Traditionally zero emissions vessels have had a short range. There is only so much battery one can include in a boat before it is all battery. An all-battery boat isn't very useful.
Hydrofoils are the key.
They reduce hull drag by up to 80%, allowing zero emissions boats to make the most of every bit of energy available. This allows Seachange's vessels to have incredible range and makes sustainable boating practical.
Seachange's hulls are made from carbon fiber epoxy composite. Aluminum hulls are prone to fatigue and have shorter lifetimes. Carbon fiber is incredibly durable with commercial hull life significantly exceeding aluminum. It's also just as easy to repair as any composite (fiberglass) vessel using basic composite repair techniques. Long product life cycles and repairability are a major tent pole in the sustainable future.
Made with conviction in New Zealand at our facility in Auckland.
Absolutely! All Seachange standard platforms can be made available as a displacement vessel at a discount.
While range is important, there are some missions where a displacement zero emissions vessel will do just fine. One example of such a mission is a short distance harbor ferry in protected waters. The distances are short and the waves are minimal making a displacement vessel perfectly suitable.
The hulls, energy system and propulsion systems are all the same allowing us to reduce the cost of zero emissions platforms and make sustainability more accessible.
The boats are special where it counts though - the experience.
Each of Seachange's commercial platforms can be customized to suit the specific needs of operators and their customers.
Realizing the customer's dream is what it's all about. The cost for a feature will depend on the feature. Seachange aims to keep the costs reasonable and on par with commercial vessel manufacturers.
Yup! We're here to make sustainable boating work for everyone and sometimes that means letting them do their own thing.
Definitely! We're here to make sustainable boating work for everyone and oftentimes that means collaborating to realize a customer's vision.
Seachange's vessels will all achieve the range for serious missions (up to 70 NM per charge!). Using the vessel in displacement mode can extend the range even further when used at modest speeds. See the specifications table for details.
Yes! It's part of the experience. Foiling is a great way to keep energy consumption low when traveling fast. It's also an option to travel in foil assist mode with the foils retracted but still providing some lift at speed where depth is limited. In foil assist mode the ride going through waves is significantly improved from a standard vessel. Traveling at modest speeds in displacement mode is also perfectly reasonable and will provide additional range.
Fantastically. Seachange's foiling vessels fly above the waves to provide a smooth experience even when the water isn't. In displacement mode at speed, the foils provide some lift making the ride smoother than a comparable displacement vessel.
Absolutely. The foils are able to retract for shallow water operation. The F8, F10 and F14 can even support beach landings when configured appropriately.
The foils are robust. They are designed to easily handle normal debris such as branches. Colliding with larger debris like trees at high speeds would likely cause damage to any vessel and Seachange's vessels are no exception. The foils are designed for easy inspection and replacement when a large impact is sustained.
Seachange's commercial platforms have multiple redundancy options to keep the vessel moving even if a sub-system decides to take the day off. The F10, F14 and F18 have independent sets of propulsion with independent energy and control systems. If there is an issue with one set of propulsion, the vessel can continue to operate, albeit in displacement mode. The flight control system is independent from the system for basic maneuvering in displacement mode.
Seachange's vessels come standard as battery electric. Battery electric systems are simple, readily available and one of the most sustainable ways to power a vehicle. With that being said, Seachange is here to make sustainable boating work for everyone and can help explore other energy systems.
Electric vessels store their energy in batteries. The batteries are charged at the dock or at home for trailerable vessels. A few considerations:
There are many different charging options available. Standard AC charging currently available at any marina or at home can work for smaller vessels or vessels which have extended periods of down time. For faster charging and where turn-around needs to be quick, automotive DC charging standards such as CCS type 2 come into play. This is the same charging standard used to power electric vehicles on the roads. Seachange's vessels can exceed 1 nautical mile of foiling range per minute of charging using DC charging standards. A 15 minute stop to pick up passengers could be 15 miles of extra range.
Due to the low cost of electricity and simplicity of the mechanisms involved in hydrofoiling, the ownership costs of hydrofoiling vessels are lower than fossil fuel vessels. Furthermore, carbon fiber composite hulls built for commercial service have an exceedingly long lifetime when compared to aluminum.
Electricity costs can vary greatly but are commonly substantially less than fuel. In New Zealand the savings can exceed 80% which can make a big difference to commercial operators and consumers alike. The exact cost savings will depend on local conditions. Electric motors are typically very reliable compared to their internal combustion counterparts.
Just like an outboard or an inboard diesel engine, at some point the batteries in an electric vessel will age to the point that they need to be replaced. The batteries used in Seachange's vessels can exceed 4,000 deep cycles of operation, maintaining 80% of their original capacity. This could be over 10,000 hours of usage depending on duty cycle.
When the batteries need to be replaced, that isn't the end of life for the battery. Seachange will support second life applications for batteries such as grid storage applications. Furthermore, Seachange is partnering with battery manufacturers who support a recycling and refurbishment program for their products to enable a complete technical reuse cycle.
Seachange will offer an extended warranty and service program for 5 years for hull, foil, actuation, propulsion and control systems. Third party systems will carry a 1 year warranty for material, manufacturing and installation defects. With that being said, we're here to make zero emissions vessels work for everyone and that means being there as a service partner for the whole journey.
The below water foil systems are similar to rudders and will need occasional service of moving parts as well as the usual surface finishes and treatments. For vessels that spend their time in the water, the foils will occasionally need to be cleaned. The reduced surface areas of the foils will make the job significantly easier than cleaning a whole hull.
Electric propulsion systems such as motors are typically very low in maintenance and should require minimal servicing. Likewise the battery system should require no service.
Seachange is in the business of partnering with operators and consumers alike to go emissions free.
That means being a partner in realizing our customers' vision for the experience they want with their vessel.
That means being a partner in supporting our customers for charging solutions.
That means being a partner in support and service for the whole product lifecycle.
We're here for the whole journey.
Get in touch with us using our contact form and let's have a conversation.
That will depend on local regulations but we're here to make sustainable boating work for everyone. Critical service on Seachange specific systems will be led by Seachange either directly or through a third party agent.
We're excited for commercial deliveries to start in 2023 🎉