Boat Show Favourite ‘Widebeam’, they design and build innovative, future‑ready boats that offer quiet efficiency, cutting‑edge power management and a refined on‑water experience. Their yard has dedicated workshops for fabrication, paint, upholstery and engineering. The 21.3m (70′) serial electric hybrid ‘Longinqua’ on the water at Electricka is one of the latest fruits of the company’s labours. Finesse Boats
Ortomarine Amastra and Electric Dreams
Ortomarine, one of the founders and organizers of Electrika, will be presenting two boats on water at the show. One of them is ‘Amastra‘, an existing boat instead of a new build that they chose to bring so that visitors will be able to see how Amastra is looking 2 years after launch, and to chat with the owners, Steve and Eileen, about how they have found living with their electric boat and being part of the Ortomarine family. They will be delighted to show you around their highly bespoke 18.3m (60′) serial electric hybrid.
The other Ortomarine show boat is ‘Electric Dreams‘, a 57’ semi-trad stern, parallel hybrid narrowboat, which is actually a conversion of one of their older diesel boats. Formally known as ‘Eau Rouge‘, the 8 year old boat was sold to new owners (Den & Andrea) in October 2025, and has been in the Ortomarine workshop over the winter for an extensive refurbishment alongside the conversion. Unlike all of the other boats at the Show, Electric Dreams uses a parallel hybrid system based on an engine by Beta Marine. In a parallel hybrid system such as that on Electric Dreams, there is a diesel motor and an electric motor both attached to the same drive/prop shaft, whereas in a serial electric hybrid the shaft is only ever driven by an electric motor and battery pack with diesel used only to fuel a generator that charges the battery. Ortomarine
Smithwood Narrowboats – Twitchy Feet
‘Twitchy Feet’ (image – Andy Annable) is an 18m (59′) serial electric hybrid built by Chris Smith of Smithwood Narrowboats in the summer of 2024. Chris started his obsession with carpentry at the age of 9 when he tried to copy his neighbours new garden bench and started working on narrowboats in early adulthood. After leaving the marine world for residential carpentry, he decided to return to his roots when working next-door to the old boat yard he worked at as a young apprentice, and so in 2013 Smithwood Narrowboats was born. It’s fair to say that his carpentry skills have somewhat developed from his early start. He is now recognized as a true craftsman, as visitors to Electricka will discover. Smithwood Narrowboats website
Motors
Clearwater Boats – Golden Motors
Clearwater is the UK distributor for the well known and well established Golden Motors EZInboard and EZOutboard lines of electric boat motors. Golden Motor has manufactured electric motors and controllers since 2000, continuously improving their products with feedback from thousands of customers around the world. Clearwater is led by Laurie Lavender, who has been building boats for over 35 years. Whether it is an all new boat or re-propulsion, the goal of Clearwater is to guide customers and provide them with the tools needed to accomplish their goals and build the boat of their dreams. Clearwater Boats
Hybrid Marine International – New multimode hybrid
Hybrid Marine International has been developing marine hybrid systems since 2002. In 2007, they were the first in the world to introduce a production parallel hybrid to the marine market and installed their first production hybrid in a narrowboat in 2008. Since then, over 100 of their systems have been installed on vessels cruising the inland waterways, with 300+ hybrids produced to date and customers on 6 continents using them in canal boats, workboats, sailing vessels and specialist applications.
At Electrika 2026 they will be presenting their newest model – the multimode hybrid – that produces 10kW in generation mode and provides 15kW of electric drive, with many other features. Hybrid Marine International
Lynch Motors- Red Snapper hybrid and Drive Master all electric
Lynch has been providing electric marine drive systems along with all other forms of electric propulsion for over 30 years, with about 1,000 systems in use all over the world powering both recreational and commercial boats. Their core product is their axial flux pancake motor. It is at the heart of their Red Snapper hybrid system for small personnel pleasure craft which won best new product at the 2025 Crick boat show. The Red Snapper will be on display at Electrika 2026 along with their Divemaster brushless electric radial flux motor. They will also have data sheets on hand of their complete range of marine drive systems and a knowledgable staff with decades of experience in installations on narrowboats, widebeams, Dutch barges, sailing boats, pleasure cruisers and more. Lynch Motors
Torkmar
Törkmar is the sister company of Mothership Marine, builder of electric narrowboats, so owner Tim Knox has very practical insights into what is required for the large, leisurely-paced vessels of the UK inland waterways.
