Nominations open for The Gussies Electric Boat Awards on
THIS PAGE IS FROM THE 2021 GUSSIES.
TO NOMINATE A BOAT IN 2022 – PLEASE VISIT:
2021
For Immediate Release
May 26, 2021
CLICK HERE FOR THE GUSSIES 2021 WINNERS
The Gustave Trouvé Awards for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating were created to recognize the inventors, designers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and visionaries who are making advances every day to develop clean, quiet, zero emission technologies and designs to reduce reliance on fossil fuel for marine propulsion.
They are named to honour Gustave Trouvé, a prolific French inventor with over 75 patents to his name who was awarded the Légion d’Honneur in 1882. Among his innovations was the world’s first outboard boat motor, which he devised so that he could detach the motor from his prototype electric boat ‘Le Teléphone’ and take it home to work on in his Paris apartment.
While M. Trouvé’s invention predates the 1887 patent of the internal combustion engine, and electric boats have been available since the first years of the 20th century, it is not until recently that they have begun to enter the mainstream. Analysis from Research and Markets in February of 2020 estimates that the global market was worth US$ 4.49 Bn in 2018, and is expected to grow to US$ 12.32 Bn by 2027.
‘The Gussies’, as the awards are known in the electric boat world, are the only international boating awards that focus exclusively on electric boats and boating. The 2020 awards had 50 boats nominated from 19 countries with the winning boats hailing from France, Singapore and India.
Winners are selected through a combination of online public voting and weighted voting by a panel of industry experts from: the Electric Boat Associations of the UK, USA, Greece, Canada and Switzerland; the Alternate Fuels Committee of Inland Waterways International; and the Venice 2028 organization and e-Regatta.
“The first year of The Gussies saw over 10,000 votes from electric boat enthusiasts all over the world” said Jeff Butler, Editor/Publisher of Plugboats and Founder of the awards “and with interest in electric propulsion growing literally by the day, I expect many many more this year.”
The opening of nominations, May 26, is the 140th anniversary of Gustave Trouvé’s first trip down the Seine River in his electric boat in 1881. Nominations for The Gussies close on June 15 and voting will begin the next day – June 16 – to select which 6 boats in each of the 4 categories will move on to the finals. Finals voting will begin July 6 to decide the winners, announced on the 118th anniversary of Trouve’s death in 1902: July 27.
Thank you to the members of The Gussies International Panel
Electric Boat Association (UK)
The Electric Boat AssociatioThe EBA was established in London, England, in 1982, and is the largest organization in the world dedicated to electric boats and boating. The EBA champions the interests of electric boat owners. We’re here to help with issues such as waterway access, charging points, slipway facilities, reduced licence fees and the Boat Safety Scheme. Members also enjoy meeting up and talking kilo watts.
Representative: Tim Knox, Executive Director
Electric Boat Association of America
The Electric Boat Association of America was formed in 1992 to gather those dedicated to the enjoyment and promotion of clean and quiet electric boating. Goals include being an educational arm and information source for electric powered boating issues, representing electric boaters in matters of environmental protections and regulations and providing a forum for sharing experience and advice on electric boat related projects.
Representative: Tom Hesselink, President
The Electric Boat Association of Greece
The Electric Boat Organization of Greece – EBA Greece was founded in Greece in 2016 to promote the development of electric boats and to serve the needs of all those who have an interest in the field of electric boats and ships, such as boat owners or members and business owners dealing with the specific construction sector.
Representative: Andreas Apostolopoulos, Executive Director
Swiss Association for Zero Emission Boats
The objectives of the Association, among others, are to promote the design, construction and use of zero emission boats. They encourage individuals to shift to sustainable boating and professional to equip their marinas with electric and / or hydrogen infrastructures. The association works also with the public authorities to increase the shift to zero emission boats. Once a year, the association organize a Swiss Tour to showcase developments in the field of zero emission boats. The public and guests can discover the latest innovations in electric and hydrogen boats, test them and enjoy the pleasure of sailing without any noise or pollutant emission.
Representative: Sue Putallaz, Chairwoman
Electric Boat Association of Canada
The Electric Boat Association of Canada was formed in 2018 by a group of boating enthusiasts who are concerned about the use of fossil fuels for transportation and are excited about the possibilities of boats and ships powered by electricity. It advocates for policies, incentives and programs that will encourage use of electric propulsion in the country with the world’s longest coastline.
Representative: George Lougheed, Member of Founding Committee
Alternate Fuels Committee: Inland Waterways International
IWI’s Alternative Fuels Committee is working to promote methods to accelerate the transition of personal and commercial water craft used on inland waterways towards clean and sustainable propulsion systems. Its audience is the boating public as well as commercial interests, corporations, and legislative agencies. Its goal is to provide information on the latest technologies and best practices to these audiences so that they can make the best informed decisions about how to reduce carbon emissions from marine propulsion.
Representative: Hartmut Ginnow-Merkert, Committee Chair
Venice Agenda 2028
VeniceAgenda2028 is an N.G.O. working with Venetians to transform the city’s motorised waterborne traffic, particularly its public transport, from diesel/petrol engines to zero emission electric propulsion. The goal is to ensure that by the year 2028, all motor boats including water-buses, taxis, work and private boats are all zero-emission, low wash electric boats. The Venice e-Regatta of electric boats will take place May 29 to June 6 at the Salone Nautica Venezia (Venice Boat Show).
Representative: Kevin Desmond, Founder
