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Motor yachts & powerboats

Today, there’s a BENETEAU powerboat or motor yacht for whatever you’re looking for – from casual cruising to long-distance adventuring, from fishing and diving to water skiing. They can be found on the open ocean, coastlines, harbors, lakes, and rivers. There’s a whole world to discover out there, and there’s no better way to discover it than at the helm of a BENETEAU powerboat, trawler or motor yacht.

Our Flyer range was conceived to be the  day-boat  of your dreams. Equipped with our AirStep ®  Hull, these powerboats boast faster acceleration and more responsive maneuvering, as well as the ability to lift up and cut through waves –  perfect  for cruising, water skiing, and wakeboarding. The Flyer also features two different deck plans, our SUNdeck or our SPACEdeck, to maximize either your  sunbathing or entertaining needs!

The Antares is a  true memory-maker . This range of powerboats wholly represents our passion for pure water-born freedom and is perfect for those looking for a smaller – but mighty – cruiser to enjoy the weekend and create lifelong memories with family and friends. Her enclosed pilothouse and cozy interior allow for early and late season excursions to extend the fun, and her flared hull and  outboard engines  give you the safety and performance BENETEAU is known for. So go to all those special, out-of-the-way places, like a favorite secluded cove or waterfront restaurant, because the  Antares  can take you there! 

Gran Turismo

The Gran Turismo is in a class by herself, setting the trend for what an  express cruiser  could be. Each model is brimming with  technology and performance  so cruising at speed is one of the great joys she lives for. Her spacious and contemporary design provides a new definition to supremely livable interior and exterior space while her  sleek lines  and elegant profile are sure to turn heads.

The Trawler range is smart without being difficult,  balanced without being bland . She has reinvented what a trawler can be and does not compromise on space, with more room and amenities aboard than you would find in a traditional trawler.  Designed for traveling long distances , she opts for a nimble yet stable hull that provides both comfort and solid, positive handling in all weather. If boats had souls (and she just might have one), hers would yearn for that destination just over the horizon, and if yours does too, the Swift Trawler is the  perfect match . The Grand Trawler 62 is the flagship of the range which  builds on the accumulated knowledge of Swift Trawler in combination with simple luxury.

Former BENETEAU powerboats

Our history has been told many times in these last fifty years, but, to understand it, you need to grasp our company values, and return to its origins, since it is nothing but continuity and progression. - Annette ROUX

A WIDE RANGE OF POWERBOATS AND LUXURY YACHTS

Planning your next trip or vacation? Do you love fishing, cruising safely with your family and friends? Discover our most popular powerboats. Outboard or inboard powered , there is a boat to suit your dreams at your local BENETEAU  boat dealers .

Innovations for leisure boating

With a wide range of motorboats suited to all boating practices, BENETEAU can satisfy every boater’s needs, including professionals. What is more, BENETEAU constantly seeks to reinvent itself by proposing innovations for safe, user-friendly boating for everyone:

• Airstep® hulls were developed to provide comfort and safety at sea, and offer thrilling speed
• Ship control centralizes all the boat’s electric controls on a single screen to make life easier for you
• The new Volvo Inboard Performance System drive makes handling much easier and offers greater power

WIDE ranges of boats for all types of boaters

Antares outboard: beneteau's best classics.

The Antares is a true memory-maker. This range of powerboats wholly represents our passion for pure water-born freedom and is perfect for those looking for a smaller – but mighty – cruiser to enjoy the weekend and create lifelong memories with family and friends. Her enclosed pilothouse and cozy interior allow for early and late season excursions to extend the fun, and her flared hull and outboard engines give you the safety and performance BENETEAU is known for. So go to all those special, out-of-the-way places, like a favorite secluded cove or waterfront restaurant, because the Antares can take you there!  

The FLYER: for day trips

Our Flyer range was conceived to be the day-boat of your dreams. Equipped with our AirStep® Hull, these powerboats boast faster acceleration and more responsive maneuvering as well as the ability to lift up and cut through waves – perfect for cruising, water skiing, and wakeboarding. The Flyer also features two different deck plans, our SUNdeck or our SPACEdeck, to maximize either your sunbathing or entertaining needs!

