Nick Burnham explains why the Overboat 150F is our Toy of the Month and could possibly be the sea scooter of the future…
The development of hydrofoils dates back to 1898. Slightly more recently Bond baddie Emilio Largo attempted to escape using a hydrofoil-equipped motor yacht, the Disco Volante, in the 1965 007 movie Thunderball.
But whilst clearly they are nothing new, the current focus on energy efficiency means that they are certainly à la mode right now. Water is 800 times denser than air, so if you can get your boat out of the water and into the air, it’s a big efficiency win.
One of the latest companies to take advantage of hydrofoiling is Overboat. Its Overboat 150F is an 11ft personal watercraft fitted with an 8kW electric motor.
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It lifts up onto three auto-regulated ‘T-foils’ once above 10 knots and powers up to a maximum speed of 20 knots with a 15 knot cruise.
Endurance is up to two hours, and there’s a two seater and a smaller, slower Overboat 100F version also available (3.1m LOA, 15-knot top speed).
Overboat claims that its design delivers a 20% reduction in energy consumption compared to a similar-sized outboard-powered boat, with the added benefit of zero noise and zero air pollution, plus the ability to cruise in protected inland areas.
Overboat 150F specifications
LOA: 11’0” / 3.35m
Motor: 8kW
Top speed: 20 knots
Take-off speed: 10 knots
Range: 34nm at 15 knots
Starting price: €13,500
