Having your own boat is a luxury. However, in the quest for luxury, most of us end up harming the environment. When you buy your own boat, it is an investment that lasts for a lifetime. Therefore, you should make an eco-conscious a decision. By opting for an eco-boat like Paddleboat, not only you live a luxurious lifestyle, at the same time, you lower your carbon footprint. Paddleboat and other eco boats similar to it are making the change. Let us see how they work:
Paddleboat with an onboard battery for high-speed boating
Eco Factor: Pedal-electric hybrid concept boat.
Designed by Manuel Schneider, “1Liaison” is a paddleboat that offers you much more than high levels of enjoyment. The paddleboat comes with an onboard battery for high-speed boating. The propeller-driven boat utilizes pedals just like a normal boat. However, in this boat, the pedals connect to a dynamo that recharges the battery.
The boat’s sensor system measures how strongly the user can pedal and adjusts the electric power going into the battery accordingly. The harder the user pedals the more electricity is led to the battery. Once the batteries are full, users would be allowed to sit back and enjoy a high speed ride.
The Dark Side:
Apart from being single occupancy, this boat is really great for all who love to spend an evening on the peaceful waters.
Via: ManuelSchneider
6 More eco-boats similar to paddleboat
1. Solar-powered boat from the designers of Aptera
Eco Factor: Boat made from recycled materials runs on solar energy.
The design team of one of the most discussed green cars, the Aptera, is not just relaxing and enjoying the success their creation got but is working their way from the road to the open waters. The design team that includes Jason Hill of Design11 and Nathan Armstrong of Motive Industries has designed a solar-powered boat known as the Loon.
The boat comes with a solar roof capable of generating 1000W of green power, enabling the pontoon-shaped boat to cruise at a speed of 7 knots for an estimated range of over 35 miles. The solar roof is foldable for you to enjoy the sun after shutting down its electric power house. Made from recycled materials, bamboo and natural fibers, the 22-foot-long boat can also transfer electricity to the grid if the boat is anchored to the dock for the day.
The Dark Side:
The boat is still in the concept stage and more details on the boat would only surface after a prototype has been developed. If it comes at an affordable price, it could definitely green some inland waterway boating trips.
Via: Engadget/AutoBlogGreen
2. Sea Raider – A futuristic boat designed to run on solar energy
Eco Factor: Concept boat powered by solar energy.
Solar energy seems to be getting on the minds of the designers. They are always looking forward for ways to use this abundant energy to power gadgets and vehicles. Till now these same gadgets were using fossil fuels in one way or the other. Muhammad Imran is one such designer. He wants to power a boat with roof-mounted solar cells, which if it needs, can also use diesel as supplement.
Known as the Sea Raider, the boat has PV modules which collect energy during the day. The eco-boat uses this energy to power itself and recharge the on-board batteries. During the day the boat can power itself using direct solar energy. Furthermore, even during nighttime the boat doesn’t require any external sourice. When the sunlight is no longer available the boat’s batteries take over the system. These ensure a zero-emission cruise irrespective of the time of the day.
In case your cruise takes longer than expected on an overcast day, you can fuel the engine with diesel till the day breaks. The boat is also has a water treatment system that too runs on solar energy. It provides potable water during the cruise.
3. Odyssey all-electric boat takes inspiration from ancient warships
Eco Factor: Concept powerboat designed to run on wind-powered electric motors.
The use of electric engines in cars, motorcycles and yachts is nothing new. Though the vehicles where electric engines are used do their bit for the environment with zero-emission credentials, electricity doesn’t always come from non-polluting sources and isn’t usually green.
Industrial designer Jacky Wu has proposed an all green electric boat that generates electricity to keep its batteries charged. Dubbed Odyssey, the powerboat is propelled by an electric motor. The batteries can be recharged by activating the wind turbine sails, which generate renewable energy from wind.
Jacky states that his design was inspired by both ancient warships as well as modern yachts. To reduce the power it needs, the vehicle uses a catamaran style hull to discourage drag. With the use of renewable energy, the boat does promise to offer a completely green sailing experience.
4. Island Queen DIY electric boat touts bamboo interior
Eco Factor: Zero-emission boat powered entirely by electricity.
Island Queen is the brainchild of a Southern California resident Ray Young. Ray dreamt of designing an electric boat and didn’t want to cruise in the ones available on the market. Therefore, he set out to build his own version and after five years he came up with a 21-foot mahogany electric boat that features bamboo interiors.
The boat is inspired by the designs of Karl Stambaugh, a well-known yacht architect and designer. However, Island Queen had to be different and unique, which made Ray design a boat that had no through-hull fittings or screws, rather the boat is built using black-painted plank hull with mahogany and construction-grade plywood, joined by epoxy.
The all-electric boat produces zero-emissions and sports an interior made using sustainable bamboo, which is durable and handles moisture well. The boat has a 48V system to run the engine and a separate 12V house battery system to operate the interior dome lights, running lights, stereo, searchlight and onboard vacuum cleaner. The boat can carry 12 passengers and has the ability to reach a 6 knot cruising speed at full load.
5. Patterson Boatworks debut carbon composite electric powerboat
Eco Factor: Zero-emission powerboat gets powered by electric batteries.
UK-based Patterson Boatworks has announced its first electric performance vessel – the Elektra Carbon. The hi-end powerboat was designed by Nigel Irens and marries traditional craftsmanship, advanced hull dynamics and electrical motive technology.
The performance vessel has enough space to accommodate six people and the helmsman. The Elektra Carbon obtains its power from 144V, 23KW lithium-iron-phosphate batteries that can be recharged up to 3000 times.
The battery pack fuels a high-torque V-drive electric motor that can propel the vessel up to 15 knots for one hour or seven knots for a better range of 80 miles.
Via: JamesSpotting
6. Dolphin-inspired boat runs on hydrogen for clean seas
Eco Factor: Passenger boat designed to run on hydrogen fuel cells.
While solar and wind-powered boats and ships are already in market, designers are looking for other green sources of fuel that can make these vehicles and the seawater clean. The folks over at Rayka Design Studio are working on a hydrogen-fueled passenger boat that offers speed without emitting toxic gases.
The design takes dolphins as its inspiratoin. allows passengers different sitting positions. And you can use it in still waters like the Golden Horn. The 22m long boat, dubbed Hydro Dolphin, carries wide glass facades that can easily be moved depending on the weather conditions.
The innovative façade design ensures an enjoyable view of the sea from all angles, provided the weather holds up sunny. Inside the boat, there is space for the installation of a small kitchen unit or a stand depending on the requirement of the owner and its use.
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