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Water is a drag, literally! The same cohesive properties that make water wet also cause a lot of drag on the underside of a boat’s hull, but a hydrofoil uses an underwater wing to produce lift, just like an airplane, hoisting the boat. out of the water for a faster, more efficient ride. It’s a smart solution that has been around for a few decades now, but has really come nowhere. At least not until now. Enter: Candela, whose revolutionary all-electric C7 is finally mass-produced!
Getting the boat out of the water into (relatively) low-drag air is a neat trick for internal combustion outboards, but it’s an absolute change for electric watercraft like the new Candela C7.
Reducing the boat’s drag dramatically improves its range and cruising speed by reducing the amount of work the engine has to do at high rpm, where electricity is less efficient. Also, because electric motors produce maximum torque at 0 RPM, they are ideally suited for lifting the hydrofoil in and out of the water (see what I did there?).
Once the Candela takes off, it looks like a whole different kind of fun. Find out for yourself in this video, showing the C7 “Sunbed Edition†off the coast of Italy.
Candela C7 Sunbed Edition | Italy
As for the specs, the Candela C7 is powered by a single 40kWh battery which is good enough to push the foil to a top speed of around 30 knots – which believe me is moving! The range is also deceptively good for such a small battery, with Candela claiming a cruising range of 50 nautical miles at 22 knots (around 25 MPH). “That may not sound like a ton,” writes New Atlas’ Loz Blain, “But… that’s about three times the battery life that other electrical devices on the market can offer. There are others who go further – the Sarvo 37, for example, can travel 100 nautical miles … but it uses a colossal 350 kWh battery that is almost nine times the size of the C-7s to get there.
So, it’s fast, efficient, and won’t pollute the water with spilled gas and oil – but those aren’t the only benefits Candela offers. Compared to conventional ICE boats, the C7 is almost completely silent and virtually wake-free, making it even more fun in the kind of low-wake areas that proliferated around Miami’s waterways back in the days I was living this life of. “Boats and hoes”.
So, okay, what’s the result? Simply put, the Candela is a better boat. Just like a Tesla is a better car and an F150 Lightning is a better F150. It’s the future, kids, and it’s great!
Of course, this is only my opinion. What is your? Do you think an electric hydrofoil looks exactly like the sort of thing to do on your weekend getaway, or are these luxury toys too far out of the mainstream to further the cause? Scroll down to the comments and let us know. Oh! Before I forget, take a look at this geared wing retraction mechanism that allows the Candela C7 to navigate shallows. Slick doesn’t even begin to cover it. Enjoy!
Candela C7 | Shallow mode
Image courtesy Candela outboard.
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