Spirit Yachts and BAR Technologies have revealed what they claim to be the first fully electric flying boat capable of a fast cruise of 100 nautical miles.
Built based on BAR’s America’s Cup design and simulation expertise, the SpiritBARTech35EF is an electric flying boat specifically constructed with a trio of active retractable blades to help minimize drag.
Made from solid titanium, these blades comprise a single rear T-foil rudder to control pitch and yaw. They also include twin legs and a single forward bar, with port and starboard aileron-like flaps for controlling roll.
They are a development of various active systems developed by BAR Technologies over the past decade, including Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup foiling monohull and the foil-assisted Princess R35 sports boat, which was unveiled in 2018.
Game-changing performance?
With a beam of just 7 feet and 6 inches (2.3 m), the SpiritBARTech35EF employs a relatively narrow design and a modified deep-V hull with a fine entry, a single step in the middle of the vessel, and a flat stern.
Rising out of the water at around 14 knots, the flying attitude is automatically adjusted through an IMU that receives information from various direction sensors.
Designed to tackle waves of up to 1.5 meters in height, it is purportedly capable of reaching a top speed of 30 knots, with a range of 100 Nm at a cruising speed of 22 knots.
However, with the foils retracted for displacement cruising in shallow waters or docking, the normal draft should be just over one foot (0.3 m).
Modern technology – Classic design
Above the waterline, Spirit Yachts’ design is elegant yet powerfully classic. Constructed from cold-molded wood with a carbon fiber-reinforced hull, the structure of the new 35-foot electric flyer weighs only one ton.
The frames and planks of the hull are made from Alaskan yellow cedar, while the upper sections feature a decorative layer of African sapele with a high-gloss lacquer finish.
Inside, owners can open up an intimate six-seat cockpit or enclose it with stylish canopies for a more sporty two-seat spider-style experience.
Karen Underwood, from Spirit Yachts, said, “Our collaboration with BAR Technologies is the epitome of the modern classic spirit upon which Spirit Yachts was founded.
“Classic, beautiful, clean lines and sustainable wood construction, combined with BAR’s innovative technology. The 35EF represents an exciting new opportunity for those seeking high-performance yachting with serious style.”
The future of electric foilers
This limited-edition electric flyer will be the first in a series of boats that BAR Technologies will design in its attempt to create a greener generation of leisure yachts, and John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies, is excited about what the new electric flyer represents…
“It is a proud moment for us to bring this beautiful boat to the market. We firmly believe that the future of this industry will be defined by developments in sustainability and efficiency of vessels. In particular, we recognize that there are new hull forms that can be designed to achieve this, and we want to be at the forefront of that development.”
