Vision Marine’s new Phantom dayboat – lightweight, affordable, molded for electric propulsion
The Phantom dayboat is the newest model from Vision Marine Technologies, who have been in the electric boat business for more than a decade, and bring the benefit of all that experience to boat owners looking at their first electric options.
The attraction of the Phantom for electric propulsion is based on pretty simple physics: a lighter boat requires less energy to move through the water. That means longer range, which is what many potential electric boat buyers are looking for.
Weighs less than 50 lbs per foot
The Phantom weighs less than 50 pounds per linear foot: 800 lbs spread over 16 feet 6 inches (362kg over 5.05m). This is done using rotomolding technology, which makes the boat not only extremely light, but also virtually indestructible and unsinkable – as well as being totally recyclable when it eventually does come to the end of its on-water life.
The buoyancy that comes from rotomoulding also makes for a very stable ride. All of this in a boat that has space to hold up to ten passengers with molded bow seating and a right hand console for the driver.
Vision Marine experience
While Vision Marine is probably better known these days for the high powered E-Motion 180e outboard that set a speed record of 116 miles per hour at the Lake of the Ozarks last August, the company started out selling classic electric picnic boats 12 years ago. They still sell those models and Founder/CEO Alex Mongeon says the Phantom is a great 21st century addition to the lineup.
Read about Vision Marine’s 116 mph electric boat speed record
I was speaking with him at the Miami Boat Show, where the Phantom was introduced. “When I saw what the rotomolding can do, I said to myself ‘this is perfect for electric’.” He enthused. “It’s light, you can put it on a trailer…a family or bunch of friends can go out on the water and have a great time swimming, fishing, doing whatever – with a whole bunch of range – and of course with no gas smell and no noise.”
Rotomolding for lightweight strength, durability
Rotomolding is not a new process, you are probably most familiar with it being used on small recreational kayaks. The word is a combination of rotation and molding and means that the boat is made by pouring thousands of tiny polyethylene pellets into a mold, then heating and rotating it all– almost like a rotisserie chicken – so that the polyethylene is forced by gravity into every nook and cranny of the mold.
That creates a hollow hull with thick walls, exceptional strength and flotation properties. The polyethylene that is used gives the Phantom its durability and also means that when the boat is eventually retired, it can be simply melted down and the material reused – as many as nine times.
Roger Moore is the CEO of Nautical Ventures, a marine superstore with eight outlets in Florida and co-winner (with ePropulsion) of the 2024 Miami Innovation Awards in the electric and hybrid category. The superstore has signed an agreement with Vision Marine to be the sole distributor of the Phantom in the South Florida market and has put in an order for 50 units.
Phantom Dayboat at Nautical Ventures
“We can see a growing demand for rotomolded boats,” says Moore “and every day we get more and more people asking about electric. The Phantom represents the cutting edge of sustainable design in the marine industry, and we are confident that it will be a game-changer for our customers looking for environmentally friendly boating options.”
The electric package for the Phantom dayboat includes an ePropulsion Navy 3 electric outboard with console steering. At cruising speed the estimated range – which varies with total weight of the boat and water conditions – is 5 hours with a 7.2 kWh battery and 10 hours with a 14.4 kWh pack.
Vision is well aware that price and concerns about range are two of the things that hold back some people from getting an electric boat, and the Phantom is a compelling response to that.
The price for the Phantom as a standalone hull is $US 14,995. With the ePropulsion motor and battery providing 5 hours of range the price is $24,995. With double range battery the cost is $29,995.
The Phantom is available in a variety of colours and can be ordered through Nautical Ventures or on the Vision Marine website with a deposit of $500.
Vision Marine Technologies Nautical Ventures
Vision Marine Phantom Specs |
|
|---|---|
| Length Over All (LOA) | 16′ 6″ /5.05 m |
| Beam | 6′ 9″ / 2.10 m |
| Draft | 8″ / 203mm |
| Dry Weight | 800 lbs / 362 kg |
| Passengers | 10 |
| Motor | ePropulsion Navy 3: 3kW (≈6hp) |
| Battery | 7.2 kWh or 14.4 kWh |
| Estimated Range – Cruising Speed | 7.2 kWh battery: 5 hrs • 14.4 kWh battery: 10 hrs |
