ELECTRIC WAVES

1If you have a need for speed but still want zero emissions, the gorgeous 34foot Vita Lion is the dayboat for you.

This mighty beast can reach a top speed of 35 knots, courtesy of twin 335-hp electric motors. Throttle back to the Lion’s more genteel 22-knot cruising speed and you can run for 90 minutes or more than 40 miles. It’s admittedly not enough for a sprint to the Bahamas, but plenty for a jaunt to your favorite Intracoastal

VITA LION

watering hole. And if you can fi nd yourself a marina with Tesla-style DC fast-charging, the bank of batteries can recharge in around an hour and a half.

Britain’s Vita Power developed the carbon-fi ber-hulled Lion from an Italian design, and it was originally built in France by JFA Yachts. Recently, however, Maine’s Hodgdon Yachts began building Lions for the U.S. market. (vita-power.com)

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PRICE: FROM $875,000 LENGTH: 34 FEET BEAM: 8 FEET, 8 INCHES DRAFT: 1 FOOT, 5 INCHES TOP SPEED: 35 KNOTS RANGE: 90 MINUTES AT 22 KNOTS

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PRICE: $620,000 LENGTH: 31 FEET, 6 INCHES BEAM: 7 FEET, 6 INCHES DRAFT: 1 FOOT, 2 INCHES TOP SPEED: 21 KNOTS RANGE: 9 HOURS AT 6 KNOTS

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DUFFY SUN CRUISER 22

You can’t talk about electric boats and not talk about Duffy. Since 1970, more than 14,000 of these fringe-topped, cocktail-hour cruisers have been sold. In Duffy’s home port of Newport Beach, California, there are an estimated 3,500 of them silently gliding around. It’s simply the world’s best-selling electric boat.

The beloved Duffy 22 is the perfect friends and family runabout, with cushy seats for 12, a built-in fridge, and a multitude of cupholders. Don’t expect to get anywhere in a hurry, though. Top speed is a leisurely 6 mph courtesy of a 48-volt electric motor amped by a bank of 16 six-volt batteries. Ease back to 5 knots and it can cruise for more than 12 hours on a charge.

One especially cool feature is Duffy’s patented Power Rudder setup. This integrates the electric motor with the rudder and fourbladed prop, allowing the whole assembly to rotate almost 90 degrees for easy-peasy docking. (duffyboats.com)

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PRICE: FROM $61,500 LENGTH: 22 FEET BEAM: 9 FEET, 3 INCHES DRAFT: 2 FEET, 5 INCHES TOP SPEED: 5.2 KNOTS RANGE: 12 1/2 HOURS AT 5 KNOTS

VENUS SPEEDSTER X

Attention-seekers should turn the page right now. That’s because this adorable electric runabout is guaranteed to spin heads faster than a David and Victoria Beckham sighting outside Joe’s Stone Crab.

Inspired by Porsche’s iconic 1959 356 Speedster sportscar, this stunning new 32-foot Venus Speedster X joins the builder’s original 22-foot version (pictured) that’s been renamed the Venus Speedster. It’s the creation of British yachting specialist Seven Seas, which operates its U.S. headquarters in Fort Lauderdale.

Gas-powered Speedster Xs are available with up to 600 horsepower and twin jet drives that can rocket it to a top speed of close to 50 knots. But with growing demand for an eco-friendlier version, the Speedster X is being offered with zero-emission electric power. That means a 50kW Torqeedo electric motor juiced by a 40-kWh battery pack giving a top speed of 21 knots. Throttle back to a more sedate 6 knots and you can cruise for up to 9 hours on a single charge.

The boat-loving Beckhams would approve. (sevenseasyachts.eu)

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TAIGA ORCA JET SKI

No one likes the droning, swarm-of-bees sound of a Jet Ski at full tilt—not to mention the stinky aroma of the unburned hydrocarbons it emits. Make it all-electric and the droning goes away. So does the smell. People on the beach will smile again.

