So many boats. Such little time
by John Curnow, Global Editor, Powerboat.World 21 Apr 2022 09:00 NZST
RYCK 280 © Windcraft Yachts
What to do? Not so much an outright conundrum, as literally the full wonder at the assortment of subjects. Accordingly, was it to be some of that, a pinch of this, and none of those? Certainly that was never to be the intention, yet it remained that there were strong overtones of such, and that was not entirely desirable.
Of the many subjects discussed in these ditties of late, there was one that - whilst not ignored by any means - also may not have had its full allotment of time, and I was keen to bring that to bear swiftly. The arrival of Jeanneau's DB/43 was all the motivation required to say, 'day boating'.
This burgeoning sector has a roll call like an A-List party: Axopar, Ryck, Nuva Yachts, Nimbus, Tiara, Saxdor, and to ensure you really get the point, there are Fjord, Swan, Wally, X-Yachts, Sessa Marine Key Largo, and Pardo to lob in there as well, just like you had opened up a new box of grenades.
Adroit styling, luxurious, über-distinctive, feature-packed, spacious, easy to operate, fast to blindingly so, simple but by no means sedate, and a real whizz to clean and pack up when it's all done are the markers for the geo-fencing of this mob. Yes. These craft are so NOW...
And then sitting there, just begging to be used as the binding agent, was the one vessel. It is sort of halfway between Engelbert Humperdinck, and Incoming! Man the guns, yet also ties in very nicely with the whole alternative power segment that we have featured over the last few years. It was, and most definitely is, a leading light. And that craft is X Shore's Eelex 8000.
Now it goes back to January of 2020 when our Managing Editor, Mark Jardine, spoke with X Shore founder Konrad Bergström at Boot Düsseldorf However, the reason for looking at X Shore again now was that she has finally had some time to be shown to US mariners.
To that end, we were able to ask a series of questions of Patrick DeSocio, North American Sales Manager at X Shore.
Given the market's love affair with centre consoles, how has X Shore been received?
"X Shore has been really well received by the boating industry. When we think about our direct competition in the center console market, it is not the electric market but the existing market. We appeal to the 'sport utility' buyers. We offer a platform that's easily transformable, and unlike anybody else out there."
"We can be a fishing boat, a family boat, a sport boat, and perfect for just about any use case you can think of, due to our modularity. AND, we do that all responsibly, ethically, and sustainably when possible. We are building towards the future as we see the tide shifting."
How has the top speed and range been received?
"The Eelex 8000 can go up to 35 knots (40 miles per hour) and can cover a total distance of up to 100 nautical miles when travelling at lower speeds. At a cruising speed of 15-20 knots, it has a run time of about 2.5 hours."
"A typical day out on the water for a 25-30 ft center console is roughly four to six hours at variable speeds. Our Eelex has plenty of juice for a classic and comfortable day on the water, similar to our competition. We are not an offshore fishing boat, but we are the perfect day boat."
How many sold so far?
"While I don't have an exact number, we have a high demand, and are increasing our production capacity to meet it."
Are many comparing it to say a Candela C-8, or is it more against fossil fuel craft?
"It's difficult to compare to the Candela, as it's a totally different boat to ours - they are designed and built for two different use cases. However, X Shore puts the focus on sustainability, design, and technology. The Eelex 8000 is 100% electric, meaning there is no negative impact on the environment in terms of air, noise, or water pollution."
"X Shore boats are also built to support a cleaner environment with cork instead of teak, and recycled plastics, as well as optional flax fiber instead of fiberglass and carbon fiber. They are built to last, so they don't end up in landfills. The software and technology that X Shore uses is also groundbreaking, both among fossil fuel crafts and electric boats."
"The Eelex 8000 can be paired with a Garmin smartwatch and mobile app to offer geo-fencing software, overboard detection, and allows users to remotely lock/unlock the craft, check charging status, and more."
Has the recent spike in fuel prices brought on extra interest, given many similar craft are twin or triple rigs?
"It most certainly has spiked. We just came off the Palm Beach International Boat Show and we were, essentially, the Belle of the Ball. People who typically would not entertain an electric boat were lining up to talk to us. It was fascinating to see and experience. 'The writing is on the wall' seemed to be a popular sentiment."
"You will always see gearheads and the 'go fast' people, but something has shifted, and that shift is seismic. The waters in which we so passionately love to be on are becoming an important issue, and people are starting to understand that."
The design is different to US offerings - has this been a positive or something to overcome?
"Design is one of X Shore's main pillars and it has been positively received by the US. The inspiration comes from the South American Electric Eel, which is known for its strength and grace. The boat resembles the eel's sleek body, and all models have an aerodynamic hull to help reduce friction and energy use."
"The design also allows for 15 different module options buyers can choose from to customize the boat to their needs, whether they plan to use the boat for watersports, fishing, diving, or transportation. The flexibility and customization makes it a great option for everyone," said DeSocio in closing.
Plenty happening, boats going everywhere, and we'd better go and catch up with a few. Standby. More on the way...
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Finally. Please look after yourselves.
John Curnow