Fleet of Vita electric boats sets world record at Olympics sailing events
With 19 Vita electric boats performing support duties for the Olympic sailing events in Marseilles from July 28 to August 9, one more world first was established at the Paris Games: the largest fleet of electric boats ever assembled for working purposes.
Paris 2024 has shown that electric propulsion is not just an aspiration but a practical application that can have a positive impact today for marine events of any scale.
Another electric boat record was set at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2024 Games when 150 boats memorably carried the athletes along the river Seine. That was the largest assembly of electric boats ever, with 31 of the brigade being electric or hybrid electric. Arguably, one could call that ‘working’, but it was really more of a ceremonial event.
Read: Historic Olympics electric boats Opening Ceremonies
The Olympic Sailing events were the first time a fleet of electric boats in one place demonstrated that electric boats are more than capable of performing multiple tasks for long days on the water, day in and day out for almost two weeks (13 days).
Vita electric boats sole supplier
Vita was the sole supplier of electric boats to the Games, and provided both of their fully electric RIB models – the 7 metre (23 ft) Seal and 5.3 meter (19 ft) SeaDog – as support boats for dropping marks, manning the start / finish lines and carrying the Race Committee and Press.
We are told by those who used the RIBs at the events that the boats were charged by 4 stations from the Aqua superPower high speed marine charging network. Putting together temporary charging installations like this is no mean feat, as it requires detailed setup and ongoing coordination with different local and national utilities along with the event organizers.
Aqua is without question the most experienced in the world at this, having put together similar setups at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge for the past two years.
The Olympic sailing events were expanded this year to include Men’s and Women’s Dinghy, Skiff, Mixed Multihull competitions, Mixed Dinghys, and the Windsurfing and Kiteboarding events for both sexes. The Vita electric boats supported 191 races by the end of it all and had covered 1300 nautical miles (1500 mi, 2400 km.)
French photographer Jean-Marie Liot is the winner of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image Award, and has covered not only the Olympics but also the Vendée Globe, Tour de France Sailing, Transat Jaques Vabre and more.
Talking about his first experience with electric boats, he said “For a photographer, one of the best things was that there is no outboard – you don’t have to worry about the motor being in the shot. The ride was also much steadier, better for shooting of course and also the photographers and crew can be all around the pilot without disturbing the trim and balance. Very impressed.”
Long time RIB pilot Loic Fournier-Foch said the main advantage for him was “…not having to go to the gas pump to refill every evening! The Vita was also responsive on the water, good for driving among all the other boats, especially at the finish line among the crowd, celebrations and excitement. I would like to see these at more events.”
Stewart Wilkinson, Chair of Vita and Aqua superPower, said “The Paris Organizing Committee have led the way in the promotion of sustainability at these Games and it has been an honour to contribute to their vision, with over 9 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved over the course of the competition.”
Read: 2024 Monaco Challenge an electrifying success
In terms of carbon reduction, it has been a very good summer. The five Vita boats at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge are estimated to have saved another tonne of CO2, so with 15 other electric boats participating – call that three more tonnes – it would not be a stretch to say that these two events alone kept about 14 tonnes of CO2 being emitted into our atmosphere.
Estimates are not available for the carbon impact of the Games Opening Ceremonies, but over the long haul just one of the boats in the parade, the Paris Trocadéro, will save 460 tonnes (460,000 kilograms, 900,000 pounds) of Co2 equivalent every year now that it has returned to service as a tourist river boat.
Links for this article
Vita Aqua superPower Jean-Marie Liot Photography Olympics Sailing Results Vita boats for sale in Plugboats Marketplace
