Edited by
Nick Burnham
The key boating stories you need to read Email: [email protected]LATESTNEWS
Foiling superboat takes off
Princess to use Active Foils
Enata Marine takes the wraps off its ‘fl ying’ hybrid-powered Foiler
Secret R Class superboat will use high tech adjustable foils
These are the first photographs
of a radical new foiling sportsboat
launched at the Dubai International
Boat Show in March.
Called the Enata Foiler but dubbed
‘the flying yacht’ by its makers Enata
Marine, it rises up on four extending
carbon-fibre hydrofoils. These enable
it to ‘fly’ up to 6ft above the surface
of the water with only its foils and
propellers still immersed.At slower speeds or when berthing,
the foils retract and tuck up alongside
the topsides. This reduces the
draught to just 2ft (0.6m) and
keeps the beam in check so that
it can fit in a normal marina berth
or be lifted on board a superyacht.
Once above 18 knots, the
foils deploy, lifting it above
all but the largest waves.
The company claims thismakes it not only extremely quiet but
also very stable, enabling passengers
to move easily around it at speed.
It also says that the reduced wave
impact ‘virtually eliminates sea
sickness’ and creates a third of
the normal wake disturbance.Powering the vessel is an equally
sophisticated diesel-electric hybrid
propulsion system. Two BMW 320hp
diesel engines drive generators which
in turn feed power to twin electric
motors. These are mounted in slender
torpedo-shaped hubs on the aft foils,
which move up and down
in tandem with the front
foils so that the propellers
always stay immersed.
Flat out, the Foiler
reaches 40 knots but
is most efficient when
cruising at 30 knots. This
gives it a range of 130nm
from its 300-litre fuel tank.
A battery pack allows
the electric motors to run
without the diesel engines
for short periods, giving silent cruising
for ten minutes at 10 knots when
approaching a dock or cruising slowly
without disturbing people or wildlife.
On board, there is room for up
to seven guests and a driver spread
across the open cockpit and bow
area. Glass windows in the bow give
a bird’s-eye view of the water flying
under the boat. The back end of the
cockpit is left completely open for
sunbathing or water sports.
Built at Enata Marine’s yard in the
UAE, the 31ft Foiler will cost £900,
ex UK VAT.Carbon-fi bre foils lift
the entire hull up to
6ft above the wavesThe foils and torpedo-
shaped electric motors
retract for easier storageThe secret Princess R Class prototype
spotted undergoing sea trials at Ben
Ainslie Racing last month will use
a sophisticated active foiling system.
The news was confirmed in
a short promotional preview about
the R Class on Princess’s website
last month. It stated that ‘the all-
new R Class will feature the unique
Princess Active Foiling System (AFS)’
helping it to deliver ‘the fastest and
most efficient Princess boating
experience to date.’
Although technical details of how
the new system will work are scant,
we understand that it’s a very different
proposition to the long retractablefoils used on the Enata Foiler and
SEAir RIB. Instead, it uses a pair
of shorter retractable foils that
won’t lift the entire hull clear of the
water but simply reduce the wetted
surface area for a smoother, more
stable, more fuel-efficient ride.
The emphasis on this being an
active system suggests that the
foils themselves are adjustable
and will be controlled by an on-board
computer that monitors the speed,
heading and trim of the boat and
constantly adjusts the foils to give
the smoothest possible ride.
Other details released in the same
posting confirm that it will be calledthe R35 and that the
finished 35-footer will
feature a spacious
cabin with a separate
heads, galley and
a seating area that
converts to a double
berth for overnighting.
Power will come
from a pair of petrol
V8 sterndrives
(another reason why the hull can’t
lift clear of the water), giving the light
but strong carbon-fibre hull a claimed
top speed of 50 knots.
Although the final look of the R
has not yet been revealed, a newThis Manga-style advert
gives the best clue yet
as to how the fi nished
Princess R35 will lookadvert depicting a Japanese Manga-
style cartoon of the boat suggest
it will be a lot curvier than the early
prototype suggested, more like a
futuristic Riva Aquariva than the more
angular looks of a Fjord or VanDutch.