The GRAN TURISMO: driving sensations

The Gran Turismo is in a class by herself, setting the trend for what an express cruiser could be. Each model is brimming with technology and performance so cruising at speed is one of the great joys she lives for. Her spacious and contemporary design provides a new definition to supremely livable interior and exterior space while her sleek lines and elegant profile are sure to turn heads.

The SWIFT TRAWLER: true passagemakers 

The Swift Trawler range is smart without being difficult, balanced without being bland. She has reinvented what a trawler can be and does not compromise on space, with more room and amenities aboard than you would find in a traditional trawler. Designed for traveling long distances, she opts for a nimble yet stable hull that provides both comfort and solid, positive handling in all weather. If boats had souls (and she just might have one), hers would yearn for that destination just over the horizon, and if yours does too, the Swift Trawler is the perfect match.

The Monte Carlo: luxury yachts

The Monte Carlo range of motor yachts embodies timeless elegance and no-compromise craftsmanship. She features only the finest materials and handcrafted finishes. She is powerful yet graceful, luxurious yet practical. Her spacious and bright interior is ideal for entertaining, and her expansive flybridge provides the perfect space for enjoying an evening cruise with sensational panoramic water views.

THE GRAND TRAWLER: ULTIMATE VOYAGING YACHT

Designed exclusively to let you travel non-stop and uninterrupted for days on end in pure luxury, the Grand Trawler 62 is the latest evolution in yachts. A yacht that lets you voyage in style for long periods, enjoying the peace and tranquillity that only ocean exploration can provide.

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JEANNEAU POWERBOATS: a rich and diverse range of powerboats

A new vision of the premium Day Boat

The DB Yachts line sets a new milestone in the world of premium Day Boats by reinterpreting them, offering a new and unique experience in day boating to meet the expectations of boaters, both today and tomorrow.

Unmatched Versatility

From 22 to 40 feet, these stable and powerful V-shaped hulls provide excellent seakeeping and secure handling while underway. Jam-packed with ample storage, multiple berths, roomy forward and aft sundecks, it's time to explore!

Game-changing Center Console

Whether you’re cruising for a weekend away or enjoying a sunset cruise with friends, the Leader Center Console lineup is innovative and built for the North American market.

NC Weekender

Ultimate Outboard Cruiser

Offering the perfect year-round family cruiser, ideal for a weekend away or simply a day on the water.

Crafted for Adventure Seekers

Built for outdoor living at its best, the NC Sport Line is geared up and ready for any adventure.

Pure performance. Pure experience.

From diving adventures with friends to coastal cruising with the family : At Jeanneau, we take your needs pretty seriously. Which is why, for over 60 years, we have been building boats based on proven designs and made them even better with ingenious innovations. Our range of powerboats with excellent hull designs is built to last, easy to handle, and simply one of the best ways to have a great experience.

For t he purchase and/or sale of a powerboat, please don’t hesitate to contact your Jeanneau dealership by clicking here:

Contact your Jeanneau dealer

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• APACHE STAR – WSR

  Apache 24  “SPEEDSTER”

Available in Inboard or Outboard models

Apache® 24 “Speedster”

The world’s most trusted name in offshore powerboats introduces its most maneuverable vessel to date. At twenty-four feet, the Apache® 24 TS launches an exhilarating new line of accessible, recreational vessels from the master craftsmen who custom manufactured more than eight hundred rough water, deep-V racing boats, including the world speed record-holder from the U.S. to Cuba.

The Apache® 24 TS is the ideal vessel for the discerning speedboat enthusiast looking to add a sporty yacht tender to the garage or for the emerging hobbyist determined to christen his collection with a statement. The incomparable smoothness of its ride means the whole family can join you on the open water to partake in the pleasures of power boating.

