WAVES 32: Electric Boats and Boating News September 24, 2026
Plugboats WAVES (Watts, Amps, Volts, Electrons) is a regular collection of electric boat and boating news items that we have written about before and are updating, or items we are going to write about but are waiting for more information / developments – or items that are just tidbits you might find interesting.
Here is WaVeS #32, with electric boat and boating news about:
- OTTER water bike adds a hotel to rental roster
- Ferrari Hypersail sail racing adds ABB to team
- Help monitor ocean climate change with the SOOP ‘citizen science’ network
- Lyman-Morse’s all-electric floating lab and classroom
- New ENVO electric RIB from Canada
- Searine saildrive looking for test sailors
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OTTER water bike now available for rent at luxe Swiss resort
Electric water bike OTTER has added another Swiss luxury hotel to its client list with one of Europe’s most prestigious lakeside resorts – Rosewood Schloss Fuschl – now offering guests this unique on-water experience.
Guest experience options for waterfront properties have traditionally been limited. Manual activities such as kayaks and paddleboards offer accessibility but little differentiation, while motorized experiences often require significant infrastructure, staff training and regulatory oversight. OTTER bridges that gap by combining the simplicity of a bicycle with electric propulsion, allowing guests to explore lakes, bays and coastlines with no prior experience.
Unlike e-foils and other specialist watersports equipment, OTTER requires no training and can be enjoyed by guests of all ages and fitness levels. The result is a premium experience that is both operationally simple for hotels and highly appealing to a broad range of guests.
Set against the backdrop of the 15th-century castle resort and the clear waters of the Fuschlsee, guests will be able to glide across the lake aboard OTTER’s electrically-assisted water bikes. The units will be customized exclusively for Rosewood Schloss Fuschl, featuring Rosewood branding and bespoke design elements that complement the property’s distinctive visual identity.
Other hotels and resorts offering the OTTER experience are Castello del Sole in Ascona, Hermitage Lake Lucerne, La Réserve Eden au Lac Zurich and the Hotel Vitznauerhof in Zurich. The OTTER can also be rented from the Nautical Centre and Boots Vermeitung Enge (both in Zurich) and Pirate Bay in Brenz.
OTTER website Rosewood Schloss Fuschi website
2. ABB Partners with Ferrari Hypersail on DC technology
In January of this year, iconic Italian car manufacturer Ferrari announced they would be taking their racing expertise beyond car racetracks and bringing it to the ocean, launching a sail racing team in partnership with yachtsman Giovanni Soldini.
They developed the Ferrari Hypersail, a 100ft oceanic full-foiling monohull yacht powered by renewable energy systems. Now joining the team is ABB, who have more than 25 years of experience in DC technology and hold more than 700 patents in the field. Its role in the project will include support for energy management, marine electrical systems and energy storage.
“The Hypersail runs entirely on renewable energy and storage,” says project leader Enrico Voltolini “and has to be self-sufficient for weeks at a time in the most hostile ocean environments on Earth.” Its electrical architecture will incorporate systems operating at 48V and 800 VDC, with power generated, stored and distributed to support navigation, foil controls, safety systems and propulsion.
“Ferrari Hypersail gives ABB a unique platform to demonstrate how we are collaborating with partners to push the limits of Direct Current technology,” says Giampiero Frisio, president of ABB’s Electrification business area. “Ferrari Hypersail is designed to operate in conditions that are as demanding as anything our systems face in industry. ABB’s role showcases how electrification and automation technologies help industries outrun and achieve record-breaking performance.
“The lessons from a challenge like this can help us advance the resilient, efficient power systems our customers need across sectors from marine and renewables to data centres and industrial microgrids.”
Ferrari Hypersail website ABB website
You can contribute to building ocean climate data with the SOOP sensor kit
This is a very cool project that enables recreational sailors to help collect essential ocean data. Climate models, especially those for huge ocean areas, are always hampered by not having enough real life data actually sourced from the water, not from faraway satellites and other technologies.
