THE DESIGNER
TThis year, powerboat racing enthusiasts are catching a glimpse of a new concept boat that seamlessly blends electric power with the sleek sexiness of sports cars and the pure adrenaline of offshore racing. It’s called the RaceBird, and its co-creator is a Norwegian yacht designer, Sophi Horne.
Horne grew up on the water, enjoying competitive sailing and the family motorboat. The self-described tomboy even built her own sailboat.
“They found me and my little sister just as we were ready to sail off,” Horne remembers, laughing. “I was always passionate about building, but I never believed I would end up designing boats.”
Horne initially pursued a career in branding and graphic design, landing at SSH Maritime as creative director. Boat design, she says, just seemed too big. Then she was introduced to the naval architects.
“[Director] James Frangi believed in me,” she says. “I went back to school for my bachelor’s degree.”
Horne attended Westerdals School of Design, Communication and Technology in Oslo, graduating in 2017. One day, sitting in the airport in Paris, she had an idea.
“I wanted to design a boat that could be available to more people,” she says. “I was thinking of the people who can’t afford a yacht but want to spend the summer on the water.”
Coming from Oslo, Horne already was a fan of electric cars, and she wanted this new boat to feature electric power—cool electric power. “I want sleek sports cars, not bubbly, cute electric cars,” she notes. “Now, Formula E, that’s cool, and they went electric. So, I wanted to be creative and daring, and to push the industry a bit. I was already an outsider, so if I failed, I failed.”
Drawing inspiration from the auto industry, Horne created the lines and shape of her new boat. She also developed a foiling solution for maximum efficiency. She christened her 7-meter, six-berth boat SeaBird, and she prepared a full business plan. Formula E took notice.
“I was invited to meet Alejandro [Agag] and attend a race,” she says. “Two and a half years ago, he became my first investor. He said, ‘I see the passion in your eyes.’”
Agag told Horne she would need a world-class business and engineering team. He made introductions, and SeaBird Technologies came to life.
In partnership with Italian boatbuilder Victory Marine, SeaBird Technologies’ first project is the foiling RaceBird. Capable of reaching speeds up to 58 mph, the prototype will be complete in early 2022, with the E1 Series championship scheduled later in the year.
“With Alejandro, things move very fast,” Horne says. “It’s very exciting and a lot of pressure. E1 is a 14-minute race format with a lot of twists and turns, so it will really showcase the wow factor.”
And the coolness factor. As Horne turns back to her SeaBird concept, she remains committed to making the boats available to as many people as possible through direct sales and boat-sharing apps. With the RaceBird’s momentum, she also hopes to create a recreational brand that’s something special.
“I want SeaBird owners to feel like they’re driving the RaceBird,” she explains.
Looking back, Horne says it was a challenge to lead a project as a newcomer and as a woman—but worth it.
“Like Nike says, just do it,” she says with a smile. “Be stubborn and persistent through the ups and downs. Dare to showcase who you are.”
“I WAS ALWAYS PASSIONATE ABOUT BUILDING, BUT I NEVER BELIEVED I WOULD END UP DESIGNING BOATS.”