Fully customizable, the Apache® 24 TS offers a variety of options in three distinct cockpit configurations:

• 3 seats with center wheel steering
• 4 seats with portside wheel steering
• 5 seats with portside joystick steering and optional touchscreen controls
• The single engine can be inboard/outboard or outboard-powered.

Every Apache® 24 TS features Recaro® seats and luxurious components tailored to the client’s specifications. Like all Apache® models, the sleek, streamlined 24 hull design excels in adverse seas, combining the agility of an elite racing boat with premium value at an introductory price.

We would be honored to have you share the legacy of dominance and join our championship heritage. Come ride the next wave of Apache® technology and earn your checkered flag.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• L.O.A.: 24’0” (7.3 m) (does not include bracket and outboard or outdrive on inboard model)
• Beam: 8’0” (2.44 m)
• Displacement: 4,500 lbs. (estimated) (2,041 kgs)
• Fuel: 90 gal. (340 L)
• Draft – Stern drive down: 36” (91.44 cm) (outboard similar)
• Deadrise: 24° at transom
• Passenger capacity: 3-5 (pending cockpit configuration selection)

CONSTRUCTION FEATURES

• Hand laid composite – Marine biaxial and triaxial S-glass laminate with high density foam coring
• Hull and deck bonded and glassed together
• Composite stringers
• 5-year limited hull warranty
• Tonneau cover for cockpit: custom designed and fitted Sunbrella Acralon
• Cockpit Carpet: removable marine grade
• Beverage holders(4)
• Cabin: finished in carpet as storage area
• Cockpit seating: Race seats by Recaro, shock mounted
• Seats and vinyl console covering per client selection
• Controls: MerCruiser deluxe single lever with trim in handle
• Cockpit grab bars as required
• Ignition safety switch (1)
• Lighting: LED; cockpit courtesy(4)
• Stereo System: Fusion MS-AV750 marine stereo with DVD, CD, HDMI, and Bluetooth (1)
• Four – 6.5″ JL speakers
• Storage area for dock lines, anchor and fenders
• Steering hydraulic with tilt wheel
• Removable cooler

MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

• Battery Box: heavy-duty billet Optima aluminum powder coated (1)
• Bilge pumps (2) – Rule 2000 Gold Series
• Fuel Tank: heavy-duty, baffled, aluminum; foamed and bolted in position with stainless steel pickups (1)
• Propeller: Mercury Racing 4-blade, stainless steel
• Steering system: internal hydraulic outboard/inboard
• Engine hatch – electric – automatic (inboard)
• Trim planes: Mercury 280 Sport K-Planes (1 set)
• Fireboy MA2 Engine Compartment Fire Extinguishing System (Inboard Models)
• Powder coated aluminum engine compartment

CONSOLE- AUTOMETER COMPETITION GAUGES

• Oil Pressure (1)
• Speedometer (1)
• Voltage (1)
• Depth Finder (1)
• Alarms – Engine – Oil and Water (Audible)
• Water Pressure (1)
• Fuel Level (1)
• Trim Indicator
• Digital Compass (1)
• 12 volt Accessory Plug

STAINLESS STEEL DECK HARDWARE AND DECK RIGGING

• Cleats: pop up (3); fender (4); spring (2)
• Thru-hull fittings
• Wind deflector – race style – tempered windshield – Venturi
• Fuel fills: Flush; 2″ (1)
• Bow and stern eyes
• Rubrail: rigid vinyl
• Fuel vent (1)

12 VOLT DC ELECTRIC SYSTEM

• 12 v. power outlet
• Battery: Optima heavy-duty marine (1) (1 engine)
• Battery distribution switch (1)
• Switch panel with toggle switches – Cutsom
• Terminals, lugs, butt splices and connectors: locking design, nylon insulated
• Wiring and cable: marine grade (UL) tinned copper, specifically designed for marine racing environment; color coded wiring throughout (legend provided)