This is the thinking at Montreal’s Taiga Motors, which recently introduced the world’s first series-production, battery-powered personal watercraft (PWC) it calls the Orca.

There’s the option of 90-hp or 160-hp motors, both juiced by a 24-kWh lithium battery bank that sits low in the craft for added stability. With the 160 you’re looking at a top speed of 54 knots and a range of 28 miles. Trust me, 28 miles on a Jet Ski is plenty.

When it comes to charging, a Level 1 socket will top off the batteries in 14 hours, or in 3 and a half hours with Level 2. A DC fast-charger will take the batteries up to 80 percent in 30 minutes.

As for pricing, the base Orca Sport costs $17,490, while the top-of-the-range Carbon model with its carbon-fiber hull lists for $26,500. (taigamotors.com)

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PRICE: FROM $17,490 LENGTH: 9 FEET, 6 INCHES BEAM: 3 FEET, 8 INCHES DRAFT: 6 INCHES TOP SPEED: UP TO 54 KNOTS RANGE: 28 MILES AT FULL THROTTLE

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NAVIER 30

Anyone who’s watched America’s Cup sailboats in action will know that foiling does wonders for performance. Now Silicon Valley–based Navier plans to use the same technology for its very cool, very clever hydrofoiling electric dayboat, the Navier 30.

With its retractable foils and twin 90-kWh electric motors connected to a large battery bank, the carbon-hulled 30-footer can fly 4 feet above the waves at 35 knots. Throttle back to 20 and the projected range is around 75 nautical miles.

Ease out of your slip, lower the front and rear active foils, and once the speed reaches 15 knots, the hull levitates out of the water and soars above the waves. Retract the foils and the dayboat can even be beached.

Navier signed legendary Maine-based builder Lyman-Morse to produce the Navier 30, with the first versions being delivered this year. Three versions will be on offer: an enclosed cabin, an open top, and a hardtop. (navierboat.com)

Ski boats are all about instant torque to punch you out of the hole and leap on the plane. New California start-up Arc Boat Company is ensuring its Arc One ski boat will do just that, courtesy of a honking 500-hp electric motor. It’s enough juice to propel this lightweight, aluminum-hulled 24-footer to a top speed of 35 knots, with plenty of amps to keep you skiing or wakeboarding for up to 5 hours. Find yourself a DC fast-charger and you can get an 80 percent top-off in as little as 40 minutes, or overnight with a regular plug. This is the debut offering from Los Angeles–based Arc, led by Tesla’s former head of manufacturing. The first boats sold out in 2022, but more will be unveiled this year. (arcboats.com)

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PRICE: FROM $300,000 LENGTH: 30 FEET BEAM: 8 FEET, 6 INCHES DRAFT: 2 FEET TO 5 FEET, 6 INCHES TOP SPEED: 35 KNOTS RANGE: 75 MILES AT 20 KNOTS

ARC ONE

SILENT 60

It’s hard to beat the price of solar power. We’re talking zip, zero, nada. When it comes to the Turkish-built Silent 60 power catamaran, with its rooftop crammed with solar panels, the power of the sun can push it at 6 or 7 knots for 9 hours, or more than 100 miles.

We recently got to try out the Silent 60 on a cruise along the Intracoastal through Fort Lauderdale and came away wowed by the yacht’s silent running, laid-back feel, and island-hopping cruising potential.

That, and the humongous interior space. With a beam that stretches almost 30 feet, the thing is half as wide as it is long. That means a ballroom-size salon, huge entertaining areas, and a full-hull master suite that’s bigger than you’ll find in most apartments.

