No engine roar, no lapping waves, no spray in the cockpit – the Candela C-8 glides over the Main. Sealectric organised a two-day test event in collaboration with Skyline Boating and the Frankfurt Water Sports Centre. Prospective buyers were able to try out the first mass-produced electric boat featuring hydrofoil technology for themselves. From around 16 knots, the T-shaped wings generate enough lift to raise the entire hull out of the water. The boat glides along steadily and silently; even in rough seas, there is no pitching or rolling. The sensation is less like boating and more like flying in an ultralight aircraft. Whilst other electric boats struggle against water resistance, the C-8 simply takes off.
Candela C-8: Hydrofoil technology from Sweden
The C-8 is made entirely from pre-preg carbon fibre. The cockpit is more reminiscent of a modern electric sports car than a classic motorboat: uncluttered, digital, minimalist. The battery and management system comes from Polestar, the Swedish subsidiary of Volvo. Carbon sports seats for the driver and front passenger, a rear bench seat for three people and a sleeping area measuring 1.40 by 1.65 metres make the C-8 suitable for longer trips too. Below deck, the minimalist design continues: white GRP surfaces, light-coloured upholstery, a compact toilet and a sleeping area measuring 1.58 by 2.70 metres for two people.
The Foil Control System operates a hundred times a second
At the heart of the C-8 is the Foil Control System, developed in-house by Candela. Sensors continuously monitor movements, waves, wind and steering commands. An on-board computer uses this data to calculate the position of the foils in real time – up to a hundred times per second. The rider is barely aware of any of this. The boat simply remains stable, smooth and gliding. The C-8 is powered by the specially developed Candela C-POD: an electric motor integrated directly into the foil section, with a continuous output of 45 kilowatts and two counter-rotating propellers. No gearbox, no drive shaft, no impeller – low-maintenance and designed for over 3,000 operating hours.
50 nautical miles’ range at 22 knots
Thanks to foil technology, energy consumption during hover flight is reduced by up to 80 per cent compared with conventional planing boats. The 69-kilowatt-hour battery enables a range of up to 50 nautical miles at 22 knots. Charging takes around five hours using three-phase current, or under two hours using DC fast charging. In a competition held in 2023, the hydrofoil boat covered a distance of 420 nautical miles in 24 hours, setting a new world record. Energy consumption is around 0.9 kilowatt-hours per nautical mile – less than 30 cents per mile, depending on the electricity tariff. A conventional motorboat of a similar size consumes around 1.7 litres of diesel per nautical mile at 29 knots, which equates to approximately 3.06 euros per mile.
Positive response on the Main
On the second weekend in June, many passers-by along the Main pulled out their mobile phones to film what was travelling through the city – not on, but above the water. Against a backdrop of bank skyscrapers and the ECB Tower, interested members of the public were able to test the C-8 at length. “It’s always a pleasure to see how positively the boat is received,” says Philip Demler of Sealectric. “After the initial tension of taking off for the first time, you very quickly realise that travelling in the C-8 is much more relaxed than in conventional boats. The boat glides gently over the waves, and even at 22 knots you can have a relaxed chat in the cockpit because it’s simply extremely quiet.”
No disruptive wake
The positive response is also evident among those who aren’t on board. Stand-up paddlers, sailors and rowers give a friendly, appreciative nod as the boat passes them by, because foiling doesn’t create any disruptive wake. Tourists on the passenger ferries briefly ignore the Frankfurt skyline and instead marvel at the fast boat gliding past them almost silently. “When you’re out on the C-8, you attract a lot of attention, but always in a positive way,” remarks Philip Demler. “Most people have never seen anything like this in real life.” Foiling is now familiar to many, at least from the media, particularly since the boats in the America’s Cup and the Vendee Globe have also been racing on foils.
Sealectric as a Candela dealer
The event in Frankfurt took place in collaboration with Skyline Boating, which runs a boat hire business offering training courses at Frankfurt’s Westhafen Marina – including some electric boats. The Kiel-based electric boat specialists at Sealectric distribute Candela boats in Germany, with Ultramarin and Meichle & Mohr acting as their partners in southern Germany. Last year, BOOTE readers took part in the BOOTE Foil Experience We’ve already had the chance to test the Candela C-8 in Neustadt and on Lake Constance. Sealectric also knows a thing or two about e-foils, as a Fliteboard dealer serving the whole of northern Germany and the operator of several e-foil schools.
VIP shuttle at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
At the end of June, the Candela C-8 will be on display again on Lake Constance. As part of the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, a major conference for Nobel laureates, Sealectric will be demonstrating the benefits of the C-8 as a VIP shuttle from the mainland to the island of Lindau. Test trips for interested parties will also be taking place there.
Martin Hager
Editor in Chief YACHT
