CANDELA P-8 VOYAGER

The new foiling Candela P-8 Voyager recently debuted in Venice – it is designed to carry its passengers silently and comfortably through wake-sensitive areas, like Venice’s lagoon and canals or over delicate coral reefs, without leaving a trace.

The P-8 Voyager has two to three times the range of other electric speedboats, but the foil technology’s biggest boon is to the fragile marine environment.

Conventional speedboats use internal combustion engines (ICE) that burn large amounts of fossil fuel. Their hulls displace water, forming wakes that erode shorelines and damage coral reefs and other sensitive ecosystems. Other problems include oil spills, emissions, and noise pollution, known to adversely affect fish and other aquatic organisms.

Candela’s electric P-8 Voyager barely leaves a trace on the water’s surface. Its hydrodynamically shaped foils leave a tiny 5cm high wake that causes minimal erosion or disturbance to aquatic environments. Yet, with its motor at full revs, it tops out at 30 knots and has a range of 50 nautical miles at cruise speed. And it doesn’t have to slow down for waves either: 1.2m swells are barely noticeable for up to six passengers and two crew enjoying the scenery from the boat’s air-conditioned panorama cabin.

Built in Sweden using Candela’s computer-guided foils which reduce energy consumption by 80% compared to traditional motorboats, the Candela P-8 Voyager glides above the friction of water, drawing on only 25kw of power from its Candela C-POD motor at 20 knots.

The P-8 Voyager has been developed specifically to replace small, fast ICE passenger craft, yacht tenders, taxis and rigid inflatable boats. Candela’s ultra-compact Candela C-POD motor was specifically developed for the company’s hydrofoiling craft. Twin, submerged motors directly drive counter-rotating propellers. There’s no transmission, and, therefore, no noise, no oil, no cooling fluid – and no need for maintenance.

The C-POD can run for 3,000 hours without servicing, which makes the P-8 Voyager a good choice for operators in remote locations where technicians are far and few between. http://candela.com/p-8-voyage