Retrofit Kit Turns Speedboats into Hydrofoils

Lift Ocean's ONE system converts small boats into hydrofoils with 50% lower fuel use, but remains business-only.

Lift Ocean's ONE retrofit kit transforms speedboats measuring 6 to 9 meters in length and up to 2.5 tonnes in weight into hydrofoils using a single outboard engine. The system achieves roughly 50% fuel consumption reduction in test conditions, enabling takeoff speeds of 16–18 knots and cruising speeds of 20–25 knots. It includes motorized foil assemblies, an engine lift bracket, and flight control systems that deploy wings at low speeds via helm panel and retract for shallow water use. Wings can be swapped for performance or efficiency priorities, with engine lift brackets maintaining propeller submersion.

The mechanism relies on hydrodynamic lift generated by the foil assemblies, which reduce drag and fuel demand during operation. By converting existing boats into hydrofoils, ONE avoids the need for new vessels, targeting a specific segment of small commercial craft. This approach lowers maritime transport costs and travel time for business users who operate within the system's size and weight constraints.

For mobility access, ONE could expand affordable maritime travel if scaled to individual users—currently limited to businesses. Lower fuel costs and faster transit times directly reduce barriers for coastal communities reliant on small boats. However, its current business-only availability and performance variations based on boat characteristics mean it does not yet address individual mobility needs.

What to watch: Whether Lift Ocean will extend access to individual consumers. Caveats include the fuel savings being test-specific, performance differences between boat types (e.g., 'heavy and slim' vs. 'wide and light'), and the system's restriction to business customers. Source: Lift Ocean (November 8, 2026, New Atlas).

Source: New Atlas