The SOOP sensor kit is a modular system that uses existing yachts and turns private boats into part of a global ‘Citizen Science’ network. It was recently honoured at the Green Product Awards where judges noted that it promotes environmental awareness and supports the “Blue Economy while avoiding new infrastructure and efficiently using resources.
In the Official Jury Stement they said: “‘SOOP’ impresses with its innovative citizen science approach and clearly distinguishes itself from existing solutions: the successful combination of modular hardware, an intuitive app, and strong design creates a scalable system for global ocean research. Design, technology, and participation interlock in an exemplary manner.”
Lyman-Morse builds fully electric 49 foot floating classroom and science lab
Lyman-Morse of Maine has been building the world’s finest yachts for 48 years, including everything from high-tech carbon ocean racers to cold-molded wooden Spirit of Tradition sloops and luxurious motor yachts.
Now they have launched Firefly, the first fully electric, lithium-iron-phosphate-battery-powered passenger vessel built to meet U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter T requirements.
The 49-foot aluminum catamaran was custom-built for Upstream Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting people with nature through on-the-water education and conservation programs.
It is powered by two 60 kW (80 hp) electric motors backed by lithium-iron-phosphate batteries. Twenty-four bifacial JinkoSolar photovoltaic panels mounted above the passenger deck collect energy from direct sunlight as well as light reflected from the deck and surrounding surfaces. The propulsion system is designed to provide a cruising speed of approximately 9 knots and a maximum speed of 11 to 12 knots.
“Firefly is more than a new boat—it represents an entirely new opportunity for environmental education and sustainable transportation,” said Don Baugh, president and founder of Upstream Alliance. “Students will be able to study the river, test water quality, and experience clean-energy technology not as an abstract idea, but as something carrying them quietly across the water.” The floating classroom, science laboratory, and research platform will operate from Camden, N.J., on the Delaware River.
Lyman-Morse website Upstream Alliance website
New electric RIB from Canadian company ENVO
ENVO is a Canadian electric mobility company that first took shape in 2005 with sketches for a mini electric snowmobile concept.
It went on to develop that e-ski-doo and has grown its offerings over the year to include a line of e-bikes and e-trikes for commuting, deliveries and recreation, as well as utility e-cargo trikes and ATVs.
Having electrified just about every small land vehicle that can be electrified, they now offer water transport. The Envo Electric Boat 380 is a 3.8 m (12.5 ft) aluminum RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) with efficient electric propulsion and ENVO’s modular battery ecosystem. The company is promoting it as a quiet, clean, lower-cost alternative to a high-speed boat, with remarkably simple ownership.
ENVO pairs the boat with the EZ X20 48 V electric outboard: 10.5 kW input power, remote steering and a sealed underwater motor architecture. A brushless, gearless underwater drive removes much of the mechanical complexity of a conventional gasoline outboard. The motor stays sealed and immersed for cooling, while an oversized water-cooled controller provides strong acceleration within a practical operating margin. In prototype testing it reached 27 km/h in full planing mode and pulled a medium-size wakeboarder from the water.
New Danish saildrive looking for test sailors
The Searine M360° is a new electric rotatable saildrive system with a modular battery system, hydrogeneration and smartphone app. It was developed over 6 years by Technology Developer Anders Hovmøller, then tested by six maritime experts ranging from transAtlantic racers to boatbuilders, marine electricians, harbour masters, and weekend family sailors. The motor itself has output power of 25 kW peak (33 hp) and 15 kW continuous (20 hp), weighs 90 kg (198 lb) and can generate 1500 watts (1.5kW) at 7 knots (13 kmph / 8 mph).
The batteries are 48 V lithium with capacity of 4.6 kWh, weigh 32 kg (70 lb) and are built around an intelligent modular architecture. Each battery module operates independently, allowing the system to automatically recognize, balance and manage each connected module. They can be distributed throughout the yacht to optimize weight distribution, maximize available space and tailor battery capacity to your sailing needs.
