\u201cWhen will we start flying?\u201d I asked Vessev<\/a> co-founder and CEO Eric Laakmann, as we pulled away from the Brooklyn marina in the startup\u2019s VS-9 electric ferry. \u201cWe already are.\u201d <\/p>\n I\u2019ll admit I was a bit disappointed. I thought the moment when it transitioned from sailing like a regular boat to almost-flying as a surface-skimming hydrofoil would be more \u2026 momentous. <\/p>\n I\u2019ve been on my share of boats, including large ferries, small sailboats, and plenty of others in between, but never been on a hydrofoil and I was curious what flying along the water might feel like during the brief ride from the Brooklyn Marina out toward Governors Island on the East River in New York. <\/p>\n It didn\u2019t feel like flying, but it was a bit like a riding in a sports car. <\/p>\n Traditional boats of this size \u2014\u00a0about 30 feet \u2014\u00a0start to bounce and slap the water as they gain speed. But on a hydrofoil, that\u2019s when the foils start to do their work.<\/p>\n On the surface, the VS-9 looks like plenty of other catamarans. But under the hull are two wing-like structures that lift the boat as they slice through the water. Computer-controlled underwater flaps keep the ride smooth and stable. In the VS-9, most of the lifting is done by the front foil, with about 20% handled by the rear.<\/p>\n The rear foil also hosts the electric motor, which Vessev makes in-house. Why not outsource it? Laakmann said that it\u2019s important to keep costs in line \u2014\u00a0eventually, you\u2019ll have to bring production in house, so why not do it earlier in development? The only thing Vessev doesn\u2019t build are the batteries. \u201cThose have been commoditized,\u201d Laakmann said.<\/p>\n By lifting the hull clear of the water, hydrofoils can operate more efficiently than other boats. That\u2019s especially important for electric boats, where every kilowatt-hour counts.<\/p>\n Shipbuilders have been experimenting with hydrofoils for well over a century. The design offers several advantages, including lower drag and a smoother ride. The subtle transition I experienced on the VS-9, from sailing to almost-flying, underlined just how smooth a hydrofoil can be.<\/p>\n Despite hydrofoils\u2019 advantages, they\u2019re not a panacea. The design works best in waters the boat can clear when sailing on its foils. For the VS-9, that\u2019s about two and a half feet, or 0.75 meters. If the waves go higher than that, they start hitting the hull, ruining the smooth ride and sapping some efficiency. While they\u2019re not ideal for the open ocean, hydrofoils make sense for other waterways, including lakes, rivers, and bays.\u00a0<\/p>\n Vessev, which raised a $19 million Series A in August, is targeting transit operations to start. Laakmann thinks the combination of electric propulsion and hydrofoils can bring down the cost of operating smaller vessels and make them comfortable enough that they could augment urban mass transit systems. <\/p>\n Somewhere like New York City could use them to zip people to Brooklyn or Queens without needing to build much new infrastructure.<\/p>\n Hotels and tour operators are also an early target market, and public demonstrations like the one I attended have attracted wealthy individuals looking for another toy, Laakmann said.<\/p>\n For now, the VS-9 I rode is one of a kind, but Laakmann said Vessev plans to build more. Eventually, the company might shift to producing electric hydrofoil kits, allowing other boatbuilders to design their own vessels around the technology, Laakmann said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission<\/a>. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/vessev-rear-foil-raised.jpeg?w=680\")
![\"An](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/vessev-charging.jpeg?w=680\")
![\"An](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/vessev-vs-9-docked.jpeg?w=680\")