NAVIGATION AND SAFETY

• Horn: concealed recessed electric (1)
• Cushion: foam flotation; closed cell (1)
• Fire extinguisher: 1A-10BC hand-held with 13′ range, cockpit mounted (2)
• Flare kit (1)
• Fog bell (1)
• Horn: Alpex 12 v. handheld (1)
• Lights: LED international navigation (2)
• Vests: Lifeline high performance pleasure jackets (1 per seat)
• VHF marine radio: Icom
• Fenders: Rack Mounted (4)
• Anchor: Aluminum by Fortress – Chock Mounted
• Color coordinated dock lines (6)

March 23, 2023

The Osage Beach, MO boating mega-facility Performance Boat Center has to be one of the busiest marine shops in the nation. Not only are they successful dealers of the red-hot MTI  and Sunsation brands, selling countless models for both of the respective companies, but they have a complete service department, paint department, storage facilities, retail store, restaurants and bars, host several annual events on the Lake of the Ozarks and support a championship offshore race program––the Performance Boat Center / FASS Fuel Systems Super Stock team.

So it was an unwelcomed necessity when PBC owners Mark Waddington and Brett Manire had to step into the boat manufacturing realm of the industry, especially with their mutually beneficial manufacturer/dealer relationships.

"We never intended to be boat manufacturers, but with Cigarette (Racing Team)  trying to purchase Doug Wright (in 2022), and with Doug Wright becoming uncertain in their own future, we wanted to be able to be in control of our own quality and timing for the success of our own cat line," Manire told  Speedboat . "We took what was ours out of the Doug Wrights and built a manufacturing business out in Texas."

Manire is referring to a now defunct business relationship between Doug Wright of Doug Wright Designs/High-Tech Composites and Performance Boat Center to provide performance catamaran hulls to the Lake of the Ozarks-based company. PBC would then complete the boat with rigging, paint, interiors, engine installation and final delivery as Wright Performance catamarans. The partnership seemingly worked well for a few years, as the first WP360 cat debuted in 2017 and gained popularity and industry accolades on its performance, speed and styling.

"This is a whole new chapter for us," continued Manire. "We feel that we sell the best two outboard catamarans in the world––MTI and Performance Powerboats . We just can't get as many MTIs as we need to keep this place going, so we had to become a manufacturer. All of the quality issues I've ever seen before and all of the fixes we've wanted to fix, we've now accomplished all of that. We've made a lot of changes to the looks of the boat and some functionality but the main thing is now we control the quality of the boats and when we get them."

Located in Houston, Texas, the Performance Powerboats production facility is in a nearly new, climate-controlled 35,000 sq. foot-building where all of the molds, offices and lamination areas reside under one roof, to ensure the best possible outcome. All boats are laid up with carbon fiber and epoxy resin. The operation currently has 16-18 employees under the supervision of former longtime Mercury Racing tech, and current Performance Powerboats general manager Johnny Bauer , who joined the Performance team last year and has been integral in its progression to independent production and craftsmanship.

The hulls and decks are then sent to Performance Boat Center in Missouri, where the boat will be rigged and completed by the production team in LOTO. Paint designs are created by PBC's talented graphic artist, Rob Rich and executed on-site in their own state-of-the-art paint booths. The interiors are handcrafted and installed by Ryan Schwarzen of Kutting Edge Interiors in Moscow Mills, Missouri, while the windshields are provided by Lee Aerospace of Wichita, KS.

Available models are the P280 , which can accommodate a single or twin outboard application; the P360 , with recent design tweaks for improved look and feel; and the P420 , with a newly designed top deck––all exclusively powered with Mercury Racing outboard engines. The business is operating as its own entity as Performance Powerboats with Performance Boat Center in Missouri and Florida being the brand's dealers.

Performance Boat Center shop foreman Myrick Coil welcomes the change and the new venture into boat manufacturing.

"In my opinion, there are changes that the customers want––that need to get done before the boat gets laid up or in the process of the build. Not once it gets to rigging. So, it's one of those things where we're now able to control different aspects of the boat, modifications and adjustments, to ensure we deliver exactly what the customer wants and to make them happy," said Coil. "We know we have a strong following and a product that people want... and that there's a need for these boats because others can't even keep up now with the demand."

