What is believed to be the first electric canal boat ever made on the Isle of Wight has launched.
Good Ohmen — a 62 foot-long electric powered vessel — touched water for the first time this morning (Wednesday).
It was built by firm Floating OHM at Clarence Dockyard in East Cowes. It's thought to be the largest vessel made there since Floating Bridge 5.
CEO Naomi Hunter founded the company in the last year. She's hoping to be a trailblazer in the industry of electric powered canal boats.
Speaking to Isle of Wight Radio, she said:
"Why wouldn't you [go electric]? On a standard canal boat at the end of your day's journey you would run the engine again to top your batteries up.
"With our electric propulsion system you do the same again to top your batteries up. So in reality there's not really a difference in the living conditions or driving time."
Good Ohmen can cruise for up to five to six hours, without having to recharge its batteries.
It uses an electric motor, small diesel generator, is soon to have solar panels and a small wind turbine on the rear.
The vessel has been specially designed to create less drag than a traditional canal boat, which means it can travel further on less charge.
"We've gone back to the drawing board when it comes to the hull design. It's not a normal hull. We've taken elements of ship design and put it into the inland waterways, she said.
"This way we can utilise the electric propulsion system way better and more efficiently for what we need to do with it."
Amazingly, Good Ohmen was carefully crafted together by one man, welder Steve Jones from Medina Metal Craft.
Two overhead cranes — named Samson and Goliath after their namesakes in Belfast — were built to lift the parts into place.
Steve told Isle of Wight Radio:
"It's six months in the making. It was a nervous moment. I'm really proud of what we've done."
Ocean Coats painted and fitted out the vessel, as well as the shed space it was built in.
Designers and boat enthusiasts gathered to watch Good Ohmen launch. Champagne was chucked on the vessel before it hit the water for the first time.
It's due to set sail for its new home in Bristol, where it will be lived on by Naomi and her family.
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