SDYC electrifies fleet with purchase of Vita Electric Boats to perform race management support
by Vita Power 25 Sep 07:22 NZST
Vita Seal and SeaDog © Vita Power
Vita Power, an electric marine technology specialist, announces the sale and delivery of two all-electric RIB boats, the Vita Seal and SeaDog, to San Diego Yacht Club (SDYC). SDYC is part of a growing group of yacht clubs in California that are purchasing all-electric boats for their club-owned fleets. The SDYC Vita boats will support their year-round youth sail training programs, adult race management activities, as well as dockmaster duties around their marina.
In 2010, San Diego Yacht Club created a new waterfront facility with an emphasis on creating a facility with "green and sustainable elements" and aspired to host "Green Regattas." Along with generous solar power generation, SDYC Malin Burnham Sailing Center is a LEED Gold certified facility. Jeff Johnson, SDYC's Waterfront Manager offered "These boats fit so nicely with San Diego Yacht Club's commitment to introducing ways to conduct our sport with minimum impact on the environment. To complement this now decade-old facility, we are proud to showcase the 100% Electric Vita powerboats as a robust tool for our junior sailing program and regatta management activities. We are eager to pave the way for other yacht clubs to understand the benefits of 100% electric propulsion and minimize the carbon footprint of our day-to-day yacht club operations."
Johnson served on one of the 19 VITA Seal and SeaDog RIBs used as race support boats working the 2024 Olympic Sailing Games in Marseille (France), and again aboard SDYC's new Vita boats a week later straight off the trailer to serve the 2024 International Star Class World Championship. Duties included shuttling event officials, towing competitors, setting marks, and safety patrols. These events affirmed the capability of Vita's boats to perform multiple tasks for long days on the water, day in and day out for almost two weeks.
The SeaDog offers up to 10 hours of continuous use capability, while DC supercharging allows for rapid top ups between shifts with a 20 - 80% charge taking as little as 30 minutes. The Vita Seal combines fast and high performance with practicality, offering up to 10 hours of continuous operation at reduced speeds. Its fast DC charging capability ensures a full charge in less than an hour. The SeaDog and Seal's instant high torque and Vita's proprietary responsive controls also ensure complex maneuvers can be executed with ease, providing maximal towing and pushing force even at low revolutions per minute.
This sale marks Vita's ongoing expansion in the US market, following recent sales in California to Newport Beach Harbor (news release), Bill Foss (news release) and WestPoint Marina (news release). Vita's customers benefit from key incentive programs including the Commercial Off Road Equipment (CORE) Voucher Program pioneered by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Tanguy de Lamotte, Vita CRO for North America, said, "Vita is excited to provide these two electric boats to San Diego Yacht Club to support waterfront activities for its club events and operations as well demonstrate the benefits and capabilities of electric boats for future racing events, including the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles."
For more information visit vita-power.com.