Innovation in Yachting
"On life's vast ocean diversely we sail" wrote Alexander Pope. In our increasingly diverse but seemingly shrinking world we're having to sail faster through life than ever. This acceleration is mirrored in the rapid electric yacht innovation we're witnessing today.
The Tech Adventurer took the opportune moment to visit the Southampton International Boat Show last week to see who's innovating in the oldest form of vehicular transport. This prestigious event showcased several impressive developments in electric yacht innovation and advanced marine technology.
Electric yacht innovation at Southampton Boat Show
We'd hoped for more manufacturers, but the two fully electric boat manufacturers on display deserve special mention. The X-Shore Open demonstrated impressive stats of 30 knots top speed and a 50NM range at lower speeds—numbers that represent significant advancements in electric yacht innovation.
Optima boats represent a different class of vessel but aesthetically at least they are beautiful. Fully electric propulsion systems in yachting is still a long way behind their fossil-fuelled counterparts, and this shows in their limited numbers at the show. There's substantial work still to be done, but it's encouraging to see the year-on-year progress in electric yacht technology.
Several notable electric vessels weren't exhibiting, though their innovations are worth mentioning:
- ARC One
- Alfastreet 28 Cabin
- Boesch 750 Portofino which is simply breathtaking
- Candela C-7 which pushes the limits of innovation with its active foils
Electric outboard motors are making it into the mainstream though, especially for smaller tenders where the use case is more obvious. Torqeedo appears to be leading the pack amongst many other manufacturers in this segment of electric yacht innovation.
Arksen: Combining adventure and sustainability
One very impressive company is Arksen, who are now championing all things adventure including experiences and apparel. They're building on their heritage as explorer yacht manufacturers with new models that we had the pleasure of viewing in both their Discovery and Adventure series in the flesh.
Arksen exemplifies companies that combine adventure, technology, and a circular economy—aligning perfectly with The Tech Adventurer's ethos. Their approach to yacht design reflects a growing trend toward environmentally conscious boating that doesn't sacrifice performance or luxury.
Foiling technology: The future of high-performance sailing
Considering the prevalence of foiling in pretty much every top sailing racing class now, it was slightly disappointing to not see more examples of this at the show. Foiling technology—which literally lifts boats above the water's surface to reduce drag dramatically—represents one of the most significant innovations in modern yachting.
What we did visit was the fabulous Gentoo skippered by James Harayda. It's an IMOCA 60, which some readers may know as the single-handed Vendée Globe yachts. The Vendée is one of the toughest races in the world and involves circumnavigating the globe single-handed, non-stop for 70-80 days. James' yacht uses part of Alex Thompson's old Hugo Boss hull with retrofitted foils and is easily capable of 30-40 knots in suitable conditions.
The America's Cup: A laboratory for yacht innovation
It was a particularly timely visit this year as the show coincides with the oldest competition on our planet - The America's Cup, which some of us have been glued to. It's a demonstration of some of the most advanced yacht technology in the world. Like Formula 1 and Formula E are testing grounds for automotive innovations that eventually filter into our everyday lives (such as regenerative braking), the America's Cup represents the leading edge of sailing innovation.
The Louis Vuitton Cup boats are sailing at an astonishing 50+ knots, which means the vessels are often travelling at three to four times the actual wind speed. This remarkable achievement is due to foiling technology, reduction in drag, and most importantly, the wonder of apparent wind—which essentially means the boats create their own wind as they move.
Watch team Britannia beating Alinghi to reach the LV finals for an impressive demonstration of this technology in action.
What yacht innovation teaches us about broader maritime challenges
Container shipping is essential for global commerce but causes approximately 3% of global CO2 output, according to Transport Environment. This raises important questions inspired by yacht innovation:
Why can't we have wind-powered container ships? Some forward-thinking organisations like BAR Technologies are exploring this possibility.
Could we develop foiling container ships? This concept seems more challenging at first glance, but it's worth exploring. We assume container vessels must be massive, but why couldn't we reduce their size, create more modules, and have a train of contiguous sailing foiling containers moving efficiently across our seas?
If we don't ask these big questions inspired by yacht innovation, we won't find the transformative solutions our planet needs.
As Augustus John Cuthbert Hare said, "thought is the wind, knowledge the sail, and mankind the vessel." But could mankind be the navigator with technology and AI serving as our new vessel? If so, we all need to ensure it's steering us in the right direction—toward sustainable innovation that preserves our oceans while advancing our capabilities.