David Cipriani, the Italian yacht designer, has developed an all-electric concept boat that looks something like a sportscar and handles like a jet fighter. The Futur-E boat has four foils so it can fly over the water at abut 30 knots.
The CEO of Centrostiledesign in Bologna, Cipriani designed the Futur-E with foils on four retractable wings based on tank testing with the latest computational fluid dynamics technology. The boat’s “Foil Integrated Kinematic System” manages how far the four foils extend, and the angle of attack. They are independently adjusted for optimal attitude.
The foils are operated by electro-hydraulic actuators and a gyroscope to give the boat both stability and nimble handling. At eight knots, the foils begin to lift the hull; at 16 knots they are deployed in full flight mode, offering minimal drag. The legs fold under the hull for docking or when the weather is too rough for foiling.
The Futur-E can be made from recycled carbon fiber. With its electric motor, the boat produces zero emissions or noise and virtually no wake.
At about 30 feet, the boat can be built as an open version, or with gull-wing doors. The captain’s seat is on the centerline. An aft seat holds three passengers. Read more:
