Vita Power Seal and Sea Dog: the new electric RIBS which can run at 6-8 knots for 25 hours
Achieving a day of slow electric cruising per overnight charge is becoming fairly viable in many inland locations, as a trip on any inland waterway will tell you.
However, when boats are required to reach higher speeds and plane in open water for a reasonable length of time, and then also be rechargeable to a high percentage in a reasonable length of time, it creates a whole boatload of additional challenges.
With these very different demands, there is a split developing in electric boat technologies.
The de facto safe working voltage for owner-built (read owner-tinkerable or DIY-built) electric boats is rapidly reaching a general consensus of 48V.
The starting price for the Vita Power Seadog is from £135,000. Credit: Vita Power
It’s about as high a voltage as the industry dares go with products such as electric outboards with removable…