The keys are: A: a large propeller that moves a lot of water at low revolutions per minute to deliver gentle, consistent thrust and B: a high torque motor capable of turning that propeller with efficiency. It’s the same principle used in huge ocean going cargo ships and the Törkmar unit Knox developed is a PMAC (Permanent Magnet Alternating Current) motor wound specially for low speed applications (below 1000 RPM).
Torkmar surrounds this motor with the technology needed to monitor and optimize electricity flow and battery usage and makes it available in easily installed kits. Knox will be speaking about the benefits of a high torque system in the Electrika Presenter series and also has a downloadable e-book (free) on the topic, available on their website. Torkmar website
VETUS – E-LINE 22kW Inboard
VETUS, one of the first companies to offer an electric inboard motor for leisure boats, has unveiled the new E-LINE 22 kW as the highest powered motor in their extended electric propulsion model range. That E-LINE range now includes a total of seven motors. Three air-cooled models: the E-LINE Air 7kW and E-LINE Air 5kW with 24 or 48V architecture; and four liquid cooled models: the E-LINE 6kW, 8kW, 11kW and new 22kW.
All motors in the E-LINE range have been designed for easy installation on almost any existing engine mounts or foundations.The supplied Swap & Go mounting brackets, with motor mounts specifically developed for electric propulsion motors, can easily be adjusted in height and set to angle the shaft to 0° or 8°. This makes repowering and connecting to an existing propeller shaft a simple task. You can read more about the E-LINE 22kW in this Plugboats article VETUS Website
Accessories
Hydrogen Afloat – hydrogen to replace diesel generators
Hydrogen Afloat is a company started by canalboat lover Nick Swift to develop products for inland water vessels that harness the benefits of hydrogen fuel cell technology by creating power without pollution and noise. The products are designed to replace diesel generators by integrating hydrogen fuel cells and gas storage into a system that can easily be installed onto a narrowboat, wide-beam or inland waterway cruiser. The systems and housings are designed with ease of use, safety and longevity in mind and to comply with all boat safety regulations.
Their first two products are the HyArk and HERO. HyArk is made to service the domestic or ‘hotel’ load of a boat (lighting, fridge, etc), but not the electric propulsion aspect. HERO will support both the propulsion and domestic power requirements.
HyArk provides up to 200 W of DC power to keep domestic batteries fully charged. The hydrogen is stored in two “G20” cylinders, each containing around 6.5 kWh of stored energy. HERO has a 1kWh fuel cell and 3.6 kg of hydrogen storage. Depending on conditions and use, Hydrogen Afloat estimates HERO will provide around 50 miles (90 km) of cruising range. Hydrogen Afloat website
Pro Electrical – Solar Tilt System, The Boat Battery
Pro Electrical are the innovative creators of the telescoping rod Solar Tilt System and The Boat Battery, two products designed to make life easier and simpler for narrowboat and canalboat owners. Both were designed by Phil Owen, a qualified electrician for 24 years who has been living off grid for 22 years. Having installed many types of solar panel mounting on boats, he came up with the Solar Tilt System that allows owners to easily and quickly adjust solar panels to make maximum use of the sometimes uncooperative British sunlight (!). The high tilt on the system can achieve 4-5 times the generative yield during winter.
The Boat Battery is a self enclosed unit that enables users to easily install Lithium battery packs on to canal and narrowboats. The unit includes all the components that would normally take up a lot of time, knowledge and space to install. It is compatible with engines that use two alternators (including a dedicated alternator for domestic use) and provides an accurate state of charge reading. It comes with a 5-year Warranty Service which doesn’t require the removal of the battery if a repair is needed. Pro Electrical
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