The boat being designed to be a shuttle from Watertown to Boston along the Charles River won an international award for electric boat design.
The Wada Hoppah received the Gussie Award for Electric Commercial Passenger Vessels: In Development. Drew Rollert, the man behind the effort to create a water shuttle, proclaimed the honor on Tuesday.
“I’m beyond proud to announce Wada Hoppah was informed today that it has WON the well recognized, international electric boat design award competition called ‘Gussie Awards,'” Rollert said. “Given the strength of competition and the breadth of the countries entering, this is a massive win for Watertown, Boston, and for the United States. It is also a major recognition that our area is home to the future of marine transportation.”
Rollert is designing the boat with help from InRiver Tank and Boat in Concord. He came up with the idea after being stuck in traffic trying to get to Fenway Park from Watertown as the waters of the Charles River remained quiet. He envisions the shuttle starting at the Watertown Square Dock and making its way to spots near Beacon Hill and possibly the TD Garden, with stops along the way.
In the announcement on plugboats.com, the boat is described as “Inland, clean marine transportation at its finest.”
It is being designed to be an all-electric boat that carries 40 or more passengers.
“Made for rivers, shallow harbors and inland waterways, this gorgeous, wakeless, electric water shuttle was made to remake those waterways with limited dredging, variable shallow depths, low bridges, and lots of pleasure boating marine activity that can’t be waked, like rowers, kayakers, or paddleboarders. Perfect for coastal cities with major river waterways that want electric commuting,” the Gussie announcement said.
Rollert noted that Wada Hoppah was the only U.S. boat to win an award.
“(It gives) a lot of credibility as to what I’ve been saying all along. We are a truly one of a kind product that could be a game changer for the area and even the U.S.” he said. “This was an international competition, and had entries from many countries which already have electric water shuttles, and 32 judges who are very experienced; and yet as the only American finalist, we won. If that isn’t a nod of respect from the international community, (that’s well established) I don’t know what is.”
The Gussies are named for Gustave Trouvé, the French inventor whose efforts to build an electric boat in 1874 led to the creation of the outboard motor. This year, more than 150 boats from 25 countries, and six continents. The awards were voted on by 6,000 members of the public and a panel of 32 international electric boat experts, with the voting weighted 75% Panel / 25% Public.
See all the winners here: https://plugboats.com/the-gussies-electric-boat-awards-winners-2024/
Wada Hoppah and the shuttle are still in the design stage. Rollert gave some lucky Boston Celtics fans a taste of what a trip down the Charles would be like when he gave them a trip to the NBA Championship Parade in June.
He also took Watertown News on a ride to the locks in Boston over the summer. See details and photos below: