As it turns out, the SpiritBARTTech35EF Electric Flying Boat may not be the world’s first or the only flying boat. The WaveFlyer Volaré, which was also revealed in July 2023, is another flying boat from the Western Australia-based startup ENAUTIC. Yup. Another hydrofoil. What is us with hydrofoil? Well, nothing. This one is just too cool and needs a shout.
Billed as the “world’s most advanced electric hydrofoil watercraft,” the WaveFlyer Volaré’s working principles of hydrofoil remain largely the same, except the foils retract to allow for shallow-water boating and maneuvering through speed-restricted zones. This means you can explore shallow water areas and beaches—the best part is that it can be shore-launched if so desired.
The retractable foil enables it to be transported on a regular boat trailer, and speaking of the trailer, you will only need a small boat trailer because it is tiny. It measures 300 cm (about 118 inches) in length, and the beam (the widest part) is 125 cm (about 49 inches).
While small, it can accommodate two grown people on its sporty low seating and has a payload of 200 kg or 441 lbs (foiling), and up to 250 kg or 551 lbs (floating).
The ENAUTIC WaveFlyer Volaré Electric Hydrofoil Watercraft is an auto-stabilizing, semi-autonomous electric hydrofoiling boat that rises above the water, cutting through the water with less resistance and leaves almost no wake; it does not disturb coastal habitats and other water users.
Powered by a twin electric WaveDrive propulsion system, it has zero emissions and is virtually silent—a further boon to the underwater ecosystem and also other water users, while offering speeds up to an exhilarating 40 km/h (22.6 knots or around 24.9 mph).
It is worth mentioning that the hydrofoil boasts a unique anhedral rear wing or A-tail design, as opposed to the usual wingtips design. ENAUTIC said the A-tail significantly increases control authority.
The motors are kept juiced by a battery pack that provides 4.5 hours of cruise time/100 km (62 miles) foiling range. The battery can be recharged to 80% in under an hour and can be used for up to 4 hours.
Control is configurable fly-by-wire via joystick, while parameters are presented on a high-resolution daylight-visible screen up front. The boat has a safety lanyard so that if you go overboard, it will halt, allowing you to reboard.
The boat has a sports hull design and is crafted from a range of complementary materials like composite FRP sandwich, high-tensile stainless steel, titanium, and marine-grade aluminum.
The ENAUTIC WaveFlyer Volaré Electric Hydrofoil Watercraft is open for reservations with a US$67 deposit. It is available in two variants: 3 hours and 4.5 hours. We do not know if any of the orders have been delivered.
Images: ENAUTIC.
