Day cruising is a fun activity to enjoy on long summer days, regardless of whether you choose the quiet coves of a lake, a river, a canal, or the coastline to spend the day on the water. For those who love day boating and want to minimize their environmental impact, Kaebon, a young Munich-based company, has unveiled a lightweight electric boat with clean and elegant lines and a wave-piercing bow.
Called EB Eins, the small dayboat is made from ultra-light carbon composite materials and was designed to be the lightest motorboat in the world. It measures 17 feet (5.2 meters) in length, 5.6 feet (1.70 meters) in width, and tips the scales at just 196 pounds (89 kg). This makes it small and lightweight enough to fit and be carried on the roof of a vehicle.
According to the startup, which was founded in 2021 by Kai Krause, a sailing and regatta fan, the boat’s layers are crafted from vacuum-tempered foam-core prepreg carbon fiber, a material that ensures shear strength, low weight, and load-bearing properties for the watercraft.
“The high-tech foam we use is ideal for applications that are subject to regular fatigue or impact loads. Its features include being consistently high quality, excellent adhesion and impact strength, chemical resistance, refraining water absorption, and good thermal and acoustic insulation,” the company explains.
The boat boasts a clean-looking design derived from the classic boats of the 1920s that mixes sportiness and style. Its inverted bow, long waterlines, and wedge-like shape are meant to maximize efficiency. Besides the aesthetic aspect, the company also focused on aerodynamic and hydrodynamic optimization in order to reduce drag and boost performance.
Photo: Kaebon
Due to its light hull construction, the EB Eins can use a smaller powertrain for propulsion without compromising performance. And a smaller motor also means cutting weight. With the same purpose of weight saving in mind, Kaebon forwent the conventional metal cleats and replaced them with textile loops that work just as well but weigh less. The total weight of the boat, with motor and battery, is 550 pounds (250 kg).
For the exterior finish, the manufacturer used topcoat paint that gives the boat a glossy look, protects it, and reduces the weight estimate compared to gelcoat.
This electric boat can accommodate up to four passengers, but the seating arrangement can be customized based on your needs. It is also equipped with a bimini to provide some shade during hot summer days.
Perfect for those who want a cleaner, more sustainable form of boating, the EB Eins offers a silent cruising experience, even at high speeds. The electric dayboat is offered with two Torqeedo e-drive options, namely Cruise 6.0 premium drive and Cruise 12.0 performance drive. The first option includes a 6,000-watt motor that provides propulsive power equivalent to a 9.9 hp gas engine and is associated with a 5,000 kWh lithium battery pack, while the second is the equivalent of 25 hp.
The boat will reach a top speed of approximately 15 knots (17 mph/30 kph). At full charge, the EB EIns will offer 45 minutes of fun, and when cruising slowly, it will run between 6 and 10 hours.
A prototype of the EB EIns dayboat was exhibited at this year’s edition of the Düsseldorf Boat Show, and the German startup says it will be produced starting this year. It is already available for order, with its price tag starting at €59,900 (approximately US $65,700 at current exchange rates) for the Torqeedo Cruise 6.0-powered model and €74,900 ($82,200) for the Torqeedo Cruise 12.0 version.
After spending a few years as a copy editor, Ancuta decided to put down the eraser and pick up the writer's pencil. Her favorites subjects are unusual car designs, travel trailers and everything related to the great outdoors. Full profile
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