The company already has numerous orders currently in production at their new Texas facility, with more on the books. The Performance Boat Center team will be delivering their latest Performance Powerboats P360 to its owner at the Desert Storm Poker Run and Shootout in Lake Havasu City, AZ in late April, with other P360s following closely behind. The first P420 with the new top deck is expected to debut at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout , in late-August 2023.

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Hydrogen Power for Boats

• By Randy Vance
• August 26, 2024

Yamaha Marine stole the limelight at the 2024 Miami International Boat Show in February when it revealed a 450 hp hydrogen-powered V-8 outboard. It featured a Roush Performance fuel-delivery system in a 26-foot 26 XO Regulator Marine hull. The deck was off to reveal three 6-foot-long cylindrical-shaped hydrogen fuel tanks and a custom stringer grid, to nest them securely and protect them from deformation in operation. At that time, preliminary testing of the motor and vessel indicated a range of 50 to 75 miles based on the estimated 23 kilograms of hydrogen pressurized to 10,000 psi in high-pressure, plastic-lined composite-overwrapped fuel tanks. 

It brought up a big question: What does this portend for the future of recreational boating? Is this concept ready for prime time or just a pipe dream?

“It’s not optimized—yet,” says Grant Suzuki, chief technology engineer in charge of the marine innovation development division of Yamaha’s business unit. 

Matt Van Benschoten, Roush vice president of advanced engineering, agrees. “A gas tank in that vessel would hold about 107 gallons of fuel,” he explains. “Our goal, for this first H 2 fuel system, was to store approximately one-quarter of the gasoline energy content. The resulting fuel system achieves this goal.”

“The hydrogen initiative is an important pillar of three technologies on a pathway to carbon neutrality: hydrogen, electrification, and sustainable fuel,” ­Suzuki says. 

Yamaha is not alone in its ­research. The National Marine Manufacturers Association has an alternative-fuel initiative that encourages and empowers manufacturers to develop lower-­carbon fuels. Hydrogen is one of the NMMA’s favorites, but so are renewable fuels such as biobutanol, a distillate of organic materials.

In the Beginning

In the 1980s, the California Air ­Resources Board began to demand lower emissions from fuel-thirsty two-stroke ­outboard engines that essentially drooled unburned fuel from their ­exhaust ports. By the late ’90s, Yamaha had perfected HPDI, regarded as the most reliable two-stroke direct-fuel- injection system. It used computer wizardry to directly inject atomized fuel into the combustion chambers only after the piston stroke closed the exhaust port. Old two-stroke engines charged the combustion chambers while they were still open—a practice that was particularly wasteful at slower speeds. HPDI stopped the waste of blowing wet fuel through the inefficient two-stroke induction system, reduced emissions enormously, and maintained the power and torque for which two-stroke tech was known. After that, in the early 2000s, Yamaha began research-and-development tasks using fuel cells and alternative fuels such as hydrogen. 

At the same time, ­automakers such as Toyota, BMW and GM had well-developed fuel-cell ­prototypes. So did Yamaha in its motorcycle division. 

Hydrogen fuel cells create electricity by initiating a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in a process called electrolysis. This electricity powers an electric motor—sometimes several, as in the case of numerous commuter buses operating in California. Several fuel-cell cars are on the market today, such as the Toyota Marai, but only 60 or so hydrogen fuel stations exist to refuel them. The cost most recently reported, in late 2023, was $36 per kilogram. In a fuel-cell Marai, that amounted to 50 cents per mile in fuel costs: green, maybe, but prohibitively expensive and not widely marketable. The exhaust produced by a hydrogen fuel cell consists of water vapor and warm air. Emissions are nil.

“That early work on fuel cells led us to experiment on the viability of hydrogen as an internal-combustion-engine fuel,” Suzuki explains of Yamaha’s efforts.

And that’s how the 26-foot Regulator concept boat with a hydrogen-powered Yamaha V-8 came to be and was placed on exhibit at one of the world’s most important boat shows.