And while the 60 disappointed us a little in the quality of its interior fixtures and fitting, the newest versions have an all-new interior design with improved craftsmanship and woodwork. (silent-yachts.com)

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PRICE: FROM $3 MILLION LENGTH: 59 FEET BEAM: 29 FEET, 6 INCHES DRAFT: 3 FEET TOP SPEED: UP TO 20 KNOTS RANGE: 100 MILES

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PRICE: FROM $300,000 (FOR FIRST MODEL) LENGTH: 24 FEET BEAM: 8 FEET, 6 INCHES DRAFT: 2 FEET, 9 INCHES TOP SPEED: 35 KNOTS RANGE: UP TO 5 HOURS

8Slovenian builder Greenline Yachts has been one of the true pioneers of electric propulsion for power cruisers. Since 2008, it’s been offering diesel-hybrid or fully electric power for its range of sleek, family-friendly yachts from 33 to 68 feet.

One of our favorites is the salty Greenline 40 with its twin 67-hp Torqeedo electric motors, six high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, and roof filled with solar panels. No, it’s not fast; expect a trawler-like 7 knots cruising speed that will take you around 35 miles. But Greenline is happy to work with a buyer to

GREENLINE 40

spec out a boat that meets his or her ideal range and speed, with the option of bigger batteries and more powerful motors, or a hybrid alternative with a compact diesel generator to ease range anxiety.

Beautifully built with a real emphasis on quality and craftsmanship, the Greenline 40 also boasts two cabins and a salon with a rear galley that opens to the back deck. (greenlinehybridusa.com)

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PRICE: FROM $650,000 LENGTH: 40 FEET BEAM: 13 FEET, 11 INCHES DRAFT: 2 FEET, 9 INCHES TOP SPEED: 7 KNOTS RANGE: UP TO 35 MILES

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RAND ESCAPE 30

PRICE: FROM $377,900 WITH 355-HP POWER LENGTH: 30 FEET, 4 INCHES BEAM: 9 FEET, 6 INCHES DRAFT: 1 FOOT, 6 INCHES TOP SPEED: UP TO 55 KNOTS RANGE: 2 HOURS AT 20 KNOTS

Who doesn’t love Danish design, style, and craftsmanship? Denmark’s Rand Boats has been incorporating all three elements into its lineup of militaristic-looking speed boats since the company was founded in 2013.

Rand’s newest and most exciting off ering is the allelectric Escape 30 center console, which gives owners the choice of three power options, from a modest 140 hp, to a mid-range 355 hp, to an insane 616 hp that delivers a 55knot top speed. All this is built into a hull that uses lots of recycled plastic bottles in its construction and boasts waist-high bulwarks and full walk-around decks for safety. Claimed to have all the space and functionality of a 40-footer, the Escape 30 has seating for 12, acres of sun loungers, an outdoor kitchen, and a surprisingly spacious cabin with a queen-size bed and shower compartment. Best of all, Rand has its U.S. headquarters in Miami, so it can tailor the Escape 30 for Florida boating. (randboats-usa.com)

CANDE C-8

High-tech Swedish boatbuilder Candela is creating waves in the world of all-electric dayboats. Its latest is the 28foot, all-carbon-fi ber C-8 with remarkable foiling technology.

Power up to around 16 knots and the boat rises on its two forward foils and single rear foil to cruise at 24 knots with bursts up to its 30-knot top speed. Its super effi ciency is partly due to its single electric motor that’s mounted in torpedolike housing in the rearward foil.

And that effi ciency is going to be heightened with the partnership between Candela and the Swedish carmaker Polestar, which will provide its battery and smart-charging systems. Polestar’s know-how should improve on the C-8’s current range of around 57 miles at cruising speed.

The high-windshield C-8 comes as either an open day cruiser or a more sheltering hardtop version with a retractable sunroof. Below decks the cozy cuddy cabin can sleep two adults and two kids for a weekend away. (candela.com) «

10 POWER FILE PRICE: FROM $300,000 LENGTH: 28 FEET BEAM: 8 FEET, 2 INCHES DRAFT: 1 FOOT, 6 INCHES TO 4 FEET, 9 INCHES TOP SPEED: 30 KNOTS RANGE: UP TO 57 MILES