A hydrogen-powered superyacht reportedly being built for a powerful, billionaire client is making headlines.
But it's the vessel's smaller electric tender that could be game-changing for the boating world if the designers' full vision comes to fruition.
The 37-foot craft is being constructed by Seattle-based Zin Boats using parts fit for the International Space Station. It's rumored to be linked to Bill Gates, who would own both the superyacht and shore tender if the rumors are true. Forbes reported that the larger craft is the world's first hydrogen-fueled superyacht, dubbed Project 821 by Dutch builder Feadship. It's a $1 billion project, per the report.
The accompanying tender is a smaller, efficient vessel that oddly has a lot in common with Japanese homes, according to its designers.
"Every detail of the boat is hidden until you need it," Piotr Zin, founder and CEO of Zin Boats, told The Cool Down during an exclusive virtual tour of his production facility.
It's part of what the Zin Boats team considers to be a revolutionary process for shipwrights who incorporate the latest battery and control tech, navigation and steering features, and thoughtful and intelligent design.
During the tour, Zin provided an in-depth look at the process behind the innovative tender's construction — from a cardboard/plywood 1:1-scale mockup to the gleaming finished hull that was under construction.
Recycled teak wood provides trim and flooring. Aluminum metal supports have a honeycomb construction with hollowed-out portions of the frame to help make the 13,814-pound carbon fiber vessel as light as possible.
"I firmly believe in a good design process," Zin said.
The Japanese-inspired efficiency starts with batteries under the floor. They are powerful, specially-made power packs that are part of Zin Boats' vision of electrifying the boating sector. Zin said it's a commonsense, cost-saving transition for boaters and one that's also good for the environment. The boats don't have a "drop of oil" or hydraulic fluid in them, he added.
The company started building novel electric boats in 2020. Logistics hangups tied to parts needed from the automotive sector required Zin Boats to take a pause. The team then focused on building its own technology.
"We learned very quickly that we needed to decouple from automotive," company president and COO David Donovick said. "We have to control our own technology."
That effort led to an exclusive global partnership with Irish battery maker Xerotech, which has a contract to build equipment for a European Space Agency space station. Now it also provides Zin Boats with more than 630 battery variations. The flexibility will help with the boat builder's rollout of other customizable vessels — all part of a plan to make battery-powered crafts throughout the industry.
It begins with boats that will be 20-plus feet in length, built on the same framework. Cabins, solar panels, and other features can be added to meet customer demand, according to the company. To drive home the quality and low-upkeep nature of the crafts, Zin said the maintenance page in the manual is mostly blank. It says "wash it," he added.
While the tender and other models will be priced in the luxury space for now, Zin Boats' leaders said they intend to make affordable options for everyday recreationists. They are willing to share battery and propulsion tech with other builders as well.
Part of the goal is to prove that batteries match and even exceed fuel-burning alternatives.
"I want to get you the same experience or better," Zin said. "And this is very doable.
For its part, the tender is setting several "world's firsts."
It's the first boat of its kind that will go more than 60 miles per hour with 2,000 peak horsepower available. The battery can be recharged in four hours. It has a leading electric tender range of more than 100 nautical miles. A joystick steering option is also a first, providing modern ease for complicated dock navigation. What's more, the tender is uniquely qualified to be housed inside another boat, a first for battery-powered crafts. It was also mandatory for the superyacht project, all per Zin Boats.
It is widely reported that the shipping sector, primarily large cargo vessels, produces about 3% of the world's heat-trapping air pollution. NASA links the planet's warming to increased risks for tidal flooding and rising marine temperatures.
In response, companies around the world are developing new versions of sails, hydrogen, and battery options as an answer. Importantly, you don't need a superyacht to make a difference. Zin said that many everyday items — citing power tools — are better with batteries.
Switching to electric lawn equipment, for example, is another great, money-saving next step for most people.
Zin added that he wants to make sure future generations have access to natural resources like the pristine Poland lakes he enjoyed as a child. As a result, cleaner boats bearing his name could be in a growing number of docks in the future.
"Here in Seattle … we take on a project and change the world," he said.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
