The Neocean Overboat Is an Electric Flying Boat That Brings the Fun Without the Noise

Neocean is a French company that produces and sells a PWC (personal watercraft) called the Overboat, the latest iteration of which was presented at the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival, as the New Atlas reports. That iteration is the F Series of the Overboat, which is an electric catamaran-like ski that comes with retractable hydrofoils. It’s an electric flying boat, as Neocean puts it.

The Overboat has been around for some time and is already available in certain territories in Europe (France, Spain, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, and Switzerland) and the United Arab Emirates. The flagship model is the C Series, which is a catamaran, twin-hull ski offered in two sizes: the Overboat 100C and the Overboat 150C, for one or two passengers, respectively.

The F Series adds the retractable, inverted T-shape hydrofoils that lift the sit-atop watercraft above the waves and thus offer minimal friction, a much smoother and stable ride, and increased speed. The Overboat 150F, for instance, which is the only one that requires a special license in order to operate and is a two-seat watercraft, offers top speeds of 20 knots (23 mph / 37 kph).

On both models of the F Series, the lift is achieved at a speed of 10 knots (12 mph / 19 kph), but the per-charge range is estimated at two hours of runtime in the lower-consumption cat mode. The F150 is powered by a 10-kWh battery pack, while the smaller F100 gets a smaller 5.7-kWh battery pack. Charging takes under two hours, and the C Series models offer the possibility of battery swapping for extended time out on the water.

The merits of the F Series Overboat go beyond the fact that it’s noiseless and produces no wake and no pollution. It is also quite an elegant daysailer, with teak, yacht-inspired landing on both sides for excellent grip and the occasional functionality of a beach platform, lightweight dual poly-fiberglass hulls, smart controls, and smart technology, including a smart control system that adjusts the incidence of the hydrofoils at a rate of 100 times per second, to ensure a smooth and most comfortable ride.

The operator (and passenger on the two-seat version) sits atop the raised platform connecting the two hulls, but they might as well sit anywhere else. The Overboat F Series can be controlled remotely, just like a drone, which renders it very useful for search and rescue or covert missions. These two uses are showcased in the video at the bottom of the page. Neocean highlights the agility and stability of the watercraft even when it’s operating in unmanned mode.

Neocean promises that innovation and technology drive the Overboat towards a more sustainable future, but with no compromise on the kind of fun experience offered.

“Respect for our environment and our oceans is a major concern for future generations,” Vincent Dufour, the company’s founder, says. “At Neocean, we’ve decided to put our love for the sea and our expertise to work for everyone by offering a new kind of boating experience that lets you fly over the water with zero noise and zero CO2 – but plenty of excitement.”

As with similar, fully-electric, fun water toys, a guilt-free conscience isn’t free of charge. The Overboat retails for prices starting at €14,158 ($14,000 at the current exchange rate) for the smallest C Series that doesn’t “fly” and goes all the way up to €34,992 ($34,700) for the flying two-seater “boat,” as Neocean calls it. For an extra buck, you can also get add-ons like a carbon fiber hull upgrade, a launching trolley, or a trailer, and shipping to territories not on the list.