Hydrogen Pros and Cons

The potential advantage of hydrogen-fueled power lies in its use of conventional internal-combustion-engine technology, according to Yamaha. The twist is that the compressed hydrogen is delivered to the combustion chamber in a regulated manner, not atomized or vaporized gasoline forced in with the pressurized injection systems used in today’s engines.

Roush has decades of experience in this area, having developed many fuel-delivery systems for everything from aerospace applications to land-speed-­record vehicles. Roush’s systems replace conventional port or ­direct-injection systems and engine control modules, and often integrate supercharging ­technology.

Roush’s Van Benschoten ­explained the challenges of the ­fuel-delivery system. “Three Type 4 tanks hold about 7.5 kilograms of hydrogen [per tank] at 700 bar (10,000 psi),” he says. “Type 4 tanks are made with a plastic liner and composite overwrap. Tanks expand and shrink during each fuel-burn-refuel cycle, so it’s important to design a mounting system that does not overconstrain the tanks.”

Clearly the engine and fuel system are a heavy lift, but ­according to Joan Maxwell, ­Regulator’s president and CEO, her company is up to the task. 

“One of the challenges of this project was simply trying to place highly pressurized tanks in existing hulls,” she says. “For us at Regulator, it was a proof of concept.”

Regulator enlisted its top ­engineers to reform the 26 XO’s stringer grid to accept the tanks and protect them from deformation during use and abuse, then fit that into a boat. The design had to accommodate high-pressure fuel lines to transfer hydrogen to the fuel-delivery system at a rate to let the engine develop optimal horsepower, as well as accommodate the tanks’ expansion and contraction during burn and refuel cycles.

From 700 bar in the tanks, the hydrogen pressure must be stepped down through a series of regulators to 100 bar, or about 1,500 psi, which is the pressure at which the fuel injectors deliver the H 2 into the combustion chambers. 

Engineering challenges of fuel delivery include managing the ­ratio of oxygen to hydrogen being delivered into the ­combustion chamber and controlling ignition timing appropriately to account for the shorter burn duration of hydrogen-air ­versus gasoline-air vapor. The process, naturally, requires custom ­computerized engine controls. 

“Another challenge is the ­potential embrittlement of steel alloys, which, when not selected appropriately for a ­hydrogen-rich environment, can experience a reduction in the ductility due to absorbed hydrogen,” Van ­Benschoten says.

Hydrogen will diffuse into metals, and even after the fuel has left the system, it remains in the metal, and over time, that can cause it to fracture prematurely. 

“We have to design around that, particularly in the fuel-delivery system,” he says. “It also impacts the cylinders and heads and pistons, but the most vulnerable parts are the injectors and fuel rails and lines. You’ll see a lot of stainless steel in those parts.”

Combustible Confusion

You can’t discuss hydrogen as a fuel without thinking of the hydrogen-filled Hindenburg , which burst into flames when the German lighter-than-air passenger-carrying airship ignited while attempting to touch down in Lakehurst, New Jersey, in 1937. The disaster killed 36 people and injured more than 50 others. ­Anecdotally, recent studies have offered convincing evidence that it was the highly flammable doping compound painted on the fabric of the dirigible that was ignited by a spark, not the hydrogen inside. Still, many understandably worry that hydrogen fuel is dangerous because it’s extreme volatility—or so the thought goes. However, gasoline fumes are comparably volatile and are heavier than air, so if a gas tank ruptures and the fuel escapes initial ignition, the fuel is still present, dripping into a boat or floating on the water, at continued risk of ignition. Hydrogen will be evacuated from a compromised fuel tank almost immediately, provided that there is a way for it to get out of the boat, thus minimizing the time in which combustion can occur.

