Venice is sinking. This 'flying boat' could halt Italy's iconic city from eroding completely

Swedish company Candela Speed Boat displays a hydrofoil 'flying boat'.
Swedish company Candela Speed Boat displays a hydrofoil 'flying boat'. Copyright Candela Speed Boat Company
By Aisling Ní ChúláinAP
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A new all-electric hydrofoil 'flying boat' is making waves in Italy and hoping to define the future of boating.

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A flying boat that is designed to make few waves is already making waves of a different kind as it arrives in Italy this week.

It’s hoped it will be a solution to the 'moto ondoso' phenomenon in Venice, where the wakes of motorboats erode and damage historical buildings in the historic city centre.

Subsistence is a major problem in Venice as the city is built on a muddy lagoon. It's thought that the city sinks by 2 milimetres every year.

"There is no wake after the boat, so you don't disturb other traffic, or other boaters or erode coastlines," said Mikael Mahlberg, the communications manager for Candela Speed Boat.

The Swedish company’s new electric boat uses hydrofoils that act like underwater wings, lifting the boat's hull into the air and reducing water friction by about 80 per cent.

The boat is then able to cruise long distances using only battery power with minimal noise and a fraction of the energy expenditure of a regular boat.

"We use hydrofoils, to get the long-range, get the high speed," added Mahlberg.

"You also have a very low maintenance cost because it's an electric drivetrain, with no moving parts basically.

"We think this is the future of boating; this is how boats will look like in the future".

Watch the video in the media player to see what impact the boat will have on Venice.

Video editor • Mathilde Godon

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