Van Benschoten explained ­Yamaha’s safety enhancements for handling hydrogen on board: “We have ‘sniffers’ in the bilge to detect hydrogen leaks, and if there is one, the tank valves are automatically closed, isolating the tanks, and the fuel lines are purged and piped above the top of the vessel, where it continues to rise and dissipate in the air. The process takes about 15 seconds. We also have vents in the bilge, but their pickups are on the highest points in the bilge—not the lowest, as they would be with gasoline, since ­hydrogen is lighter than air.”

So, place your bets: Which is safest? Gasoline? Hydrogen? Let’s not even talk about the potential hazards of lithium batteries. 

Where to Source Hydrogen

Hydrogen is an element, the first and simplest one on the periodic table, with only one proton and one orbiting electron. It takes two hydrogen molecules bound together to make the hydrogen gas that burns—H 2 is its chemical designation. Hydrogen makes up 75 percent of everything—me, you, the stars, the sun—and ranks as the most abundant element in the universe. To extract hydrogen gas, it must be separated from water (H 2 0), natural gas or other fossil ­fuels such as coal. The processes, and the carbon footprints of each, are identified by color. Green hydrogen is separated from water using renewable (solar or wind) electricity to power the electrolysis process and costs the most to produce. It is scarce. Blue H 2 is produced from fossil-fuel-powered electrolysis, but carbon dioxide is captured and repurposed or stored. Gray hydrogen is the most plentiful and is separated from natural gas. Brown or black hydrogen is the easiest, cheapest and dirtiest to make, from coal in a gasification process. The cost to produce hydrogen ranges from $1 per kilogram to $6 per kilogram. Unfortunately, due to distribution costs and poorly developed infrastructure, the price at the pump is an astronomical $36 or more per kilogram. Moreover, all existing and potentially known sources of hydrogen fall short of the current and projected future needs for world transportation. 

Getting Hydrogen in the Tank

Regardless of where hydrogen is sourced, it faces its next big and costly challenge: getting it to ­users. It can be transported by pipeline, and often is for large ­users such as gasoline refineries. 

It can be transported as compressed gas, but that’s far more costly for the amount of fuel carried in a tanker truck as compared with gasoline or diesel. It can be transported liquefied more easily, but its propensity for shrinkage is high, and the energy required to compress it, plus complications and liabilities at the point of ­delivery, adds to that cost. 

Transporting H 2 is an energy-burning process too. The gasoline refining industry limits hydrogen­transport costs frequently by ­locating near hydrogen-producing plants. That eliminates transportation as one of the big energy ­consumers for them. At some point, hydrogen-production plants could be scalable to locate at or near fuel service stations. But at present, door-to-door hydrogen delivery is not on the horizon, and at this writing, there are fewer than 100 hydrogen fuel stations in North America. Most are in California. Broad distribution of it is not practical. Yet.

Read Next: Decarbonization of Boating

If Not Now, When?

So, if Yamaha perfects its hydrogen engine in, say, two years, would we see them on the ­water in growing numbers? ­Probably not. Look back to the early 2000s, when carmakers such as Toyota, Honda, BMW and GM, as well as motorcycle-makers such as Yamaha, had extensive experience developing fuel cells, but the Western world began to push electric propulsion because transportation of carbon-neutral fuel—mainly hydrogen—was a long way from addressing the ubiquitous distribution system enjoyed by gasoline or even the electric power grid. Now, however, as that demand for electricity increases, the need for an alternative green fuel increases, which ultimately might generate a ­deeper dive into hydrogen power.

Should Boaters Care?

If Roush’s estimates are correct, 23 kg of hydrogen can provide energy comparable to 26 gallons of gasoline. At the current street price of $36 per kilogram, a 23-kilogram hydrogen fill-up would cost $828 (at $36 per kilogram) and propel the boat about 50 miles, while a 107-gallon gas fill-up would be $642 at the waterfront and get the boat about 180 miles. And, even when highly compressed, hydrogen takes up almost four times the space of gasoline for the equivalent amount of energy.

As with electric propulsion, hydrogen is not the formula for every challenge. And H 2 is far from viable today. But, as Yamaha, Roush and Regulator see it, it’s one potential heading in the passage to a carbon-neutral world. 

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